The Winston Wagon » basset http://thewinstonwagon.com The daily life of a special dog with special needs Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:22:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 No excuses people! http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/14/no-excuses-people/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/14/no-excuses-people/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:24:41 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=187 My serious sideEverywhere I go it seems like people are amazed by my fortitude.  They just can’t seem to believe how well I soldier on with my wheelchair.   I hear, “Look at him go!” all the time.   Why shouldn’t I go? Why should I stop loving the things that I love to do.  Going out and meeting people and living life is the best. So what if I have a chair?  So what if  I can’t walk on all four legs anymore?  Big deal!  Some dogs don’t live to be my age. Some dogs are perfectly healthy and aren’t allowed to do what I do.   I am not going to stop.  There are no excuses to let something as simple as not being able to walk keep me down.  Remember that for yourself.  It might be a bad relationship, a crummy job, being broke, unlucky in love, or not fitting into the right pants or dress size that you would like that hinders you.  Stop making excuses!  Live life!  Don’t feel that the situation that you are in is permanent.  Look at me.  We thought that I would never be able to go for a walk again.  My wheels have helped me tremendously.   My wish for you is that you find something that will help you overcome your obstacle.    The answer isn’t always obvious but it is always there.

Take care everyone,

Winston

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/14/no-excuses-people/feed/ 1 Just checkin’ in on the boys http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/09/just-checkin-in-on-the-boys/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/09/just-checkin-in-on-the-boys/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:13:22 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=180

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/09/just-checkin-in-on-the-boys/feed/ 2 Top of the mornin’ to ya! http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/08/10/top-of-the-mornin-to-ya/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/08/10/top-of-the-mornin-to-ya/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:38:21 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=169

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/08/10/top-of-the-mornin-to-ya/feed/ 0 We’re back from vacation http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/20/were-back-from-vacation/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/20/were-back-from-vacation/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:03:51 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=156 We had such a great time in Maine.   Their state motto doesn’t lie.  It truly is how life should be.   We finally had time together as a family for more than an hour at a time.  Mom and Dad both work and they just had a baby in January so life for them has been busy.  Taking care of me and an infant has put a little stress on them both so I think a little time away did them a world of good.

What we mostly did was lots of nothing.  I am at my happiest when everyone is in the same room just hangin’ out.  I don’t like a lot of walking about or going in and out of the house. I always think that I am going to be left behind so that makes me nervous.  Mom and dad just played games, talked, ate, and spent some quality time with me and the kid.  The kid loved it and so did I .

I did miss Benny though. I was completely bummed out for the first couple of days.  I didn’t really do much of anything. This is when my mom took my for a walk in the center of town in Damariscotta.  What a nice bunch of people that lived there!  Well, I think that I caused a disturbance though.  The folks there had never seen a dog with wheels before.  People stared at me in there cars.  Shopkeepers pointed from there windows.  Pedestrians did double-takes as we strolled by. Several people actually came up to me and wanted to pet me.  It was awesome.  I felt like Elvis Presley.  We met tons of people during our two week stay.  Maine is chock full of animal lovers.  Did I mention that people yelled to me from their cars saying that they loved my wheels? Isn’t that the coolest?

I forgot to mention the best part of my trip.  We were on a walk in the town and my mom and I were approached by two very nice ladies from the town’s nursing home.  They liked me so much that we got invited to come visit the residents there.  We had a blast.  I loved getting the attention from everyone and the residents perked right up when they saw me.  It made me feel so good.  I wanted to get some pictures to post on here from our visit but I had to get consent first.   Oh well!  Mom thought it would be bet if we just enjoyed the people’s company and not bother them with legal stuff.   She’s right.   This trip got me thinking though about becoming a therapy dog for nursing homes around here.   I would love it and and my mom would too!

I do have some awesome pics to put up.   Mom has to unpack the camera first though.  They will be on tonight.

Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/20/were-back-from-vacation/feed/ 0 Just being me http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/15/just-being-me/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/15/just-being-me/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:03:46 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=129
Trying to get some rest please!

Trying to get some rest please!

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/15/just-being-me/feed/ 0 Uh oh…Ben’s in trouble. http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/12/uh-oh-bens-in-trouble/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/12/uh-oh-bens-in-trouble/#comments Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:46:38 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=105 I swear guy dog is like a goat.  He is so bad about eating socks and underwear or anything that has a human scent on it.   My mom got a phonecall from Nana.  Nana said that Benny has eaten the toes off of three socks and destroyed a pair of bloomers. Can you believe that guy?  He gives us all a bad name.  We’ve talked about his goat issues.   He says he gets terribly bored so he finds something to chew on to amuse himself.  He can also open doors too. My mom gets frustrated with him because here she is taking all of these precautions and then boom….another sock bites the dust. Walking helps because it wears him out.  After a good exercise session, Ben can do only one thing and that is sleep.  Thank God!

Ok kids.  We’re off to get some lobster. None for me though.  I get to go with my family and sniff around the dock. It’s lots of fun.

Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/12/uh-oh-bens-in-trouble/feed/ 0 I shouldn’t have eaten that… http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/07/i-shouldnt-have-eaten-that/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/07/i-shouldnt-have-eaten-that/#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:42:25 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=101 Be careful what you feed your dog or what your dog has the ability to eat when you are not looking.   I ate a piece of pizza when my family wasn’t on their guard and woah! Am I paying for that little slice of heaven or what!?!  My stomach has been grumbling and grumbling all day. I do not feel well at all.
So please be mindful of what you leave out.  Dogs just can’t help themselves to the good stuff.

Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/07/i-shouldnt-have-eaten-that/feed/ 0 Ugh…puppies. http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/01/ugh-puppies/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/01/ugh-puppies/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:59:16 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=82 Benny and Winston

I never thought that I would say this but these young puppies today get on my nerves.   My buddy Ben and I have this discussion whenver we see one walking with a human.  They are very annoying.  It seems to me that most do not know when to leave well enough alone.  Ya know what I mean?  When I was able to get away from them,  I didn’t mind so much.   But now…no way baby.  They bark. They paw at you.  They try to chew on your ears.   They want to chase you.  I have neither the time nor the patience for any of that nonsense.  It’s stressful.   Just because a puppy is cute and lively doesn’t mean we all have to like it.

Older dogs like Ben and dogs like myself need space.  We also need LOTS of attention.   A puppy doesn’t do us any favors.  Believe me.  I’ve heard the stories from my other pals.  It can be a little overwhelming for everyone.   This happened to my pal Frank the lab.  The puppy jumped on his back and Frank put him in his place.  Well, Frank suffers from stiff joints and bad hips.  It hurt when that little one did that.  I couldn’t even believe it when Frank said that HE was the one that got into trouble.  The nerve!  I felt bad for the guy.

We do know why you want the puppy though.  We know you love us.  We know you care.   We also know it will hurt like hell  when the day comes and we are no longer around to greet you at the door.    A puppy will help you through the pain of losing us.    We get it.  But please. Try to understand that we need you most when we are old.  Think of the puppy too.   The little squirt will need you to potty train it, entertain it, and teach it manners.   Don’t take away from that.  Getting a good start with the right education will turn that annoying little thing into an amazing dog like my mom did for me.

Think about it.  That’s all for today.  As all ways, take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston.

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/07/01/ugh-puppies/feed/ 0 The dreaded gate part 2 http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/26/the-dreaded-gate-part-2/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/26/the-dreaded-gate-part-2/#comments Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:54:00 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=77

As you can see, I wasn’t kidding about the gate.

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/26/the-dreaded-gate-part-2/feed/ 0 The dreaded gate http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/25/the-dreaded-gate/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/25/the-dreaded-gate/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:10:41 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=68 Mom and I get into arguments every once in a while and they are almost always over the dreaded baby gate that she puts up in the kitchen.  It really bothers me because I do not like to feel like I am boxed in.  It causes me great stress and anxiety.   I am LOADS better now because I have grown to tolerate the gate, but I still hate it.   Mom says that she needs to put it up when my ‘man-wraps’ are being washed or when she goes to the grocery store.   The need to protect her carpet and me from getting hurt outweigh my loathing for being put in a prison.   I do admit that I am being a little dramatic.  Mom fixes up the kitchen for me like I am some sort of Roman god.  I have food, cool water, and more comfy things to lay on than what  a dog should be allowed, but it doesn’t mean I have to think everything is sunshine and rainbows when I am stuck in there.  It’s not like it’s all day or anything.  Just a few hours tops.  Now, that I am thinking about it….maybe she has a point.  She just wants me safe and still have nice things in her house.   If the shoe was on the other paw, I would probably do the same thing.    Hmm…maybe I am being too unreasonable.    The jury is still out on that one.  I do think a truce is in order though.   I do act like I am in Alcatraz with no hope of escaping.  There is no need for it, but don’t tell her that.

Well, that felt good to get off my chest.  Take care of yourselves today.

Love, Winston

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