The Christmas thing

Well I told you, the talks about Christmas began, and I had no idea what it
was all about.

Well, one morning it started snowing like hell, and Chis says she was happy
she could work from home. Outside on the morning walk no streetcar passed by
us, and Chris knew it was because of the snow. She then packed a bag and
dialed a phone number. She said no taxi was available whatsoever, so she
called Daniel, the man on wheels, and asked if he could take us to wherever
we were going. He said he could, so soon afterwards Chris got dressed in
more layers than I had seen her wear, even a woolen sweater that didn't
smell like she has worn it too often. Then she harnessed me up, and we
walked through a tiny path in the snow, until the path stopped. I told her
where to go, but she did not want to go through the deep snow, until Daniel
spotted us and she found out that I was right to guide her that way. I think
Chris now knows that I am not misbehaving. I always jump when I am sure
where to go, because I am so excited I understand what she wants me to do.

Inside the car I saw another tiny dog. I wanted to smell her, but neither
Chris nor the colleague from work allowed it. Only the humans could pet the
other one's dog. Then the colleague and the dog left the car, and Daniel
continued to take us somewhere. He let us off somewhere, and I found out
that Micki was greeting us. And there was also the sister. Chris let me run
free, and the sister played with me. The sister is great for playing, she
looks at me and makes me runrun. I even react on hand cues, because I am a
watching dog. I have, however, adapted to Chris not watching me, I can very
well interpret her clear verbal cues. There was a cat, but I didn't attack
him, because he did not run away.

Insiide the house I stayed with the sister in the livingroom. What I was
there amazed me a lot - a real tree was put up there, a gigantic tree. Poor
thing must've felt lonely, for there were no other ones to make a forrest.
The sister likes me, and I like her.

Then the humans had food and talks, they relaxed and then the others put
themselves in warm clothes, too, before we all left. We ended up in a hall
with many benches they call church. Chris spred a blanket on the seat for
everybody, because it was cold to sit on. I had to stay on the floor, cold
space I say.

People gathered, a loud noisy sound filled the air, she calls it the organ,
which she likes a lot, the queen of all musical instruments. They sang,
people talked, and I got cold, so I kept busy licking Micki's hand, getting
pets from the niece and Chris and the sister.

I was happy when it was time to leave, and Chris let me run free in front of
the church. Another dog came by, but I was sceptical and did not want to
play too much. I preferred to follow Chris homewards, where I first lay in
the corridor and then in the livingroom. They brought out litte tiny
packages wrapped in nice paper, and distributed them. Candles were put up
and lid, and the room heated up and smelled of the candles and the tree.
Chris says that is what makes the atmosphere, the tree and the real living
candles, the warmth and the heat, and the memory of the visual impression.
So she could see in earlier days? Tough I'd say, but on the other hand she
now has me!

The niece started unwrapping package after package, got many books, jewelry
and more, and then followed Micki. The sister and Chris unwrapped theirs
together and had loads of fun. Chris found new warm gloves, a sweater and a
coffee mug and a porcelane-made picture.

When all candles had gone off, Chris took me upstairs, and both of us fell
asleep really fast.

So this is Christmas, a church, a tree, good food and many little packages
at Micki's house! Not bad I say, not bad, and cozy and relaxing.

Cheers to you all, Quito.

a few incidents

Well Chris and I had a lot to do in the past weeks. First and foremost, we
have had loads and loads and loads of snow.

I remember one morning when it first arrived, I guided her to work, and
Chris was so overjoyed. She also taught me to climb the snow hill
surrounding the traffic poles, so I could announce the signal. From then on
the snow had been our steady companion. I don't like the incredibly deep
stuff, but running and sliding and digging in the snow is quite a fun
passtime. I have noticed that Chris has been getting sick of it lately.

One morning I had an encounter with another female, who was off leash. I
starred at her, but her owner did not take her away. She snarled at me, I
slipped out of my collar, and we got into a running competition. When I was
finished, Chris called and I came back to her. The other lady was a little
more challenged with this situation. Chris examined me carefully, my collar
was adjusted, I took a second to catch my breath, and we headded on to work.

The next day we were on our usual dog walk, and all of a sudden another dog
came dashing at me like an arrow. She snarled, I snarled back, and we got
into a little fight. Her owner finally arrived to help Chris separate us.
She had freed herself from her leash and tried to bite my throat fur, but I
got a revenge on her and punctured her eye. Her owner tied her to a pole and
checked her, then he checked me, too, while I was sitting beside Chris. A
lady came and offered help, she had a pen and paper ready, so the man could
write down our details. However, he never called to see if everything was
allright. He also checked Chris' hands, and she only found out later that
one of us had scratched her skin a little. O I was happy when we were back
home, I lay down, watched Chris, made sure she was allright and then fell
asleep. Since then, she says, i have grown aware of dogs from a larger
distance and don't want to walk on.

Then a friend of Chris' arrived, and we spent a lazy time together, going
for dog walks all the three of us, and the snow has kept bothering us. The
doorbell has rung a few times, and each time Chris returned with a tiny
little package. This is what she calls pre-Christmas specialty.

I think tomorrow we are going somewhere, but I don't know where. Most likely
we'll walk through the snow and Chris will be enjoying my professional
guiding work.

I remember once we went for the dog route, and the route was completely
unidentifiable for her. So Chris told me to find the two landmarks, two
staircases, and then home. The door wouldn't open, so we walked around the
block, and I showed her the entrance that took us inside to the back door. I
think that was my masterpiece of listening to cues off harness, only on
flexible leash. Chris says this is why she insisted on receiving me at the
end of the last winter season, so we would have time to establish and
consolidate routines that would help us survive this time of torture, as she
calls it. With Hapoo she had suffered something similar, and Hapoo, too, had
to help her get oriented.
Well I like Chris, and yesterday one of my favourite others visited, the
boss without his cool dog Gina. He even brought me some leftover meat, but
Chris told him to put it into my food bowl, and I really enjoyed that fiest.

Talk to you soon when I know all about that Christmas-specialty thing,
Quito.

More to come, another journey

Hi everybody:

Allright, last weekend, so Chris calls the days, we left home and went to
the streetcar station. I even found the bus shelter like I am doing nothing
else day in and day out. A man and a lady talked to Chris, and when the
streetcar came, we got on and asked somebody to give us the spacious seat by
the door. I lay down and waited. Chris says I am picking up one of Hapoo's
habits, leaving Chris enough space for her feet, but making her neighbour,
if she has one, reduce his. Well, who's the boss? Surely not the neighbour I
have never seen. The man was cool, he put his nose into a book and was
friendly. At one point a swarm of little children got on the streetcar, and
two boys stood by me. I sniffed out their shoes, but Chris told them not to
pet me. I think she has accepted my need th gently sniff out people when I
have nothing else to do. I mean I don't push my nose flat against them, but
I just inhale their smells, you know...
The boys and Chris started to talk a little, and she had quite some fun with
them. Atthe end she allowed them each a quick pad on my head, and then they
had to get off. We went on until the train station, and their came my time.

Allright, we found the stairs to the pedestrian tunnel. Chris told me right,
but there was a cleaning machine I didn't like, so I walked left instead.
Chris said okay and told me to find the exit. I raced her up the stairs, and
then she commanded me right to the bakery, where she bought a snack and a
drink for the way. Down we went, along the tunnel again, straight through
until she told me to find the exit again, the exit on the opposite side of
the tunnel, for there are two. Up the stairs in record speed, even past the
noisy machine, and then I found the counter, where a lady was already
waiting. She took us to the seat I never find, because it's hidden behind a
corner, and then we waited until the lady took us to the platform.

The trainride that followed was uneventful, but then we got off and a lady
greeted us, and we walked to bus. I don't like buses, they are noisy, snaky
and move a lot. Chris, however, sat down and relaxed, so I, too, had no
choice. But I was glad when we got off that thing and Chris put me on
flexible leash, I immediately did all the businesses in the world, and then
we walked up to an entrance to a house. I showed Chris the door, but she
said it was not a door she owned a key to, so the lady had to open it. We
went into an apartment where nobody was inside. Chris put down her bag and
my harness, and then we went across the corridor into another apartment with
the lady inside, the mother, as I learnt. Chris had coffee and I got to
relax by her, until another lady came. I think I have seen her before, she
was at our place once, but she likes to keep at a distance from me and not
pet me. The three of us talked, and then we went back to the first
apartment. O that was so interesting. I didn't get to see it all, but Chris
seemed to know her way around, so she left my in the bedroom.

The rest of the weekend was quiet. I slept a lot, but we also went for nice
walks outside and talked with the mother. When the two ladies took us back
to the train station, Chris was cold and happy the train was warm. All of a
sudden she did something I have not seen her do as far as I remember. She
asked the man beside her for help, and another one agreed to help her. We
left the train way too early, and I knew it was not our train station. The
man took us to buses and we waited. At one bus the driver said I should wear
something coverig my muzzle - what a nonsense, I have never worn anything
like that and hope I never will! Well he ordered people to move away from
somewhere, and only then I could get on the bus with her, lay under one seat
and Chris sat on the other. It was so narrow that I hoped I could hop on the
seat, but Chris said no. I was really nervous, so she petted me until I had
calmed and the bus had gotten to a smoother route.

We were there forever, Chris even took a nap. The bus was so packed that
folks were even standing in the aisles. Finally we got off, and the man
helped us find the train station. He even took us to the streetcar platform.
I could feel that Chris was really grateful for their help. When we got out
of the streetcar, I showed Chris the traffic light, we crossed the street,
and then she let me run on flexible leash. And once we were home she almost
immediately went to sleep - well, after having fed me, of course.

By now the world outside is covered with snow. I like it and wish I could
jump and romp forever, she says not as crazy as Hapoo but almost as crazy,
if only the snow wouldn't get caught between my pads and toes! We have also
been at work yesterday, and some people have even missed us. Today she is
working from home again, she says hopefully they have cleared the routes by
tomorrow, when it's to work again.
Cheers, Quito.