WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SAM?

Hi Everyone,

Mom got my papers from Therapy Dog and registered on line and took another test. There was this wonderful video they included with my papers and she watched it, hence the test. So I am now OFFICIAL! Next week is my first visit......more to follow.

I was back to the vet to get my last shot protecting me from limes disease. I guess there are a lot of ticks in Maine and they love the tall grasses of the Marsh as well as the woods. Mom keeps me protected with some sort of flea and tick protection so they will die if they bite me. (I just don't want to catch anything from their bite.)

Weather has been great and so is swimming! Only problem is Mom insists on cleaning my ears, which doesn't thrill me but I tolerate it. The picture above is me standing in the Marsh. The grasses are starting to grow taller and are a pretty green. Quite a change from when we arrived. We have decorated our camp site with new flowers and a Hummingbird Feeder.

We have had a lot of RVs come and go with most of them having dogs. The problem is they are not allowed off lease to run and play, but at least they are friendly. The other day I was walking with Dad (yes he walks me too) when we spotted this small creature down by the duck pond. I was cautious and crept upon it. All of a sudden its head went back in its body! I jumped (brave as I am), then slowly snuck back upon it again, but his head stayed in. I did a down dog, pawed the ground, and barked, but it just would not PLAY! Hump, not sure what his problem was. I see these same creatures sunning themselves on a log in the duck pond. I guess dad called them turtles.

Nothing much else to report so I will sign off for now. Oh by the way, the pictures below show you a stick I pulled out of the Marsh. (Mom called it a branch.) I worked and worked to bring it to her and then she wouldn't throw it! (Something about it being 6' long and heavy.) WIMP! Love you all...later gator, Sam and Family

JUST  VEGGING

Here I am just vegging out, just waiting for my Therapy Dog Papers to come through. I need those papers so I will be covered by insurance when I make visits. (Believe me I know the importance of insurance!) I overheard Mom talking and it seems that a friend of hers here in Maine works at a Veterans Home. It is located just up the street and they LOVE having visits. So I have a job as soon as my papers get sent back. I hope it is this week. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could make a visit this Memorial Day Week-end!

I have had a fun week. Mom took me to a new park and I met fun friends to run and play with. The park has 2 ponds for swimming and trails through the woods for tracking. Mom and I covered over 2 miles of trails. It was fun to have friends to play with even though it will be someone different each week. Dad says he will go next time.

I have been swimming 3 times this week in the marsh at our camp ground! On Sunday Mom and I went for a 4 mile walk on the Eastern Trail. There were a lot of people walking, biking and jogging on the trail with us. I even met several dogs. One was even in a stroller.  I don't think I could convince my folks to push me in a stroller. Come to think of it I don't think I would stay still long enough for that. Well that is about all for now. I will hopefully have gotten my papers and made a visit by my next blog. Everyone take care and I'll be back soon. Love, Sam

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SAM?

Well would you look at this! I'm in the WATER. I have only been swimming twice since we arrived in Maine. Now as far as I am concerned this is ridiculous. I should be going in daily.  Now granted, the weather has been a roller coaster, cold one day and warm the next and the Gulf of Maine's water temp is 48. I find this to be no problem, after all my breed is a hearty one with my ancestors coming from Newfoundland. The problem is convincing my parents of this fact. Oh well maybe the weather will warm up fast and I can get in a daily swim.

As I promised here are some spring flowers. Here at the Wild Duck camp ground we have a pond across from the marsh. When we got here there were NO ducks in the pond. What fun is that? As you watch the pictures attached I had to include the first duck couple in the pond. Hope everything is good at home and I'll keep you posted on my activities. Just waiting to hear from Therapy Dog Inc. so I can go to work.


Sam and Family

Hi Everyone. Well we got into Maine on a Tuesday and got settled in having a campfire our second night here. Mom went shopping ( her favorite thing) at Walmart to stock up on items. I think mom knows where every Walmart and McDonald's is located from FL to Maine! (Dad thinks so too.)

Saturday morning I got so excited as Mom was taking me on a road trip. Just the two of us. Little did I know what was in store! We were in a Dog Therapy Workshop from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon! I came home and took a nap before dinner. I am not sure but I suspect Mom did the same. Now if that is not bad enough we went back on Sunday and continued our training. On Sunday, we finished up around 2:30 then came the testing. I PASSED, I PASSED, I PASSED!

Mom was so proud of me. But then, I had to go to the Vet's this week for a physical to pass the health portion. This new vet was great. Every time she probed her assistant gave me a treat. (Not that I am into probing!) I even weighed in 1-1/2 lbs down from a month ago. Bad news, they want me down 7 more lbs. UGH! Just when I thought I could con Dad out of more treats with my "lab look."

Here I am at the Portland Head Lighthouse. This is my favorite place to visit. They have trails for me to run off lease. The trees are just starting to bud and the daffodils and tulips are beautiful. I'll get mom to take some pictures. There are beautiful tulip trees we pass by when we walk.

Today has been cool but warmer weather is coming and I will show you where I swim. Mom is sending in all the paper work to register me as a Therapy Dog and then we can make some visits. I'll keep you posted.

I miss everyone and I'll be back. Didn't that come from a movie?

Later, Sam and Family

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SAM?

OK, OK I know it looks like I'm in the "dog house" but that is not true! This is a play house in the dog park in Natural Bridge, VA. I'm getting a little ahead of myself so let me tell you what all happened up to this point.

We left Jacksonville and traveled up I-95 and stayed at our favorite KOA where dad ordered pizza and wings. I gave him my "lab look" and got pizza crust. Mom fussed, but too late yum. Our next stop was in NC. They had a really big dog park for me to run in. Then the next day we headed up I-81, which parallels some of  the Blue Ridge Parkway, to Natural Bridge, VA.  The mountains are beautiful, steep and the dogwoods are beginning to bloom. We had really strong winds (25 - 35 mph) and dad had to fight to keep the RV on the road as well as handle the mountains. We get to the RV Park and as mom is putting down the jacks to balance the coach dad hears a pop and it seems the jack blew a seal. That was about all dad's Italian patience could handle. If he could have sold the RV on the spot he would have!

It took dad and the service man all the next afternoon to pull out the jack. We put it in one of our storage bins to have the seal rebuilt in Maine. Well this was more excitement than we needed, so the rest of the trip hopefully would be uneventful. WRONG! We leave Natural Bridge and spent the next night in PA. So far so good. They had a nice dog park here too. Sun. morning we head out toward NY when a wild turkey flies in front of the RV. Luckily we are tall enough it did not hit the windshield and no damage was done to us. Just so you know, we DID NOT have smoked road kill turkey for dinner!

Once we got north of VA the trees were just budding and it still looked like winter. The temp. has been very cool. 50's days low 40's nights. When we stop at the RV Parks we always get "full hook-up." That means water, electric, sewer and cable. It seems the KOA mom picked out in NY was located in the middle of nowhere. So we had only water and electric! Not only no cable but no antenna reception. NO TV! It was so isolated mom thought she heard banjo's in the distance. 

Well we actually made it to Maine on schedule. Miracle of miracles. We did our final gas fill on I-95 in Maine right at noon time and there was a McDonald's there. So mom and dad said we should treat ourselves to a Big Mac and fries. Mom even broke down and got me a hamburger patty! Attached are some pictures of our trip up. My next blog will be after my workshop. Wish me luck.