{It's been a few years since our last Doggy Diary entry, but hopefully we will be back more often. We -and by we I mean I- simply got busy with life and just didn't make the time to sit down and put thoughts onto "paper."}
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Goodness, a lot can happen in three and a half years! Here are the highlights of what's been going on with us:
- Abby Grace is now a Certified Therapy Dog ❤️
- Hope has grown - maybe a little too much 😉 (See Exhibit A below)
- Doc is as happy and fast as ever 🐕
- We moved to the beach 🏖
It was a long-time dream to live at the beach and we finally made it happen last year. We found a home just a short walk from the beach here on the coast of South Carolina. Abby, Doc and Hope LOVE it! We take long walks on the beach and the dogs get to run loose off leash most of the time. We usually walk anywhere from three to five and a half miles, but Doc probably covers at least twice that. One of his favorite things to do is the "booty dip." He runs into the water and dips his bottom in, looking at us to make sure we are watching him. He's so funny!
Doc has become quite the crab hunter and likes to proudly prance along the shore with his treasures. We try to keep him from getting the crabs, but like I said, he is fast!
Hope, our Potcake from Turks & Caicos Islands, loves these walks, too. She smiles the whole time. Hope is not a very expressive dog, but when she's on the beach you know she's happy! She is an island dog at heart, after all.
When Hope is not on the beach, this is what she is usually doing. (This is Exhibit A that I was telling you about.)
Abby will be 10 years old this winter, but that doesn't slow her down. She keeps a steady pace and and never tires out.
Abby Grace became a Certified Therapy Dog three years ago. DogDad and I took her through two sets of classes and now we are all members of The Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Abby has made many patients and residents smile at various assisted living communities, veterans' homes and treatments centers over the years.
Here is Abby Grace with her friend Stella Grace visiting an assisted living center on Halloween. She is wearing a pumpkin costume I made for our sweet Lindsey over 20 years ago. It's the first time we've put it on any dog other than Lindsey. It warmed our hearts. And the residents thought she was pretty darn cute!
Lindsey ❤️ Our first dog together.
Most recently we visited our friends at the assisted living center and gave out Christmas cards. Abby was such a good sport - she shook off her Santa hat only a few times!
Merry Christmas from the DogDad, DogMom, Abby Grace, Doc & Hope! We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones ... both furry and non!
