My Year of Gratitude!

   

     I haven't blogged for a while for several reasons. First, because of the holidays, it's been very busy! Second, everyone has been sick and there have been a lot of things going on! Now that the holidays are over, I find that I am pretty...well, lazy. I can't lie. I feel pretty great when I'm snoozing, anywhere, anytime. I guess that's winter, for you. I might have R. S.A.D. (rainy-day seasonal affective disorder).

     Don't get me wrong--I love my daily walks. I don't care how cold it is, how windy it is or how dark! The best days, in fact, are the ones where my uncle Eric or my grandma (or both!) let us walk just a little bit longer. But today is a rainy day; a sleety, icy rainy day and that isn't my cup of my tea, if you know what I mean!
Today is one of those days. My grandma let me go outside in the morning and I came right back in! Uncle Eric took me for a walk, but I dragged him home. Who wants a coat of hair on your fur? Not me! So, I'm lazing around by the electric fireplace, taking a walk down memory lane.

    Today is a day that I am thankful that I have a nice, warm house, good food, people who care about me and chew toys! It reminds me that, all over the world, there are people who are not as lucky as I am. Did I ever tell you about the time my family went to Dachau concentration camp in Germany? Oh, man; that was not a nice place!  My mom and I were living in Germany at the time and my uncle Eric and grandma had come to visit. We all thought it was important to learn more about what happened at the camps, so we did some research and decided to visit Dachau.

     When we visited, it was winter and, even though it wasn't a terrible day weather-wise, it was cold there--even inside! When you first arrive at Dachau, you are greeted by an iron gate, with the words: Arbeit Macht Frei (work sets you free) in the center (which was stolen from the camp gate in November of 2014 and not yet recovered as yet). There are tall fences and imposing concrete buildings surrounding the camp, which is fairly large. The concentration has a museum with pictures, artifacts and information about Dachau. You go through the museum as a new prisoner would have traveled, before being assigned to a barrack. As you go through the museum, you see photos and read about what would happen to the prisoners at each stage of entry, such as being issued prison garb and being inspected for health issues. As you complete the museum path, you realize how frightening and lonely it must have felt for the prisoners.

     After moving through the museum, we went to visit the barracks, which were simply slabs of wood made into bunks. The latrines were common, with no hot water and no privacy.  At the very end of the camp you can see what once was a crematorium. Where ever you were in the camp, you could be seen by the tall guard towers. As stayed until the sun set, and it was even more ominous.It was a place I think is important to visit and learn about, but it disturbing. I know one thing--I wouldn't have survived there!
I'm pretty used to running around, being free, eating when I want and snuggling up warm and toasty. I admit--I don't really have experience with the hard-knock life. But, I've never forgotten that visit and what I learned there!

     On a day like this, with the icy rain, I know I must be thankful for my freedom and my comfortable life. I know there are people and dogs who don't have such a comfortable life. My 2015 New Year's resolution is to be more thankful! Now, for an adorable (I'm told) dog like me, it's not easy. I mean, I can't keep a gratitude journal, like my grandma does (no thumbs). Sometimes, I forget to be thankful. But I am learning. So, for today, I'm thankful that:
1) My mom is coming home soon! (YAY!)
2) I have my own little blankie to keep me warm.
3) And knowing the sun will come out tomorrow! (Rest up                     grandma--I'm going to want a loooooong walk!)

The iron gate of Dachau

Part of the museum     

The bunks in the barracks

Thank a Veteran! (like my mom and dad!)

Thank a Veteran! 
(Like my mom and dad!!)

    Yesterday was Veteran's Day, 2014 and this is a day when I think a lot about my parents. It's hard for me to be away from them for a long time (though, grandma is a pretty good back scratcher!) It's difficult for military families like mine. But veterans think about others before themselves ("service before self") and they make sacrifices so other people can be safe and secure. That's why I'm so proud of my parents. I especially like it when we are all together, like in Germany or Texas. But, like any military brat, I know that sometimes I have to sacrifice, too, and be away from my parents when they are called to serve. Mom and dad are my heroes because they love me and take good care of me, and also because they take good care of their country!

     I've been wanting to tell you about when my mom met my dad. To do that, I have to jump ahead in my life story just a bit. You see, when I was adopted, it was just me and my mom. It wasn't until after that first Christmas in Germany when my dad came to Germany. My mom kind of showed him around and helped him get used a new country and base. Mom knew what is felt like, since she had just done the same thing about a year ago. My dad took care of me a few times, while mom was away, and I go to know and love him. Eventually, mom and dad became friends. You might remember that my mom was friends with my Uncle Andrew and his wife (and their dog, Cami). They did a lot of things together, like traveling and going to Oktoberfest and they started to include my dad.

    My mom helped dad find an apartment and get the things he needed to set up a house. I knew my mom was going to like my dad from the beginning. First, he was very nice to me. He took me on walks and stuff. It was cold and snowy that winter and he wasn't afraid of the cold at all. Also, he was pretty nice to my mom. We all got to know each other. When mom and dad hung out with Andrew and Christine, I got to hang out with Cami, so it was a good deal for me! (No, Cami wasn't my girlfriend; we were just friends!)

    During the spring, mom went home (like, to the USA) to visit her family. I got to stay with my dad and Cami's family. For Mother's Day, she had bought tickets to a Mets game, because my grandma is a super Mets fan. She got a ticket for my cousin Jason, too. I wasn't there, of course, but she told me that the day of the game, as they were just arriving in NYC to meet my cousin Jason, mom realized she didn't have the tickets! She had printed them out, but left them in Madison!! Mom and grandma started to panic, but when they met Jason, he told them to come to his office and he would print them out. Mom said they had a great time, even though there was a rain delay (I love a rainy day!).

     That summer, my uncle Eric graduated from Riverview and Cape Cod Community College. My mom had to fly home for the weekend to go to the graduation (it took her like 2 days to get there!) and I got to stay with my dad (well, I didn't call him dad yet) and Cami's family again while she was away. Mom said she was so proud of Eric for graduating! And mom told grandma and the family all about my dad. Grandma said he sounded nice and wanted to meet him.

     Since mom and dad lived in Germany and grandma lived in NJ, they thought it might be a good idea for dad and grandma to meet each other via Skype. At first, dad was a little shy. But grandma and dad hit it off. Next, they planned a Christmas meeting! Not only was grandma coming, with uncle Eric, but cousin Jason was coming too! I was excited! My dad would be meeting all three of them for the first time!

    That Christmas, it was great to have the whole family together again. I'm not going to lie, it was frrreeeeezing! And it snowed the first day grandma and Eric got there! There was a lot to do that Christmas. Mom, dad and I had decorated the house for the holidays. We had a nice tree and there were already presents under it. Grandma had sent some presents ahead, too. Mom was getting a promotion, so grandma and uncle Eric got to go to the ceremony and participate. Eric and grandma helped pin her new rank on her uniform. And later, we celebrated! I have to tell you, I'm pretty proud of my mom (and my dad).

     Jason stayed a few days. He cooked us dinner one night. It was pretty good. It was fun to see him (he's a fun guy) and hear the tales of his travels. We went to Luxembourg that year for a Christmas market and to look around the the whole town. It was extremely cold! In fact, we had to buy things to keep up warm! Hats, scarves, gloves--we needed extras! But it was a beautiful city and a great day. On the way home, it started snowing and it was difficult to drive. Also, that holiday season, we got a treat (at least, I did) when Andrew and Christine brought Cami over to stay while they went to visit family. I loved having my friend over for the holiday!

     For Christmas eve, we had a nice dinner at home and exchanged gifts. It was cozy, with the snow falling outside and all of us, snug and warm inside. Everyone had tea and cocoa and mulled wine. But the best part of that trip was going to Venice! It was a short trip, but it was a beautiful city, from St. Mark's Square (la Piazza San Marco) to the Doge's Palace to glass blowing in Murano. Everyone had a good time, until the last day...the last minute, when mom got the flu! Boy, was she sick! All we wanted to do was to get home safe and sound. But mom was too weak (with chills even), and we had to take a water taxi to the train to the airport, and that wasn't easy! Mom was laying in grandma's lap on the train and when we got to the airport, we had to run (actually run!) from the airport security to make the plane, since we were late. It was hard for my mom, but my dad grabbed her suitcase (all of the suitcases) so she wouldn't have to carry it and we ran! When we finally got home to Germany, dad took mom to the doctor and went out and got her prescription. He took good care of her! Grandma said she knew he was a great guy right then. She told me she was so happy that mom found such a great man to be my dad! I'm pretty happy she did too! I know that I'm awfully lucky to have two heroes as my parents!

My cousin Jason cooking dinner!

Grandma and uncle Eric pinning mom's
new rank on. 

Believe it or not, that's my dad and uncle Eric
at the Christmas market

Dad, mom and uncle Eric in St. Mark's Square

Dad, mom, me and Cami hanging out on Christmas!

There's No Place Like Home

   

There's No Place Like Home!

     We got to Skype with my mom again. She's doing okay. She told us she is working a lot. And she is working out a lot. And she got our present, so she can watch some movies, too! It helps a lot to be able to see her face on the computer. It's kind of like we are in the same room, I guess. If I was her, I would be very homesick! She far, far away; we looked on a map.  So, my grandma had a good idea. My mom gave us her address and we've already sent her a care package. But now we have a lot of ideas to put into our care packages! We want to send her a little bit of America! My grandma has been collecting small boxes and you should see the dining room table! It's care package HQ! It's fun to pick things out for her. It kind of even reminds me of Christmas.

    Did I tell you about my first Christmas in Germany? Picture it: winter 2009. We had been in our new home only a few months. But already my mom had made some friends. Some good friends were Christine and Andrew. What was great about them, from my perspective, was they had a great little doggy, about my size, named Cammie. She is a Brussels Griffon. She looked a little bit like me. And boy, could she run! Sometimes, I'd go to Cammie's house and play while mom worked. Sometimes, Cammie would come to our house and play, while Andrew and Christine went somewhere. It sure was good having a new friend! When I tell you we liked to run, I mean it! Our house was an open concept-one big, big room. Cammie and I could round the kitchen, dining room and kitchen, hop on top of the sofa, then jump off and head under the stairs and start all over again in like 45 seconds! And we never got tired!

     In December, my grandma and uncle Eric came to Germany. It was nice to see them again. When they arrived, it started snowing. I really, really love snow! I like to run in it and stick my nose into it. I like the feeling of it on my fur. The more it snows, the more I like it! We went to a Christmas market Stuttgart. There were lots of people there. It was kind of cold, but they had warm wine, called gluhwein for the adults to warm up with (the cold doesn't bother me anyway). They had waffles with cream! There were lots of booths to shop at and lots of Christmas lights and decorations. It was a good day! I was pretty tired when I got home. I fell asleep on mom's computer.

     My mom and I got a tree and put it up. So, grandma and uncle Eric and mom and I decorated it on Christmas Eve. It was a nice! Mom and grandma made nut crusted salmon, which isn't really "my" thing. (Looked okay, but I'm not a cat!)
And we all opened gifts! Mom got a Snuggie and some zebra Christmas tree towels. Eric got some a cool new Ramstein sweatshirt, some videos and some Axe. I got some treats and a stuffed animal. (FYI-don't ever think of buying me a Christmas sweater. I hate sweaters. Don't like tee shirts or coats. Coats make me angry!)

     The next day, on Christmas day, mom decided to have her new friends over. April and Kalen came over. And Andrew and Christine. And Cammie!! Mom and grandma cooked a turkey and a roast. The electric was a little crazy in the Germany house, so they put the roast into the Crockpot and put it it on the floor! Oh, man, that meat smelled mighty good! I kept walking by it to get a whiff! They made cookies, too (but not the beefy kind that I like).

After dinner, the adults played games, like MadGab. It looked and sounded like they were having fun. But Cammie and I were having the real fun. We played chase each other. That included pretending we were fighting. It was a great day!

I have to admit, I was kind of liking Germany. We had lots of new friends, a neat new house and terrific weather (for a weather dog like me!). It was a long night, but that Christmas night, I felt really happy. I was starting to understand why my mom loves Christmas so much! I had a warm feeling inside. After everyone left, I snuggled up in mom's bed and dreamed of sugarplums (whatever those are) and Greenies. Life is good.

Mom, under the Christmas tree, looking for something.

Me, mom and uncle Eric at the Christmas Market

                           

                              Me, after the Stuttgart Christmas Market-exhausted!

Uncle Eric (wearing his new sweatshirt) and mom

                     

                             Me and Cammie on Christmas Day. It's okay; we're just playing!

Back to the Future

Back to the Future

I got to Skype with my mom this weekend! It was so cool. She told us about where she is stationed and what she is doing. We got to see her room (eh-not fancy or anything). And we told her about what we were doing. Mostly, I talked about squirrels. You know, they are everywhere around NJ! Also, my great grandfather and his wife were visiting, so they got to Skype too! It's pretty cool to be able to see and hear my mom. I rolled over my back and pretended that she was rubbing my belly. I can't wait to do it again!

But now, let me get back to my life story. The summer of 2009 was pretty awesome. I was in my new home in Germany and it was completely surrounded by cow pastures.  There were a million smells and so much to room to run!! (Well, I wasn't really supposed to run through the cow pastures, it turns out. I really, really wasn't supposed to get through the fence in the back yard and roll all over the cow patties, but it was just so fun!!!  My mom didn't like it, though. Every single time I ran away and rolled in the cow patties, my mom made me take a bath. Ugh!)

Downstairs from us was a nice couple who didn't speak any English, but I could tell they were nice. I have intuition, which means I can tell things even though people don't come out and say so. They had a huge dog, and he was nice too! 

My mom was unpacking my stuff and I was starting to feel at home. Meanwhile, my grandma and uncle Eric were still visiting and with my mom, they decided to go to Paris. I don't know about you, but I think places like Paris are boooorrrring! So, my mom let me stay with a new friend while they went exploring. 

Mom, grandma, and uncle Eric had a good time in Paris. They went to the Eiffel Tower and got to go upstairs (not as fun as cow patties if you ask me). And they went to Notre Dame and took a tour. They went to the Louvre (boring) and saw some "priceless" works of art, according to grandma. I will say, the one fun thing they did, in my opinion, was visiting the palace of Versailles. I don't really care about the inside, but that yard looks awesome! I'll bet there are lots of animals to chase and tons of spots to mark as my territory! But, all in all, I'd say I had a better time than them. I got to run around with a new dog friend, eat his food, hide his treats and roll around in a new yard. 

Then, a sad day came, when grandma and uncle Eric had to go back to the USA. I have to admit it, I was a little upset. But I didn't say anything, because I think my mom and grandma were sad, too. That was when we first discovered Skype and we decided we'd have some regular Skype dates. Without grandma and uncle Eric, I was going to focus on getting my German act together!

Mom & uncle Eric on the Eiffel Tower

Grandma's favorite picture of mom & uncle Eric
(outside the Louvre)

Mom, clowning around at Versailles

We Interrupt This Blog....

I am interrupting the telling of my life story to tell you some pretty important news in my little life. My parents are going away. They are getting deployed, whatever that means. I was wondering what was up. 

I'm a military dog, so I'm pretty used to this kind of stuff. Last spring, my parents had to go to training and they didn't have enough time to get me a reservation at a hotel (you know-like PetSmart).  So, I went with them on the road and they dropped me off at my aunt Emily's grandma's house. I stayed there for 8 weeks! To be honest, it's pretty neat to learn about new places. I'm pretty flexible as long as people treat me well. And it's kind of exciting to explore new yards and all those smells. I mean, already, my Uncle Eric took me to a place called Loantaka. That place has ducks (not like my duckie toy), turkeys, fish, and walking trails where people bring their dogs! Plus, my grandma needs me. She has squirrels galore in her yard. It's my job to keep them out, out, out!

Sure, everyone is going to miss my parents. Me, first of all. (I can't get away with as much stuff with grandma as I can with my parents. My grandma is making me stop at every street corner and wait for her to tell me it's okay to cross the road. I mean...I just want to run. Let me run! That's what I do!) Anyway, I heard uncle Eric say he will miss my parents too. I mean, the whole family will. 

But...grandma says I will be able to Skype them. And, she also said we can send stuff to them.  Most of the time, when my parents go away, they bring me a present! I wonder what it will be?  I know I'll be okay. I have my grandma and my uncle Eric, my duck and my blankie. Plus, I have my old friend Sherwood, down the block. And pretty much everyone around grandma's house loves me.  But I'm going to miss them a lot and I'm sure they will miss me. 

....Oh...wait...a squirrel...running across grandma's yard...gotta get it...
I'll catch ya later! 

Mom saying good bye to me

There's my mom and dad-getting ready for something-I don't know what!

Me--already getting comfortable at grandma's house

   Doggy in the Window:The Summer of 2009

One of my favorite places to sit to look out the window!


My uncle Eric and Grandma were able to visit my mom for a when when they brought me to Germany. I took a little time getting used to my new house. I loved exploring every nook and cranny of my new house. There were so many smells to smell and so many crevices to squeeze myself into. But there were some firsts for me. For example, there were these huge, high stairs that went up to the bedrooms. They had no back on them! I was a little worried I would fall right through them! But I practiced them a lot and I got used to them!

It was nice that uncle Eric and Grandma stayed for a while, because my mom had to work some days, so they kept me company. I liked to go outside in my new back yard and run around and play, but I still liked to take walks even better! We walked up and down the street. Down the street was the town. Up the street was a farm. Up the street, there was also a big dog. He would bark at me when we walked by. I wasn't afraid of him, though!

 My mom lived in a small village and there were not a lot of houses. Sometimes, we could walk around the streets and get all the way to the other side of of the town, to the main street, by the church. But mostly, I liked to walk to the dirt road by the farm. There was a very small stream there and there was a lot of things to smell and sniff there. Sometimes there would be other dogs there. When we were not outside, we played with some of my toys in the living room/dining room. One time, we saw a horse! (That thing was HUGE!) My grandma liked to look at the cute little houses with their tiny yards. But she wouldn't let me...you-know-what... on them

Another "first" for me was meeting up with a slug! I was outside sniffing around and I saw this good size redish-orange ball. I sometimes like to play, so I went to sniff it. Grandma was sitting on the patio reading, so I thought I'd bring it to her and she would throw it and, you know, I'd go catch it. But I noticed it was kind of slimy and I couldn't get a good grasp of it. Grandma noticed me trying to pick up the ball, so she came over to get it and, I guess, throw it for me. All of a sudden the thing started to move!! You should have heard my grandma scream! She said it was the fattest, slimiest and reddest slug she had ever seen! She threw it in the garbage and then threw the garbage bag in the can outside. Phew! I don't want those in my yard for sure!

My mom, grandma and uncle Eric went to do some sight-seeing. I'm not that interested in sight-seeing. For one thing, they always want to see different things than I want to see. I like to find areas to "make my mark" (if you know what I mean). I like to sniff things that smell different. But, they like to see monuments and museums (and you're not allowed to make your mark there!). Luckily, my mom met some new friends who also have dogs and I got to have a little "stay-cation" with them. It was awesome! One day, my mom took grandma and uncle Eric to Luxembourg to see the WWII American Cemetery. Uncle Eric said they also saw the German cemetery too. Then, they went to the Rhine, and visited St. Goar. My mom bought a fossil there (she really loves fossils). They stayed over night so they could Berg Eltz (Berg means castle), which they said was very beautiful and interesting (but I don't see how an old house can be very interesting. They tried to explain that it was really big and majestic, with winding stair ways and arched windows, but I still didn't get it). Walking and driving around, they saw wineries and other castles among the landscape. And one day, they had lunch right across the street from the river. I guess humans think that's all pretty cool.

In my opinion, the best thing that happened to them on that trip was meeting some new friends, Hans and Fritz. I saw some pictures of them and they were pretty cute. Mom said when they checked into their hotel, Hans and Fritz were in their room! They looked like sheep to me, but my mom said they are called "Stuffed Animals." Must be some kind of new species. Anyway, they didn't bring the new friends home, so I never got to meet them. 

While they were sight-seeing, I made a list of the things I wanted to do in my new hometown. I'm pretty sure there is a dog living in the apartment downstairs from us. I plan to meet him or her. Also, on my walks, I noticed there were some farms around us. I've never really been to a farm. That's on my list, too. And uncle Eric keeps talking about this Italian restaurant downtown. I'd like to go and see if it's any good. Meanwhile, I have to get used to my new home and help my mom meet some new friends. Yep, I was about to turn one year old and my mom and I were starting a big adventure! 

The dirt road I loved to walk on. Eventually, I'll explore that farm!

Those are the scary stairs at my new house (but I conquered them!)

Mom with her new friends, Hans and Fritz

Mom and uncle Eric at Berg Eltz

Mom & uncle Eric across from the Rhine

How I Became a Military Dog

My name is Tucker Pants Bernard. I'm a military dog. My mom got me during her last semester of college at North Carolina State University.  My mom's a meteorologist in the Air Force. College was fun, but then my mom graduated and got commissioned. And then, she got stationed overseas in Germany. The next thing I know, I'm in the car driving up to NJ to grandma's house.  My grandma's okay, but I was a little confused at first. Where was my mom? Where was my home?

My mom didn't have any housing when she first got overseas. She didn't know what to do with me! So, the best thing for me was to go to grandma's house until she got settled. It's hard to start a new job, set up a new house and get used to a new culture--take it from me!

 My grandma lives in New Jersey. I lived with her and my uncle, Eric, for most of my first year. She taught me how to go outside to...well..you know...instead of doing that inside. Grandma says I almost gave her a heart attack a half dozen times! There was the time I hid behind the bathroom hamper and didn't come when she called me. I was really small then and I could fit back there. She called the police and they looked all over and couldn't find me! When I came out, after my nap, she hugged me so tight I thought I was going to get squeezed! And there was the time I ate the bushes in the front yard, then threw up all over the house. Grandma had to take me to the doggie emergency room--at 11 pm! She didn't seem that happy about that (or the bill)! And I ran out the front door about a zillion times, making grandma chase me down the block. For a grandma, she's pretty fast!

Anyway, one day, my grandma started packing a suitcase. I know what suitcases mean. I've seen them before. My mom had suitcases out when she was getting ready to go to Germany. I watched my grandma, following her in and out of rooms, sniffing everything she put in the suitcase. Then, she pulled out another kind of suitcase. It was kind of like a long cube with zippers. She put me inside of it! I'm not going to lie--I hated it! But one day, she put me in my carrier (I figured out that was the cube suitcase was!) and I got to go with her to the airport! (She sometimes brought me to work, but she never took me with her on trips!) It was exciting, but also kind of scary. We went to the airport, which was really big! People were really nice to me there. (People say I'm cute, but I don't see it. Tough and intimidating, yeah. But cute?) The Luftansa people were really, really nice. After the plane took off, they could tell I was kind of scared, so they let me sit on grandma's lap instead of making me stay inside that zipper bag under the seat in front of us...as long as I behaved, which was easy to do because I was scared to death! (My first plane ride!)

By the time I got to Germany, I had to pee so badly! And all of a sudden, I saw my mom!! I was so excited, I jumped in her arms and licked her face all over!
I got to sit in the front seat (on grandma's lap) and look outside the window! Germany was beautiful! My new house was beautiful! It was a two story apartment with my own bedroom!!! (But I chose to sleep on mom's bed). And best of all, I had my own back yard! Oh, yeah!! I didn't realize it yet, but I was a military brat. That was the beginning of my travels!

Me playing the "stick" toy grandma bought me when I was
living with her in NJ. 

Me playing the "blankie" game in my new home in Germany!

Me chilling on my new sofa in my new home in Germany!