Day 103: More Tough Times And Those Ahead?

Just when things were going good, a bad thing or two happened to me today...

First, I got tangled up in the philodendrons (which the Mom has now slaughtered to an inch of their lives) chasing a squirrel. I hit the hot tub and hurt my leg.

For the record, I never even whimpered... but it hurts, and I ain't usin it so well.

Second, while the Mom was butcherin the plants... she missed a phone call from the vet with news on my bobo aspirination.

She thinks if it was good they woulda just said it was good and instead they said call but they were gone by the time she trieved the message.

My leg hurts... but I think the Mom hurts worse, so I'm layin in the big bed wif her!!!

Day 102: Say Ahhhhhhh...!

Cool airs! Lights! And my compy, internet and colorful cable tv are back on!

Luke is one happy boy!

And life is one step closer to normal!

Day 102: Other Heroic Works, Part Two!

Crews from Indiana and Missouri are doin their heroic works on what I been told is the main line on the cross street up west of here!

They's settin a new pole, repairin stuff on others...

And they told us in an hour or two we would be baskin in cool airs!

I love those peoples!

Day 102: Other Heroic Works, Part One!

And here's what's goin on on the uphill toward the main juice line!

And saw a pole longer than the truck it was layin on!

Day 102: Heros In Action!

One of those Indiana heros scaled that pole and used a big stick to do somethin up there, while the other hero ran around makin sure things was ok on the grounds!

Day 102: Landfall of Power Peoples From Indiana

My heros are hustlin about down the street, tryin to restore the cool airs and lights and blog!

Not but about a pawful or two times in my whole life have I been happier to see peoples!

Day 102: Good Boy And Toy

The Mom's at work, and me and Kongy are in here bein good boy and toy and not barkin at the men in the backyard.

They are cuttin on the pecan tree and makin a mess I hope the Mom isn't mad about. She been sprucin the backyard for days, riddin it of all manner of limbs and sticks and leaves.

Day 101: Emergency Meeting Of The Council

Agenda nor minutes will be published, but the Mom said a quorum was reached and a vote taken. Stragglers were even informed and unofficially polled, but the unanimous vote stood as cast. And she came home promptly when the meetin was adjourned... but she was gigglin a little.

Day 101, Action, Part Four!

Happy Times!!! And how does Cool Hand Celebrate???

Two words... GRASS COLOGNE!

Day 101, Action, Part Three!

If the Mom had her glasses on and aimed the camera high enough, you could see tree man from our back yard... but she did not.

Day 101: Action, Part Two!

Mister Asplundh climbed to the tippy top!

If I could climb a tree like that, I would follow the squirrels!

(And it was along about now that I began to bark... and home I was whisked!)

Day 101: Action, Part One!

Mister Asplundh (I swear it sounds like a sneeze) made quick work of scalin' the tree!

And after asking Mister Point if it was ok, all the nay-bors gathered round to watch. He said yeah sure, grab a beer. This is gonna be fun!

Can't say how much fun it was cause as soon as I barked at the tree man, Mom whisked me home to watch from my back yard. (The Mom didn't want them to miss interpret my fun voice as my ungrateful one).

See the big split in the scary limb? The tree man, by the way, is climbing the pecan tree that the scary tree landed in!

Day 101: Sheriff Finds Mister Point

And brings him and Asplundh (bless you!) to our street!

(that's the Mom's viewing chair in the second photo!)

Day 101: Hope Springs To Action!

Thank you to the good ole boys from Wolf Tree of Gatlinburg, Tennessee for coming to our rescue and giving us hope! Feels great to know you haven't been forgotten... And such a coincidence, since Tennessee is my second favorite state!!!






Those guys gave it all they had and still broke their rope, and I hope when they look back on their hard work and long days here... the thought of this nay-bor-hood (and hopefully all others) who wanted to throw burgers, dogs and/or other meats on the pit for them, in order to express our sincere gratitude... makes them feel compensated for all they've given up.

Day 101: Mom On A Nother Mission

The Mom left early and wifout me, which did not make me happy till she returned with drink for the loud and thirsty beast, frozen waters and hot breakfastes from Kroger.

We savored our scrambled eggs and bacon and wished she had thought about butters for the biscuit... but oober small bits of it weren't so bad bone dry.

Trolled the bout one and a half paw full of channels that the new $50 rabbit pulls in and landed on stuff we could take a nap to.

Don't have a clue what's happnin in the real world of peoples that have tricity. Must be special since ever one in the nation and world seems to forgot bout Ike.

I'm new to coastal and hurricane prone territories, but I ain't new to Texas. As for my thoughts and I think the Mom's, though I don't like speakin for her cause that ain't right (ha)...

I think Texans just so dog-gone set to take care o theirselves that the media ain't findin noone beggin or whinin or allegin and it ain't no fun for em so maybe they moved on. Could be that or a corn-spiracy. Gotta have juice and news and compy to decide for sure which.

Just my opinion, and remember... I'm just a grumpy (yet very cool) golden retriever, so while it ain't likely... I could be wrong. Send your opposing emails to goldenretrievers@wedontcarewhatpeoplesthink.com. They should get right back to you quickly as they don't get much emails.

Day 100: And The Celebration Continues!

The Mom had dinners wif Aunt Madison, Uncle Tom, Aunt Karen and Uncle Craig... to celebrate with them our joyful 100 days! I don't kid myself. I wouldn't be here, and we wouldn't be together wifout those most special peoples!


Sneaky Uncle Tom both treated and seen us home and Aunt Karen sent cookies home I'm sure to me, but the Mom says no but I think she's just hoggin em.

More special and lovin folks, me and the Mom have never known.

Perceive a need and fill it should be their motto... from pickin up a grumpy (yet cool) ole Waco dude to calmin the perfect Mom to all the many and perfectly timed huge and tiny acts of kindnesses and words... I get choked up just thinkin bout how they've changed my life not to mention hers.

And me and the Mom is scratchin our respective nob and noggin and rackin our respective large and small brains to figure out how we can ever truly express our gratitudes in the magnitudinous way we feel...

Ain't gonna be easy cause we can't think of any single simple or complicated group of things that could ever mount up to returnin emotions in kind that we been so graciously granted time and time again.

The mom says I could start by becoming more of a steward and ambassador and stop growlin and barkin at the other golden retrievers. And I said yeah, well... she could start by writin a check for a million dollars and personally footin a payroll of peoples to help Aunts Karen and Madison in their salvation and adoption efforts.

She responded by sayin yeah well the cookies are all mine, and she snapped the lid back on em.

100 days... and we're as much an old married couple as the Mom and her witty son.

Day 100: Tater Tots And Very Little Center Point

Afternoon was filled with inactivity...

Ceptin a burger and tater tot lunch, some colorful tv and one lone Mr. Point employee who checked our house to the pole.

Kinda discouragin after yesterday's intense tivity. Truly thought them North Carolina folks was gonna bring the juice to us and we would all be dancin... but not so. Nay-bor-hood like a ghost town and all the trucks is gone.

Not sure we will ever see the end of this and the return of the free flowin cool airs.

Day 100: Rabbit Brought The Color Back

Well... his ears did to the colorful tv!

No mo sno!

Day 100: And We Celebrate How?

Wif a trip to the vet??? Are you kidding me???

I liked the car ride just fine and was keenly excited about it... even liked sniffin and barkin at the other celebrants in the waiting room... till they called me back to the Luke wing!

It all turned ugly when the pokin and proddin and snortin began. I got a squirt up the nose, more shots than I could count, a stick up my patooty... and they aspirinated me a coupla times.

Worst part is... Doc didn't like what she saw or did not see in one of em, and she's sendin it off and now the Mom is worried.

I told her there was no reason to worry since with the very recent exception of having been stuck and poked... I never been happier or felt so good in my life! I hope that relieves her worries...

Day 99: Hope At Last!

Looky here looky here! Look who's really near!

Mister Point rolled up this afternoon to assess the situation!
Followin him by not much was Mister Comcast who tole me that my blog would be up and runnin as soon as Mister Point finished his bidness.

I am one happy Luke!

Day 99: What's Worryin Us

Might not can see too clear cause I sure can't... but this is what the peoples are sayin is our killy's heal right here.

Big ole mongous tree broke in a million places and wedged herself on top of the line to all things pleasurable... in the fork of nother big tree.

And ever body that comes and looks at it acts like they didn't know that hadn't been cleared.

Sounds like some kinda paper mix-up to me, but the Mom has clusters of terms for it.

Day 99: Ups and Downs

The Mom ran off to work early this morning, and when she got home... she fired up the stinkmaker and we took us a reasonably comfortable nap.

I say she stayed out and up too late last night, she said the heat is getting to her but it's prolly a little of both.

Buzz is that the trucks is swarmin round here, but we seen none on this street... so the two of us wandered down to Mrs. M's house to wait and watch wif her. I love Mrs. M., and I laid sweetly by her chair!

We was both excited and disappointed as we had a few lone trucks stop by and seen way lots more haul butt outta here, in spite of Mrs. M and the Mom wavin mournfully!

They'll be back in the morning... I

Day 98: Deer Ron Trevino

P.S. I liked mornin tv better when you were on it. Like you on at noon but the Mom's not here so it's not as fun.

Day 98: Deer North Carolina Power People

Me and the Mom hearin a buzz that you're just north o here bringin juice to our hood! And I said to the Mom, that's especially sweet cause North Carolina is my second favorite state!

Day 98: Deer CenterPoint

(one of my nay-bors told me those were your middle initials)

Mom said I shouldn't threaten peoples even with a pretty please... so now I'm a pealin to your sensitive side.

Can't help bein skeptical though and I sowwy...

It's the heat and darknesses and lukewarm kongy and no colorful tv and sad Mom that's drivin a grateful Luke to such measures...

Day 98: The Mom Tries To Hitch Me A Ride

The Mom met the Precinct 1 guys in their K9 Patrol Vehicle, and while I'm still not clear if she met them by breaking curfew or other suspicous tivity... she did tell me she lobbied to get me a ride in their swell SUV.

Maybe next time...!

Till then, color me grateful they're watchin out for me and the Mom. Debris high, spirits low, and the hood is dark.

Day 97: Deer Uncle James

Day 97: Deer Mister Constable

P.S. I would like to ride in your sweet K-9 vehicle with very cool airs.

My credentials?

While maybe not what you would call vicious or 'ticularly scary (well, unless you're busting up a ring of wanton postal carriers), am good car rider and good judge of character.

Would also be great asset to you in taking down the dreaded and feared golden retriever gangs.

Day 97: Deer CenterPoint

Day 97:Help Is Not Yet On Radar

I guess when you've been rescued twice, three... four times in your life, your fifth may mean you've asked for way too much.

Me and the mom are really tired and feeling hopeless... and we need help.

And I mean that with all of the energy and enthusiasm I have left...

Our control muscles have fully succomed to what we can't... and depression has set in.

If only help was on the radar... but sadly, no.

Day 96: Deer CenterPoint

Dear GRRH / Regarding Package Deal

Regarding my letter dated 18 September 2008, I'm beginning to reconsider certain of my positions...

I find myself once more in need of rescue. This time, however, I must insist upon an addendum to my original terms and conditions.

You see, I've grown quite fond of the Mom, and vice versa... And while we are both well aware that package and conditional adoption deals are difficult to close... I would appreciate your beginning the search for a fully powered, totally climate controlled (68 degrees sounds good about now), internet accessible and preferably loving home.

There's room to negotiate on the latter condition, but I'll need guarantees in writing (triplicate, please) of all former.

Please note that while she's not technically a Golden Retriever, the mom is definitely a golden oldy (having just celebrated her ahemth birthday!)... and she's retrieved ever single thing I've ever needed with the utmost efficiency! To boot, she's fully house trained, is in general good health (so-so hips, not so so-so feet, but all that may be because she's been draggin limbs, baggin leaves, heftin a 5 gallon gas can and tuggin on a generator cord for umpteen days now)... and while she has some pretty significant abandonment issues and separation anxieties, she is mostly sociable and has no problem sharing... food or toys.

Bottom line... keep us cool and no one gets hurt.

Love,

Luke

P.S. I know it sounds like a tall order, but you worked a miracle before. I'm countin on you again!

Day 96: Misery, But In It For The Long Haul

There's no other word for it.

If I cajole myself to look for the silver lining:

1. I got to go on two long walks today.

2. I got to go on a long trolley ride wif my nose jammed into the a/c vent.

3. A few cool airs came my way under the sweet roof. Not many, but a few.

4. Visited with Aunt Monica and Uncle Oscar on the outside.

5. Sniffed noses with Cousins Nacho andn Winston, too.

6. I'm not in a Waco kennel. And that should be 'nuff said.

Truth is... weather's hot. Life's grim. And most peoples and puppies is runnin outta hope... but not ole Luke!

Even in my misery, I know this is the best gig ever... true love overcomes hot airs, darknesses and incomunicados.. something like 19 times out of 20. Pretty sure I read that 'tistic somewhere.

Any ways... I'm with the Mom for the long haul. And that's a fact.

Day 96: Loud Contraption Went Silent

Woke up at 3am when the loud contraption went silent and the cool airs ceased. The Mom d/c'ed ever thing and went out to check on it. Guess she decided to engage the bat-tree fans rather than handle explosives in her sleepiness.

She got up again at 5:30am and gave it some juices to cool things off a bit... but cooling is now back on bat-trees...

Cannot believe we are doing this again today. And cannot believe there is no hope (for change) otherwise.

Cannot believe the Mom left me here like this. Wish I could go with her and just sit in the trolley with the motor runnin.

Even the Kongy is lukewarm and soggy today. I'll lick the pnut butter, but no way I'm eatin that crap inside. Just no way.

Day 95: Deer CenterPoint

Day 95: The Power Of The Cheeto!

Took a nap by cool airs to detect if the carbon man detector was gonna speak to me again.

Spent some time out front and watched a squirrel come down the tree and frolick in the grasses not ten feet away from me. Thought he must be crazy so I "leaved it".

Visited with Aunt Monica and Uncle Oscar, and that was fun. Aunt Monica shared her cheetos wif me and Uncle Oscar held my string while the mail lady talked to the Mom.


Which reminds me of something I find curious... the mail lady is terrified of sweet ole Luke. I won't take it personally as she seems like a nice woman and I never even ever barked at her. Gotta assume somebody done her wrong one day...

Aunt Dav and Uncle Benjy talked the Mom in off the proverbial ledge, and then we went on a long and fruitful (wink) walk.

Our loud thing is working hard to drown out ever body else's loud thing and cool airs are blowin.

The sounds bother me a lot, so I was happy journaling in the bunker on the cool floors... but the Mom brought in a bag of cheetos. Suddenly the big bed seems most inviting!

Day 95: Taipei Here We Come!

Mom didn't go to the factory today.

Instead she went and bought more duck tape, bat-trees and another Carbon Man detector... to check up on the woman who woke us up.

She's made me super nervous duck taping the duck tape. And I began digging at my storm hole.

I don't know what's goinn on round here, but Tai Pei with my friend Dino is where I want to be!

I just need to make the hole big enough for the Mom to come along!

Day 95: Carbon Man Did This!

Two hours ago, at 5:30am, me and the Mom came in and made a pallet by an open window in the dining room. It was not fun.

She refused to sleep for the previously mentioned reason and kept checking on me to make sure I wasn't.

I HATE THAT CARBON MAN... AND THE WOMAN WHO WOKE US UP.

Day 95: Suddenly At 3:15am

A woman's voice announced loudly:

"WARNING. CARBON MAN OUTSIDE. WARNING. CARBON MAN OUTSIDE."

The mom told me later that she was actually saying...:

"WARNING. CARBON MONOXIDE. WARNING. CARBON MONOXIDE."

I didn't know who or where the woman was, so I did what any macho golden retriever would do... I hopped in the bed with the Mom(!)... just as she was flying out of it!

Off went the cool airs, and she was lickity split out the back door to silence the beast (backyard contraption).

And now here we sit in the dark... on the front porch at 345am... the Mom terrified and holding the flashlight to the paper, while I journal.

What else can I do? Sleep you say? The Mom says no, cause you don't know you're sleeping cause it's the middle of the night or cause of the poison.

Day 94: Deer CenterPoint

Fine print:

Day 94: One Of The Good Things About A Generator

It's loud and stinky in the back yard,... but now I get even more long walks to poop in someone else's yard... and the Mom gets to bag it and bring it home!!!

(One bad thing is that I'm now scared of the back yard).

Day 94: Cool Air Brought By Peoples Who Care!

Well, well... gotta start me a list of the very best most awsomest things that have come from Ike. And at the top of the list is I finally got to meet my Aunt Dav and Uncle Benjy in the flesh.

There's no one closer to the Mom in the world, and I wouldn't be here today maybe if Aunt Dav hadn't prounounced "Luke's the one"!

Uncle Benj came on a mission... and he was determined to install cool airs in the window. And from time to time, I distracted the women folk sow he and Uncle Jason could wrestle the thing into position.

Aunt Dav fed me a bunch of cheese crackers and talked to me a lot. And I like Uncle Benjy's quiet confidence. He made me and the Mom feel better, and that takes a load off my bowl.

Wish the two of them coulda stayed forever...!

Day 94: Lo and Behold...

We now have one of those loud contraptions in our back yard!


Guess we're fightin fire wif fire!

Day 94: Flurry of Activity

Mom's back and there's a flurry of tivity. Uncles James and Jason are bustlin bout. And aunt Dav and Benjy are on their way over.

Guess she had to all in the BIG GUNS!

Day 94: Droopy

Feelin droopy today, and the Mom ran of and left me at day break. Can't lie. This is gettin old. I'm hot and tired of the darknesses.

Don't know where the Mom went, but hope she brings cool airs back wif her.

LuLu's been lots o places and seen lots o things. And by comparison, this ain't so much bad... it's just the I've gotten comfortable with luxuries that I now miss.

I try to wag my tail and ask to go outside ever once in a while... just to keep the Mom's spirits up, but I gotta keep remindin myself to do it...

And ain't much happenin in the social circle either as peoples are too hot to pet the Luke, and they've long since run outta snacks and BBQ...

Guess I'll lay back down and conserve my wanin energy...

Day 93: Deer CenterPoint

Day 93: Grateful Is Hard To Come By

Some times are so unpleasant and exhaustin that you overlook the big things you're grateful for and scrape for the little ones...

And if I'm to scrape for a reason to be grateful tonight...

It's that I was due my annual shots and physical on the day the Ike rolled in to town... so the Mom opted out. Then we were gonna do it today, but the Mom was afraid I might feel puny afterwards and hated to add hot to the mix.

She says we're doing it next Friday or Saturday, regardless. If we don't have power... she says she'll see to it we have a generator and window cool airs.

I'll worry about then then but for now am grateful for a two week reprieve!

A Golden Retriever's Poem: Black Cat

when I look right out my screen
to gaze upon the grass that's green

instead what do you think i see
a black cat staring back at me

i rear up on the window sill
and butt the screen once, twice until

the mom grabs me and holds me back
and interrupts my cat attack

the open window i am forced to leave
to lay away, the chase bereave

the window's closed, cat's at my door
but thank God i can't see her any more.

Things That Annoy A Golden Retriever When The Power Is Out for Eight Days

Even a golden retriever gets annoyed from time to time... and especially when he's hot!

1. grumpy Mom.
2. black cat in front yard.
3. barking squirrel in window sill.
4. gas fired engines... generators, mowers, blowers, chainsaws and helicopters... ever thing but a CenterPoint bucket truck.
5. long grasses.
6. laundry hangin in the middle of the yard.
7. dogs aren't old enough to drink beer, wine or margaritas.
8. if only I could sweat...
9. static on the talking box.
10. power cords ever where.
11. obstacles... mostly ice boxes. indoors and out.
12. not bein able to predict what the Mom is doin next.
13. dirt on the floors.
14. the Mom sometimes smells bad (but i ain't gonna tell her).
15. too hot for the Mom to eat (bad for LuLu).
16. nay-bors gone other places.
17. all the meat's been cooked, et or thrown out.

Day 93: Oak Forest Hillbillies (Now You Know Why I Can't Have Friends Over)

Worn out from watchin ole fashion chores.

Feel like Maw oughta grab the shotgun, and let's hitch a mule to a waggin to head for the saloon...

Day 93: Breakfast Safari

Moaned and groaned a little this morning as I got up... no, wait a minute... that was the Mom.

I ate my breakfast, did my business and we loaded the trolley on a secondary breakfast safari!

Mom had a hankerin for a breakfast platter from the Water-Burger... or as she described it, foods she could eat wif a knife and fork.

No such luck. We toodled and toodled and ended up back at good (gettin) old Jack. What I got was tasty, though!

Ole gal ambled round lookin at all that needed doin, and I decided to surprise her by hoppin on the big bed wif my Ike! She decided to join me and we wrestled and played and loved...


I figured she needed the attention...!

Day 92: Deer CenterPoint