Monday, March 29

Playing with Lilly, pear trees on the way to the movies

Early morning shots of Mommy and Daddy

Lilly upstairs...isn't she silly?

Good Evening friends and relatives wherever you be!!

What a day this has been!! You know how people have firsts? Like....first love, first time you win at cards, first date, first kiss, first marriage, first anniversary, first big fight, first pet, first...well, you get the idea. I had a first today. It was incredible!!

So, here's what happened. We all got up this morning...some earlier than others but that always gives me a little time to snuggle with my mommy in her big bed......and did all the regular morning stuff. Wee wee, short walk hoping I'll do something else which I try not to do until later because that means I get to have a second walk, breakfast, some of mine and maybe a little bit of mommy's toast, and then a ride. Mommy and Aunt Jodi went to yoga to wrap their legs around their arms or some such thing, and Daddy, Uncle Peter and I went to WallyWorld. I had to stay in the truck and guard it....that's my job and I do a darn good job of it. Then, we all came back here and had lunch.....mine and a little bit of mommy's sandwich.....and then, Daddy and Uncle Peter and Mommy went off to the movies. They went to see Avatar because Uncle Peter had seen it once and wanted to see it again and he said Mommy would love it which she did but not so much Daddy. He's more a John Wayne shoot 'em up person. Anyhow, I stayed here with Aunt Jodi and I was such a good girl. Then Katie came home from school and got ready to go swimming at the YMCA, but Aunt Jodi had to take her so guess where that left me??? YES! A first! At home. Alone. All by myself. Well, not really all by myself but Lilly had to go in the laundry room with the door shut 'cause she's only a year old and they don't trust her. But I'm two and they trusted me!! A first!! Yippeeeayyyyy!! And you know what? I was a very good girl! I was only alone for about half an hour until Mommy and Daddy got home from the movies, but that was enough time to do some major damage and I didn't!! So now maybe they'll do it again sometime and I can show them that I'm all grown up now and don't need to eat the toilet paper rolls, or shred the morning newspaper, or.....eat the new stick of butter on the counter top.

So, then we all had pizza for supper except Aunt Jodi and Katie won't be home until later and then Daddy will make them pizza, too. Lilly and I just got a little corner of the crust, but we both liked it. She's beginning to warm up to me and wants to play, so I do, and I try to be gentle, but she's very small......fifteen pounds to my eighty-eight.....and sometimes I hurt her. I never mean to, and she always comes back to play buy my mommy worries so she watches carefully.

Hope you are all well and happy. Mommy and Uncle Peter are going to do some tie-dying tomorrow, I think. That should be interesting.

I'll be back!

Juni

Pictures from Saturday's Party

Atlanta, Matthew and Alisa,
Chris, Jen, and Jackson

Sally in the blue, Susie in the brown, Lauren inbetween.....Lauren and Jodi

Jimmy and Lauren




Sara and her baby brother, and Zoey

Sunday, March 27

Good Afternoon, friends and relatives, near, far, and just down the road,

Well, I missed a day, and I'm really sorry but we've just been sooooo busy!! I never knew we had so many relatives down here! Whew!!

Saturday was really busy because we had to get ready for company for supper. Mommy did some laundry because after a week, Daddy had run out of clothes. Then, she and Aunt Jodi went grocery shopping while Daddy and I just hung out and rested. Then.....Mommy and Aunt Jodi got stuff ready for supper, and Lilly, Zoey and I played and played and played. Oh, have I told you about them? Lilly is Uncle Peter's dog, and Zoey is Cousin Alisa's. Zoey was just visiting for awhile, and we took her home today, but she had been here for a couple of weeks.

So, cousins Susie and Sally, who are twins, came over for dinner. And Susie brought her husband, Jimmy and daughter, Lauren. Then, Cousin Chris came with his wife Jennifer, and thirteen month old Jackson. Cousin Katie had her friend Lacey, and Matthew had his friends Matt and Michael. Those big boys can eat!! Cousin Susie made the best chocolate cake for Mommy......I know it was good because she was saying...ummmmm ummmmm ummmmm....the whole time she ate it. And us doggies?? We just ran around and begged and barked and had a great time.

Today, Daddy and I went to see some old friends of his over where he and Mommy used to live. Mommy and Uncle Peter took Zoey back to her Mommy, Cousin Alisa. I'll put some of the pictures on the next page.

It rained a little today but the sun is shining now. Maybe Daddy will take me out to play with the frisbe later on. I hope.

Stay well....I'll be back.

Juni

Friday, March 25

Good Evening, friends and relatives near, far, and just down the street,

We left South Carolina this morning and drove to Uncle Peter and Aunt Jodi's in Canton, Georgia. It was a nice day for travel.....sunny, then cloudy, then sunny, then rainy, then sunny, then...........kept us on our toes! We stopped early for lunch because Mommy's backbone was eating away at her tummy, no....errrrrrr.....her tummy thought her throat had been cut.......I'm not sure how that happens, but that's what she said. I went for a nice long walk and man, were there ever some interesting smells. Then we continued on and got here around five. Mommy says this place has grown like a weed since they lived here. There are new developments all over the place.......and why people would want to move down here in all this traffic is beyond us. But, apparently they do, so they build, build, build.

Uncle Peter wasn't home from work yet, but Aunt Jodi was here, along with Cousin Katie who is twelve and gorgemongous, and Uncle Jimmy who is married to Aunt Susie who is Uncle Deannie and Aunt Joyce's daughter. Remember Uncle Deannie? The rich one in North Carolina? Yeah, that one. Anyhow, Uncle Jimmy had taken his daughter, Lauren, to a horseback riding lesson nearby and was just hangin' out here until she was done. It was fun to meet him. He's very cute and lots of fun. And, ta da, he liked me a lot! However, Lilly and Zoey did not. They are miniature schnauzers, and they act like they own the place! Oh, wait, that's right, they do. But they sure weren't very hospitable. And you know? They scare the beejeesus out of me! I spent a lot of my time sitting right in front of my daddy, where I could be protected from those dog eating hairballs! And the noise....ohmydoggod........high pitched yip yip yip yip all the time. It never stops. Zoey belongs to cousin Alisa who is a college student on spring break so Grandma and Grandpa had to puppysit. It was a first for them....and a last, I guess. Two little ankle biters are one too many. But I digress......I don't think I did that yesterday....must be losing my touch.

OK, so soon Uncle Peter came home, and he made of the two little yappers until.....he saw me, a real dog, with beautiful black curly hair and manners.....and he was in love. He did say I was awfully big, which I didn't take offense to like when Daddy says that about Mommy and she smacks him on the arm.....and then we all got along pretty well.

Mommy and Daddy were going to sleep in basement room so when it was time to go to bed, we went downstairs and wouldn't you know......I was almost done in by the attack cat who lives down there! Uncle Peter says he is usually a scaredy cat, but man, I haven't seen that! He comes after me like white on rice! So, since there was a big bed down there, the three of us shared it. I was all over that idea, but Mommy didn't seem to sleep well. I thought I had left her plenty of room but she says I was pushy. Oh well.....I think we may sleep in the camper tomorrow night.

I think we're just hangin' out tomorrow while Mommy does laundry. Uncle Peter has to work and Aunt Jodi does her business thing. So I'll talk to you tomorrow. Until then, stay well.

Juni

Wednesday, March 24

So here we are in Charleston, SC. This old historical section is really pretty and it was a beautiful day, perfect for a walk. Mommy said it was a little like Colombia, with the horse and wagon things.....but they were carrying mostly white haired people and in Colombia, every age is in the wagon.....

We went to see Aunt Denise and her new store. She manages a Sunoco station near Charleston and it's very nice...big, clean, and well organized. I think she's a whip cracker.....and it shows. Then Mommy and Daddy had lunch with her at a Bar-B-Q place......I just stayed in the truck and waited. I'm used to that...and I just nap and look around and veg. But once we got into Charleston, I got to go for a looooooooong walk. I would have LOVED to go into that water, but Mommy said NONONO!! I hope we get to a place where I can swim sometime soon.

Uncle Patrick and Aunt Denise came to our camper for dinner. Sandy came, too....and she was a good little doggie this time. She didn't bother me at all. I guess she can come back whenever she wants to. Cousin Sheila came over later and we all sat around and talked. That was nice. We're going to mosey on south on Thursday, so it was nice to have a chance to chit-chat awhile.

Hope you are all well. I'll be back.

Juni

Tuesday, March 23

Meet Sandy and Sissy.....not as innocent as they look, believe me. They are pretty smart, I'll give them that......OK....not hard on the eyes, either.....but that little Sandy thinks she can lord it over me and in truth? One bite and she'd be gonzos! Gulp.......gonzos. Good thing I'm a peace-loving girl. We went to the dog park and Daddy and I played with the frisbe. I've still got it!! I met some other nice doggies, too. Lola wanted some of my treats, so Mommy shared. Jack wanted something else that he thought was up on my back, but his mommy made him get down. I liked him, so that didn't bother me. I enjoy being close to my friends, don't you?

Monday, March 22

Good Morning friends and relatives, near and far and right down the street,

Monday morning we got up and went for a walk in the rain. It would be a good day to travel, but it was ccccoooolllllddddd!! Mommy was really glad she had gotten that extra puff for the bed because it came in handy last night. I guess the south is having a very late and cool spring, but they had also had a cold winter. Some of the people we have met so far are anxious to get to their summer homes in the north to get warm!! Mommy says she needs to go shopping again, this time for some warmer clothes. Any excuse will do, understand.

The drive to South Carolina was nice. We went through a town called South of the Border and they advertise for tourists to stop at this place called Pedros....because....."You're always a weiner at Pedro's." and "You never sausage a place!" We were tempted to stop but Uncle Deannie said it was a trap of some sort, so we passed on by. Daddy said Mommy didn't need any junk food anyhow, because whatever she had eaten the day before had affected her adversely, whatever that means. I just know he said he would have to repaper the bathroom in the camper when we get home.

So, we finally got to Uncle Patrick's in Ladson, right outside of Charleston. It's city here. I mean, bumper to bumper traffic city, along with lots of noise. We found a KOA campground and set up housekeeping there. Then we went over to Uncle Patrick's and met his kids.......his little ones. The big ones are all grown up......I'll include a picture of Sheila, age 23, and Michael, age 20. Sheila is engaged and an April, 2011 wedding is planned.

The other kids are a lot smaller...and mouthier......Mommy thinks they are very cute, but me? Not so much. They don't like me much, and they attack me!! Sandy, the taller one, sneaks up behind me and snaps at me! Scares the beejeesus out of me! So, I'd rather stay in the truck, but Daddy makes me come into their house. It's OK as long as I sit right near Mommy or Daddy where they can protect me.

We had supper with Uncle Patrick and Aunt Denise and then we went back to the KOA, had a walk, and went to bed. Alone. With no Sandy or Sissy to bother me.

Stay well.

Juni

Pictures from March 21

This is me.....on my bed/couch.....and at Uncle Dean and Aunt Joyce's in Seven Lakes, SC.

Next are Cousins Dan and Laura, and then Aunt Joyce and Uncle Dean.

Some flowering trees and bushes.....

Sunday, March 21

Good Morning Friends and Relatives, near, far and just down the street,

Sunday morning we left Aunt Marie's and drove to Uncle Dean and Aunt Joyce's. It wasn't a long drive, but we took our time and enjoyed all of the blooming trees and bushes. The tulip magnolias are especially pretty and they are in abundance in the south.

When we got near Uncle Dean's, we found this pretty out-of-the-way campground in a town called Carthage. It was on a family owned 100 acre parcel of land deep in the pines and had been in the Sadler family since the 70s. Amy Sadler, the owner, was very nice, if not a bit surprised to see us. They don't advertise their campground, except online, and she doesn't have many drop ins......especially in March. Usually at this time of year, her campers are headed home, in the north, and the southern onslaught doesn't begin until June. But there we were, and we were given a nice area, with a view of the lake....small man-made lake.....with geese and ducks on it.....in a pine grove....with squirrels and deer and other creatures.....and I was salivating. I can't tell you how anxious I was to get out of the truck and into the woods.......alas, Amy told Mommy I had to be on a leash at all times. Why do people hate dogs so much?? It's sad......I could have had such a good time.......

Well, anyhow, we got the camper set up and then went off to see Aunt Joyce and Uncle Dean. Cousins Laura and Dan were there, too...from Ohio. Cousin Dan is a teacher and Cousin Laura works in a high school office. It was really nice to meet these new relatives, and I KNOW they were pretty impressed with me. I stayed in the truck while the grown ups talked...didn't want to get my black hair all over Aunt Joyce's house. She and Uncle Dean have a house in this gated community, right on a golf course. They are very rich. They spend their days playing.....golf, tennis, cruises......you know, the usual stuff rich people do. But I digress......the adults spent the afternoon gossiping about all the other relatives. Did you know that Aunt Margie....?????....oh, I'm not supposed to tell all that stuff. Uncle Deannie wasn't supposed to spill the beans, but you know how brothers can be.

It was really nice to see these relatives. Next time we come, maybe we'll stay longer but this time, Cousins Laura and Dan got there first and got dibs on the spare bedroom. Good thing we bring ours with us!!

We got back to the campground and I got to take a walk....on the leash....not the best fun but better than nothing. Then we had supper and that's when the noise began. We had heard it earlier and thought it was thunder, but no. Seems we weren't far from Fort Bragg and the noise was artillary fire....they were practicing!! We could even feel the noise.....so I wasn't unhappy about leaving the next day. I don't think I'd like living near a military base......

Hope you are all well; I'll be back!
Juni

Saturday, March 20

Aunt Marie and Mommy...and me, of course, and Aunt Marie's house, back porch, and great backyard.

Good evening, friends and relatives, near and far,

Goodness....it sure has been a long time since I've been able to blog, so I'll try to catch you up on our travels and experiences. I'll try not to be terribly long winded, but I don't promise. I like to write!! And Auntie Em says she likes reading my blogs, so if I AM long winded, it's for you, Auntie Em. Just for you.

So.....we have to go back to Saturday at Aunt Marie's. She and Mommy left Daddy and me for most of the day.....they went.....can you guess??? Yup, shopping. Not that hard to figure out if you know either one of the mega-shopper ladies. And they had a wonderful time, I'm sure. Mommy had to get an extra puff for the bed because she was cold at night. That accomplished, they went on to various other hot spots and came home with a car full of goodies. Daddy and I just hung out and went for walks and chased squirrels and napped and rested. I loved Aunt Marie's backyard. There was just lots to do there....eat pinecones, chase squirrels, dig....you know, the normal dog stuff. I desperately wanted to go inside and play with the kitties, but I was banned from the house. It seems that I encouraged a lot of hissing.....and hiding....and......the catfood, although very tasty, just didn't agree with my digestive system. There's a reason it's for cats. It gives dogs gas......green haze gas......eye-watering, green haze gas. Daddy was not happy with me. Oh well......won't be the last time.

Friday, March 19th

Hello friends and relatives, far and near, near and far, and just upstairs!!

What a gorgeous day!! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous....not too cold, not too warm!! See, expanded horizons, warmer weather!! Got up to 75 degrees today, and ya know what we saw? Daffodils!! In Pennsylvania, very southern Pennsylvania, they were about six inches high; in Virginia, a foot; in NC, blooming!!! All over the place, along with forsythia, and dogwood, and some fruit trees!! It just warms the cockles of the heart......does anyone know what cockles are? I have somewhat of an idea....but Mommy says that's the wrong end of the body.....but I digress...

So....the day began with Mommy and me sequestered in the little bathroom....Mommy because she had to....well, you know....and Daddy was outside getting the camper unhooked and hooked up and all those noises made me a little nervous, so I just sat real close to Mommy and shivered and shook and she did what she did and then it was all over, and WHOOSH.....we were on our way!!

The Blue Ridge Mountains, and Shenandoah Mountains, and Allegheny Mountains are all very pretty....even though it was hazy. Mommy wants to come back to this section some day and tour all around just this part of the country. You can't see a lot just buzzing through. We stopped for lunch at 11:30, parked in a big truck stop, and ate in the camper. I got to go for a walk a little, but all the engines bother me, so we didn't stay long. We stopped at some really nice rest areas along the way today, and I got to take long walks. I even met some really nice people! People seem to like me a lot.....so I sit pretty for them, and shake, and give them five, and then look to Mommy or Daddy for my cookie. I don't perform for free, naturally. I'm a Peck.

At 2:34 PM, we stopped in Dinwiddie. Isn't that a funny name? Dinwiddie. That's where I saw my first open daffodil!! I wanted to eat it, but Mommy wouldn't let me. She said other people had to have a chance to enjoy it......I still think first come, first served.....so I dumped right next to it. There. Enjoy that.

We arrived at Aunt Marie's around five thirty....and the FUN began!! Oh boy.....Aunt Marie has five....count them....one, two, three, four, five.....FIVE.....cats. I love cats. They run. They run upstairs and downstairs and around all the rooms and upstairs again. It's just wonderful. And they eat this stuff that smells horrible, but ohmydoggod, it's wonderful. I mean, Aunt Marie had given me a bone, as a treat, when we arrived, and that was good, but next to cat food? Nah, no comparison. Cat food rocks. Needless to say, I spent most of my evening in the camper with Daddy. Such a waste. And you know? If they wouldn't run, I wouldn't chase. But they do! Right after they hiss! It's funny. I don't think Aunt Marie thought it was too funny, but she doesn't know for sure that I wouldn't hurt them. They're just fun to torture! Like younger siblings, right? Isn't that the job of an older sibling? That's what Mommy's older brother, Uncle Gale, always told her! And that's what she did to her younger brother, Uncle Peter, when he was a kid. So see? I'm just trying to carry on the tradition......geesh......

Anyhow, Mommy and Aunt Marie got all caught up and we all went to bed early. Daddy was really tired. I think we're just going to hang out in Raleigh for a day, and then go on to Uncle Dean's tomorrow.

So, until then, be well, think daffodils, and I'll be back....read that as if I'm Arnold....I'll be back...
Juni

More pictures from D Day

Here we are in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It was an OK campground.....no real place to run, but there weren't many campers, so Mommy threw the frisbe in the road until the lady came out and said I had to be on a leash. Not very trusting, that lady. I should have taken a bite out of her kankles......but I'm a peace-loving dog.

This is for you, Uncle Eli!! Hoss's.....

Thursday, Day of Departure.....D Day!

Hello friends and relatives, near and far,

This will be the third, or fouth, or maybe even seventeenth time I've tried to blog......I had hoped not to have to skip a day, or two, as the case may be, but the doggods have not been with me. The campground where we stayed Thursday night was less than desireable, and their internet was so slowwwwwwwww that I was unable to download pictures or save any writing and I am almost positive (oxymoron?) that it wasn't my fault. I asked Mommy to help, and she did try, but after awhile, I couldn't take the language anymore so I told her to go to bed and we'd try again at Aunt Marie's. You know how Mom gets when she's frustrated.....she even makes up words!! Rackenfracken, indeed.

So....back to D Day. We left that stupid campground....did I tell you about the campground? No.. oh, dear, I'm really behind.

We left home....oh yeah, that would be D Day. I'm not blonde, but Dad says I've been too close to Mommy for two years, and it rubs off.....but I digress. I have to digress at least once a day or I just don't feel complete, you know? I just like saying digress.....it's almost as good as pontificate. So, we left around six, in the AM, of course, got out of the driveway and turned to say goodby to our house....which was lit up like the fourth of July. That was a simile.....if I had said it was the Fourth of July.....that would have been a metaphor....it's the word like that makes the difference. A little English lesson from Mommy, who has not yet fully retired. The point is, she had left the lights on in the house. So, Daddy got to practice backing up and he did a really good job! Mommy praised him all over the place, which made him mad, for some reason. I LIKE being told I've done a good job, but, well, each to his own, I guess. So, the lights got turned off, Daddy turned around again....and again, another nice job.....and we got our SECOND start!!

It was a really nice day, not too cold, not too cold. It's March, people, and we're in New England so the word hot does not yet enter the mind. We had lunch just outside of Scranton, only interrupted by one phone call.....from Alden Place, where Grammie and Grampie Peck live. It seems Grammie had had a spell, and they were taking her to the hospital. We were sure glad to know that, being in Scranton and all.....forgive me if that sounds a little sarcastic. I've been hanging around with Mommy a lot......I'll save you the day of wondering....it was just another anxiety attack, which she is having more and more now as her Alzheimer's advances, but we knew that would be the case, so we didn't really worry too much.....from Scranton.....

We ended up driving all the way to Carlisle, which was exciting for Daddy because he and Uncle Eli used to drive down there for car shows.....many, many years ago when they were young and foolish....not old and foolish, like now. They'd start on Friday after work, drive all night, get to Carlisle to do the car show on Saturday and Sunday, then drive back all night Sunday and go to work Monday morning. See??? That's crazy!! But there we were in Carlisle, at the only campground open this early in the year, and it had dial up internet and NO, I repeat, NO television hook ups!! What is that all about???? Most of the people who were there had little dishes on their campers.....NUTS....that's just nuts. Our first night out and all we could do was play frisbe, walk around the park, bark at some other dogs, and rest. I guess when you think about it.....it wasn't too bad! Mommy and Daddy went to bed early.....like usual.....and after awhile, Daddy had to get up and turn the heat on. Got kinda cold for them. I didn't mind so much.....I always have an extra hair shirt with me just in case.

So, that's D Day. I do have some pictures, but they'll have to wait because Aunt Marie doesn't have a little slot for Mommy's picture holder, so I'll have to do pictures later. Sorry.....

I'll be back! Love to all,
Juni

Here I am, ready to go!

It's hard to see how clean and pretty I am, but boy, do I shine!!

The Day Before....March 18th.......

Greetings all my friends,

I'm so glad that you will be coming with me on this new journey, at least in spirit. I'm so excited!! Mommy and Daddy have been busy all day doing this and that, and I think things are just about ready to go. Daddy just finished washing the truck and has it all hitched to the camper. We have a new camper now which is really great! Daddy says it has five wheels, but I only counted four. Maybe he's hiding the other one where I can't see it. Anyhow, it's a lot bigger than the one we had last year and it has a whole, huge bed for the three of us!! Isn't that rad? Last year's was 19 feet long, and this one is 27. That means we all have a lot more room to move around and I won't be tripping into people all the time. That really got on my nerves last year, not to mention the fact that there was no real comfortable place to sit. Now I have my own couch, and Aunt Martha made me a blanket to sit on so I don't get hair all over it. It's really cool. Maybe I can get mommy to take a picture of me on it so you can see what I look like.

I had a bath today. Actually, it's a family affair, and it's such a lot of fun now. When I was just a wee young thing, I didn't much care for a bath, which is silly because I LOVE to swim! You can't keep me out of a lake, river, pond, or swimming pool!! But the shower thing in the house? Not so great. However, now that I'm two......had my birthday on Jan. 2 and didn't get a whole lot of cards from folks......I digress........I didn't mind it at all. It was kinda funny, actually. Both Mommy and Daddy take their clothes off to help me. Daddy sits on the floor in front of the shower stall so I won't run away, and Mommy gets right in the shower with me! She looks kinda funny without any clothes.....Daddy says she's Rubenesque, whatever that means. I think she just has a lot a waves in her skin, and some are bigger than others, that's all. Mommy says it just means there's more to love. Anyhow, when I'm all lathered up with that smelly white stuff they put on me, I can shake and get it all over them!! Isn't that fun? And when I'm all rinsed off, I can shake again and help get them all cleaned off. We really had a fun time, and I smell just wonderful! My hair is all shiney and fluffy, and I feel like a million dollars. I couldn't wait to get my collar on again.....I really feel naked without my collar.

So now that I'm all clean, and Mommy has the bathroom all cleaned up and dried off, and Daddy has all the groceries in the camper, we're ready to go. We'll probably take off early tomorrow morning after breakfast. They 'rents are big on eating breakfast, you know. We don't know where our first stop will be, but I'll write tomorrow night and let you know where we are,

In the meantime, stay well, and happy, and know that I am thinking about all of you and wishing you could come with us......just not in our camper. I don't think five wheels would support all of us......and I still only see four.....

Until later, yours in friendship,

Juni