I’M BACK!

MASTER HAS BEEN OUT OF IT

this summer. Taking a sabbatical. I didn’t even know what that meant. Turns out I take enough naps every day that Master says I’ve been on “sabbatical” most of my life. Who knew? Anyway, it’s a rare thing when he leaves me in the room with an unattended iPad, so I thought I’d send a quick note to y’all before he gets back.

 

In case you didn’t know or knew but didn’t remember, I was born on a ranch near Henrietta, Texas (hence the y’all), on June 27, 2017, making me 3 years and 73 days old today. They named me GAGE. Master was smart enough not to challenge Texas wisdom, so when I showed up in Seattle to take charge, he left well enough alone. You can see from my picture I was a pretty cute little fella at 3 months and 24 pounds. What’s not to love, I know.

 

If you’re new here, I am a Labradoodle, a mix of the Labrador Retriever’s keen sense of direction and the Poodle’s non-shedding coat. I’m good at finding my way home, but Master says I shed like an Alaskan Malamute. I’m 70 pounds now and I do not shed … I emit magical fibers of love and joy.

 

My ancestors came from Australia so I get confused sometimes about which way is up? (get it? Australia? down under? Okay, it’s doggy humor.) I am friendly and know no strangers. If burglars show up, I’ll point out for them all the best stuff. There’s not that much “best stuff” here actually, so it’ll be easy.

 

 

IT SEEMS LIKE I’VE BEEN IN SCHOOL FOREVER.

Training began when I was 5 months. Master sometimes thinks I’m smarter than he is. I don’t doubt it for a minute. We are a certified Reading with Rover (RWR) team, so Master and I can visit libraries and classrooms to help kids gain confidence by them reading out loud while we listen (dogs don’t judge). We even visit on college campuses to help calm students down during finals weeks. Pretty cool.

 

We’ve earned a RWR team medical badge so we can also visit patients in hospitals, assisted living and memory care facilities. And we go to homes where older adults living alone are happy to see us. We even do Zoom online reading sessions with kids at a local Boys and Girls Club. Anyway, as you can tell, I am pretty pumped about it all. I go to church and restaurants and movies,too (love the popcorn!).

 

 

 

I LIKE FLYING PLACES

with Master, but this corona thing has knocked down our travel plans. it’s been a pleasant summer, though. We had great times out on the trail, flushing out all kinds of birds, squirrels and rabbits, some deer and my very first bobcat. No cougar or bear yet, but Master assures me they are around. I’m not afraid. I can run faster than he can, so no problem there.

 

Anyway, he’s going to begin posting on the web again. I think maybe next week. I saw him working on something earlier today, so that’s probably it.

 

I overheard him talking to someone this morning, saying he was thinking of using his usual word tools of humor, pros and poetry, reason and faith, facts and fiction—to focus on people in life’s final third. I guess he means all adults age 60+, even if they don’t have a dog.

 

 

THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME

to invite your adult family and friends at church to subscribe to Perspective. It’s the weekly blog. Tell them to visit https://wardtanneberg.com/blog and step on the “green button.” It’s what all my friends do. The button says, “Get Insider Access.” Subscribe and you get Perspective every week in your email. Master says it’s FREE. Not sure what the big deal is. I thought everything was free.

 

Oh oh. Here he comes. Better get my corona mask on. I’m outta here. Woof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Sigh) Gage is a good dog. Except when he’s not. ~W