My first, as the people call it: Christmas! They put a tree INSIDE the house! But they would not let me smell it for pee-mail. If I were a boy dog and not very polite, even though I really wanted the shinier chew toys they put up sooo high, I would have pushed that fence right down and peed on that tree: pee-mail so I could tell all the other dogs Merry season also.

I’m getting better in grocery stores – the food is not saying, β€œThis way Mara” as loudly but I still hear it. I watched as some person in a white coat stuck Chuck in the arm with a sharp thing. She didn’t cry so I just watched – they say she won’t get the human parvo now – if she does it won’t be so bad.

On December 3rd it was β€œInternational Persons with Disabilities Day”. For some reason, this seemed important to me. I think I’d understand better if it were called β€œPersons with Differential Abilities Day”. No matter, still makes my ears perk up.

December 6th was stressful. It was rainy. Turned out it was evaluation day with Krista & Chelsea (my most favourite person-dog anywhere in the doggy world). I <heart> her more than Doggy Crack [Beef Tendersticks from Costco]. Christa ( or as I call her β€œNot – Chelseaβ€œ same as what I call each of my peeps when Chelsea ( I spell it <heart heart> * is near, she is very nice – but she watches more than touches or treats. NC and <heart heart> are fluent in doggy AND peeps and they help me and my peeps understand one another. [*If I could I’d put in heart emojis instead of <heart heart>.]

Unfortunately, my peeps didn’t understand that my nervousness was because, in addition to being in the mall, I had to go outside to poop. On the bright side doing my business IN a business adds one more check to the list of surfaces I’ve β€œgone”. Still, I broke my perfect record of never doing #2 inside.

Dec 6 was also my boy-peep’s 12th birthday. My present was a slobber-wrestle. He’s ONLY 1/3 smaller than me, but he is long and I’m wide (oh ya, the meds team are fat-shaming me, so no cake for me). He can’t take it and squeals and then Chuck gets all yardy yaardy and tells Ryder to, β€œStop it and be calm give her the toy you are supposed to have with you all the time near Mara”. Ryder peep gets more squeaky and Chuck comes and rescues me from him and then I get to be calmer. Dec 7 was Perry’s (man peep) b-day. He’s a lot older than 12. I brought him a special present as soon as I saw him after I was awake – I give all the peeps one so they know I love them equally- just in different ways: – plushy, stick, sock, shoe horn, glove, a chunk of yoga mat – except that with that Chuck smiles but one of her eyebrows goes up.

Do what I do peeps & pups everywhere: every single day say I love you to the beings you love and love the dog you’re with like my β€œpeeps” do me (except Chuck who only β€œrespects me as a colleague”(!)), but she is my trusty crack dealer so I’m ok with that.

On Dec 20 my peeps made me pose for the family Christmas photo then took me to Olympic Village- and I met Allison. Now Allison knew what she was doing. I walked by her β€œside”, and her eyes were mesmerizing. I didn’t even notice my peeps leave – I just didn’t care now that I had Allison… except for the part where she put reindeer antlers on me…. not impressed!

I also went to some other peeps’ houses and had MORE fun, AND I got to see <heart heart> OMG best Christmas gift EVER!!!!!

Submitted by: Charly Flesher