Happy Holidays!

We brought Victory to the Colchester Town Green on Saturday, December 3rd for the Holiday Homecoming celebration. It was a fairly mild evening and there were a lot of families in attendance, many with small children waiting for Santa to arrive on the fire truck. When we first got on to the Green, Vicci was so excited, straining against her leash to try and go greet all the people she saw.  We made it to the Lions trailer and hung out there, allowing the little kids to greet her. She did a very good job of keeping her four paws on the ground.. When not being swarmed, she just sat there, taking it all in.  We then went over to the Hayward House for their annual Open House, but barely made it into the front reception area before she found something on the floor. I took the crayon out of her mouth and decided it was not the best place for her right then.

On Tuesday, December 13th, we had a small holiday luncheon at my office, and Victory got to officially meet my manager... well, to say the least, he turned into a puddle of mush when he saw her. Cute labbie pups do have that effect on people!

On Wednesday, December 14th, we had our Lions Holiday Party and again, she was very well behaved. At one point toward the end of the evening, I allowed her to go over to the next table and say hello. She made her way around, getting pats from everyone, then she strolled toward the head table, and found the packages of leftover food on the stage just behind it. She does have a really good sniffer!

Paul and I made a Christmas centerpiece to be auctioned off for our administrative fund. We bid on it ourselves and gave it to one of our members who was in the hospital.

She's the life of the party, all right!

After we got home and settled in to watch TV, she started bothering the cats, then started a full-on wrestling match with Hannah and Inga that lasted about 20 minutes. It's so great to see them playing like that!

Working Girl

November 28, 2011

Mom decided that I was ready to come to the office with her all day.  I don't know why people complain about work-- this is GREAT!

Giving Thanks

November 26, 2011

Thanksgiving weekend was unseasonably mild and we were able to have a picnic of turkey soup with fresh bread out on the patio. The pups got one last chance to play in their kiddie pool before the chilly weather sets in.  We had a little birthday party for Lacey and Flint who will be 2 in December, and Izzy who just turned 3 years old.

Vicci, Flint and Hannah

She easily leaps in and out of the pool now, clearing the sides.

Izzy and Flint

Making New Friends

November 13, 2011

This puppy was a lot bigger than me, but he was very friendly!

Don't know if I'd want to be on his side of the fence, though!!

My Civic Duty

November 1, 2011

Mom brought me to vote in the local elections.  They ran out of stickers and a nice man gave me his.

Snow-tober!

October 30, 2011

I went outside with Inga and Hannah one morning and they were so excited!! There was all this cold, wet, white stuff on the ground and covering the trees. I heard people saying they were so surprised to get this much snow in October. I went running out with the Big Dogs and this snow stuff felt so cool on my body!

 Hannah and me

The snow adds a whole new aspect to wrestling!

 and there is stuff buried underneath... I found a stick :-)

ahhhhh... time for a nap!

Colchester Lions Club

My foster mom and dad belong to the Colchester Lions Club.  They are a real fun bunch of people who like to do good things for the community.  My first foray into Lions activities was at Pumpkins 'n' Pooches Autumn Fair & Dog Fest on the Colchester Town Green on October 2nd. We were 12 weeks old. We hosted a booth to raise awareness of my school, Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, and to sell holiday cards. Mom put me in a big crate on a table and Aunt Karen and Uncle Bob were there with my sister Valley, talking to all kinds of people about us. We are very special pups, who will bring greater independence to people who are blind.

 Here I am, just laying quietly in my crate.

 Lots and lots of kids came to pet me - it was fantastic!

Here I am with my mom and Uncle Bob and Aunt Karen and my kid sister Valley.

Life is Good!!

I went to my first Lions meeting on October 12, when I was just 3 months old.  A nice girl named Marissa, who is with the Leo Club (junior Lions) hung out with me for the whole meeting, holding a bone while I chewed on it. She petted me and kept me very happy for the hour or so that I was there. At the November meeting, I stayed at Mom's table and made a new friend named George who sat on the floor with me and let me climb on him and kiss his face all over.  I really like these new Lion friends!

My New Housemates

 September 19, 2011

 I just strutted in and stole the first toy I could find.

Hmmm.. Inga is a lot bigger than me, but she's not that scary.

This little platform is kinda cool.

 Oh, yeah- Hannah is letting me have the Big Ball!!

 WAAHHOOOOOO! I think I'm gonna like it here!

A big yard AND a pool?!!? I must be in puppy heaven!

 
These walls are a little high - how do I get out of here?

Ahh, relaxing on a soft bed with a new flamingo rope toy.

 A break in the action



And there are kitties, too! Lucy will guard me as I sleep in my crate.

And Ricky will watch every move I make.

Oh Happy Day! Freedom Open Kennel - 9/17/11

Freedom puppy T-Bone meets his V cousins

Here I am meeting my foster mom for the first time!

and my Dad, too!

and Aunt Gini- she is T-Bone's mom

It was such an exciting day, it wore me out! 

Even my sister Valley couldn't wake me up~

VaLinda

Vegas

Valley

VaLinda & Valley

Vegas & Victory

Freedom Fosters!

Five CT families and one from FL!

A couple of extra aunts and uncles round out the crew.

Victory's early days at Freedom

This is my Dad, "Al"

and my Mom, Anniebella

There were 7 of us in the V litter, but sadly, little Vinnie didn't survive

What a line-up!  I'm the second one from the right. I was blessed with a distinctive marking of an upside-down V just above my nosepad. (so we can always tell it is me!)