All in a day at the Grigg's (this was written in November and just never got published... oops!)

Hello All!

It's another day at the Grigg house today. We are still enjoying the company of Zeke, and hope we have many more years with him. He's turning out to be a pretty good dog... when he's not being so dang stubborn! He's mastered most of his basic commands already which include: sit, come, stay, shake, shake other hand, fetch and drop. We're currently working on take a bow (which we're pretty sure he knows how to do, he just doesn't seem to want to do it all the time) and roll-over which will lead us to bang bang (and the dog falls over dead). However, just because he knows these fun things does not mean that he will always do them when we ask. He likes to think he's the head honcho around here and if he doesn't feel like doing what he's told... he won't. Sometimes, when he's feeling particularly naughty he will be asked to come... look at us... then run laughing the other way! Ha Ha Zeke's SO funny! He's enjoying his toys, loves his crate and lavishes all the attention he can get from us. He's a little less weary of household items, and becomes frightened of little things less and less by the week.

Ryan's had some fun adventures over the last few weeks, he was in Seattle for 3 weeks (2 weeks in October and 1 week in November with 1 week inbetween the two trips) taking classes for a work program called TFM or Technical Fire Management. The first week was math fundamentals and then the second 2 weeks was statistics. Which if I must say was not fun at all, it was pretty much a 400 level college math class crammed into 8 hr days for two weeks. Not exactly my idea of a great time. I did get to go to my first football game while I was there. Although I like the Seahawks, I did not like how they played. But never the less it was still fun and I got to hangout with my favorite father-in-law. Another highlight of the trip was that I got to go to a Triumph motorcycle dealership and check out the new bikes, I've been wanting one for a long time and can't wait until I can drive one off the showroom floor. Or maybe, just maybe my very lovely wife who I love more than anything in this whole wide world will buy me one for a future Christmas present, HINT HINT. All in all a pretty good trip. I figured when all is said and done I will have flown like 32 times in one year!! I will be looking forward to attending the economics class in Janurary. I have never taken a class like this before and I will get to meet Heather's granparents as well. So should be fun.........

We took a few days off of work last week and headed to the cabin. It was a great time as usual, although this trip was slightly different than the rest. We took some time for some much needed rest and relaxation, and didn't do a dang thing! Heather read a book and half of anther while Ryan plugged away at a super-pager. We played Uno (which Heather rocks at and ended up winning all four games we played), Skip-Bo and just hung out and enjoyed the time off. We took some snow shoes, but surprisingly enough there wasn't enough snow to use them. It's NOVEMBER for goodness sake, bring on the white fluffy stuff! Zeke had fun, but because his stubborn streak went into overtime with all the new smells he decided he didn't want to stick close to the cabin so he spent most of the time inside with us. Which I think was actually alright with him. We saw one moose on the way in, but that's about it for the wildlife. It's hunting season so most of them are up high trying to escape the wiley hunters.

Heather's just been working away. I'm really enjoying my job... I have a lot of fun with the people that I work with and find that I really fit in. I also love the work! I like to see the progress that my patient's make, and I really enjoy talking with so many different people. My patient's range in age from 14 through 85ish with most of them in the 40-65 range. I see people who have injuries or impairment in their necks, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands as well as those who have disease or defect of some major system. I see stroke patient's for neuro re-education, strengthening, corrdination, vision and sensory deficits (among other things), as well as some other neuro diagnoses such as... this is a whopper... chronic inflammatory demylenating polyneuropathy, guillian barre, MS and others. I also see pt's who are status post some surgical repair (my most interesting so far was a person who was degloved in the oil field and his dr. sewed his hand into his abdomen to promote healing and bloodflow, ugh) which usually are rotator cuffs or hand/wrist surgeries. My treatments are one hour long, and I have my own treatment room complete with a massage table, card type table and a menagerie of different therapy tools. I decorated it in... wait for it... black, white and a deep shade of red (mom I can already hear you laughing). We also have a therapy gym (equipped with a wii) that all of the therapists use. I typically spend 1-3 hours a day in a therapy pool where I see people who have had back surgeries, knee surgeries, strokes, have general debility or weakness, or pretty much any other diagnosis that would benefit from the low impact and highly resistive environment that the water has to offer. Personally, I think it's a fantastic place to do therapy! The benefits I have seen with a good pool program far outweigh any risks, and the patient's love it!

The cats have just been hanging out usually by the fire, and if not they can surely be found snuggled up on my pillow or in the warmest persons lap. They are getting used to Zeke and as you can imagine... take absolutely no guff from him at all. I kinda think it's funny when Mama's on the table and Zeke has his nose up there pestering her. She usually boxes his face a few times before Zeke runs around the house once or twice and then goes back for more (she's being a brat, and he thinks they are playing). Calvin's a little less tolerant of Zeke than Mama, so Zeke treads pretty carefully around him.



We're getting ready for the holiday season, slowly. We have decided to carry on the Hanson family tradition of a new lighted ornament from Hallmark for the christmas tree every year. Last year we got a lighthouse and a firetruck that light up and a Spiderman ornament. This year we added a jukebox that lights up, a talking Taz ornament and a "Where the Wild Things Are" ornament. Rene' is thinking of coming for Thanksgiving so we're also trying to get the house ready for that. Should be fun!!!

One whole week of Zeke!

Hello again everybody!

I've been at my new home now for a week already! Can you believe it? I'm doing pretty good, and am settling in nicely with my new family. I had a little bit of a rough go because I was so scared of everything. But, my anxiety is lessening by the day and I'm starting to think it's OK to try some new things. I'm still a little scared of the chuckit toy, but I think it's kinda fun to chase the ball. My dad has been working on getting me to bring it back and "drop it" but why would I want to do that after I just went and got it? Hmmm... My mom says that I'm finally learning how to play. Sometimes I grab my hedgehog or my duck and I run as fast as I can around the house making them squeek. Other times I just mouth them, or carry them with me. My mom and dad laugh when I play, and lot's of times they will even play with me. When I'm tired, I like to tuck my toys under my chin and take a nap with them.

At first I wouldn't go in the bathroom for anything, but now I've decided it isn't so bad, it's warm in there after mom takes a shower. My mom and dad were really relieved to find out that I'm not a chewer, and I don't dig either. Mom and Dad say WOO HOO! I also learned how to sit. This was not my very favorite thing in the world, but I do it even though sometimes there is no treat involved. My dad said I was really resistant to it for some reason. I also am learning how to come, stay, laydown and shake. These are coming along nicely and I'm at about 50-60% (sometimes after several cues) of doing it all the time. I also figured out what "out of the kitchen" means. I test my mom sometimes by sneaking over the carpet line and onto the linoleum when I think she isn't looking. Hee Hee. I guess counter surfing is a no-no, and so is getting in the garbage. I'm still tempted to do these things and sometimes I even still get caught. My mom and dad say that I'm quite the little escape artist. I get out of my kenel any way I can find. My dad cabled the whole thing shut though so I couldn't get out anymore, but I sure fooled him! Then my mom put cinder blocks around all of my escape places and today was the first time I stayed in. Usually when mom came home to check on me I was sitting on the back deck, waiting. Mom did find me one day over at Mimi and Grandpa's house, where I was laying in the kennel with Nike and Hannah. I just really like to be where everyone else is. One of my favorite things to do is sit with my mom when she reads her book. Sometimes she even lets me sit in the chair with her! Dad likes to do stuff outside, and I just tag along with him where ever he decides to go. My brother and sister cat things (Calvin and Mama) are starting to like me a little better. Sometimes I think it's fun to chase them, but only until they chase me back. I don't like it when they hiss at me, it's scarry! Sometimes Calvin lets me lay by the fire with him, but only if I'm really quiet. And sometimes if I sit really still the Mama kitty will come up and sniff me but then when I move she runs away from me.

I got tutored this week, which my mom and dad say is a good thing although I'm not so sure. I also had a BB/pellet removed from my right shoulder. I have three stiches in there and so I have to wear a shirt because otherwise I scratch it and make it bleed. I could really care less about wearing a shirt, as long as it's not pink. My mom put a sock on me at first, and I really didn't mind that either. The bummer part is I can't go out and play like I want to. Mom says I have to heal a little more first. Oh! I gained some weight! I'm at 75 pounds now. My ribs still show and my hip bones still stick out pretty far, but I'm looking a little better. My mom says she's glad I'm not shedding so bad anymore. The vet says that she is not sure the scar on my forehead is going to go away so I might have a bald spot there forever, but that's OK. The vet made fun of my snaggle teeth and my overbite too (my overbite is about 1/2 inch wide, and my bottom teeth are crooked). Sometimes I have a little bit of a hard time grabbing things because my teeth are so gnarly, so I usually grab them from the sides. Which reminds me... I'm learning how to take nice. My mom doesn't really like it when my teeth accidentally touch her fingers. That's a no-no too.

Well, all in all I'm doing pretty good!

Love,

Zeke (or Zeekers when dad's not listening)

Zeke Comes Home!

Hello Everybody!

My name is Zeke, and I'm somewhere between 1 and 2 years old. Today my mom and dad came and got me from the doggy clink. I didn't really like it much in there, it was cold and noisy. My mom and dad said they picked me because I was mellow for my pedigree. I just like to hang out and be where everybody else is. I also like to sit on laps even though my Grandpa and Mimi say I'm too big. I really thought the car ride home was fun, especially when we stopped at a pet store! My mom and dad are pretty sure I've never been in a pet store before. As a matter of fact, I haven't been really anywhere but the pound (oh and the little trip out of my yard I took to get there). I was there because I don't have any manners, that's what my mom says anyways. My dad says come on I know you know how to "SIT," but really I have no idea what that means. Actually I don't really know what anything means yet. I'll keep you posted as I start to figure some stuff out. My old name was Beau, but my mom and dad changed it because they said it sounds too much like NO. My Mimi says my new name fits me well.

I'm a little bit of a fraidy cat. I'm scared of even the littlest things. My new brother and sister are 2 cats. They make funny noises, and one of them even bit me when I was sniffing it's face. I don't really know if I like them quite yet, maybe if I lick them they will like me. Maybe not. I also am scared of the computer, my mom riding on the lawn mower, my dad's tools, and pretty much anything else that makes noise. I don't really like it when I get left by myself. When that happens, I cry. I have some scratches from the doggy jail, particularly one big one on my forehead (my dad wanted to name me Dent), one on my ear, and a bunch on my legs. My mom says I'm way too skinny. I weigh about 65 pounds, but you can see all of my ribs and all of my muscles. But, I do like to eat so it shouldn't take long to fatten me up.

I also like this really neat toy my mom and dad got for me. It's a hedgehog. I have a duck toy too! My dad threw some balls for me and I chased them but after that I'm not really sure what to do next. Dad thinks I'll get it with some time and patience. Mom says that she just likes that I'm a snuggle bug. I even get to sit in the chair (and on mom's lap), although I haven't been able to worm my way up onto the couch yet. The place that I get to sleep is like a big cave with a warm bed in it. I'm not sure I'm going to like it, but mom says I have to until I'm all the way potty trained. I guess it will work. My mom also says that I have some junk that needs to be gotten rid of. I don't know what that means, but I hope she doesn't get rid of my toys.

I met my Grandpa and Mimi today for Grandpa's birthday party. At first I was a little hesitant, there was a lot of people there. My grandpa is nice and he even said that when I gain some weight he will take me for a run. My Mimi feeds me table scraps even though my mom and dad say I'm not supposed to have them. She also gives really good hugs. I also met Lindsey, Hunter, Gavin, Aunt Vicki, Cody and Steve. Everybody ate dinner, and I just laid on the floor. My mom said she was really proud of me. Then everybody sang. What's that about anyways? That Hunter kid was pretty nice, and the Gavin kid was too. They sure like to touch me, I think I like it too.

My mom and dad say that after I'm trained I can go to doggy day care once a week. I hope it's fun. I can't go until I at least know my basic commands which dad says are "COME, SIT, STAY." They think I'm going to be a quick study. So far so good anyways.

CIAO!

Zeke