A Letter to Santa Paws

Dear Santa Paws,

Just a reminder that I am still in north India. Thanks for all the loot last year. I've been a very good boy. Okay, an occasional slip like jumping on furniture when I am not supposed to, eating Lady's dinner, or barking too much. I share my treats, and I have been very patient with the babies that come here. I have a good home and lots of love, so I don't really need anything. But if you'd be so kind as to remember me when you come by, I'd like some bacon treats, beef, chicken, a new Bobo, and a new warm sweater or jacket. Please remember all the homeless doggies, and the street doggies here in India. I hope you can find us because there aren't many believers here. We don't have a chimney-just use the door.
Love,
Marley

Taking Care of Lady

Lady doesn't have a helper to do the floors, so she has to do them even though it really hurts her back. Most everybody has someone come in daily to clean their floors. We haven't found anybody yet. Lady has to sweep the carpet and the marble floors, then mop with a rag on her hands and knees. Well, that cute baby was coming over so Lady was cleaning. She finished before he came but while he was there, her back caught and that's all she wrote. I licked her to make her feel better. I lie right beside her. She had to send for muscle relaxers from the chemist, and we're having dinner delivered tonight. I love chili paneer and steamed rice. It is a spicy local cheese dish with veggies in a gravy, and we serve it on the rice. Lady and I share it sometimes, so we'll be eating on the floor tonight as soon as the guy delivers it.
I know how Lady feels. I certainly have had my back issues and she took care of me. Now it is my turn and I am doing a good job. She won't let me walk down the stairs though. I htink Pearly is coming to walk me. So pray Lady feels better soon, okay?

Home in My Own Bed!

Lady came to the Children's Home to get me on Friday. Aunty had just told me she was not coming until Saturday, but I knew better. I ran to the door and there was Lady!! I gave her a good bath of kisses! I forgot and jumped on the sofa and hurt my shoulder again, but after an hour's visiting time, I was okay. My friend Lily Belle forgets sometimes, too. Aunty made chai for Lady and gave her store-bought chocolate chip cookies. Aunty forgot I couldn't have chocolate and gave me one. I know better but hey, I'm a dog. I never eat chocolate candy, but I thought these were my regular tea biscuits they give me at tea time. Aunty also told Lady I got scolded by uncle for barking at 4:30 in the morning. I was good after that. I only slightly barked.
After visiting for awhile, Pearly helped Lady get me and all my stuff home. Lady didn't bring any chicken home for me. The driver went right past McDonald's. Oh well, she did bring me some doggie treats from the Rescue booth at the Christmas Market. She also bought me a new Christmas kerchief to wear! Our tree is up and my stocking is hung!! There are a few presents under the tree but I don't think they smell like they are for me. I can always tell. Last year I found one of my gifts and opened it early!
Lady and I hung out in front of the TV by the heater last night. It's good to be home.
That cute boy baby is coming over with some other new friends. And the girls from the neighborhood are coming soon. I better get busy and help Lady prepare!

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! I hope you get lots of good treats to eat and get lots of scratching, too. Don't forget to say thank you, and have an attitude of gratitude! 
I thank God for all my blessings, today and every day!  

Over the Poop Piles and Down the Street

(To the tune of Over the River and Through the Woods)
Over the poop piles and down the street to the Children's Home I go!
I know the way so I run all the way
past the trash and things that grow!
Over the poop piles and down the street
Be swift my tiny feet
They scratch my back
and give me snacks
to the Children's Home I go!

Back to the Home

Lady packed my bag and hers. I thought I was going with her. We got up super earlier this morning. She grabbed up my blankie and bag and off we went. We ended up at the home. Emanuel and Aniket were already headed to school. Pearly was waiting for me. All the kids were excited to see me. Lady put my mat down and I got on it. She covered me with my blankie and kissed me good-bye. She hates leaving me.
Lady went to the capital city to see a dentist and get her eyes checked. The, she is going to celebrate Thanksgiving with some American friends. We celebrated early with the neighborhood girls and moms. Lady tells me every day how she is thankful to God for me. Well, I have a list of things I am thankful to God for:
...Lady
...heaters and warm blankies
...car tires
...chicken
...Beggin Bacon Strips
...sunbeams
...fish to chase
...nice humans who let me stay with them when Lady travels
...interesting smells
...carrots and ranch dip
...car rides
...being scratched anywhere
...friends who read my blog
...Lady

Babysitting

That cute boy baby, Wyatt came over today. I was good. I didn't take any of his toys, but I can't say the same for him. Oh well, he's just a baby. I helped Lady get him down for his nap. I let him pull my nose and I'd lick his hand. For some reason, he really likes this and he went off to sleep! I wanted to lick his bottle because I smelled the milk, but I didn't.
Lady brought me chicken kickers from Domino's pizza! I was sooooo happy! She let me have half yesterday and half today. I'm doing good. I have cried since I took the pain medicine! I got busted though. Lady leaves me in the small bedroom so I won't jump on the living room furniture. Well... I left evidence that I had jumped up on the cot in that room! She took the cot down and put the mattress on the floor. I know I shouldn't jump but I forget. Baby it's cold outside so I am going under my blankie by the heater!

 The baby likes to go for a walk -just like me!

 Keeping a watchful eye.

 Getting sleepy...

 He's out, thanks in part to me!

Back Together

I'm feeling better. I haven't cried since Lady started giving me the pain meds and Vitamin B Complex. She gives it to me while I am still on the bed by the heater. She doesn't try to move me until the meds have kicked in and I am good and warm.
Last night SHE ran up to me. I guess I forgot I was annoyed. I was actually happy to see her and we rough and tumbled a lot. Two little boys thought she was bothering me and threw rocks at her. Lady told them to stop. They said her name is Tommi. She is a street dog, but cared for. Street dogs are not strays. They stay on the same street and people feed them. They like for the dogs to bark and let them know someone is nearby. The street dogs don't wander unless they are real boys, and there is an eligible female on another street. That's when the fights happen. It gets ugly. If a dog encroaches on another dogs' domain, they fight and it is noisy. Dogs get hurt. In my old city in the south I was bitten twice that way.
Tommi still tried to chew my ears, but I got  her good as well.
Thanks for praying for us.

Vet Visit

I cried a lot this morning. Lady was glad we were headed to the vet. Tinku, the taxi driver, picked us up. I whined the whole way. Lady had my coat on and wrapped me in my black blankie to keep me warm. She paid 4 cents (2 rupees) to see the vet. We didn't have to wait too long. Two huge, aging  retrievers were getting shots. My regular vet wasn't in, but this guy spoke English well. Lady told him the problem and he basically said "he's old." He didn't even examine me!! But Lady persisted and told him that just recently I have been crying in pain up around my shoulders. So, he had me get on the cold metal table and he poked around. He pointed out my curved spine. He said it puts pressure on my joints. He told Lady he would give me an oral pain med for three days, and Vitamin B complex for 10 days. Done. Lady was wishing she had called my regular vet, but we'll try the meds and then see. My meds cost $2.00, and the taxi ride cost $4.00. Tinku stayed with us so he could go get the meds. You have to go to a chemist in the lower bazaar to get them. But we ended up going to three different chemists before we got both meds.
Baby Wyatt came over to play. His dad played tug-of-war with me and my new girlfriend. She's pretty much shredded now, and it looked like snow all over the living room. The baby liked it. Now I'm just hanging out with Lady trying to stay warm.
Lady's been talking to my uncle. He wrecked his motorcycle and his little dogs had to go pick him up and take care of him. They had to go on a very long car ride and stay in a hotel. Cousin Pepper walked into the pet-friendly hotel and promptly did what he shouldn't have. Cousin Casey knew better. Guess who got crated and who got to sleep in the bed? Lady wasn't happy when she found out I had been riding a scooter in Bangalore while she was in the US. So you know she wasn't happy that Uncle rode so far in bad weather. I had to give up scooter riding because it stresses Lady out too much. Oh well. Bangalore was very flat but this city is on a mountain. Our roads are very steep and windy.
Thanks for praying for me. I will keep you posted.

A Day later...

                                                   OOPS!

No Vet Today

Lady called our taxi driver and he told us that all government offices are closed today. So we have to wait until tomorrow. Lady bought me a new friend that won't chew on my ears.

Ow

I'm having a hard time. I hurt so much this morning. I cried and cried when Lady picked me up and put me down. I can't tell Lady where I hurt, but it seems to be around my shoulders. I do better after I am warm, but before that, I holler pretty loudly! Lady didn't give me a feel better pill (Carprophen) because she says I gotta go to the vet tomorrow. They may want to stick me with steroids or drugs and I can't have both. Lady thinks I may have hurt myself jumping on furniture when I was at the Home, because that's when the pain started. Or, it may be arthritis. Lady put me in the small bedroom with the heater so I couldn't jump on anything. So, I get to go on a car ride tomorrow! I like that, but I don't like the getting stuck with needles part.
You may be wondering if my wheelchair will help again. Nope. That was for my hind legs. I am hurting up near my front legs.
It's gonna be a long winter.

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Well, I just won't peepee in the house unless I just can't control myself...which is like, never. Okay, maybe on occasion when I was drugged and in pain. So, I have to don my sweater or coat and brave the elements. And it is not even that cold yet! ButI like to get out early. We're never alone. This one toothless old human totters along with his monkey stick, wrapped snugly in a woven wool shawl, and asks Lady the same questions every time he sees us. What's your name? Where are you from? Where do you stay? What do you do? What kind of dog is that? At first, Lady couldn't understand all his questions, but now she can, and she can reply. He smiles his toothless grin, nods, and mutters on his way. Another old man we often see has his head wrapped in a woolen scarf, and looks dapper in his patterned sweater. He speaks English very well, but he also forgets what he has asked us. And it is a good day when nobody yells at me for doing what dogs do, uh, doo. Hey, I perform a public service by watering the trees and bushes! There's no poop pick-up law here, but Lady makes sure my business isn't where someone can step in it.
PTL, we didn't see my ex-girlfriend this morning. Yes, ex. I am totally fed up with her chewing on my ears despite my vocal protests! It's so annoying! She won't let me dance with her, so what's the point? She makes it extremely difficult to take care of personal matters. She just won't listen. She wags her tail and thinks she's so cute. Well, she is, but sometimes cute is annoying! She hasn't figured out that I broke up with her.
We had house guests last night. Bill, from Apple Country called and said he, his brother-in-law, and his mother-in-law were in town to see a doctor and needed to stay the night with us. Lady said sure. No Pallu though. She and Rae stayed home. Rae's mother has been having pains for awhile, and the doctor three hours away from them can't seem to make a diagnosis and help her. So they had to make that long journey here to go to the local hospital. Lady made pancakes for them this morning. Of course she made some for me, but I don't use syrup. I like them plain.
After I come back from my walk, I settle in for my morning nap. I got up to say good-bye and my blankie came with me.

Play Date

Baby Wyatt is much for fun to play with than my girlfriend. She is getting soooo annoying. A guy can't even take care of business without a girl chewing on his ear and jumping all over him. She IS taller than me. I walk right under her to try to escape. When enough is enough, I look up at Lady and she rescues me and picks me up.
Baby Wyatt is so cute! He is a good baby. He doesn't throw tantrums like that other baby who comes a lot. I am a good boy. I don't lick him too much, I don't take his toys, and I stay off of his blanket. I let him pet me and I didn't even growl when he tried to take my toy. That's really good for me.
While the baby was here, the TaTa Sky man came to change our TV box. I was soooo good! Most of the repairmen make Lady put me away. She won't. She says it is my house. But she does put my leash on me and hook me to a chair so they can see where I am. Good grief! I am just a short dobie!