Santa and his Reindogs get ready

Above, Nala poses for a new portrait in the warm morning light.   She shows why she is the favorite elder Golden in the house.   Below, Nala keeps watch for squirrels that may attack from other directions while Stella does the hard work of chasing the crazed squirrels up a tree. 

We are getting ready to pull Santa's sleigh on Christmas eve.  Surprisingly, many children still do not know that Reindeer are "so yesterday".  Our chauffeur (The Real Santa) spent about 20 days pretending to be a fake Santa by dressing up as a Mall Santa and talking in person to many children.    Most of them did not know that Reindogs pull the sleigh.   If you don't know about Santa and his Reindogs, you need to go back a couple of posts in this blog and catch up.

Many changes have taken place over the years, Santa is not old fashioned, he is up to date on technology.  His "Naught and Nice" list is now on line, well protected from theft by encryption technology we might add, you won't see this list on Wikileaks.   

Some basic changes have taken place at the North Pole.   No longer do bad people get coal in their stockings.   They were enjoying it and using it to keep warm.    Now if you get on the slightly bad list, you get a fruit cake.   No one can use a fruit cake, they won't even burn.  If you have been really bad, then you get a Chia Pet so that everyone can ridicule you and the whole world will know you have been bad.    We dare you to take a Chia Pet to Show and Tell at school when they ask "What did you get for Christmas?"  You better believe that child will work hard to be on the Nice list next year. 

Milk and cookies are still what most children leave out for Santa and his Reindogs.    Eating the cookies and drinking the milk is what keeps us Reindogs strong for the journey all night long.   Although a few more enlightened children are leaving dog treats under the tree, we make sure they get extra gifts for being so thoughtful. 

We recently started Nala on Rimadyl.  She was getting very slow when getting up and lying down, she was limping very noticeably when walking, her hips were very stiff.   Putting her on Rimadyl has made a new dog of her.   She now can go help Stella chase squirrels.  She does not actually chase them, she just gives Stella advise on how to chase them, based on her 13 years of experience.   She now serves as a consultant on the topic of squirrel chasing.     She is so much more mobile now.   She may be deaf and partly blind, but she still enjoys life.  She bounces and runs in circles when it is lunch time.   She is the clock watcher at our home, she starts telling everyone it is dinner time about one half hour before it is time.    She gets more and more excited and by the time dinner is served, she is bouncing around like a 2 year old puppy, which Stella is, not Nala.    It sure gets exciting at dinner time.    We each have our own place to eat and we have to go to that place, but that does not prevent Nala from jumping up and down at her feeding station.   

Nala is entering her second child hood and we all love it.  Stay young, Nala, you are a great lady.    She is still up for adoption on the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies web site and she is still technically a foster staying with us, but she would be so hard to move now.   She knows here way around, she gets along with everyone so well and with her deafness and blindness it would be hard for her to learn a new home. 

Mogley G. Retriever