Christmases Past (When Life Was Merrier)

Hannah loved Christmas.  She loved helping everyone open their gifts as much as she loved opening her own.  And after the gifts were open there was always the paper to shred!  And it's true what they say:  Life is merrier with an Airedale terrier.  These are photos from Christmas, 2014.

"It's my gift.  I will open it!"

"Oh, this is such fun!"

"Look what I got!  I love these squishy toys!"

"Let me fling it around by myself, squish it between my teeth, and then maybe I'll invite you to play tug."

"Oh, another gift to open."

"See my long-tailed, squeaky toy?"

"But I think I like the squishy, stretchy toy best."

"What?!  No, I'm not giving you one!"

"They are both my new toys and I'm keeping them, thank you very much."

How I missed buying gifts for Hannah and having her help me open gifts this Christmas!

--Nancy.
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Hannah at Play in the Leaves

It was such fun to see Hannah play so wholeheartedly!  There's a toy hidden in the leaves, one she tosses, loses in the leaves, digs for, then tosses again, and again, and again....

And the object of her interest?  Can you see it in the photo below?

Here it is. 

A life-like rubber frog!  She loved this frog (as long as it lasted). 

When Hannah felt safe, we saw her youthful exuberance.  These photos were taken when she was 2½, in November, 2008, about six months after she came to live with us.  She'd gained about 6 or 8 pounds (up from about 50 pounds) and was looking good.  She may look overweight but she wasn't.  We learned that her hair grew fast and already needed another clip.

How I love that girl!  Forever missing Hannah.

--Nancy.
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Pirate Duck

This pirate duck is one of my favorite toys.  He's big enough that my mum and I can play tug with him.  My sister bought him for me a few years ago.  She wasn't sure I'd like him but I do.  He has a funny honking duck sound when I squeeze him.  I don't play with him all the time but I like him and pull him out now and then.

Do you have favorite toys?

Bye.  I hope you have a fun day.

--Hannah.

Hi.

Whatcha doin'?  Do you wanna play tug with me and my duck?

It's a dandy duck.  It's the biggest toy I have and it's big enough for two of us to get a good hold for a fun game of tug.  Wanna play?  Come on, you know you do.

I don't like to have my photo taken but mum got this new gadget, something she calls a smartphone, that she uses to sneak snapshots of me.  I think phones should stick to their own business and not be cameras.

She clipped me a week or so before this photo was taken but she missed a few spots.  Do you think my eyebrows are uneven?

I hope you have a fun weekend and don't worry about those big bangs that start this time of year.  They bother me a lot but less than they used to.  We'll all be safe.

from Hannah.