JOSH GROBAN

 Last night I went to my last concert at Tanglewood.  My auntie Sue went with us to hear Josh Groban and she said "so sad - this is the first of Raisin's lasts." ?????  I wonder what that means - makes no sense to me but I've learned that sometimes people say odd things.  Anyway it was a perfect night at Tanglewood - not too cold and no rain.  AND a great, great concert.

Plus a comfy foot to rest my head - what more could a puppy want?

Except maybe for auntie's lap for a snuggle.  I am so spoiled.

This is Froggie - he goes everywhere with me.

I saw this really cool piano while we were exploring.  I thought I could duck under the rope and sit on the seat (after all Kermit and Froggie maybe are related) but there was a guard so I just looked.

Sometimes walking out of Tanglewood is scary - there are millions of people walking at the same time and since I am black and nobody expects to see a dog, I often get stepped on or run into.  Not last night - my auntie brought me a collar that lights up and flashes so everybody could see me!

Now for some music.  Neil Diamond is one of my mom's favorites and Josh Groban sang one of his songs.

Then he sang our favorite song

And his last song for the evening - a tribute to Robin Williams

DORIS

Doris is the oldest GG - she is REALLY old. But very beautiful don't you think?

 She has been having trouble breathing for a long time so last week she went to the doctor for an operation.  The operation worked and now she can breathe!  She can go for walks and pretty soon she will be able to play with me again.  She looks kind of funny but her hair will grow back.  We are just happy that she is home and healthy once more.

VROOOOOM

Went to the Blandford Fair last night.  It would have been more fun if I could have eaten all the food on the ground.  Or at least played with the other dogs that were there.

Or ridden on one of these cool horses.

But no - I had to be a good girl.

 So much food - but none for me

I don't understand - what is the big deal with these very noisy trucks???

14 MONTHS

 TODAY I AM 14 MONTHS OLD!!  WHERE  HAS THE TIME GONE?

We went to Summerfest in Great Barrington to be part of the kids' program.  A bunch of kids came and met me.  There was chalk in lots of different colors - great big chalk - for the kids and grown ups to draw with.  When we first got there I sniffed it and had a pink nose!  I looked very festive with the chalk marks all over my legs and feet.

And more music.

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS OH MY!

THIS WEEK HAS ALL BEEN ABOUT MUSIC.

HELP ME RHONDA, HELP-HELP ME RHONDA --  SURFING USA - Ba ba ba ba Barbara Ann - ARUBA,JAMAICA,OOH I WANNA TAKE YA - I WISH THEY ALL COULD BE CALIFORNIA GIRLS -OH WOULDN'T IT BE NICE

I saw the BEACH BOYS at Tanglewood - and it didn't rain!

People were playing with gigantic beach balls, playing volleyball, throwing frisbies - all of those games looked like great fun to me - and a lot of people were dancing

I, of course, had to get dressed up.  But at least it was only some flowers and other people were dressed up also.  This young boy didn't care that I looked silly - he still liked me.

Then two days later we went to Lenox to listen to bagpipes.  I never heard anything like that before.

The next night we went to Third Thursday in Pittsfield and heard salsa music by Berkshire Bateria.  VERY LOUD. Lots of people were dancing in the street.

The next night we went again to Tanglewood for the Wizard of Oz.  That was a VERY SCARY movie with mean witches and flying monkeys.  The monkeys flew away with the dog in the movie - I was worried they'd come out of the trees and steal me!  A house fell on one of the wicked witches and the other witch was melted by Dorothy - everybody cheered.  I decided since the movie was too scary for a puppy that I would take a nap on mom's lap.

DIRT

          I DID NOT DIG THE HOLE 

I came home from Lil's house after class on Monday, ran into the backyard and discovered that my trees (my wonderful trees where Harvey taught me labra-goat) were gone!  GONE!! Who would steal my trees????  I found them the next day in my driveway. How did they get there?  It's a mystery.

Anyway - the next day I was in the yard and found this great hole where the trees used to be just waiting for a puppy (that would be me - Raisin) to climb in and relax.  BUT I DID NOT DIG IT.

CLASS

We had the funnest class ever tonight!  At least at the end - the rest of the class was normal - pack walk, obedience, blah, blah, blah.  But then we all got to play.  FUN, FUN, FUN.  The yellow puppy is my sister Blossom.

TANGLEWOOD ON PARADE

Why does it rain usually when we go to Tanglewood???  Last night was Tanglewood on Parade which is a big, big party at Tanglewood.  Right after we got there the storm moved in and it was BOOM, BOOM with lots of lightning and rain.  We fortunately were under our usual roof but it got very crowded when the lawn was evacuated because of the lightning and all I could see was legs.  

It was raining really hard and splashing us even though we were under cover - I was nice and cozy, though, under my umbrella tent.

I napped a lot - like I usually do at Tanglewood - but was rudely awakened by cannons.  Cannons at Tanglewood.  Really??  They were part of the music, I guess.

Then there were more booms and really pretty lights in the sky.  It sounded kind of like thunder but the lights were much prettier than lightning.

We're going to Tanglewood again when I come home from Lil's house.  I hope it doesn't rain.

VACATION

I'm all packed and ready to stay with Lil for a few days - it's a vacation for me - the GG's are going to miss me.  My mom said I must be on my BEST BEHAVIOR OR ELSE!  Or else what, I wonder?

REDCOATS TO REBELS

OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE

I am very tired - today was a huge day.  We drove for a long, long, long time to a brand new place for me to visit.  It was very busy and we had to wait in line for a loooooong time for tickets - actually just a ticket for my mom because I'm a dog and I don't need one. There were kids in front of me and kids behind me in line so I entertained them while we waited.  And got petted - and treats for being so good.  What a deal - pats and treats! Later on during our visit I would hear - "look - it's Raisin" and I would see the kids and their friends.   After we got thru the ticket process, I saw lots of people wearing strange clothes and uniforms.  I thought "UhOh - I know my mom has some horrid costume for me to wear.  Please no."  And Phew, nothing!

There was so much to see.  The first thing we saw were horses - big ones.  They were not very interested in me so I just watched them for a while.  

Then we moved on to the sheep.  They loved me - and they smelled really good.

We walked around where people were camping out for the weekend - and cooking.  YUM. 

I got to go on my very first boat ride.  There were turtles - I never saw turtles before.  And one man on the boat used to raise guide dog puppies a long time ago so he said "Raisin -look at me" and he took my picture

All the kids had to wear life jackets - but they did not have life jackets for puppies

Everybody on the boat said "good job, Raisin!!!"

After the boat ride I got to take a dip in the pond because I was very hot.  And it was my reward for being so good.

 All of these people were jealous because I, Raisin, got to go swimming

More sheep - they're everywhere!  Later on we were talking with some people who saw me with the sheep.  They said after I left the sheep put their heads thru the fence and watched me walk away.  Maybe they think I should be a labra-sheep, a black one. 

BAAAAAAAA

This was a very big bridge.

We watched some soldiers firing their guns.

There were a lot of people watching who thought it was very interesting.  

I, however, found it rather boring.  The noise did not bother me at all.

Then we watched some cannons being fired.  All the people watching jumped (my mom jumped very high).  

NOT ME

Next - I saw my friends the horses coming my way

Their riders showed us how to use sabers - very big, scary looking, sharp things

Finally it was time for battle - it was only pretend - and all the redcoats gathered to march off to war.

We did not go watch the battle because there were so many people following the army - we did some other stuff.
This playground is for kids under 7 - I'm under 7 so in we went.

We went in a house that had very scary stairs - but I did it!

Outside the house there was a cool place to take a break

We did finally go to the battle (remember it is not real so nobody could get hurt - especially puppies) but there were so many people there I could not see anything.  I could hear the gunshots, though, and all the yelling.

 We started back because I was very tired - it was a long day - and found a nice rock to sit on and take a break.  Imagine my surprise when both armies marched past us!!  The music was very loud but I was a "good girl, Raisin" and sat quietly.

Before we left - finally - I had my picture taken with some people.  They all thought that I am special. Well, of course I knew that already!

GREAT BIG THANKS TO MY AUNT MARY WHO WORKED TODAY FOR MY MOM SO WE COULD GO TO OSV FOR THE DAY!!

EVEN THOUGH I AM VERY TIRED IT WAS VERY FUN