Helper Dog

Introducing Daisy

Before I begin, allow me to introduce the newest member of the family: a hamster named Daisy. Daisy came to live with us after Meri the hamster passed away last Tuesday. Despite our differences (somehow, I always got the bum rap whenever she was around...she got to go to the nice warm library after Hurricane Sandy while I stayed in the freezing cold house and I received a brand new nickname—Brute—when I accidentally ate the pumpkin seeds Sister was going to hand feed her), I'm still going to miss the little rat.

And now, on to my story…

I’m a helper dog. I love to help Pa with plumbing projects (nothing beats sticking your head under a sink with your human while hoping that he forgot to turn off the water so that all of a sudden you both get squirted in the face) and any project that involves screw drivers are a dream come true (screw drivers, after all, are easy to pick up and scurry off with). I've also been known to help Ma and Sister organize papers by lying across them and acting as their very own non-jamming paper shredder.  Well, this weekend I out did myself on the helpful scale. I managed to help both Ma and Pa in a single twelve hour period.

Supervising Pa

Helping Pa:  Pa’s Saturday morning task was to put together the new fireplace screen he had bought and I immediately saw it as a project worthy of my special brand of help. I climbed on (and popped) the bubble wrap, and tried to run off with the little bag of nuts and bolts that came in the package (Pa shooed me off before I could succeed).  Coming to the realization that I wasn't going to be allowed to actively help, I decided to do the next best thing:  supervise.  I think I did a pretty good job (notice the tennis ball I'm holding in the picture...that's the sign of a good supervisor...the ability to multitask).

Helping Ma

Helping Ma:  Ma decided that she was going to sweep all the crunchy leaves off the deck and, well, what can I say...I felt that it was my duty as the family dog to lend her a paw.  But how?  There weren't any large sticks on the deck so I couldn't help by being a one-dog-wood-chopper and there weren't any large branches so I couldn't drag them out of Ma's way and into the yard.  I hate to admit it, but I almost gave up.  I was just about to turn around and see what Sister was up to, when a gentle breeze blew through my golden locks and gave me an idea.  Ma was surely going to have problem with the leaves blowing away, so I decided to help by acting as a paperweight.  Another job well done!

So, as you can see, I was a very busy dog Saturday afternoon and because I had been so busy, I did not feel at all bad about taking an extra long early evening nap.

Nap Time!