The Good Old Days? Growing Up in the 70's

My kids are perpetually amazed when I tell them what it was like growing up in my working-class neighborhood in the 70’s and 80’s.  Lately, with my Beloved Father, who I adored, having died last week, we have been spending a lot of time in the old neighborhood, so to speak.  My older son wanted to see the lake that we used to walk to.  When I drove him there he was in shock.

At first I couldn’t figure out why, after all it was a small man made lake and my son’s rowing team practices on the magnificent and sprawling natural preserve known as Monksville Reservoir in Ringwood, NJ.  The reason for his shock:  “I can’t believe Grandma would let you and your friends walk that far.”  It was about a mile away.  We didn’t have Fitbits or iPhone apps to measure, so I actually have no idea.  I told him we used to keep on walking another mile or so, until we got to the bakery, where we would get brownies and black and white cookies; again he found this  incomprehensible.  That his grandma, who never wants them to walk anywhere alone and is always telling them to wear a hat, would let her kids out of her sight for so long -- it just defied credulity.

    My kids know that, back in the day, our parents used to just open up the door, tell us to go play and the only rule was, be back before it gets dark.  All so we could spend our time riding our bikes, playing hopscotch, playing jacks; and walking to arts and craft class (mosaic ashtray anyone?), the bakery, and the library, by ourselves.

    “You guys have to be the last generation that lived like that,” my sons told me recently.

    And I believe that is true.  I think the demise came with Pacman, Atari and video games, which gave kids a reason to stay indoors.  But in a way, it was good that we put an end to that lifestyle where the parents were the opposite of “hover-parents”.

    I explained to my son that it really was Survival of the Fittest.  Sure, our parents didn’t micromanage us, which brought a lot of freedom.  But that also meant that bullying was part of growing up.  And everybody got bullied, including the physically and mentally challenged kids.   Mercilessly.  

    “That’s horrible,” exclaimed my kids.  It was.  But that is the downside of not  having your parents hovering over you at all times.  On the one hand, we pretty much were out there playing and having fun -- but on the other hand, we had to endure teasing, hazing, and witnessed a lot of fistfights.  By some miracle, no one ever had a weapon and no one ever got hurt; no one even had their eye poked out.  No parent ever made an appointment at school because their kid got picked on or got the worse end of a fist.  Basically, if you got your butt kicked, you picked yourself up and went back to class, end of story.

    I wanted my kids to know that yes, in a lot of ways our 70’s childhoods were better.  We were always outdoors -- and there was no structure, no teams (until Little League started) and no money involved.  But I also wanted them to know that it wasn’t necessarily an idyllic  childhood -- because it was a tough world out there, Survival of the Fittest is the only way I can describe it.  And political correctness did not exist.  

    We format ourselves to the world we are born into.  If you had told me as a little girl that one day, my son would be getting up at 5:15 am to take a train to Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ, where he would then take an Uber to crew practice, row for 3 hours and then take a train home -- I would have looked at you like you were an alien.  I guess the first question would be -- what’s an Uber?  Followed by -- what is crew and where is New Jersey?  Our kids are a lot better educated in 2016, that’s for sure.

    Have a great day, everyone and as always, Remember to Count Your Blessings!  

www.LoBiondoPage.Blogspot.com 

    

    

Love Triumphs Over All: A Eulogy for my Dad

LOVE TRIUMPHS OVER ALL: A EULOGY FOR MY DAD.  My father, Mariano Muyot, was known to everyone in the last 17 years, simply as “Lolo.”  That is Tagalog, or Filipino, for Grandfather.  Lolo, in his lifetime, provided many lessons for all of us but the greatest lesson he imparted to us was this:  Love Triumphs Over All.

    Lolo was a mere 8 years old when World War II came to the Philippines.  As the baby of the family, he had been loved and cherished by his father, Vedasto, his mother, Juliana, and his 5 older brothers.  His life changed drastically when he lost his father to a concentration camp and watched as invading Japanese soldiers burned down his beautiful home.  His older brothers went off to war to help the American soldiers.  As a little boy, Mariano would hide and watch the Japanese soldiers as they buried land mines.  Then he would run and find the American soldiers and show them, from memory, where the land mines were buried. They say he and others like him saved countless lives.  When General MacArthur finally liberated the Philippines, Mariano’s father lived long enough to come home and see his  family one last time.  And Mariano knew what he must do:  become an American military man like the G.I.’s who liberated his father.

    Mariano did not seek revenge, he sought a way to show his gratitude.  Throughout his life, he told us over and over again, he harbored no hatred toward the Japanese people, because they too were victims in their own homeland.  He did not even harbor hatred towards the Japanese soldiers.  His strong and abiding Faith in God and his love of his fellow man was too great for that.  When Juliana was assigned a Japanese roommate her freshman year at NYU, a sweet girl named Noriko, Noriko was worried about meeting Mariano.  There was no need, on parents day, he hugged her and welcomed her as if she were a family member.  For he knew that Love Triumphs Over All.  

    Joining the U.S. Navy at Subic Bay in the Philippines in 1962 was an act of Love and Gratitude for Mariano.  He loved his days at sea on the  USS Columbus and the USS Galveston, and later in life, he loved to tell these stories to virtually everyone he met. He volunteered again and again for ship duty and was never ever on land, even when his children were born.  Once he met his future wife, he volunteered for submarine duty because the pay grade was much higher.  However, his hearing had been permanently damaged from firing the cannons during the Vietnam War.  He was dejected when the Navy told him he did not qualify for submarine duty because of his hearing loss but happy for his fellow shipmates who did make it.  Tragically, the USS Thresher Naval attack submarine containing his fellow shipmates, imploded beneath the sea in May 1963, killing all 129 souls aboard.  God spared Mariano’s life again because he had  other plans for him.

    Part of that plan was for Mariano to meet and marry the love of his life, a beautiful Irish American gal named Marie McCaffrey, soon to become Marie Muyot.  Marie and Mariano married while Mariano was still in the Navy and both their children, Juliana and Michael, were born while Mariano was serving ship duty at sea very far away.  He missed the first part of their childhoods but he made up for it by showering them with love, life lessons, and lots of family vacations, upon his return home.  Marie and Mariano just celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on April 4, 2016, surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

    The fulfillment on Mariano’s mission on earth was without question, to become a Grandfather -- and a loving Patriarch to a family which included Juliana and her husband Anthony (whom he loved like a son), and their children, his beloved grandchildren Christian and Michael;  and also included Mariano’s only son, of whom he was so proud -- the handsome, successful and athletic Michael Muyot;  along with Sandra Markovic Muyot, and his two other beloved grandsons, Vuk and Nikola.  As a grandfather, Mariano was complete, he became the man he was destined to be.  Strong, loving dependable and capable of spoiling his grandchildren at a level we came to be accustomed to. And his children and grandchildren loved him beyond measure.  

I will never forget the first time Anthony and I left Lolo alone to babysit Baby Christian so they could go out to dinner.  He called us on our cell phone in a panic because he couldn’t find the “big pins”.  

    “What big pins are you looking for dad?”  I asked.

    “The big safety pins, I will not use these little safety pins on my grandson they could hurt him!”  I explained to him about modern diapers -- and how we don’t need safety pins anymore to close the diapers, and he was very relieved.

    But the clan kept growing, Mariano and Marie continued to have strong ties to Alenka and Svetco, the other grandparents of Vuk and Nikola. We lost Svetco less than a year ago. Mariano also loved very much his extended LoBiondo Family:  Ross and Jan, parents of Anthony; and Vinnie and Alessandra, brother and sister in law of Anthony, as well as their children, Vincent, Steven, Angelina and Matt.  In fact, all 8 grandchildren played together and talked to each other all week as if they were all blood cousins. Mariano was happy when his son found love again with his second wife, Vanessa. Because that is what Mariano wanted:  a big, gregarious happy family.  Love Triumphs Over All.

    Mariano had many achievements in life:  receiving college degrees in both the Philippines and the U.S., a 6 year distinguished career in the US Navy, for which he received numerous medals, a fulfilling and successful 25 year career at IBM East Fishkill from which he retired with great pride and lifelong friends.  But his greatest achievement was by far his family and his grandchildren.

    This past December 2015, just 4 months ago, Mariano turned 80.  Juliana wanted to have a big celebration for him with a band and a DJ.  But those were not his wishes.  He wanted to have a party at her house, a place he loved very much, with his wife, children, grandchildren, and the extended LoBiondo Clan.  We had that party, and we were able to have several more Sunday dinners and parties where the whole family gathered.  Just 2 weeks ago, we gathered at the River Grill, a place Mariano loved very much, for  Anthony’s 50th birthday party. Mariano held court, enjoying his big family, as well as a good steak, and he spent the day laughing, smiling, and of course telling stories.  He took Juliana aside at one point and said to her, “You did good, Julie, you did really good.”  She thinks he meant the party but she also believes he was alluding to the family that we had all  built together and the incredible closeness we all shared.

    And so if you take away one thing from Mariano’s life and Legacy, let it be this:  never pass up an opportunity to gather your family around you for a good steak, a big laugh, and some great stories.  

And in the end, Fear not for Love will Triumph Over All.

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My father died peacefully, surrounded by family, on May 3, 2016 at Vassar Brothers Hospital, where they did a wonderful job caring for him.  We are holding a mass of Christian burial for him today; he will receive a full military veterans sendoff.  This is the eulogy that I wrote for him and which will be delivered by my brother-in-law, Vincent LoBiondo, today at the church. All in all, I can't help thinking about how much my dad would have enjoyed this day!  "Julie, you really outdid yourself this time," I can just imagine him saying.  The grief is still raw but this I can  tell you: the Love goes on and on and on.

Go in peace, dear friends, and remember always to love fiercely, be slow to injure and quick to forgive.  If you're lucky enough to have families, give them all a big hug and always tell them how much you love them.  I don't regret one moment.  Spend time with all generations of your family.  My father spent a lifetime telling me and showing me how much he loved me.  And I spent my life til now doing the same.  The last words we said to each other were: I Love You.  Make sure you never lose a chance to tell someone you love them!  Sending you all lots of love, and my dad in Heaven is blowing you a kiss  💕 Mrs. Lo

My Hero Dad - the Unbelievable True Story of Lolo

My Hero Dad's True Life Story - This is the story of the first man I loved, my first and forever hero, and the most dependable, loyal, honest, charming, and loving man I have ever or will ever know, my dad, Mariano Muyot, known to everyone simply as "Lolo" (Tagalog for “Grandpa”). Lolo was born in Manila, the Philippines on December 26, 1935. His father was an optometrist, who had a large, beautiful estate  and office in the beautiful tropical city of Manila. Lolo's  mother was a stunningly beautiful woman, devoted to her husband and 6 sons; the first 5 were much older, they were all teenagers when Mariano was born.  The Muyots had walled off estate with many servants, gardens, and a large art collection.  They were the founders of a music conservatory.  Little Mariano was doted on and cherished by both parents and his older brothers.  But all of that was about to change.

War was coming to their little paradise in the tropics.

When World War II descended like a scourge upon the Philippines, the Filipino army was probably one of the most under-prepared armies in the world at the time. Nonetheless, all 5 Mariano's older brothers volunteered and, because they were all college educated, went in as officers. When Mariano was 7 years old, Japanese soldiers came to his beautiful house to interrogate his father.  They knew his older brothers  were helping the U.S. Army learn to be "guerillas." The Japnese soldiers wanted to know where the US guerilla soldiers were. 

Dr. Vedasto Muyot refused to give up their locations. Mariano watched in terror as the Japanese soldiers beat his father savagely.   He cried as the soldiers smashed his father's precious eye-glass cases. When Mariano's mother ran to her husband, they slapped her and she fell to the ground weeping for the life she knew was slipping away.  Mariano could only watched in horror as the soldiers burned the entire palatial Muyot estate to the ground.  They dragged his father away to a concentration camp with other P.O.W.'s, including Filipino and US soldiers.  There he was tortured and beaten mercilessly alongside American soldiers and Filipino soldiers.

Mariano witnessed many atrocities and went from being an affluent doctor's son to being homeless. He never owned one toy growing up. He looked in the sky and saw "dogfights" between US and Japanese warplanes daily. If you know history, you know that General Douglas MacArthur is personally responsible for saving the Philippines and the US soldiers left behind on that island nation. Truman was ready to abandon the nation and the American troops, but MacArthur had lived in served in the Philippines for many years and he love the nation and it's beautiful people. He stood on the shores of Leyte and said, "I shall return," to the Filipino people he loved so much -- and he meant it. 

Defying his own Commander-in-Chief and sabotaging his own career, MacArthur did come back, he did liberate the Philippines and the remaining American troops. Vedasto Muyot crawled home from the concentration camp, emaciated.  He gazed once more the faces of his wife and children and soon after, died in his wife's loving arms.  Her name: Juliana Tiga Muyot. 

The "G.I.'s", the American soldiers who liberated the Philippines, were so good to the Filipino children they gave their own C-rations to the kids, including Mariano. Mariano  vowed then and there to do something to re-pay the Americans. 

In 1963, Mariano joined the U.S. Navy at Subic Bay Naval Base, initially as a foreign citizen. He served for 7 years. After serving in the Gulf of Tonkin, the only battle of Vietnam to be considered part of a "war" (Congress briefly declared war, then revoked it, hence Vietnam was actually a "conflict" although 56,000 soldiers and sailors died), he became a US Citizen under the provision whereby a foreign citizen who serves in the U.S. military during wartime is eligible for US citizenship. In between, he met an Irish American gal from Beacon, NY named Mary McCaffrey. They dated for a few weeks and got married in San Diego, CA during shore leave on April 4, 1964. They just celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary.

I was born July 23, 1965 while my dad, Mariano, was on a ship in Vietnam. My brother was born December 20, 1967. After leaving the Navy, my dad worked a full career at IBM, from which he retired years ago. 

He had colon cancer in 2001 but beat it. He was in Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital on 9/11 when the planes hit. The nurses and doctors couldn't wait to meet me and tell me how all the patients were so scared but my father, who had just had surgery days ago, walked around the hospital wheeling his IV with him, comforting the patients, especially the younger ones, saying he had faced death several times before, and not to be afraid, the worst thing to do if you're going to die is to be in a state of panic, to put themselves in a state of peace and everything would be all right. They say he brought peace to an otherwise panicked hospital. I could go on and on about my dad. 

All I'm going to say is I was one lucky little girl, you can only imagine what it was like to be Daddy's little girl, with Mariano Muyot as my dad.  Not that we had a lot of money, we didn't, but I always knew I was loved, loved, loved.  

This is a reprint of a blog I first posted in 2013. As I sit here today, Lolo is 81 and still feisty.  He suffered a stroke this past week and is working hard to get back to where he was.  He is receiving wonderful care at Vassar Brothers Hospital. If you don't see me every day at the office in the boathouse, you know that's because I am at Vassar hanging out with my Hero Dad.  

Have a great day everyone and always remember to count your blessings! 💗 Mrs. Lo (Daddy and Me 1967) www.LoBiondoPage.Blogspot.com 

My Grandma the Guru

MY GRANDMA WAS A GURU - You know all those self-help books out there -- with advice on everything from lowering your cholesterol to raising your self-esteem -- it turns out that they are just regurgitating everything my grandmother always told me. And there’s a good chance your grandparents told you the same things. Which makes our grandparents kind of like gurus. Let’s think about it:

NUTRITION - Nellen (my grandmother) was always urging us to take cod liver oil, “It gives you brainpower.” It turns out, Fish Oil is full of Omega-3’s, and is a cornerstone of healthy diets. The sale of Fish oil capsules is through the roof, and guess what? It’s good for your brain!

FITNESS - “Use it or lose it,” my grandma used to say. And in fact, fitness experts recommend daily exercise of at least 30 minutes a day, instead of the weekend warrior style of bursts of fitness. Because unless you move it every day, you will in fact, lose it. This is why so many weekend warrior suffer chronic injuries.

ON MONEY - “Take care of the pennies, and the dollars will look after themselves.” It’s really the best money advice ever. Save your pennies and they will turn into dollars, at that point you can turn them over to your bank or your financial advisor to invest -- but it’s up to you to save those pennies!

DINNERTIME TOGETHER - people now think it’s almost “revolutionary” to make a home cooked meal every night and sit down at the table together to eat it. (Hey, I didn’t say the meal was delicious or my table was even cleaned off!) It’s something my grandmother always insisted on and now I see why. It brings our busy family together every day, even if they wolf down their food and go do their homework or retreat to their man cave.

BEAUTY ADVICE - “Your best beauty asset is your smile,” my grandmother always said. Now they have things like Smile Therapy (No, I’m not kidding!) But Nellen always knew, smiling not only makes you look good, it makes you feel good.

"SPREAD THE WEALTH" was one of Nellen's favorite sayings - every success guru says the same thing. Having success is not enough. Sharing the wealth and giving generously is an integral part of being Successful.

"FAMILY IS EVERYTHING" - actually, what my grandma used to say is “someday when I’m gone, it will be you and your brother and you have to look after each other and stick together because family is everything.” At the time, the thought of a World without Nellen was both inconceivable and depressing. But as always, she was right. Family is everything. Not the money, not fame, not retweets. And family can take many forms. Your immediate family, your extended family, your neighborhood and community. It’s important to find a way to stay connected to your family every day.

When I was a little girl, I thought if anything ever happened to my grandma, I would want the world to stop so I could get off. But that’s not the way it works. Although she died in 1994, Nellen lives on in me and my brother, and everything she taught us, which we have passed down to our kids. So while it would be nice to have a convertible and clothes from the 3rd floor of Neiman Marcus; I will drive my Mom-mobile with the 3rd row; and recycle my clothes over and over, and instead invest our money in our kids’ education, our love of travel -- and fish oil. Because at the end of the day, I can look at my family, smile, and say thank you Grandma, I now know what it really important.

Have a great day, everyone and as always, Remember to Count Your Blessings! (My grandmother's MOST favorite saying) <3 Mrs. Lo www.LoBiondoPage.Blogspot.com

You're Still Beautiful, Mommy

A few nights ago, Michael (my 12 year old)  and I were watching a movie on Netflix and a song from the 90’s came on that I hadn’t heard in years.  And, as only music has the power to do, it really carried me back to a time when I was living in NYC, a law student, living a very different life. “I remember that song,” I told my son.  “That came out when I was 22.”

“What was it like to be 22?” my son asked me.  I had to think, after all that was 28 years ago.

“Well,” I said, as I struggled with my memory, “overall, it was great to be young and beautiful but it wasn’t so great to have no money all the time.”

“You’re still young and beautiful, Mommy!” decried my son.  My first reaction was to say what I would say if I were among friends, “Come on, I am none of those things, nor does it matter to me because I now have everything I ever wanted back in those days.”  But I stopped myself.  I had to think about how my son saw me.

I wonder if anyone else remembers that children’s book from years ago.  A little boy gets lost in a department store and when the store personnel ask him what his mother looks like, he tells them “my mother is the most beautiful woman in the world.”  The store clerks bring over all manner of physically beautiful women only to be told time after time by the little boy that none of these women are his mother.  Finally, a plain and sturdy woman comes over and the boy throws his arms around her neck and exclaims, “that’s my mother!  See, I told you she was the most beautiful woman in the world!”

And so, if our kids see us moms as Beautiful, and their Dad as heroic and strong; and their grandparents as the wisest people in the world -- really, who are we to burst their little cocoon of Happiness?

So instead of telling my son he needed glasses, or he should have seen me 30 years ago, or 20 pounds ago, or before wrinkles and crows feet; I simply smiled at my loving, trusting boy -- which gave me even more wrinkles and crows feet -- and simply said, “Thank you, my boy.”  

Life can be so full of simple pleasures, if we just open our hearts to them!

Have a great day, everyone and, as always Remember to Count Your Blessings! <3 Mrs. Lo www.LoBiondoPage.Blogspot.com (Photo from 2004, Mrs. Lo and Baby Michael)

200 Miles to Dance with My Son

This past winter, I drove over 200 miles a week to take Salsa class and Bachata class with my 15-year-old son.  “You’re crazy!” said one friend lovingly.  “You’re paying so much money for gas!,” said an acquaintance.  “It’s too much for both of you,” worried my family members.  But they didn’t know what I know:

That every moment spent in the car with your teenage son is precious, because soon they won’t need Mom to drive;

That every moment spent dancing with your son is worth 7 years in Mom Life;

That it truly seems like just yesterday I was singing and dancing with my son in Music and Me Class, and my whole week revolved around those two morning classes;

That Christian used to be an Irish step dancer in 3rd grade, ever so briefly, and I always knew he had a gift for dancing;

That dancing nourishes the soul, and dancing with you son is simply priceless;

That my father and my mother’s ancestors came to this great nation so that every generation could do successively better; and every generation has; and that while my husband and I raised our sons to be equipped to go away to college and succeed;  I had no idea I would start crying every time a brochure from a college comes in the mail;

That there are only 121 Saturdays before Christian leaves for college and I would have driven 500 miles to dance with him;

So yes, all winter, every Monday and Tuesday night, I drove 40 miles  from Newburgh to Ramsey, NJ where my son had indoor rowing practice; then 41 miles to Elements of Style Dance Studio in Middletown NY for Salsa Class; then 23 miles to get back home.  He is a very good dancer and I was bursting with pride each class.

But then again, that’s how we moms are.  We are so proud of every little accomplishment.  Remember when your kid finally learned to tie their shoes?!  Admit it, you secretly thought your child was a genius -- all moms think that, it’s OK.

It’s a wonderful thing going to dance class with your teenage son.  Everyone else saw a handsome young man, a prep school student-athlete.  Who was a great dancer.  But not me.  I was half seeing us dance, and I was half remembering all those many moments in Music and Me when we sat in a circle and sang and danced and played.  And now look at my Boy.  

We are on hiatus for now due to my son’s hellacious varsity spring crew schedule.  But we hope to return after spring crew is over.  And I will again be happy to drive 200 miles to dance with my son.

Have a great day everyone and, as always, Remember to Count Your Blessings! <3 Mrs. Lo

Orion LoBiondo, the Blogger Dog: Welcome to Spring 2016!

ORION, THE BLOGGER DOG - Hellooooo Humans!  It’s me, Orion LoBiondo, the only 4-legged member of the LoBiondo Family.  As you know, my mom (you guys know her as “Mrs. Lo”) only lets me blog at the beginning of every season.  Well, guess what, Mom?  That’s right, it’s SPRING, so it’s my turn to blog this week!  Spring is my very favorite season, along with Summer, Winter and Fall.  More than anything else, I really enjoy my spring sports:  tennis and swimming.

I don’t wanna brag but I happen to be one RAD tennis player!  What?  No, Mom, please this is my blog, you get to do your own blog every week, let me do it my way.  Sooooo, my Mom says I am not really a tennis player because I don’t use a RACK-it, whatever that is.  Who would want to use that stupid thing when the pure joy of tennis is running as fast as I can, leaping in the air and catching the tennis ball in my mouth when my brothers throw it to me!  Tennis balls oh boy oh boy oh boy!!  I am so excited thinking about it I am starting to drool!  Literally!!  I WILL clean it up, Mom, chillax.  

Anyway, my brothers have started throwing the tennis ball to me already and I must say I have not lost my touch.  No matter how far they throw it or how high I pretty much always catch that tennis ball.  Who invented this game anyway, it’s the best?!  

There’s only one thing that makes me happier than playing tennis and that is swimming!  I love it when we go to our favorite (NAME DELETED) and I jump in the (ALSO DELETED) and swim out as far as I …. Um, Mom, why are you deleting stuff from my Blog?!  What do you mean I’m not really supposed to be swimming in there, all the dogs do it!  Well, that’s a stupid rule.  And you and Poppa are lawyers, you should change that rule.

So I would like a new rule:  dogs who are really good swimmers should be able to go swimming in any watering hole that we want!!  Get to work on that, Mom and Poppa.  (Humans, I don’t know what kind of law they are doing all day long but if they are not making the world a more fun place for dogs, they are probably just wasting their time.)  But I digress …

The absolute BESTest of the Bestiest is when we combine swimming AND tennis!  We go to the (DELETED BY MY LAWYER MOM), my family gets their fishing poles out, and then they throw the tennis ball into the water and I swim out and fetch it.  Did I just use the words tennis ball, swim, and fetch in the same sentence?!  Drooling all over Mom’s rug again, sorry, Mom!  You can use my allowance to buy more paper towels.

So I am starting to be a teenager, I’m not a little pup anymore.  In addition to being a varsity sports athlete and a great scholar (OK, I guard the backpacks on the way to school but you know, close enough), I am starting to notice the other, the um, how do I say …. OK I’ll just say it, I have a girlfriend!  (Sorry, Mom I’m just drooling a lot today).  She is sooooo beautiful and adorable with those long beagle ears and that sassy bark of hers!  Her name is Abigail and she lives up the street from me.  We face-bark each other all the time.  Nooooo we don’t use iPhones!

I go to the edge of my yard and bark up a storm and she goes to the edge of her yard and howls back at me.  It’s awesome.  We could do that all day long and all night long.  Until those vermin arrive, you know who I mean, those evil squirrels!  The bain of my existence!  You should see when Abigail’s family brings her to my house and we team up and chase the squirrels away together!  We are such a dynamic duo, we are like Batman and Robin!  What’s that?  Oh, ha ha, Mom says we are more like Grammy and Grampy.  Cuz we like to roll on our backs and smell the sweet grass the clover and gaze up at the sky!  Hey, it’s important to enjoy the time we have together, isn’t that what you always say, Mom?  Awwww, I love you too, Momma, and while you’re scratching my head can you get me behind the ears??!!

Isn’t life just grand, everyone?!  Spring is here, time to enjoy my family and my sports, and team up with Abigail to chase squirrels, Life is Good!

Signing off for now, have a great Spring, I will blog again when Summer starts!  Your friend -- Orion the Dog (Oh, and Momma says to have a great day and to Remember to Count Your Blessings!!!)

(Photo of Me guarding my brother Michael)