Grace came to bed after I had gone to sleep. She did not have the early-morning flea problem like the morning before. At 6:20, she got up to look for friends. At 6:35 she came back to the bedroom and softly whined to let me know it was time to get going. We started off at 6:45 and toured the complex for a half hour. Then we headed for Bond Park.
Fun with New Friends
On the way, we met Oakley, a Pointer, and Daisy Mae, a tea cup Poodle, and a golden retriever. We did the full circuit around Bond Park. Grace and Oakley had a great time running free and jumping in the water. We returned home at 9:30. Betsy gave her a raw egg. Then Grace ate her food that she left from the previous night. She went out on the balcony until Betsy and I left for church at 10:15. I called her in, and she jumped up on the living room chair.
Hot Sunday Drive
When we returned home at 12:15, Grace came to greet us. Grace lay by the balcony doors as Betsy and I ate lunch. At 1:25 we all left to look at a model home about 35 minutes south of here. Grace stayed outside as Betsy and I alternately toured the house. After an hour, we headed home. Grace snuggled up against the cool air outlet at the passenger foot area.
Betsy stopped to pick up some groceries. Grace and I waited in the shade. Three women petted and complimented Grace. When it was time to leave, Grace returned to the floorboards to cool it. When we returned home at 4:00, Grace took a shower and then returned to her spot next to the wall by the patio door.
Black Dog Bonanza
Grace went inside and parked herself by the patio wall. At 6:00, she joined me on the balcony. At 6:45, Grace spotted Olive in the courtyard. We raced downstairs and caught up with them next to the building where Olive lives. Grace and Olive played with a ball for thirty minutes before Fraggle showed up. It was another black dog party!
Unwinding
At 8:00, Grace returned home and eventually made it out to the balcony with me. At 9:40, Betsy brought her in to avoid mosquitoes. I didn’t notice any, but she went in anyway. At 10:00, Grace went out out for the last time before bed. Although she saw Olive, Olive was not available to play. When we returned at 10:15, Grace went to the office ottoman, and we went to bed. When the lights went out, Grace came into the bedroom, jumped up, and joined us.
Monday
Grace started stirring at about 6:00. She got up at 6:30 and went to the office to look for friends. At 6:45, she whimpered. I got up. I saw Grace head back to the bedroom to get me. Then she saw I was already up. At 6:55, we went out and after a brief walk, rode to Salem Pond Park for our run. Grace followed me pretty closely. When she chased some birds out of bounds toward the shopping center, I whistled and she returned immediately.
The Best Toy
On the fifth lap around, Grace found a junior football. It had just enough air out of it to permit her to grip it. When I finished running, I played fetch with Grace and the football. One time she tossed the ball up to me about waist high. If didn’t have so many things in my hands, I could have easily caught it!
A man from Essex, England with two hounds showed up. He had met Grace before. Grace enjoyed walking with them and interacting with the hounds. Later, a lady appeared with a single dog. She wasn’t particularly happy to have Grace disturb her dog. I did my best to keep Grace away from the dog, but on the second lap around, Grace worked her way around with the football to disturb the dog again. After that, we went home.
Recovery Time
When we returned at 8:35, Betsy was using the shower, so Grace went out on the balcony lounge chair. When Betsy finished, I called her in. Grace jumped up on the living room chair, but I redirected her to the bathroom for a shower. After her shower, I gave her breakfast. She then went to the office for her morning nap. At 11:30, Grace moved to her spot by the balcony doors perhaps to get away from music from Betsy’s computer.
At 1:00, despite the putrid laundry odor outside, Grace went out on the balcony lounge chair. The overcast sky and moderate 78-degree temperature permitted her to enjoy the outdoors without getting too hot. Suddenly, Grace sat up. At 1:10, she started to whine. She spotted her friend Olive. We raced to put on her harness, and Betsy whisked her downstairs. They met beside the building. At 1:20, Grace returned because Olive’s owner did not have more time. Grace and Olive did wrestle a bit before they had to part ways.
Short Play with Olive
At 4:00, I went to the kitchen to the kitchen to make a sandwich. Grace came in. I put some food in her dish. She didn’t appreciate that. I gave her a doggie treat followed by a dental chew. Grace went back to her spot by the balcony doors. At 4:30, Betsy took Grace out to get the mail. When they returned ten minutes later, Betsy fed her supper including the Sport flavor. Grace went to the office to watch out the window.
Radar
At 5:30, we had dinner. Grace came by and whined. I told her to wait. She went to the office. After dinner, I put chicken scraps in her bowl. Grace amazed Betsy by marching in after her dish was loaded with the scraps despite the lack of sound when I did it. At 6:15, Grace came in with one of the larger puppies in her mouth. She wanted to play tug and fetch. I told her we don’t do that with puppies.
Seeking Fun Toys
Betsy had put her new Chuckit ball in a basket. I pulled it out and gave it to her. Grace enjoyed having it to chew on and toss around. At 6:20, she pulled the deer antler from her toy box. It was too hard, so she went back to her toy box and pulled out her Chuckit ball again.
At 6:25, she found the remains of a bully stick that Betsy gave her yesterday. Grace began working on that. At 6:30 she tired of the bully stick and went back to her ball. At 6:35, she grabbed a cracker box and began shredding it then she did the same with a cereal box.
At 7:05, Betsy took Grace outside. Fraggle, Olive, Jack return 8:30. 9:00 to 9:20. I went to bed at 9:45. Grace was in office.
Tuesday
Grace stirred at 5:45 and got up at 5:55. I got up at 6:00 and pulled together some boxes to take to storage. At 6:15, I took Grace downstairs. I first restrained her at one of the outdoor benches. After a few loads, Grace went to the limit of her leash. I unhooked her and took her to the car to wait there. As I finished up, around the corner came Ada. Grace jumped out of the car and the two dogs played until 6:45.
Morning Fun
At 7:00, we arrived at the park for our run. Grace stuck close to me and enjoyed the run. When we finished, I went to the car and got the football. Grace really likes to fetch the football. It sort of looks like the size of a game-bird carcass. Perhaps that’s the reason.
Strange Behavior
We left to visit nephew at 10:25. At 11:00, we arrived. We left Grace tied to the porch rail and went inside. Grace started barking. She didn’t like being tied up and alone. It was odd to me because she is content to wait for me in the car and spends hours at a time out on the balcony.
Huskie Chase
We went outside, and Grace and their Huskie named Copper played chase. Grace seemed to be faster and was much more agile. If the lawn had more grass in it, she would have been able to really do some good moves. When she tired, she ran below the massive porch where there was bare red clay. Of course, that was sort of a mess.
When the neighbor dogs barked, Grace felt she needed to let them know who was boss. After all, she needed to defend her territory. When I went inside to visit my nephew, Betsy took over with Grace. Grace called me out three times to call back my dog. Although I came immediately, every time Grace was back up on the porch by the time I went out.
Balcony Time
We left at 2:15 and returned home at 2:45. We gave Grace a quick paw washing in the shower to get the red clay stains off of her paws. After her quick shower, Grace went out on the balcony. She returned inside at 3:30 and went to her usual place at the balcony door. At 5:20, Grace went back on the balcony but came back in at 5:45.
Dinner Smells
Betsy gave her dinner, but Grace still complained. Betsy gave her a doggie treat and a dental chew. Grace could smell the beef in the stir fry and wanted some. I told her to wait. Grace doesn’t like to hear that, but it is better than being told “No.” When I finished my supper, I gave her small bits of some beef in response to her doing her tricks. She did them flawlessly.
Doing Nails
At 6:30, Betsy decided to do Grace’s nails. She pulled out the new (replacement) Oster nail grinder. Grace caught on immediately to what was coming and tried to exit the area. I had to hold her while Betsy worked on her nails. Grace put up with it but was not pleased with the process. After a few minutes the sandpaper grinding surface tore and had to be replaced. When we tried to put a new sanding cylinder on, we found it to be too tight to get on all the way.
Unwinding
At 6:40, Betsy took Grace outside. They returned less than five minutes later. Betsy said it was starting to rain. Grace went back out on the balcony. She came inside at 7:30. She looked at me sitting in the chair. She wanted to get in the chair. She jumped up and after a few minutes fell asleep and began making her cute muffled snoring sound. At 8:25, Grace got up, stretched and moved across to the loveseat.
Grace went out on the balcony. At 9:30, I heard her whining. After she came in, we all went to bed.
Wednesday
At 6:00, Grace got up. We went outside at 6:15 and made it to the park at 6:30. At 7:00, I finished my run and threw the football for Grace to fetch until 7:15. When we returned home at 7:25, Grace had a shower. Before Betsy and I left for morning meetings at 7:50, I gave Grace her breakfast.
Chomp-Chomp
At 1:00, we returned home to Grace’s friendly greeting. At 2:00, Grace had had enough. She let me know it with multiple chomp-chomp head nodding gestures. I took her out.
We explored the area near Cary Christian Academy. We practiced the under and over commands. Next, we came back via the nearest subdivision road and walked through the townhouse complex to the north. Finally, we went to the lower area to the northeast. On the way home, Grace waded in the concrete drainage ditch. Her paws were muddy enough to prompt me to stop at the car wash and rinse them off.
Lazy Afternoon
We returned home at 3:30, I made a sandwich. Grace came in. I gave her some lunch. She wanted more. I followed it up with a treat. She then went to the loveseat for some serious napping. At 5:30 Grace had her supper. At 6:20, I left Grace alone.
Happy Greeting
When Betsy and I returned home at 8:00, Grace was watching for our return from the office ottoman. She jumped down and eagerly awaited going downstairs to meet Betsy. Grace jumped around her joyfully as they greeted one another. I walked Grace as Betsy went inside. Grace saw a number of dogs, but each one was not available to play.
Finally, Ellie came by. Grace played with her and hung out with her for about thirty minutes. At 9:00, we came home and Grace went to the balcony. There Grace spotted Olive. It was too late, so I just brought her in and gave Grace a doggie treat followed by a dental chew. When she finished, Grace went to the office to be with Betsy.
Thursday
Grace got up at about 5:50. We left for our run in the park at 6:15. Grace seemed to have good energy. Her stools lately have been firming up a bit but are acceptable. Around the fourth lap, the lady who befriended Grace last week showed up. Grace spotted her and ran ahead to greet her. After we finished running, I got the football from the car.
Fun with Football
Grace excitedly watched the ball as I prepared to throw it. She zoomed through the dew-drenched meadow to retrieve it over and over again. Eventually she bit the ball hard enough to puncture it. That let more air out of it, and made the ball that much easier for her to handle. After a half hour of play with the ball, we returned home.
Morning Rounds
Grace had her shower, followed by breakfast. I drizzled olive oil on her food this time to add flavor to it and perhaps soften her stools a bit. After finishing breakfast, Grace made her rounds in the living room hitting each piece of leather furniture. At one point, she looked at the sofa where I sat. It had various objects littering the seat. As soon as I removed them, Grace sat up next to me for a while. She also did a stint by her toy box to chew a bully stick and lie among her toy puppies.
Disappointed
At noon, Grace joined Betsy in the office. At 12:30, Betsy took Grace outside. Grace just wanted to lie in the grass in the shade. Alas, Betsy had to take her in after a half hour. When Grace returned, she lay in her spot by the patio doors. At 1:30, she went out on the balcony to watch for friends. At 2:30, she spotted Olive and Flo and started to whine excitedly, but the owner said he didn’t have time to play.
I told Grace “bye-bye.” She was disappointed, but she seemed to understand. This is one of the hardest things about being the person caring for Grace — telling her “no” regarding things beyond our control and letting her know the reason. Betsy fed Grace supper and then took Grace out for a half hour at 7:00. They walked to Cary Christian Academy and to Sunrise.
Dog at the Pool Scheme
At 9:00, I took Grace out. There was a new dog at the pool. Dogs are not allowed at the pool. This is a pit bull named Bella. I tried to avoid that area. When Grace spotted Fraggle on her patio, I let Grace’s leash go rather than have it ripped from my hand. They played through the rails until Fraggle’s owner called her inside. As soon as Fraggle was gone, Grace made her escape. This was her big chance to find that new dog. She ran like lightening to the pool area and circled it until she located the new dog. The dog wasn’t friendly though so her scheme did not bear fruit.
When we returned at 9:15, Grace and I shared a bowl of popcorn. After we finished, Grace went to bed. We joined her there about fifteen minutes later.
Friday
Grace got up at about 5:30. At 5:55, I got up. Grace approached as I emerged from the room. At 6:10, we went outside. Grace walked the grounds for about ten minutes. She then hopped into the car to take our trip to the park for a run. As we approached the corner, we spotted Olive and Flo. I parked the car and let Grace out. She was excited to get a chance to play with Olive. They raced to meet each other and did their usual chase, tackle, and wrestle routine.
More Morning Fun
At 6:55, we left again for the park. We arrived at 7:05. Grace enjoyed running with me and chasing birds. After our run, we played fetch football for a half hour before coming home. When we returned, Grace had her shower first. She got into the tub in the usual way, but Betsy took Grace’s towel to wash it. When I opened the cabinet door and pulled out a towel, Grace instinctively jumped out of the tub. I directed her back into the tub. After her shower, Grace had her breakfast. I again added some olive oil to the food. Her stool was fine this morning, so perhaps the oil yesterday helped.
When she finished, Grace went to the office to take her morning nap. At 10:50, Grace saw out the window another dog or something that spooked her. She started a subdued growl and short big-girl bark. I pulled out an almost empty ice cream container and gave her that to finish off. After that Grace had a dental chew and returned to her post in the office.
Home Alone Nap
At 11:20, we left to run some errands. When we returned, Grace went to the office for a nap. At 1:30, Grace came to the foyer and parked herself there. I wondered whether she would grouch about not getting enough outside time, but she just napped there. At 2:45, Betsy took Grace out for a walk.
Afternoon Nap and Supper
When they returned home at 3:20, Grace came in with her usual bubbly greeting. She went back to the office to nap some more. At 5:30, as Betsy was fixing supper, Grace came marching into the kitchen with the reminder that her supper time had also arrived. After she ate her supper, Grace wanted more. Betsy followed that with a doggie treat and a dental chew.
Grace was a bit put off with our dinner. I told her to wait and gave her scraps from a drumstick. Grace still seemed agitated. We did tricks for treats. At 6:30, Betsy took Grace outside. They said “Hi” to Buddy and Jack, but Grace found no real playmates. When they returned at 7:00, Grace went to the balcony to watch for friends.
Fun with Olive
At 7:45, Grace spotted Olive and Flo. They played together chasing each other and the ball until 8:30. Then Fraggle showed up. Grace and she wrestled with each other until we returned home at 9:00. She went out on the balcony until 10:00 when she came in and curled up in the living room chair. . At 10:20, I went to bed. Grace joined me there later.
Saturday
Grace got up at 6:30. She came to the bedroom with a whimper at about 6:40. We left for our morning adventures at 6:45. We made a different trip this time. We first stopped at another storage area. This is the one with the sewer grate at the driver’s side door. I had forgotten until Grace hesitated getting out. I immediately remembered, shut that door and went around to the passenger side to let her out. Grace was okay with it, but was ready to move on after the five-minute stop there.
Morning Routine
At the park, one man came in as we were finishing our first lap. Grace raced to him and followed him. He was headed to the parking lot next door. I recalled her. She was a bit reluctant but did finally come. After running with me for a half hour, we played fetch with her football for another half hour. From there, we went to storage for about fifteen minutes. Grace was not particularly anxious to play fetch there but did find a twig that she enjoyed chewing.
Our final stop was a brief one at the grocery store. I cracked the driver’s side window. Although the air was cool and there was no sun, Grace moved over to the driver’s side seat by the time I returned. After we returned home, I stopped at the car wash and tied Grace to a fire hydrant. She contently lay in the grass as I quickly went over Betsy’s car. When I finished, I let Grace know I was just taking the car to the parking spot. I told her to stay. A minute later, I returned and took her home.
At 9:00, Grace had her breakfast with added olive oil. After breakfast, she went out on the balcony. At 10:00, Grace spotted Ada. Betsy shouted down and asked if she could play. Unfortunately, she had to go. I told Grace “bye-bye.” I think she understood. Grace curled up on the living room chair for thirty minutes before going back out on the balcony.
Home Alone
I put some lunch in Grace’s dish and called her in off of the balcony at 12:30. She’s so obedient, it really makes me feel bad to bring her in when she is enjoying the fresh air. When we returned at 5:05, Grace met us in the foyer with a waging tail and lots of kisses. We gave her treats and tummy rubs. Afterwards, Grace joined Betsy in the office.
Frantic Run to Grace’s Pal
At 5:30, Grace came into the living room. I fed her her food with a little olive oil on top. She ate it all and went out on the balcony. At 6:15, she spotted Olive. Grace raced to meet her. I had slipped on some dress sandals and could not keep up with her. Grace ran and tugged me. It really tired her out and almost landed me on my face, but we made it to Olive.
We walked to a play area between the buildings. While Olive’s owner went inside to get a ball, I held Grace and Olive. Neither did anything but watch attentively for Olive’s owner to return. After five or ten minutes, she did return with a ball. Grace fetched it, but Olive was content to chew on twigs. Perhaps she was played out from two dogs visiting with her, and perhaps Grace was still tired from pulling me with such force to meet Olive. Grace did fetch the ball though repeatedly and impressed Olive’s owner at how well she played the game.
At one point, Grace and Olive played tug with an empty water bottle. They also contended over a nice brittle branch and enjoyed crushing various parts of it with their strong jaws and teeth. At 7:30, they parted ways. We returned home. At 8:30, Grace acted like she wanted to go outside. I was busy. At 8:45, she jumped up into bed and stretched out for the night. I knew I needed to take her out one more time, so I called her put on her harness, grabbed a bag of trash, and headed out.
One Last Encounter Before Bed
Grace met Bruno on the way. Bruno’s owner commented on how sweet Grace was. Bruno was not interested in playing though. When we returned at 9:15, Grace went back to the office to watch out the window. I prepared for bed and then went down for the night at 9:40. Grace was there when I got in.