My Tall Order

Today we are gonna do something a little different. I, Sammy (the one who has all these fascinating adventures) am gonna write this time. See, my mama is a little too tired for all the good words and sentence building anymore. Her grandpa, my great-grandpa, Papa has been doing poorly the last couple weeks. As you recall, I was able to meet a couple of firemen last week when he fell. They were great guys, they thought corgis were the coolest and that I was cute, so they were on the top of my list (for that time being, until someone else told me I was or until I got a snack). Well, from what I understand when he went in for his regular check up, his doctor immediately hospitalized him. He Papa is now quickly failing. He is having signs of heart failure, his kidneys and liver are also failing. Now I don't understand what all that means, but I do know it isn't good. Most of the family has come in. He has been in the hospital, which is good, but they don't let us dogs in and I want to go! Papa is a wonderful man and I would like to see him. Mom and Dad told me that I have a "tall order" whatever that means; it better not be another joke about my height! They told me that everyone is quite sad and they need something to smile about. With sadness like this, it might come down just to me! I am not worried. I know how to make people smile. First and foremost, smiles are contagious, and us corgis have the most handsome/pretty smiles around! Anyway, Mom came home the other day and said that one doctor has given him just two weeks while another said he could fight and have another month or two. She also said that insurance companies suck. I don't know what the heck that is but whatever it is is forcing him to leave the good care of the hospital! And a really long story short, we have gotten lucky and been able to arrange for him to come home today!!!! Yeah! He will have 24 hour care from home. This is the best news we have heard in all this. Papa and Monie built the house they live in. They have been married 67 years! They have spent most of that time in this house. My mom grew up next door where my grandma still lives. Monie and Papa need to be together and in their house, if you ask me! Plus, this way I can do my job! I love seeing them. I went there for my 6 month birthday party! I have gone there so much I can recognize the drive from a mile away!
Mom told me how lucky I was to have known him, like I didn't know. He was in the Air Force! And I have learned that that means he flew planes for the country! He was in WWII and flew bombers! They are very big and intense. I don't think I would want to fly in one. Too loud. Mom wants to fly in jets. A couple weeks after I came home the air show was here and the Blue Angels flew over our apartment practicing and she made us run out and look at them. Weird! Papa had other jobs as well, including at the hospital he is in now. He is a very smart smart man. Mom says she is so smart because of him. Growing up, he was right next door and if she had any questions to how something worked or why he knew, and if he didn't he would find out! Papa used to take my mom on walks around the neighborhood with her dog growing up, and he used to walk her home from school! She talked about how they used to play hide and go seek in the house, and she could  never find him! Mom always finds me, so he must have been a pro. She remembers him sitting outside alot and watching birds listening to the radio. She said growing up she used to see him washing his car at least once a week out on the driveway. He took the greatest care with everything. I believe it. Papa always pets me very gently. I always try to give him a kiss back as gently as he pets me!
Mom said she is quite proud of me. I will admit I am a stinker sometimes. I miss my parents so much and I get used to one schedule and then they go and switch it for sch-oo-al, who needs it anyway, she is smart without it. Then I don't know what is going on. Man, I hate that stupid big black bag. I think it's gonna drag Mom down, it's almost bigger than her! And they know I hate being alone in the dark. I get too worried. Anyway, I had a couple accidents at the beginning of this semester. It was stressing Mom out and Dad was threatening that I would get crate trained. He said Mom wouldn't have a choice, she wouldn't be able to stick up for me much longer at the rate I was going at. I have ceased. I don't like the crate, I can't protect the apartment in it! Anyway, Mom and Dad have  been so proud of me that I have been "a good boy" while they have been gone at all sorts of awkward times and such. They even took me to petco yesterday. Mom took me to the bone aisle. She lets me pick out my own bone! See, they have these wooden shelves at the bottom with different kinds and sizes. I sniff each one as I walk along, and I make sure to try to get to one so she knows that's the one I want. She usually prices and gets a package deal of smaller versions, sometimes I get the big one. Anyway, I almost always pick the same one. I guess they are expensive. Mom says they are well worth it, Dad just sighs and says yeah. I got two of the super compressed bones and I also got a tennis ball in Easter colors! I didn't know what to think of the pastel blue, so I licked it off last night. Mom said we are going to visit the dogpark this weekend, too. She said 40 is our version of Jamacia so we better enjoy it. We might take my cousin.
Oh yeah, that's like the best part! Mom's cousin just got a new puppy. Yep, I have a new cousin. They live all the way in Illinois so we don't get to see them too often. Mom and Dad assure me that if the economy can get a little better and the weather can get better we can try to plan a trip. Mom loves visiting them! Anyway, Mom's cousin is very close to Papa like Mom. They are similar in a lot of ways. And her husband (we just call him a cousin because Mom says that if she had a brother she would expect it to be like him cause he is as good as family gets) and Dad are a lot alike as well. They have three kids, whom I ADORE, and Mom said we might sit on them while the adults see Papa. I don't know that we should sit on them because they are kinda small. They might be able to handle me, but I'm under 30 lbs. Mom is like 4 times that! Dad is even more! She laughs when she says we are gonna sit on the kids and says it's a Lorelai quote from season 7. That means it's another Gilmore Girls quote. I hope we don't sit on them, though I would like to see them! Mom invited them to go to the dog park with us so us dogs can do our thing and get some energy out. I vaguely remember what it is like to be 4 months old, and well, I think we should. I need to show my cousin the doggie ropes, and show how big and exciting the world is. I'm stoked. Dad is making Mom look at these video games online, and if you know MY mom, WOW this is not the job for her! She doesn't know anything about them. Anyway, last time our cousins came over we played video games and it was really fun. I got exhausted trying to keep up. Some were in the bedroom doing Guitar Hero while the others were in the living room doing Mario Kart. Mom and Dad have been obsessed with the Olympics (Dad filled out a thing online showing intrest in the skeleton, only after the luge said he was over the hill) so they are looking at Olympic Games so we can do mogul skiing (Mom says it's her future!) from the comfort of our warm apartment without needing to get in shape! Sounds good to me, they don't let dogs into the gym, so I am basically anti-exercise! Plus Dad needs to do this himself if you ask me. Mom has loads of school work. She has some giant test on Monday. She has made a package and a half notecards for it. She has two notebooks, a book and all these notecards for it. Don't worry, I don't let her study too hard, and my bone germs are all over those pages from telling her to take a break! I just know, I don't want to pull another all nighter Sunday night, but I see it coming. She also has a lab due Monday that she hasn't started and a statistics project to finish. I don't know how she will do it, but she always does.
Anyway, Dad says they are going to make lemondae out of lemons. I haven't seen the lemons arrive yet, but don't worry I am on guard. I am trying to do my best to keep Mom smiling. Mom says I am amazing and that we must have been meant for each other. She keeps telling me how sorry she is that I was in the pet shop for so long, but so happy she was able to bring me home and that they could afford to do it. I agree. I don't even remember those days to be quite honest, but I am happy to be here. And taking care of my mom. I sleep on her head and sit on her legs and feet to keep her warm and remind her I am here if she needs someone. I also made Monie smile. Mom said that was the best gift.
I just wanted to share our life with everyone since we haven't been on the internet much the last couple days. Mom is getting a little too exhausted to do it, and I have a job to do! Now I must go back to my bone and window. Except I haven't eaten my breakfast yet, maybe I should do that. Mom says I must be the strangest corgi because I don't always want my food and treats. I just can't help it. When we go to Petco (and other places), those chocolate chip cookies are delicious, I just want to say hello to everyone first. Plus, Mom always grabs the treat so I'm not missing anything. And when I wake up, some things are more important than breakfast. This morning our tug of war time was way too much fun to pass up. And this bone I got is such a challenge (it's humongous) and it just has the best flavor that I must tackle it first. I will get to my food, it's not like anyone else will eat it! Ugh, I am a smart dog. Afterall, Mom says I get that from her! I know what I am doing!
Alright, that is all for now. Mom should be back to her usual cataloging soon. She will be able to tell you how wonderful I am again soon, we hope. The next three days are already pretty packed, but we will be back soon! Doggie promise!