Saying Good Bye to 2014

Our family really tried to get into the Christmas spirit, then it hit the wall.  Choral Concerts, shopping and wrapping for our church's "Adopt a Family," donated books to a Children's Hospital, two parties and a nicely planned Christmas dinner turned into quiet, lay low and try to keep any thing in to stay hydrated.  That's right - Mommy and Daddy got the nasty flu!  Not the short kind, either.  The long, lingering body aches, high fever, nausea, feel  like you are coughing up a lung kind.

Ringo and I did our best to take care of them.  They rested quite a bit (not like them at all) so we tried to be really quiet.  We like taking naps anyway, so it wasn't too hard.  Every once in a while, we gave them a kiss to make sure they were still breathing.  It's a good thing I don't have to write an essay on "What I did on my Christmas Vacation," it would be pretty boring.

They are starting to feel better now, just in time for Daddy to go back to work.  They still have the cough.  Mommy had to go to the doctor Monday for her yearly cancer screening.  That always causes a little stress.  Ringo and I are keeping our paws crossed.

The last few days have been extremely cold!  Below zero!  At least the Sun has come out!  We had a couple inches of snow, so that was nice to play in for a while.  We are ready to start a new year!  We hope you all have a great new year in 2015!  Thanks everyone for a great 2014!

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Happy Birthday, Ringo!

Ringo turned one year old today.  He's very excited!  He loves his new birthday toy, and had us sing "Ringo Bells" all day.

Love,
Boomer!  The Mellow Yellow Lab

Holiday Cheer

It has been a busy month for us.  The first weeks Mommy and Daddy went to a beautiful Choral concert - a real treat for them since they both were in choir many years ago.  The next day, they bought gifts for our church's "Adopt-A-Families" and then wrapped them.  They said that was very fun.  We also bought a couple of gifts for the "Toys for Tots" program.

Daddy had an all day seminar, so Ringo and I went over to our friend, Jennifer's house for a play date.  We really enjoyed playing with our puppy and human friends!  Ringo is a real character!

This past week Mommy and Daddy went to two Christmas parties.  The first one was for the Writers' Group.  It was great seeing all of our old friends and catching up.  The next day they went to a party at Mommy's friend Sheila's house.  They have known each other for many years.  It was very festive and had a Danish theme!  A lot of fun!

Our dear friend, Kathy gave Ringo his first Christmas present.  It was for both of us, but I let Ringo open it.  He was very excited - they were home made doggy treats!  I know he will share with me because I taught him how to share.  He is a good boy!

Ringo's first birthday is December 22nd!  We are very excited about it, it is hard to believe he has been with us for 5 months - time really flies!

Along with all the outings, we managed to hang up our Christmas stockings, send a few cards and wrap a few presents.  We don't put up a tree because the ornaments are too tempting for a puppy!

We also donated a few books to a Children's Hospital in Wisconsin, filled a few book orders and sent out a couple promo videos.  Very, very busy!

Mommy found out her foot had multiple fractures and three torn tendons, so she is in a tall boot and on crutches.  It had been misdiagnosed a few months ago, so there are some stress fractures, too.  She is adjusting quickly and chasing us around with her little scooter.  It's race time down the hallways at our house!  Never a dull moment.....

Love,
Boomer!  The Mellow Yellow Lab

Busy, Busy

You know the old saying, feast or famine?  Well, we are absolutely in the feast mode!

Mommy and Daddy have had 4 events/bookings in the last 4 weeks.  With nine for the whole year so far, this was a very busy time for us.  Prepping and presenting take a lot of thought, motivation and time.  This was especially challenging, since all the bookings were of a different nature.

In late October, we had the Storytime with Stacy and the Harvest Festival fund raiser.  In November, Mommy was invited to present her story to an adult education group at the First Presbyterian Church of South St. Paul.

She hadn't done one of those in over a year, so she updated and practiced a new presentation.  It was basically the same type of theme, "Taking Life's Challenges and Turning them into Wonderful Opportunities" or "Don't Let Anything Stop You."  Of course, we have had more challenges since her last adult event, that's the way of Mommy's life!

Two days later, Mommy and Daddy had an event for a Mom's Group in Hastings at the United Methodist Church.  It was a quick turn around, but they handled it like pros.  Even when 40 people showed up instead of the 28 expected.  They did great.  We read 3 stories to the children and had an informal chat with the moms about the importance of reading.


Mommy really enjoyed presenting again.  She likes being asked different questions and tries to be prepared for any thing that might come up.  She thinks of possible questions and comes up with an open, honest response.  Of course, there are always a few surprises!

For the Adult Ed booking, she had her presentation, time for questions and some talking points the group could discuss if there was extra time.  There were so many questions, the talking points weren't needed.  Maybe, next time!

We are looking forward to Ringo's first Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Who knows what the weather will be like?  We are blessed.

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow Lab

Ringo's First Halloween and Harvest Festival

Crisp fresh air and falling leaves mean autumn is in full swing.  We may even get our first snowfall soon!

Ringo and I have enjoyed jumping through leaf piles.  Ringo tries to catch them as they fall off the trees!

Mommy and Daddy participated in an event at the church called the Harvest Festival.  They said it was very fun.  Some kids were dressed up in costumes, many people shared their talents and wares and a big chili cook-off rounded off the evening.  Mommy and Daddy talked to many people and even sold a few books!  Laughter and music filled the room.  What a great event for Fall!

This was Ringo's first Halloween.  He didn't know what to think about it.  We had matching costumes!  We were both bats!  I think we should have called ourselves the "BOO! Brothers!"  Ringo kept trying to eat my hat while it was on my head, he was very confused.  I included a picture so you can see how cute we looked.

Mommy and Daddy have two events scheduled in November.  On November 16th, Mommy will give a presentation for an Adult Ed. class.  She will talk about not allowing challenges to get in the way of achieving life's goals.  She believes everything happens for a reason and we should treat every day as a blessing.  I think she will do well.

The other event is a program for a Mom's group.  There will be about 30 people there; many little children.  Mommy will have a great time!  She met one of the moms at the Story Time last month.

We had a nice book order from Canada earlier this week.  We always appreciate the support from our friends north of the border.

My little brother is continuing to charm many people.  At the groomer's last weekend, he gave the woman a hug while she clipped his nails.  She thought that was so cute!

We had a couple friends over for dinner last night and they thought we were both very cute!  Ringo was bouncing all over - he is a puppy, after all.  I tried reminding him of his manners.  Our friends thought I was an excellent big brother - very tolerant!  We had a great time and were very tired!

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow

Storytime with Stacy

Our "Storytime with Stacy" on Thursday, October 16th in Hastings was so much fun!  To summarize it - we talked about kidneys.  What did we learn?  Kidneys clean blood, we only need one, Nyla's birthday is on Saturday, Greta likes to read and Amos has a friend named.... Noah!

To add a little more detail - Programs in October are tough.  You never know what the weather will be like, so it is hard to plan.  On Thursday, it was beautiful - sunny and 70!  Mommy was worried no one would come, it was too nice outside.  It didn't look good at first.  The librarian told Mommy and Daddy right away two of Mommy's biggest groups were going to the apple orchard and apologized for missing her this time.  Mommy replied, "I don't blame them, I'd be at the orchard, too!  It's gorgeous today!"  Soon after that people started coming in - many of them new friends!  Everything worked out all right.  Mommy had a great time talking to the group of 2 to 7 year olds for a whole hour.  One little girl thought she should dress up for the event, so she wore a tiara and wings (so cute)!  We sang "Happy Birthday" twice, read three books, shared many fun ideas and enjoyed treats!  Starbursts seemed to be the favorite.

All the children were very well behaved and seemed to be enjoying themselves.  The librarian was amazed that they were so attentive.  Mommy's secret?  Ask them questions, explain things and engage them.  Go along with the flow and never be surprised by what they come up with at any given moment!

Here's a little slide show of the event!

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow Lab

Vacation and Upcoming Events

After little brother, Ringo graduated top of his class from puppy kindergarten (he was the only one who showed up), the family decided it was time for a mini vacation!

Mommy and Daddy went to Las Vegas for 3 days, while Ringo and I went on a sleep over to our friend, Jennifer's house.  We like Jennifer.  She has many puppy friends and they like to play!  Jennifer's oldest daughter likes Ringo and the youngest girl loves me!  It's nice to have human friends to hang around with when our furry friends leave for the day.  When we were on our puppy pack walks, Mommy and Daddy went on a gondola ride, visited a wax museum and saw a couple of shows.  Fun for all!

Ringo did very well on his first sleep over.  I watched him closely the first day, but he was great!

Last week, Ringo and I both had check ups at the vet.  We are in perfect health!  Ringo was a hit - everyone thought he was cute and friendly.  I have really taught him well!

Our vet clinic decided to carry our latest book, "What's it Like in Heaven, Rudy?"  We really appreciate their support.  They have a very soft spot for our sweet Rudy and miss him, just like us.

Next week, we have a children's program at the library in Hastings.  It's called, "Storytime with Stacy."  She has a big fan base over there.  It will be a lot of fun.  She is looking forward to it.  We plan on sharing our books about kidneys, "Rudy Gets A Transplant" and "Rudy's Incredible Kidney Machine."  Since it is MEA week, we wanted to make it more educational.  Of course, questions will be answered!

At the end of October, Mommy and Daddy will be taking part in the Harvest Festival at First Presbyterian Church of South St. Paul.  It will be a big event on Sunday, October 26th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.  A chili cook off, baked goods, hand crafted items, fun and us - who could ask for anything more!?

Our last event currently scheduled is in November.  It is an adult education class.  They asked Mommy to come in and share her life story.  Wow!  She has a lot to share!  It should be very interesting.  She could talk for days about her cute puppies, but I'm sure she won't.  She's also had a very interesting life besides her awesome furry children.

Welcome in fall, everyone!

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Giving = Happiness

Even though the weather has been a bit cool this week, Ringo and I have enjoyed it.  We have fur coats, so it has been perfect for Frisbee and whiffle ball play!  As usual this year, we are below the average temperature for Minnesota.  Twenty whole degrees, sometimes!  That's a lot.

Ringo is done with puppy kindergarten now and he did very well.  The teacher was very impressed with his ability to pay attention and stay focused.  She said that is hard for puppies his age.  He watches everything going on around him, just like me!

A few blogs ago I told you about Mommy's pancreas.  She has been back on insulin for a while now and I am happy to say her labs are getting better!  We are all very excited about it!  It was an adjustment, but "that's life!"

We have a children's program coming up next month, so Mommy is working on it.  It is for her little fans in Hastings, so she's working on something new.  They really support, "Storytime with Stacy."

Recently I heard a story about happiness on the news.  It said you should be willing to give more than you take.  That seems automatic in my home.  I see it happening all the time.  I am going to work on it with Ringo, so he understands it eventually.  He is pretty good at sharing (for a puppy) and this seems to be the next logical step.

Although I probably don't need to, I worry about him getting caught up in the "me" generation philosophy.  I hear it all the time, "Take care of yourself."  Maybe that works sometimes, but everyone needs a little help once in a while.  There is something called karma, it means what goes around, comes around.  If everyone just takes care of themselves, there is nothing to go around!

This may sound a little philosophical for a puppy, but I think about things a lot.  I get that from Mommy.  People don't know it, but we give many books away.  It feels good.  Sometimes we hear how other people enjoy them and our programs.  That feels great!  Karma, my friends!

Fun and Focus

Last week Mommy and Daddy went to a concert.  It was a beautiful night for an outdoor concert at the zoo.  They saw a singer named Pat Benatar.  She is one of Mommy's favorites.  They had a really good time.  I like seeing them with big smiles on their faces when they come home.  I think it is good that they have play dates like I do.  They are going to another concert next week.  They will see one of Daddy's favorite bands named "The Moody Blues."

Ringo and I are going to have a couple of play dates coming up.  Ringo has never been on a play date, so this will be a new experience he will enjoy.  I will help him and introduce him to all of my friends.  He will like Max and Jennifer.  I think they will like Ringo, too.  He is a good little brother, even though he has a lot of energy!

Ringo is going to school every Sunday.  They teach him easy stuff like recognizing his name (it's only puppy kindergarten :)), sit, wait, walking on a lead and focusing on his person.  I must say, Ringo is doing well.  It is hard for an energy filled puppy to focus very long.  Focusing means you just keep eye contact with someone.  Even people have a hard time with focusing now.  (Most of the time it seems like they are staring at their phones.)

Without really knowing it, our books have helped another group of people.  I'd call it a happy accident.  Recently, we received an order from a children's hospital.  It included Rudy Gets a Transplant, Rudy's Incredible Kidney Machine and What's it Like in Heaven, Rudy.  It surprised us at first.  We are used to receiving orders for the kidney books, but this was the first one for What's it Like in Heaven, Rudy.  We have been hearing from others that it's helped them, too.

Rudy continues to touch the lives of so many.  Without trying, our focus has expanded to yet another difficult topic.  I believe when a mission is pure and honest, that kind of thing just happens.

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Boomer's Birthday

Last Saturday was my fifth birthday!  I can't believe I am that old.  Time really does seem to fly by quickly.  Even though Mommy and Daddy said my little brother, Ringo was an early birthday present, they still got me a toy!  It was a brand new Frisbee type thing.  It's Orange and blue, hollow in the middle, and padded on the edges.  It is so much fun!  Ringo plays with it, too (when I'm done.)  I'm a good big brother so I share my toys.

Mommy and Daddy brought out "Birthday Bear."  It is a tradition in our house.  For those of you unfamiliar with "Birthday Bear," he is a stuffed toy bear that sings the "Happy Birthday" song.  This was Ringo's first experience with birthdays.  He was a bit tentative around the bear, but got used to him after 2 or 3 times.  I believe the bear's mouth moving freaked him out.  Mommy and Daddy sing throughout the day... and I chase my tail... Ringo barks.  :)

Mommy said I need to put a "cute alert" here.

I love playing outside with Ringo.  He plays with a whiffle golf ball (his size) and I play with a Frisbee (my size).  One day we were relaxing with our toys.  We heard a noise out front so we ran to investigate.  I always carry my Frisbee with me to keep track of it.  After taking a few steps, I noticed Ringo left his ball.  I dropped my Frisbee, grabbed his ball, brought it to him, and came back to retrieve my Frisbee.  The little guy hasn't learned to take things with him; so I thought I'd help him out.  That's what big brothers are supposed to do, right?

Another fun trick - I was chasing Ringo around the yard.  We take turns chasing each other.  All of a sudden, he stopped and jumped on my back!  It looked like he was riding me like a horse!  (Only sideways - his front legs were on my right and his back legs on my left.)  I kept running and running until Ringo fell off.  Daddy was laughing very hard!  Ringo and I had a blast.  What fun!  I like having a little brother.

Ringo has been a good helper to Mommy.  He keeps her company when she elevates her sprained foot.  I have included pictures of Ringo and me with my new toy and a picture of Ringo helping Mommy.

Have a great weekend!

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab                                                             

Meet Ringo!

There is a lot of great news to share with everyone, so I won't talk much about my favorite subject, the weather.  It was cold and then hot.  It rained and then it was humid. Sometimes it was cloudy, other times sunny.  The last few days have been beautiful, perfect to play in our back yard with my new little brother, Ringo!

My family adopted Ringo last week.  He is about 6 months old.  They thought he was a Yorkie/Chihuahua mix. but he is kind of big for that to be true.  We think he looks more like a miniature Pinscher mix.  Ringo is very smart and quickly learned the routine around our house.

I was difficult picking a name for him.  He didn't respond to anything.  We tried almost a dozen names before we landed on Ringo.  Daddy said he looked British.  He also smiles all the time.  I included a picture of him so you can see what I mean.

Mommy said I am being an excellent big brother.  I am very patient and tolerate a lot.  Ringo likes to chew on me and jump on my back.  He chases me around the house and yard.  Once in a while, I chase him.  It is fun.

Our book sales have been steady.  We received a nice email from a woman saying she really liked our books and appreciated our efforts to make difficult subjects less scary.

Last Saturday, we participated in a fund raiser for a charity called "Pets Loyal 2 Vets."  They match furry friends with veterans.  We had a good time and met some new friends.  People liked looking at our books and talking with Mommy.  Daddy took many pictures.

We also donated a set of Rudy books to the silent auction and several people bid on them!

We are donating another set of our books to a charity called "Home for Life."  They will have it in an auction in a few months.  They help animals who have special needs and need a forever home.  We really like helping charities.  It makes us feel good.

I feel good about my little bro, Ringo.  I think he will be a nice addition to the family.

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow Lab and Little Bro, Ringo!

"Hakuna matata," Mommy!

I think my mommy is great.  I love her so much.  Recently, she has been dealt a couple more blows.  Unfortunately, this is not the first time.  I asked her, "Mommy, why does this happen to you?"  She kissed me on my head and said, "That's just my life, Boomer."  Well, I think it stinks.

Since I joined this family in the fall of 2009, I have witnessed a lot.  In July, 2009, Mommy had her second kidney transplant.  My wonderful Daddy was her donor!  Six days after surgery, older brother, Kirby went to heaven.  In December, 2010, Daddy was in a bad accident.  It almost killed him and it totaled the truck.  Three months later, they were involved in another car accident.  The guy in front of them was committing insurance fraud.  In April, 2011, our sweet little Rudy was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

In October, 2012, Mommy received a cancer diagnosis.  Two surgeries in December and January followed to remove it.  Our dear Rudy went to heaven on January 30, 2013.  He was her little cheerleader.  He witnessed even more than me.  He seemed to know exactly when she needed kisses or a happy dance.  We really miss him, especially Mommy.

The last couple of months Mommy has sprained her foot badly.  To top it off, she found out her pancreas transplant is no longer working.  Rudy joined the family in July 2004 during the long recovery after the pancreas transplant.  Wow!  That is too much!

Through all of this, Mommy still gets up every morning with a smile on her face.  She doesn't want to waste any time because it is precious.  She takes great care of Daddy and me.  Does her best to keep up the house, write blogs and a new book for Rudy's Little World.  That's our tribute to Rudy.  I have heard her sing a song that goes like this, "Happiness runs in a circular motion.  Falters like a little boat upon the sea.  All of our souls are deeper than you can see.  You can be happy if you let yourself be."  She learned it as a young girl.  Singing is a way to cope.  If you are singing, you can turn off your inner thoughts.  Walking and dancing also do the same thing for her while relieving some anxiety.  Win, win!

Last week I heard Mommy and Daddy talking about her first kidney transplant in 1995.  One month out she had a rejection episode and a bad virus called CMV.  That's not good.  She was sick for three months, but recovered.  During this time, Mommy adopted the theme, "Hakuna matata," a phrase from the Lion King.  It means, "no worries."  The tune lends itself to a nice little dance!  This theme has been helpful over the years.  We need it now as she deals with the latest issue.  So, "Hakuna matata, Mommy!"  I'm your cheerleader!

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

The Arrival of Summer

I know the calendar says June 30, but if you have seen the news you know the crazy weather we've had.  It seems like most of Minnesota is under water.  All of the lakes and rivers are over flood stage.  My big back yard had a lake in it for a while.  It was hard to play Frisbee.

I have to commend Mommy and Daddy.  Despite the weather, they have managed to take a walk every night for over a month.  I am still practicing in the backyard and hope to go with them soon.  I am very protective of Daddy and tend to get nervous when we are away from our house and people get too close to him.

Mommy had a minor set back, but she is not letting it slow her down.  She hurt her foot a couple of weeks ago.  Of course she didn't go to the doctor right away because she feels she wastes enough of her life there already.  Well, after a week, it was really swollen, discolored and had a big hump on top.  I kept giving it magic kisses to help it heal, but it didn't help.  Long story short, it's a bad sprain.  She is wearing a boot, elevating it and icing it three times a day.  If it doesn't get better in another week, she has to do an MRI for possible fracture.  With the boot, she has a limp.

We started Daddy's celebration for his 60th birthday!  He has plans with many friends, so it will be great fun.  Mommy will take him out for "Happy Birthday Fun Day" on July 5th - his official birth date.  Daddy and Mommy have great friends!  I have a surprise for him, too!

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow Lab

Happy Daddy's Day

Short and sweet.  Happy Daddy's Day!  We thought we'd snap two quick photos to celebrate the day.  This is Augie (octopus), Doggie (me!) and Doggie Daddy.

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Success

We will never claim to know the secret to success, but when it happens... it is sweet!

Our book release party was a real celebration.  Nearly 100 people attended and enjoyed a delicious cake, great chicken wings, fruit and vegetables.  Mommy and Daddy were so busy, they didn't have a chance to eat, but they were told the food was really good.  They did bring some cake home and are enjoying the white cake with raspberry filling delight.  Yum yum!

Mommy was so overwhelmed by the response of the people, she could hardly talk.  She doesn't get that way very often. :)  She pulled it together and introduced the Rudy's Little World team to the audience.  Daddy took over when it was time to debut our new book, "What's it Like in Heaven, Rudy?"  We think everyone liked the book.  Mommy really put her heart and soul into it.  Chris, our illustrator, did a fabulous job with the pictures.

Book sales were amazing.  We even sold a few mugs and T-shirts.  Chris handled the signing like a real pro, so they kept the line moving very well.  It's not good to make people wait too long!

Daddy and Mommy were so tired when they got home, they just ate Taco Bell and collapsed.  They still had big smiles on their faces.  We can't thank our fabulous fans enough for all their support.  They made it the best launch ever!

While writing this blog, it dawned on me.  Maybe the secret to success depends on how one measures it.  Is it the number of books sold?  The number of lives touched?

Many writers won't tackle the subjects we do because they are too hard.  We have never been afraid of that.  We have met many people and made a number of friends during our journey.  Is that success?

Love,
Rudy the Mellow Yellow Lab

Yin and Yang

First, a little Yin.  The weather has been fabulous, filled with sunny days.  One day of rain to green up the plants and grass, then more warm weather.  A light breeze carried the fragrant scent of blossoming lilacs.  Springtime is officially here!  We took a lot of walks and played plenty of Frisbee.

We believe we are ready for our book celebration in a few days.  Daddy made a power point for the new book and a video to play during the rest of the party.  Food and cake have been ordered!  We hope for a good turn-out, the RSVP's are steady.

Mommy and I wrote a press release and a couple of local papers ran it.  That made us happy.  In our spare time, web-site work is always in progress.  Currently, it is search engine optimization for those techies out there.  It is very important.

I have a new friend named Oggie.  He is a toy octopus.  I like throwing him around.  He's great!

Now, a little Yang.  Late last week, Mommy found out her pancreas isn't working as well as it could.  She has started taking a small dose of insulin, hoping to rest it a bit and help.  After all the illness earlier this year, it may have been overworked.  We remain hopeful that it will be temporary and recover - good as new.  The pancreas is a touchy organ.  Mommy was hospitalized for 5 weeks with the transplant, so we are doing our best to help it!

Take a moment - catch your breath, and enjoy the smell of our glorious lilacs!

Mud Puddles

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?  I believe the clear answer this year is ....

MUD PUDDLES!

Mommy and Daddy had a wonderful time at the NKF Great Chefs of Minnesota Fundraiser.  They had a lot of food to sample, music and many items for the auction.  A terrific local anchorman named Jason DeRusha was the emcee.  He was witty and interacted well with the auctioneer.  We believe their back and forth banter helped garner some higher bids for items like concert tickets, vacations and a wine collection.

Mommy and Daddy bid on the painting the fantastic teens on our walk team did at the 2013 Kidney Walk.  The were very creative!

Mommy has scheduled a few events for the upcoming months.  We have planned a book celebration party in June for our sixth book, "What's it Like in Heaven, Rudy?"

A few people have seen the new book and so far the feedback has been great.  They say the illustrations and layout are beautiful.  One woman said it really helped her understand and accept the sudden loss of her older sibling three years ago.  I know it has helped Mommy by writing it.  Although we typically write for children, it's an extra bonus when the adults can get something out of it, too.

Now we are preparing for the party, promoting, trying to keep up with blogging and we hope to fill many orders!

For anyone listening, we could use a few more warm, sunny days.  PLEASE!

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Great News!

The new book is here!  The new book is here!  It's available on our website.  Just $10.00.  We're so happy!  Rudy's dancing in heaven!

Beautiful and Proud

The last three days have been beautiful - near or above 70 and sunny!  It's hard to believe towns just 40 miles north of us had 20 inches of snow Thursday.  We had a little rain, but no big deal.

I had a sleep over at my friend, Jennifer's this weekend.  I was able to play with my little buddy Max and some other small dogs.  My human friends were home from school, so I got to play with them, too!  By the time I got home Sunday, I was very tired.  Mommy and Daddy went to a concert out of town.  Their favorite singer, Gavin Degraw performed.  He was fabulous.  He opened for a  famous guy named Billy Joel the night before he came to Minnesota.

Rudy's Little World has received a few more book orders.  It is nice to have the diversity of people interested in our books - whether it be hospitals or individuals.  We received a note from a mom in New York looking for a book about dialysis.  She wanted to explain it to her young daughter before her dad started dialysis.  We received the message Wednesday at midnight.  His first session was Friday.  We happened to see the note right before bed so we packed it up and mailed it out.  It made it Friday just in time!  She was very grateful.  I wonder if Amazon could've provided that kind of service!

Our new book is still on target to be in our hands this Thursday.  We will breathe easier once it is here.  Thursday has special significance to us because of Rudy's tenth birthday.  He would be proud.  He would also be proud of action we took after he went to heaven.  Through a series of letters, emails and phone calls, we have been able to change some policies at the medical center.  Unfortunately, it can't help Rudy, but hopefully it will help other chronically ill animals.

Mommy and Daddy are attending something called a gala on Sunday.  It is really a big fund raiser for the NKF.  I think I already mentioned we donated a set of books to go along with the painting three great teens did at the Kidney Walk.

Fingers and paws crossed for Thursday!

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow Lab

Crunch Time

I must apologize for not communicating more over the last couple weeks.  It has been extremely crazy around here!  We had a big deadline for our new book, so Mommy and Daddy worked on it every spare moment they had.  We sent it to the printers and it should be available shortly!  They had an opening in their printing schedule, so we are on track to make our original release date of April 24th.  I guess things have a way of working out in the end.  We really wanted that date because it would have been Rudy's 10th birthday.  We will have an official release party, perhaps in May, but we couldn't plan a party until we knew the print schedule.

Except for the weather today, it has been very nice.  The snow melted enough so I can reach Hobey Baker now.  I even have a few patches of bare ground in my yard.  Gertie and her cousins have been outside more, so I have had great fun running with my friends.

Daddy gave Mommy dance lessons for her birthday.  They have enjoyed it a lot.  Mommy took lessons in college, so this is a refresher for her.  It's all new to Daddy.  Mommy likes this style (it's called ballroom dancing) because the people hold on to each other.  She never has to worry about losing her balance or getting lost, so she's free to have fun!  When they practice, I join in by running around in tiny circles chasing my tail.  We call them spinners!  I am very good at them.

Rudy's Little World has had steady sales the last few months.  We hope the trend continues and we can share our stories with others.  We aren't breaking any records, but it's nice to know we are helping.

The NKF has asked us to donate a set of our books for the big Gala at the end of this month.  We feel very honored.  Rudy would have loved it!

I will keep you posted on the progress of our new book.  Feel free to check in on Facebook/Rudy's Little World for a status, too.  We will keep it updated there, also.

A special thanks to our new illustrator, Benjamin Barkley, and to our printers for working with us to make this all happen.

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

What a Week

This has been a great week!  I got to see many of my friends outside.  I ran around with Gertie and her cousins, Remmie and Baretta.  Later in the week, I saw my friend, Hobie Baker.  The snow is still a little too high to run the fence line together, but it should melt soon.

We have finally had some nice weather!  It is slowly getting warmer and the snow is melting.  Next week, we should get rid of at least 8 to 10 inches of our snow pack!

I hoped we would have nice weather and the ice would melt because Mommy wanted to wear her new birthday shoes!  I think they are pretty.  If I wore shoes, I would like a pair like Mommy's.  This week was surely birthday week!  On Wednesday, Mommy and Daddy's friend had a birthday.  They said it was fun.

On Friday, it was Mommy's birthday.  I guess it was a big one.  She turned 50 years old.  I don't know exactly how much that is, but I think it's a lot.  I will be 5 in August and Mommy's age has a zero behind the five, so I'm sure that means she is old.  I don't have enough toes to count that high!

On Mommy's birthday, some of her awesome friends met and had a party.  Mommy and Daddy said it was great fun.  I wish I could have gone, but puppies weren't allowed there.  Mommy looked so happy when she came home that night and she said she was so lucky and grateful for wonderful friends.  Daddy looked very happy, too.

We received a very nice email from a woman and her 4 hear old son.  They wanted to tell us they enjoyed reading "Rudy O'Tooty."  They checked it out from the local library.  The woman said she really appreciated us sharing our stories and our lives.  She said her son wanted to write to make sure we were all right because Mommy's blind and we live in Minnesota.  We thought that was very cute and thoughtful.  It's always nice to hear from our fans.

We also heard from our illustrator.  He sent some of the drawings for the new book.  They look fabulous!  We are very excited.  If things continue to go well, we could make our deadline!

Warmer weather, thoughtful emails, fabulous illustrations, awesome friends, birthday fun, and pretty new shoes - all add up to a wonderful week in my mind!  What do you think?

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Updates

We had our heat wave last week.  It lasted two days.  Eleven inches of snow fell the next day.  A nice neighbor helped us plow out our driveway.  We have a snow pack of 30 inches in our yard and around the driveway and sidewalk - it is too tall to measure.  YIKES!

I know we live in Minnesota, but this is ridiculous!  The average temperature on Saturday should be 34 degrees.  The weather guessers say we will be lucky to stay above zero.  That's right, another polar vortex!  The guessers hope the temperatures will be more normal by Thursday, March 6.  I sure hope so.  We have plans!

Last blog, I mentioned my concern about not having a valentine.  I am happy to report, that has changed.  The following day, my other neighbor friend, Hobey Baker came outside.  We ran to meet each other and exchanged kisses.  That's good enough for me!  I like Hobey very much, I don't get to see him often because his parents work strange hours.  He likes to run like me and he is very fast!

We sold some more books this week.  A nice woman from out east was looking for a book describing her kidney transplant.  She was a teacher and wanted to talk to the children about it.  That's where we come in!  Rudy's books to the rescue!  She loved them so much, she purchased more for other people.  We are keeping in touch.  That makes us all feel good about fulfilling our mission.

We hope the snow melts by June, so until then; we hope everyone can stay warm and snuggle a puppy.  In a pinch, a cat will do! :)

Love,
Boomer!  the Mellow Yellow Lab

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  I know I am a day late, but it took a long time to thaw out my paws so I  could type.  Yes, the weather has been very cold again, but after the snowfall today, we are actually getting a heat wave next week!  Usually temperatures in the 30's and maybe 40 wouldn't constitute a heat wave, but after this winter, it does!

I hoped to have a valentine this year.  I thought my next door neighbor dog Gertie was my girlfriend, but now I'm not sure.  I ran out yesterday to give her a valentine's kiss and she was more interested in running up and down the fence line with me.  She is a bit young.  I wonder if they have an online dating service for dogs.  Mommy said she would be my valentine, so I guess that's all right.

Daddy did a fantastic job on his big talk at the church.  Everyone told him that, too.  I'm not surprised, I know he is great.

Our new web-site has been up for almost two weeks.  We are still making a few modifications here and there, but are happy with the feedback we are getting.

Mommy is still working on feeling better.  She has made progress, but is not back to 100 percent yet.  I am still giving her plenty of kisses for energy and I'm sure that is working well.  I want her to be completely better for her birthday next month.

I included a picture for your enjoyment.  It's my Valentine to all of you.

Stay warm.  If you can't, keep the ice out from between your toes!

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

Big News!

We have big news to announce!  We have officially launched our new web site!  It's still located at www.RudysLittleWorld.com, but it has a whole new fresh modern look.  Daddy worked very hard at it for many months, learning and viewing tutorials.  And and researching along the way.  Mommy helped a little with the content and pages, but most of it was all Daddy!  He is an all-star!  He is also giving a big talk at our church on Sunday.  Mommy is his coach.  I support him by resting on his feet when be reads and writes.  He is going to do great; I wish I could be there to hear him, but I can give him kisses before and after.

Last week we sold 20 books to a Child Life Center in North Carolina.  We were very excited.  It had been a little while since we had a big order like that.  I know Rudy was happy; he always liked to share his stories.

Mommy's on round two of being sick.  She can't seem to shake this bug going around.  When people have a low immune system because of a transplant, it is easier to get sick.  I have been keeping an eye on her too, so I have been a busy puppy.

We got a bunch of snow last week, so I have some fresh powder to play Frisbee.  I hope the deep freeze ends soon.

Love,
Boomer! the Mellow Yellow Lab

In Loving Memory

One Year

Another wave of cold weather is upon us.  This time they are calling it an "Arctic Blast!"  If we get much more of this, I think they will run out of cute names to call it.  I hope warmer temperatures are ahead so I can get back to my Frisbee playing.

We are very excited to be working with our new illustrator.  We met with him last week to share our visions.  I think we are on the same page and we all feel very confident that we can achieve our goals.  Mommy sketched out her vision for the cover, Daddy and I think it is fabulous!

Daddy is making a lot of progress on our new web site.  We are anxious to get it done so we can launch it!

A year ago next Thursday, January 30th, our sweet boy, Rudy went to heaven.  We are trying to stay busy with activities and work, but we can feel the anniversary approaching.

We still feel a pang in our hearts as we sense his presence.  Sometimes we laugh at memories, sometimes not.  That's the kind of impact my big brother has on everyone.

A lot has happened this past year.  We created some new happy memories, but can't help feeling that they would have been even more special if Rudy was still here.  I have fun playing with my old friends and even making a new friend once in a while.  I love wrestling with Daddy and giving Mommy kisses.

Maybe one day I will have a new little brother.  We know it has to feel "right" for all of us, and we know we will all feel it when it happens.  In the meantime, we are content with the status quo (big word, huh?).

Love,
Boomer the Mellow Yellow Lab

Rough Start to 2014

After the tough year we had in 2013, we figured we would catch a break in 2014.  Safe assumption, don’t you think?  Well, we were wrong.

The first 8 days of 2014 dealt us a few major blows.  First of all, Mommy has been sick since the beginning of the year.  We thought she might have been a bit run down, but when the fevers and body aches kicked in after two days, we knew it was the flu (H1N1).  I made sure she stayed well hydrated and rested a lot.  I was very quiet and watched over her, just like Rudy would have.  Her fever finally broke and she is on the mend – weaker though.  She doesn’t remember much about the time that passed.

The second bad thing was something called a polar vortex.  Polar air, which means really cold air, has covered the whole United States.  It was minus 44 degrees in my back yard.  Bad weather means a lot to me because it cuts into my Frisbee and fun time outside.  I think this weather has put everyone in a bad mood.

How is that for the start of a new year?  Not looking good, is it?

In the meantime, we still have plenty of things to keep us busy.  Daddy and Mommy have doctor appointments and Rudy’s anniversary is coming up on January 30^th.  Daddy should be starting school again soon and he’s been reading more at church.  We are also working hard on our new web site. 

We have a new illustrator joining us for our project due out this Spring!  We are very excited!  We still hold out hope for a better year in 2014.  Fingers and toes are crossed!

Love,

Boomer! The Mellow Yellow Lab