The Final Chapter

Dear Friends, I know you have been worried about us and so much has happened since my last post. I don't know where to begin.....

We headed off on our trek to the Rainbow Bridge just as I told you we were going to..but it was very hard and as you know many of us are no longer young. Even with little Gon-Ba-Ma leading us we got lost... and then there was an avalanche. I am sure you have read of it in the news.

Some of us were rescued by kind and loving people...however, and my heart is aching to tell you this Dear Friends, Blue and Tansy did not survive. Oh, Dear Friends our hearts were broken.

Still, we had a paw circle and a celebration of life there amidst the snow and destruction. Margaret led us in Abide With Me and our broken little Gang held paws and hands and we prayed. We prayed for guidance and comfort for our grief and we prayed for strength. We knew that Tansy and Blue would want us to finish the journey...so we took them with us and we set off toward the Rainbow Bridge.

I won't go into to detail because my eyes are full of tears...but I will tell you we made it!  Yes, we were at the Rainbow Bridge in Shambala. Lucy thanked her God in Spanish, Hurley thanked his God, Margaret, still bowed with grief for her best friend gave thanks and praise, Bond raced around with Gon-Ba-Ma ...and I...I just sat and stared at the eternal blue sky.

We saw the Bridge in hte distance! OMG! We saw the Bridge....and you know what???  Blue and Tansy were there ...Dusty was there and Chick Chick (do you remember Chick Chick?) and My Dearest Sister Lacey..and Pops was there too.. so we knew he had passed while we were gone. They waved to us and blew kisses and told us to cross over the Bridge....We ran towards them.

What a hard decision to make Dear Friends. What would you have done?

We sat and looked at each other and then we looked again at all of our loved ones waiting for us. We wanted to go but we knew our time had not yet come. We still have not finished our earthly journey and adventure and we had many loved ones still waiting for us at home. We all agreed we had to go home.

We waved goodbye and told Tansy, Blue, Lacey, Dusty, Pops and Chick Chick that we would be back. They understood and told us to give love and hugs to all their loved ones back at home...to tell them that they were well and happy and waiting...waiting.

So, now we are back at home. One day we may have another adventure...

Goodbye for now.

Love Robbie.

New Names, New Paths

Morning came early and we awakened to the same chanting voices and ringing bells we had heard the night before. We rushed to the windows to see our new home (Margaret got dressed first but the rest of us already had our coats on ..BOL)
 
WOW!

 This place was even more awesome in the daylight than it was at night. The same jewel fruits were now sparkling in the sunlight just as they did in the moonlight....diamond pears and emerald leaves, ruby cherries and topaz lemons, other fruits gems I had never seen before of blue and purple and orange. And the palace still shining on the top of the mountain.

When we had our fill of gazing out of the window we started to think about getting our fill of food again. Gon-ba-ma turned up as if by magic and told us to follow her to breakfast. We did. The monks were assembled as they had been the night before...and again we were given what we wanted to eat. This really must be Shambala.

The head monk asked our names and as we each spoke our name he shook his head. He told us we must have Tibetan names for our adventure in Shambala. Margaret's must be named Jestsunma which means Reverend Lady;.Blue, Jamyang...gentle voice; Tansy, Norbu...jewel; Bond, Namba...a gift; Lucy, Sengemo...lioness; Inka, Mampa..fabulous. And Me/Robbie, Tenzin,...holder of the teachings. We liked our names and practiced saying them. Tansy wanted to know exactly which jewel she was named for, she thought Diamonds were a dog's best friend! Lucy growled like a lioness with a Mexican accent...Blue said he was happy in his gentle, kind voice. Margaret, said she hoped it meant she was to be accepted as a Monkess? (is that a word) and be part of ceremonies in the Monastery? Inka said she had always known she was fabulous and was happy it was finally recognized. Bond just raced around and said he didn't care what he was called. And I didn't feel like I was the holder of any teachings ...I could barely remember what we were doing here.

After breakfast we wanted to go out sight-seeing and check out this wonderful place we were in.  Gon-ba-ma said she would show us around ..but first...we had to decide WHY we had tried to find Shambala. Were our hearts pure enough to look beyond the earthly treasures? Was what we were seeking  in the shining palace? Why had we started on this adventure? Were we to be side tracked as were most of the pilgrims who had stumbled on Shambala?

I checked back over my blogs and found this entry, this is what we contemplated many weeks ago, 'Bond says his great great great grandmother told him of a place that is soooo high that you can see the rainbow bridge and climb up it to meet with friends on the other side. He said it is a place where people and dogs become young again! And it is a place where ghost snow-dogs roam the mountains howling like the wind'. Gang this is what we came for...not jewels and food and comfort. We came to find the Rainbow Bridge and to find how to turn back time!!

Gon-ba-ma laughed and said 'then I will give you a very different tour of Shambala'. 'Jestsunma, Jamyang, Norbu ,Namba,Sengemo, Mampa, and Tenzin follow me, we have much to do to get ready for the journey to the Rainbow Bridge'. 'Many try to find it my friends but most can only reach the gate and then they turn back'.

I have to admit that sounded a little scary and I thought it was time for a paw circle. So we sat down and held paws and hands. Margaret led us in a prayer and then we sang our favourite hymn 'All Things Bright and Beautiful'. Dear Margaret is so aptly named as Jetsunma, she has been our Reverend Lady through all of our adventures. We felt strong and courageous after our circle and we yelped, barked, howled and Yippeed that we were ready for the next step in our adventure!

Are we? 

Shambhala!

Time seemed to fly into the thin mountain air when we lined up behind Gon-ba-mo and before you could say Shambala we were in the village of the singing voices and ringing bells.

Wow! How can I describe to you how different this village felt and looked. Shining in the mountain peaks was a magnificent palace which shone brighter than all the stars in the sky. The path to the palace was lined with trees whose branches were hanging with fruit made of precious stones. Colourful monasteries and mansions were dotted in the peaks and valleys all lit up with a strange Tiffany sort of lamplight shining from their windows. The snow fell around dancing and changing colour to match each building. We were speechless and barkless.

We asked Gon-ba-ma who lived in the palace and she told us that the mightiest King in all the world lived in the palace; the King who knew all the secrets of this world and all the others. I know it sounds a bit crass but all we wanted to know at the time was the secret of  how to get some food and a place to sleep!

Gon-ba-ma laughed at us and told us to follow her. We did. She took us down a narrow path to a monastery where the monks dressed in their saffron robes were sitting down to eat their evening meal. They welcomed us and asked us to sit with them. We did. Oh how good the food was. As if by magic we all had the food we wanted the most. Of course it was vegetarian but everything was delicious and just perfect. Margaret had a fantastic Toad in the Hole (I didn't dare look at the toad) and Tansy, Mock Duck. Inka chose a plate of stew with a fluffy dumpling and Blue a cutlet with a side of kibble, Bond had a strange Tibetan dish, Lucy five tacos and a burrito and I/Me had my favourite burger with Caesar salad.

The monks were curious about us but very gentle with their questions and although we were getting very drowsy we answered as best we could. And then we asked them where we were. They told us:

Dear travelers and seekers you are in Shambhala. When souls are not happy in their earthly home and they yearn for a better world then the soul is pushed to find Shambhala or Shangri La. Shambhala is a paradise where dreams can come true but you must believe it can exist to find it. This magical kingdom can only be found by believers who are pure in heart. In your world you have been conditioned to see first and then believe but to find Shambhala you must believe first. You have believed my friends and you have found.

Wow! It was all too much for us to take in.

Tansy had nodded off and the rest of us were not far behind. Gon-ba-ma understood and in a twinkle of a star we were in our own beds, soft and clean and warm. Oh Bliss.

I think we are going to like Shambhala when we see it in the morning.
 

.

Meeting Gon-ba-mo

Isn't it wonderful how stories, songs, prayers and Dear Friends keep dogs and humans free from fear and anxiety? We forgot our cold feet and empty tummies as we listened to our friends tell their stories. Now many of you have asked me for MY story but I am not being modest when I tell you I really don't have one compared to my Gang friends.

I was born in Duncan on Vancouver Island and Mom and DOD came and got me when I was a puppy. They took me to Saturna Island where I have lived ever since (when I am not in Arizona or out on an adventure) Of course I have traveled to many countries by magic and made many friends, dogs, humans, ghosts, witches, elves, dragons and faeries from every walk of life and every world. I have been blessed.

Anyway, here we are on a mountain ledge somewhere in the high Himalayas inching our way toward what we hope is a village. Bells are ringing and voices are chanting....

And then, we heard barking! We looked at each other....no it was not one of us.... I was worried for a moment that one of us had gone barking mad...it can happen to dogs and humans. We strained our eyes and peered into the fading light ...a little snow-covered dog came into view. He/She/it shook itself and it looked just like Bond. 'Hawwoooo', it called and again 'Hawwooo'. Margaret said 'it is trying to say Hello but it has an accent, lets all say Hello right back'. And so we did, in unison and loudly. HELLO! The little black and white dog laughed and ran toward us.

My name is Gon-ba-mo she said (she spoke a language we could all understand albeit with a strange accent) I am a girl dog and I am magical....that's what my name means. Who are you she asked? So we introduced ourselves one by one calling out our names over the sound of the howling wind.  She was very surprised at how we were all so different in size and colour (or at least the colour she could see as we were now mostly white) and she said she had never seen Margaret's Breed before. Bond was the only dog she recognized and she gave him a big smile and a wink. She wanted to know how we had got to the mountain pass as she told us no dog nor human had come from the outside for centuries. We told her we would tell all later but at this time we were too tired and cold to have a conversation and we would all fall off the mountain and die if she couldn't help us.

Follow me, she said and Bond took her curly tail in his mouth and we followed her.

Gon-ba-mo

Lucy's Story

 Even though we were hurrying as fast as we could the distance to the village didn't seem to get any shorter, the bells and voices any closer. We struggled on.

Then because we had enjoyed Blue's story so much I sent a text to Lucy's humans, Frances and Cathy, and asked them to send me Lucy's story. They did, and this is it:

 "Walking back from dinner in Nogales, Sonora several years ago, we stumbled upon a small dog covered with motor oil and living in a parking space on a side street near the border. We reached down to pull her out of the street and to our surprise, she rolled over for a belly rub.  Clearly, she had been through hell in her short life, yet she trusted us. As the little dog furiously licked my hand, lapping up the rare affection and craving more, we noticed that the little dog could not put any pressure on her right hind leg. 

Since she had no way to hunt for food on her own, she must be completely dependent upon the kindness of strangers for survival. We convinced ourselves that the pail of water we saw near the little dog’s parking space was put there by a kind soul.  We concluded that it was more likely air conditioning runoff. We had to find a way to help this little dog, so the next day, we crossed the border in our car.  We made a couple of passes down the street but did not see her.  Where was she? On our third trip, there she was sitting in her parking space!  We had a plan but we were worried that someone might claim her as we kidnapped her from the street.  Of course, no one objected when we scooped her up in a blanket and put her in the back seat of our Subaru.  We headed for the border where a casual border agent waved us through after concluding “Lucy” as dubbed her was not “livestock”.

We were thrilled on the ride home. Our spirits were soaring.  We thought of the starfish fable….maybe you can’t save them all but you can make a real difference in the life of one little dog.  In our home, she welcomed our loving attention and care.  She slept like a baby, maybe the first full night of sleep she has had in her life. 

We took her to the vet the next day and Lucy had a complete work-up.  Amazingly, she was in fairly good shape. She had a skin condition that produced painful sores throughout her coat.  At some point, Lucy’s hind leg had been broken and had healed badly.  More than likely a car had hit her. Despite two vets saying she wasn’t pregnant, she was, as unfortunately so many strays are. Lucy delivered four healthy puppies one month after her arrival. Because we already had four other animal rescues in our home, we made the difficult decision to find a home for her once her puppies were old enough to be adopted out.

However, as she cared for her puppies and began to heal, we fell in love with Lucy as her true personality came out. We quickly learned why she survived on the streets of Nogales, Mexico.  She demanded love from us as she had that night in Nogales. When provided with nutritious food, fresh water, treats and love, Lucy thrived, even craved love. Though she had a few “accidents” and chewed a few pairs of shoes, we knew this was all to be expected due to the inevitable anxiety of such new surroundings. Lucy’s four puppies all went to good homes, one male pup, Dudley, lives just across the street from us.

It was plain to us that Lucy was becoming a member of the family. We could never give her up and we never did. Now, she is the ranking Alpha dog in our pack. Lucy continues to give so much more to us than we ever gave to her. We are the lucky ones. She is a funny, grateful dog who loves to roll in the green grass in our park nearby. Lucy’s day is not complete without three walks along the De Anza trail behind our house. Lucy is home and we all are enriched for it".

I just love these 'reality stories' don't you???  they make the journey so much more interesting. 

Now we can see the lights of the village...we are almost there. 

Who will tell their story next???

Blue's Story

I bet you have been wondering where we have been? Well, I had to go to Arizona with Bond, Mom and DOD. You see, with magic anything is possible, and I can flip in and out of our adventure...so now I am ready to go back to the cold, snowy, high country and the dangerous mountain ledge where we are inching our way forward toward chanting voices.


I hate heights and to tell the truth I was afraid. This ledge is only a couple of feet wide and I didn't dare look down.  I could hear Lucy talking in Spanish, whether she was swearing or praying I couldn't tell. Bond was up front and he looked fearless padding on his snowshoe feet. Dear old Blue talked to him to keep him focused and thought it a good time to tell his story to Bond. Of course we all wanted to hear so we bunched up even closer together and Blue began:

   'This is my story young fella....I was put in a shelter in Cranbrook as a pup, a lot of people came by but no-one wanted me and every so often there was talk of the 'big sleep'....this had me worried, but at last a lovely lady named Ruth and her husband took me to what what was to be my furever home! So I spent my youth hiking in the Rocky Mountains, often in the snow. Then sadly Ruth's husband died and we moved in with her daughter in Calgary--wild weather there--in fact it may be snowing right now! Then we all moved to Vancouver, and I hated it. It rained all the time and I barked all the time, and that meant the  landlord was going to kick us all out----An appointment was made again for the 'Big Sleep'. 
I was apparently too old by this time for another furever home. My family was so sad and I was very anxious. But THEN...the RestQ people on Galiano heard of my plight and I ended up at Bonnie's OK Dog Corral for a week, where I met my now Sister, Inka. She said it was okay for me to come and live with her and Lynne, so here I am. and how I am hoping we find the place where time goes backwards, where I can show you what I was like as a young fellow. In the meantime, if I can help with trekking in the snow just let me know'


We all liked hearing Blue's story and wondered how humans could give up their fur baby's, but we didn't say anything because our Dear Margaret is not that kind of human and we didn't want to make her feel bad about the other kind. We held on even tighter to each other ...feeling those ties of friendship and family ...and crept forward inch by inch over the crunchy, slippery snow and ice.....Bond in the lead, then Blue, then Tansy, Margaret, Inka, Lucy and Me/Robbie bringing up the rear and enjoying even in our hour of peril, looking at Lucy's bum!

Margaret, Tansy, Inka and Lucy were real good sports and never once complained....and I know I promised not to mention Tansy's short legs ever again....but her poor little belly was in the snow most of the time and she was darned near frozen to death. Margaret offered to carry her but it was far too dangerous and I just couldn't allow it. Blue was stoic but I could tell he was tiring....I was feeling desperate.... we were all weak, hungry and cold.

Bond barked like mad, he often does for no reason so we didn't pay much attention ...but LOOK! LOOK GANG!
We looked into the dawn light. A Village? People? Shangri-La?
OH MY..we were still far away but we we knew we could make it...we listened to the bells and the chanting voices...WOW !!!
We picked up our feet and hurried as fast as we dared.....

Goodbye....Hello ཕེབས་པར་དགའ་བསུ་ཞུ། ( tashi deleg)

To cut a long story short and not to bore you with the details, Lucy made it to Canada.... okay there was a bit of a problem when she snapped at the border guard who got a little too personal with her but Margaret was able to sort that out by telling the guard of Lucy's past and her fear of authority, men in general and uniforms in particular. They let her in with a warning.

Everyone came to my house. We loaded up food, meds, clothes, guide books and my Blackberry. Blue confided he was a little worried about the arduous journey but I assured him that with magic anything is possible and he shouldn't worry. Inka wore her flashing collar...we may need it to serve as a beacon and a guide to us in the snow and wind. Margaret and Tansy muffled up to their eyeballs in Inuit clothes, parkas and mukluks were anxious to get going as they were way too warm. Bond raced around biting his tail and trying to remember if he can understand Tibetan....he barely understands English...and I/Me, I was a bit apprehensive...this well may prove to be the most difficult adventure we have ever been on.

So up, up and away we go.

Wow!

We tumble head over heels in deep powdery snow. There are no trees, no houses, no cars, no people. We are surrounded by huge mountain peaks so high they are lost in the clouds. 

We don't know where we are. My GPS is not working. We can see and feel we are high, high up in a snowy cold land...but which land? I say we should sit down and try to breathe normally and get our bearings and be calm. We sat in a little circle and held paws and hands and then we lay down and made snow Angels because we like Angels. We are each afraid to say that we are afraid, but we all are. As usual we found comfort and strength in our circle and we managed to  squeak out a little prayer. We know there are no accidents in the Universe, that we have been guided here and that we must have confidence in our inner guide and in each other. We took a deep breath.... that usually worked but in the thin air it made us cough!

Margaret, Inka, Tansy and Lucy had to go and do whatever girls do when they have to go. They came racing back and yelped ( well Margaret didn't yelp...she spoke) that they could see a mountain pass higher up and that it went round and around the bend. . 

Night was falling quickly and the wind was picking up. Oh help!!!

And then we pricked up our ears ....Margaret is getting good at pricking hers....In the distance we heard the sound of a prayer bell and heard low melodious chanting. We looked at each other and quickly agreed that our best bet was to try to follow the path toward the sound of human (we hoped) voices.

We tied ourselves together with Margaret's personals and then we inched slowly single file on the narrow dangerous path. Bond was in front ..now we know what his snowshoe feet are made for!  The silvery moon lit our way and the Man-in-the-Moon smiled at us. We didn't dare look down.

This is going to be a long night.

To be continued.......

Corrections

First, I made a mistake on the Yak and Yeti food...it is Spazyakandzyeti...Tibetan pasta with meat sauce.  I think it best that we don't ask what kind of meat is in it.

 Bond was offended that I referred to his Clan as Holy Terrors and he set me straight on his heritage, so here it is:
Bond is a Tibetan Terrier and this is what I have found out about his Clan. The breed is a very old one and has an interesting past. The little dogs were originally kept as companions to the monks in isolated monasteries in the Lost Valley of Tibet. The dogs are intelligent (I am not sure about Bond) and they have big flat snowshoe feet for walking in the snowy mountains. They also have a great sense of direction and are said to bring good luck. They know of secret ways in and out of  high and dangerous mountain passes.

Tibetan Terrier

I think we need these attributes on our journey and even though Bond is a puppy he should have all of these good things in his genes! He certainly has the feet!

Tansy was also offended that I said she only needed two inch boots. So I apologize and retract my statement. I will not mention her short legs again.

Margaret informed me that her wardrobe is not made up of frilly dance-hall costumes and that she has lots of winter clothes which she will share with us if necessary.

Mom is still mulling over whether or not Bond can come with us and she says I am getting too uppity making plans without her permission.

Lucy my girlfriend from Tubac reminded me that I had promised her she could be in our Gang. I had forgotten. You know how easy it is to promise things when you are romancing a good looking gal. Anyway, here is what she sent me:  My name is,  Lucy Guadalupe Maria Elena Catalina Jolanda Marrero de Mexico I am originally from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico but I took my citizens test and I am now a citizen of the United States of America. You can call me Lucy for short. 

She speaks Spanish and it may not be the same as Tibetan but she is a sharp cookie and street-smart in every sense of the word.
I think she can join us....don't you??

I think Lynne and Blue and Inka are happy.


There! I have set the record straight.....

I need photographs of the Gang to post before we leave, we may need them for 'Missing' or 'Wanted' posters. BOL.... Just a little humour here! Send them to me saturnarobbie@gmail.com

Dried Yak and Yeti

The Gang is ready and willing to head off to find the Lost Valley, high, high up in the mountains of Tibet where Bond's Clan The Holy Terrors live and where the Rainbow Bridge begins. I mentioned in my last post that there is also a legend of eternal youth in the mountains and the clocks all work backwards until you reach the age you want to be. I am hoping it is true.

We met at my house and had a paw circle to try to figure out all the logistics of such a long, arduous and dangerous expedition. We believe in magic so getting there isn't too difficult for us, I have also mentioned a few of us are Seniors and we can't move as quickly as we used to nor can we go for very long without a rest. So we have to decide on an average day and how far we can go. The altitude may be a problem too and I haven't quite thought that through.

We also have to eat (Bond needs three squares a day)  and I have found some dried food that is very light and  just needs water added. Margaret seemed a little put off with the name,  Dried Yak and Yeti - Delicacies of the Himalayas...but it seems to me that we should eat local if we can and it is transportable and we will have lots of snow for liquid. I know it doesn't sound very good and I am not sure how a Yeti is caught and dried (or a Yak either for that matter) but the manufacturer says it will be delicious when it is re-constituted.Tansy, Blue and Inka said we should test it BEFORE we leave. Very good advice but I don't have it here, we have to pick it up when we arrive in Tibet ...it seems there are laws against importing dried Yaks and Yetis into Canada.

I have checked out Visas and vaccinations on-line and as long as we all have up-to-date Rabies Certificates we should not have a problem.

Margaret doesn't have her own fur so she will need warm clothes and boots. She says she has quite a few outfits from when she was Lake La Barge Marge in the Yukon so she will be okay. I hope they aren't all frilly and wild colours. Tansy wants high boots....how high can boots be for a Dachshund??

I could go on for a long time but you get the drift, there is a LOT to organize and plan and we don't have much time. It is already almost the end of September...not a moment to lose.

We held paws and sang a hymn and Margaret led us in a short prayer asking for guidance, health and safety on our journey.

I haven't told Mom and DOD yet that we are going and that Bond is going with us. Inka and Blue haven't told Lynne. Hmmmmm.....
And I have to tell you that I have written this on the run and I have probably missed a whole bunch of stuff so I may have to retract and re do....just saying.

A New Adventure

My Gang hasn't had an adventure for a long time. A few of our members crossed over the rainbow bridge  earlier this year and we just didn't have the heart to carry on without them ....But now I feel energized again and I think it is time I called the Gang together and we begin a brand new and exciting tale. Let me tell you why.

I have a new brother and his name is Bond. He is a Tibetan Terrier and he has been telling me about the legends of his clan who live in the very very highest mountains of Tibet. He says his great great grandmother told him of a place that is soooo high that you can see the rainbow bridge and climb up it to meet with friends on the other side. He said it is a place where people and dogs become young again! And it is a place where ghost snow-dogs roam the mountains howling like the wind. WOW!

Gang doesn't this sound like something we would want to do?  We could all become young again....well except for Bond he is already young and we will have to make sure that he doesn't get any younger! And we are not afraid of ghost snow-dogs ...are we??

So, Margaret, Tansy, Inka, Blue and Bond are we ready to go and find this place near the sky in a far far away country?

Let me know your decision as soon as possible I have lots of preparing to do....like finding out where it is and if we need visas for travel!  We will have a paw circle as soon as you all let me know.

Robbie.

So Long Summer

I know Summer does not end until September 21st but for me it ended this weekend. These are the signs that summer has ended on Saturna what ever the calendar says.

 Last night we went to the Sock Hop which we always go to at the end of summer but this year I had to stay in the car with Bond because Mom said he was too young to be thrown in with the Gang! You know when she got a new puppy she did not mention that I would have to puppy-sit the little pest! So I could hear the music and see everyone dancing inside....I could see my old Gang outside the hall just sniffing butt and catching up on summer gossip... but I was tied to the back seat so the little twerp could see me! I am not kidding, I was harnessed to the seat....dear Dog give me strength!

Our last lot of company left this morning and no one else is scheduled to come ... another sign that summer is over. And this afternoon I went to the Saturna Lion's Labour Day, Dog and Dog Show. Now everyone knows Me,  Saturna Robbie, and they know I am a bit of a celebrity (if I do say so myself) but this year everyone was fawning over Bond. As if that weren't bad enough Jenn offered to register Bond in the show so he could compete! There he was strutting his stuff in the puppy class with Ruff Ruff. Of course he got a prize...how could he not when Mom is a Judge and DOD is the Emcee??  If you think that was bad next thing I heard was his number being called for the Obstacle Course...yes, Obstacle Course. The little twerp can barely walk on four legs but somehow Jenn made him look like he knew what he was doing and he got another prize!  I was beside myself with embarrassment.

Anyway, I am not going to bore you with more tales of my tormented life.

Summer is over and by the time next summer happens Bond will be over a year old and a gangly teenager. We will see who thinks he is so cute then. In the meantime I will continue to behave like the mature dog that I am.

Bond

Bond

Most of you know by now that I have a new brother and that his name is Bond. You also know I wasn't too keen on getting a new family member after my sweet sister Lacey died. But Mom was moaning and weeping and I thought to make her happy again we should get a puppy. I chose a brother just so it would be a very different relationship from the one Me and Lacey had ..and I chose a Tibetan Terrier because ALL Terriers are a lot alike. Of course after I chose him I found out a Tibetan Terrier is not a Terrier...now does that make sense to you?

So Mom went over to Vancouver by float plane on Wednesday to pick him up. His birth Mom Anne, had put him on a plane in Los Angeles and he had flown all the way to Vancouver by himself...in a crate... in Cargo!

He cleared customs without a hitch and Mom paid sales tax on him so now he is a true Canadian.

 He is feisty and cute for a guy dog...and at first when he wanted to be friends I gave him the cold shoulder...I even snarled (yes I know, not good manners) a time or two when he went too close to my treats. But today I had a change of heart, after all I am a mature dog and Bond is my brother now ...so I laid down beside him and we had a chat. He knows it will take a while ....but he also knows that we are going to be friends.

I am happy to know however, that he is going to be neutered in a couple of months! I don't want THAT sort of relationship and he is already...well you know, trying!

Looking Back

Do you know that my real name is Royal Warrior? It is. Robbie is just a nickname that the breeder gave me. I was destined to be a show dog because of my good looks but the breeder thought my personality was just too strong and she didn't want my genes passed on to my sons and daughters. So she put an ad in the paper saying I was for sale to a good home and Mom and DOD answered the call!

I was on my best behavior when they came to check me out, although the breeder was honest about my terrier nature, but Mom just gave her the look...Puleese...this cute little guy! And they put me in the car and brought me to Saturna.

I still remember coming home for the first time. Oreo was my sister then, she was a big old Shar Pei. Well my first job was to show her who was boss, how lucky was I that she didn't chew me up and spit me out!!!

And then my adventures began. I climbed up what looked like Mount Everest not far from my house (of course I know now it was only a small mountain but I was a Pup) and after exploring for a while I knew I couldn't get back down. It took DOD and Hugh hours and hours (well maybe one or two) to find me and rescue me. Mom said she was sending me back to the Kennel!

Then there was the time I scrambled  down the bank to the ocean. It was low tide and I was able to walk out to an uninhabited desert island and be a great white explorer of uncharted territory.  Of course I was not a mature dog then and I didn't know about tides and how they came in and out. Well the tide came in and I was stranded! I sent out an SOS for Mom and she had to wade into the cold, fast running water to try to get to me. Unfortunately she slipped and I was worried she would be swept away and I hadn't had dinner yet! But she managed to get back on her feet and was able to grab me by the scruff and throw me toward shore...I think that was a reportable offense. Needless to say I have not been near the ocean since then...oh and Mom said I was going back to the kennel.

I am getting into this remembering now. Then my sister Bella came, she was a wild rescue dog and she had been around the block a few times that girl.  She loved to run and I loved to run with her. DOD put up a fence but I showed her how to tunnel and we would be free again until he blocked the escape route. One of our favourite places to visit was the Pub (although Mom had warned them not to serve us) we would hang out there and chat with the locals until someone called Mom. By this time Mom knew the kennel would not take me back so she switched to threatening to send me to the pound.

Oh and the time I chased a Raccoon up the mountain...BOL! That critter was screaming and hollering at me and making so much noise. Hugh, Barbra and DOD all raced up the steep bank to save me but I thought they we re-enforcements and I went even more ballistic. I finally gave up the fight and staggered down the bank with my face covered in blood...Mom had hysterics...but I had only bitten my tongue in the heat of battle and I was not injured. I think she laid hands on me that time...another reportable offense. And I think she actually called the pound!


I could go on and on but I will stop now as I think you can see that I have not had an easy life. And now I am getting a new puppy brother....hmmm...will I show him the Royal Warrior OR the mature Robbie?

Puppy 101

My friends on facebook already know I am getting a new brother. Now I don't like to post my true feelings on facebook but here on my own blog I want you to know it is not easy to think of a new Bro when I am still missing Lacey. I don't need to say anymore, I know you understand that doggie and human hearts can love something new and be happy...and hurt at the same time.

We have tried to find a way to get my new Bro (Bond is his name) up here to Canada so we don't have to wait so long for him but the airlines will not fly a dog from Phoenix or Tucson in the hot months. And I think this is a good thing. I wouldn't want the poor little guy to get too hot and be hurt... or worse. I offered to go and get him but Mom reminded me that I am a Dog too!  Right!

So it looks as if we will get him when we go back to Tubac which is two whole months away. In the meantime I am reading all the books I can find on dealing with a new puppy. I saw a book on the internet 'Puppies for Dummies'...NO, that doesn't sound good, I think Mom would give me 'the look'  if I gave her that.

I have never had a puppy in the house before, my three sisters were all older than me and I was in charge from the minute they set foot in the door. I gave them the drill about sharing and food hierarchy and respecting property rights ...and they got it! From what I read about puppies they are wild out-of-control things that do what they want when they want. Okay, you are probably going to say it is up to Mom to train Bond...but...look at Me and then ask yourself if she is capable of training anything? I had to train HER and DOD when I first got here.

I know what I will do!...I will ask my blog and facebook friends...my old Gang friends to help me settle the little Dude in and smarten him up. Please forward your suggestions a.s.a.p. keeping in mind the handicap I will have here with You know Who. My main area of concern is teaching him who is Boss from day one....designating food, space, toys, sleeping arrangements, critter control etc. I don't want this training to take more than a day (okay, maybe two if he is a slow learner) because even though I am patient I have my limits.

One thing I know for sure, I am not going to teach Bond to read and write!

Dear Margaret

I have many friends on facebook but my BEST friend is Dear Margaret and her faithful Dachshund Tansy.
Today is Dear Margaret's ninety-first birthday and to celebrate it I am going to tell you about our friendship.

First of all, I have never met Dear Margaret or Tansy in person They live on Galiano Island which is not far from my Island but the ferry schedule doesn't make it easy for inter-island travel and plans that we make to meet never seem to happen.

We do meet every day though on facebook. And Dear Margaret has been in all of my blog adventures. She has been an Indian Princess, a dance hall girl, yup Lake LaBarge Marge was her name... and she has been herself. She has performed marriage ceremonies for dragons, searched for lost treasure, jumped trains, rescued horses and faced bandits and witches just to name a few roles. We have crossed burning deserts, climbed mountains and even shopped at Walmart! And we have sung many hymns and held hands and paws in our paw circles when we needed guidance and strength.

Dear Margaret and I play Scrabble every day and she usually beats me...sigh.

She sets me straight when I get whiny and never lets me forget that I am supposed to behave like a gentleman dog and not a ruffian. She also sets some of my other facebook friends straight when they comment on my posts and she doesn't agree!

Happy Birthday Dear Margaret, I am so glad that facebook brought you into my life. Nose to nose and much love to you from me.

Robbie

DSL (Dog as a second language)

Today I was looking at the Youtube stuff on my facebook and I saw this wonderful video about a Hero dog named Buddy in Alaska. Buddy's owner's home caught on fire and his Dad was injured trying to put it out and could not get out of the house. The Dad yelled at Buddy ' Buddy, go and get help' and Buddy raced off into the snowy night. In the meantime, the Dad had called for help and a lone police officer was trying to respond but it was a very remote area and his GPS was frozen. Then the police officer saw Buddy waiting at a crossroad and barking,  right away he knew Buddy wanted him to follow...so he did. Buddy raced along and kept looking back and barking to let the officer know that they were on the right road. Of course they got to the burning home in time and the Dad was rescued. Buddy was honoured in a ceremony and given a silver food bowl!

Great story huh....and it is true. The officer said in the video that he understood every bark that Buddy made.

Remember Lassie on T.V.?  Everybody knew what Lassie was saying. She would run up to strangers and bark a few times and the people would say, 'OMD Tommy has fallen in the old dry well and this dog wants us to follow her'!!  Okay so it was a show but I think it was based on Reality just like the shows today.

So what does this have to do with me you ask? Well my Mom doesn't understand the most basic dog commands. I have to go mad to get let out... and in... and forget about asking for treats and food...butt rubs etc. without having to almost resort to violence to get recognition.

I want Mom to take a course in learning Dog as a second language. Why is language one-sided? Us Dogs have to learn English (or whatever language their owners speak) should it not work both ways? I understand English very well and I even understand when they spell out words so I won't understand, but I can't speak it fluently.... I think it is my accent that she has a problem with. Is it just MY Mom who is a bit dim? I hate to think so, but when I see these videos where other humans understand every bark I have to wonder.

So I am looking for a course for my Mom....one that specializes in older harder to teach students. Let me know if you know where I can find one.

Should We Or Shouldn't We?

So the place where my Sister Lacey came from has a girl dog that they would like us to have....should we or shouldn't we get her?

I am lonely and that is for sure.

I miss Lacey dreadfully and the walks and talks and fun we used to have. I don't like dining alone, a food bowl for one is a lonesome thing. I miss how we would run into the forest and chase critters and then sneak home hoping Mom had not noticed we were gone (she always had and she was always a bit cranky with us). I miss how we would discuss Mom and DOD when they left us alone and plot how we were going to trick them into getting us more toys and treats. I miss our playing 'remember when' and laughing over Lacey's first few weeks with us. I even miss having to gulp my treats whole so she wouldn't snatch them from under my nose!

I miss HER!

But if we get another girl she will be my new Sister but she won't be Lacey. She will look the same and she may smell the same but her heart will not be Lacey's heart and her soul will not be Lacey's soul. Will it be even more lonely to have a Sister so much like Lacey but who is not her???

This is a difficult decision for a mature dog to make. What do you think I should do?

New Mown Hay

We have three meadows on my property and for the past couple of weeks I have not been able to go for walks in them. The grass gets so high in June/July that I can't see where I am going and Mom gets all worried because she can't see Me ...I am a little on the deaf side you know due to my mature status so that makes it even scarier for Mom. On the other hand Me and DOD walk through the meadows no matter what and everything is fine, we just don't tell Mom.

Anyway, Jacques from Campbell Farm cut our hay yesterday. Oh what a beautiful smell! Oh how perfect for rolling! Oh how many little critters hiding in the hay! A sunny day and new mown hay....this is the stuff of poetry never mind that bread and jug of wine stuff. I don't run as fast as I used to but I do walk sedately up to the piles of grass and then I go mad and burrow in them, I fling the grass around... and then I roll and dance like no one is watching.....aahh, life is good.

In a couple of days Jacques will come back with a big machines and scoop up the grass and the machine will turn it into big lumps. Then they will take the lumps of grass away to feed to animals in the winter ..... my Hay time is very short.

So I am off this morning to do my thing.....to play in the hay while the sun shines. I wish you could come with me.

A Wayward Wind

There is a very strange wind at my house. It started up last night about 10.00pm.

I went out for my last check on the property and my last pee before bed when I heard the wind roaring. I heard it, but I could not feel it! I am not kidding...the wind was howling over the ocean but there weren't any waves and the trees weren't moving.

I called Mom and DOD to come out. They heard it too. Mom said it had to be something other than wind making the noise ...DOD said it was definitely wind whether we could feel it or not (DOD is an expert on most things).

If you remember there was a SUPER Moon last night and everything was shimmery and bright and easy to see.  I could see as plain as day but there was no movement anywhere, only noise. Mom said maybe it was a tsunami, ha ha!!  Oh Great! We live right on the ocean and I don't like water....such a comforting thought to go to bed with.

So I went to bed and listened to the noise for awhile and then the wind did start to blow and I felt the breeze on my fur and went to sleep.

This morning everything was normal until Me and Mom went out on our walk. I heard the wind again! And again the trees were still and quiet...but then... one Arbutus tree shook like a wet dog and hundreds of dry leaves fell on Me and Mom. We sped up on the trail and headed toward home as fast as we could (which is not anything like Olympic track speeds) but half-way home on the side of the road a little shrub started waving at me!

The little shrub was waving its branches and leaves frantically trying to get my attention. All the other bushes and trees were still! How could this be?? No use asking Mom I didn't want to hear anymore of her ideas on what was causing these things, (she can have very strange and spooky ideas at times), so I took matters into my own paws. I calmly walked over and peed three times on the shrub....It quit waving!!

I still don't know what caused this strange phenomenon (good word huh?) but I do know now how to deal with it. I bet if Me and DOD had peed in the ocean last night it would have quieted right down.

Have you ever had this sort of thing happen at your house??

New Blog

Please check out my new diary at : robbieetal.blogspot.ca

Robbie