Barnum is our September 7, 2014 Pup of the Week

There are not many dogs I meet at the top of the stairs leading from the Bridge who arrive wearing a hood so they can’t be seen, but Barnum did that, and like so many things Barnum did, he did it for others.  He did not think that the Tommy had received adequate mourning time and he did not want his friends to know he had arrived.  The swear in ceremony was done in secret.

“Foley, can I hide in your place for a few days so no one knows I’m here?” Barnum asked me.

“We could, or we could go to some place real fun,” I said.  And then we flew high up in the air to the Tunes’ Mansion.

Tommy opened the door and hugged Barnum and welcomed him.  Tupper, Max, Raider, Willie, and so many friends came over to him, licking and biting him.   He was overwhelmed at all the friends who were with him.  Tommy then ordered the TV remote changed saw Barnum could see his Mom.

We all gathered around Barnum.  Tears came to his eyes when he saw his brother Bailey.  The two of them could only be separated by one thing and sadly they were experiencing it.  On the television Bailey sat with his Mom, both staring out the window, thinking of the dog who was sadly watching them from Tommy’s couch.

Another beagle came running over when he saw Barnum’s Mom on the TV.  It was Chauncey, Barnum’s sibling who had been with us at the Bridge for years.  We left them alone as they watched their Mom.  She was telling Bailey how worried she was that Barnum would be alone at the Bridge.

“Oh Mom,” Barnum said looking around at the dozen of friends that were gathered around him.  Tommy handed him a hot dog from the grill and he scoffed it down.  “If only you could see me and my wonderful friends, you would know that I am not the one alone, I am the one who left you and Bailey alone, and for that I am sorry.”

I hopped up next to him (hopping up is much easier when you have wings.)  I told him that we could visit his Mom and Bailey in their dreams. Bailey would remember, but his Mom wouldn’t, which wasn’t fair but is one of the Big Guy’s rules.  When you’re an angel, and you visit your Mom in her dreams, even if your mom can’t remember your visit, she will feel a little better about her day.

That night we did go visit.  His Mom could barely remember his presence the next morning, but Bailey knew his brother was with friends, and he could stop worrying about Barnum being alone and start taking care of his Mom.

After the dream visit I brought Barnum up to his cloud and we discussed both having met Pokey and what a wonderful gentleman he was, and how much he enjoyed meeting my wonderful parents and even Pocket and River.  He told me all about all the dogs who gathered at Miss Laura’s house last year.  I was very jealous.  I missed it by just a few months.

But I knew Barnum had been touched by my Mom because he had just the smallest bit of her scent.  That made me feel so good.  I think he thought it was strange I spent so much time sniffing him but when you are at the Bridge a scent of Mom is a rare and treasured gift.

As I was leaving Barnum’s house on his cloud more and more of his friends were pouring into the house and I smiled because I knew a dog with as many friends as Barnum would never be lonely at the Bridge.

Pups in Need of Prayers Are Our August 10, 2014 Pup of the Week

This has been quite a week for prayers and I have been doing all I can to get them all answered positively but unfortunately not every prayer is answered positively and, as I found out this week, some prayers are not answered at all.

First there was Dasiy Mae.

 She had a seizure that may have been caused by heat stroke.  I flew up with the prayers requests and, by the time I got back I learned those prayers were answered because Daisy was improving.  But then I got another…..request.  It came from Hattie Mae.  Hattie doesn’t pray so much as she issues demands and her demand was that she be able to check on her friend Daisy.  While both their Moms are on the Internet they weren’t on sites that connected.  I didn’t take this one to the big guy.  If you think I get upset at him you haven’t seen anything like Hattie Mae.  I relied on my friends Lily and Ben and thanks to them Daisy and Hattie has a wonderful reunion.

Then there is Hagan, who I requested prayers for last week.

 He had contracted a disease that caused his immune system to attack his own blood cells.  He went through a very dire time but thanks your prayers his vet was able to get his blood levels normal enough so he could go home.  He still needs prayers:  His immune system became compromised when the doctors stopped it from killing his blood cells, and he picked up an infection, but he is home, with his Mom, and is getting better.  

There were lots of prayers for Apple this week.  

He got a bad case of tummy trouble and womited all over the house.  With some dietary changes (no more beef or fish which were affecting his liver issues) he is back to eating and digesting normally.

And then there is our old friend Petey.

Last week his Mom thought he was starting to suffer from dementia but Petey seemed to have a senior moment day and he was back to his old self in time to celebrate his 16th birthday

Angel Apollo came to me directly with prayers for his brother Czar Bishop.

He had not eaten for several days and was very lethargic.  Apollo and I brought the prayers up to the Big Guy directly.  When we flew down we found out that Czar would be OK, and we could not help but remark on the irony of miracles.  When I first met Apollo he had been poisoned by some evil neighbors.  Luckily he recovered.  Czar Bishop had been poisoned too, this time accidentally.  A farmer friend of Czar’s family had used boron to aid his chick pea crop.  He then fed the chick peas to the turkeys and the turkey to Czar Bishop who got boron poisoning.   The vet flushed the boron from his system and prayers are needed that Czar Bishop’s kidneys were not permanently damaged.

I even had to ask for prayers for Pocket because she has an upset tummy.  Mommy asked me special to pray for her. I told her that Pocket has tummy trouble when butterflies startle her and she will recover without prayers.  But she’s my Mom so I flew up the mountain and apologized to the big guy with my small prayer request.

“There are no small requests,” the Big Guy told me.  “I either rule yes, no, or not worthy.”

“Not worthy?” I asked.

“Yes, last night alone I got 785,327 prayers about an exhibition football game.  Sorry, not my department.  And neither is who will win a reality television show, although I must say that Zach from Big Brother is a tremendous tool and I have thought about smotting hin and I haven’t smotted since Moses’s time.  Now run along, and remember how many times I have answered your prayers in the affirmative.

And our prayers for Pocket were answered in the affirmative, as many have been, but there is one pup we have been praying for who I fear won’t be receive a yes answer.

I wrote about Barnum last week.

 This week his Mom learned that he has a enlarged liver and there is a 90 percent chance it is cancer.  We are going to need more prayers than we got for the other pups combined for Barnum, and the answer could still be no.

I wasn’t friends with Barnum when I was on the mortal side of life despite the fact that he lives closer to me than all other dogs on the Internet.  My Mom and Dad, with River and Pocket, got to meet Barnum and his sibling Bailey at Miss Laura’s house last fall and they all had a delightful time.  I was quite jealous that I did not get to meet them.  Now I don’t want to meet him at the Bridge for a long time.  

I am trying to use that to Barnum’s advantage.  I told the big guy that I never met Barnum’s acquataince on Earth and did not wish to do so now.  I said I just didn’t like the cut of his jib although I am quite sure he has a perfectly lovely jib.  It was a desperate measure but I thought the situation called for it.  But again I was dismissed with a wave of the hand.

We all know what pup prayers can do.  Let’s put them all to use and see if we can get a miracle for Barnum.

Our New England Friends Are Our November 3, 2013 Pups of the Week

Hello my friends, it is I, Pocket Dog, taking over the Pup of the Week duties from my sister, Angel Foley to name the New England area Pups, who had their own fest this weekend, especially our hosts, Pokey, Maggie, and Toby, as our Pups of the Week, and give a special shout out to Jasper’s, Chappy’s, Blue’s and Whiskey’s parents Judi and Jorge, who organized the get together, and Pokey’s Mom Laura who opened her house to us.

Attending the festivities besides myself and River, and our hosts, were Wishbone, Molly (of Molly, Sully and Angel Daisy), Bentley, and Barnum and Bailey.  (I hope I did not forget anyone, that’s all my nose remembers.)

I was the life of the party.  I went up to all the other dogs, enjoyed sniffing them, played with them, barked at them, and eagerly climbed into the arms of all the parents.

(EDITOR’S NOTE FROM ANGEL FOLEY MONSTER:  OH YOU DID NOT.  YOU SAT WITH UNCLE JORGE OUTSIDE FOR A BIT, BUT AFTER THAT YOU WANTED TO BE WITH MOMMY AND DADDY, AND IF ANOTHER ADULT HELD YOU, YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO SEE MOMMY AND DADDY OR YOU BECAME A TREMBLING MESS.  YOU BARKED AT ALL THE OTHER DOGS AND YOU DIDN’T WANT TO BE ON THE FLOOR.  AT LEAST RIVER DID SOME SNUGGLING WITH ADULTS.)

It was one of the most enjoyable days I was have had and I am so grateful for Aunt Laura for letting us use her house, and to Aunt Judi for the DS/TB jewelry she got from Blue Lamb Designs.  Those thoughtful gifts made a great day even better.

When morning came it looked like this wonderful day might not come to pass.  Our car had a flat tire and Daddy had to borrow Grampy’s old jalopy to make the hour long trip, and Wishbone slipped out of his gate and was missing for a half hour, but someone, perhaps Angels Foley and Annie, got us all to Aunt Laura’s house safely.

And finally, Wishbone’s human sister Sierra wrote wonderful poems for all us dogs, and she stood in front of everyone and said that while she loved all the dogs, River and I were the most unique dogs she had ever seen.  She is one very wise and perceptive girl.

Here are some pictures of our friends enjoying the day.

Here is the star of the day, Wishbone, who let everyone pat him and was a perfect gentleman, getting a pat on the head.

Here is Toby locked in solitary confinement
Wishbone posing for his fans

Bentley with his Mom hiding behind him
Molly with tail wagging
Barnum inspecting shoes
Bailey snuggled on the deck
Our gracious host Pokey getting some water
Toby, Aunt Laura, and River