Calvin Chronicles: A Week With Grandmom
Calvin here, Chocolate Lab, reporting for duty. Yes, I’m a big guy who may think he’s the size of a Yorkie, but that’s not really the point. I’m also the proud Grand Dog of Life With The Top Down, a.k.a. Tops.
Lately, Top’s been around more, babysitting my housemates, and I couldn’t be happier when she shows up. You know what that means: extra treats. I consider it a win for everyone, especially me.
Now, I’ll admit… sometimes my excitement gets the best of me. What can I say? I’m in love. When I see her, my whole body goes into full wiggle mode, and occasionally things in my path don’t survive the celebration, kids, chairs, maybe even a toy or two. Collateral damage.
Grandmom seemed a little surprised by my day all week. She kept saying things like “poor Cal” and “be gentle,” which I didn’t fully understand. But I did notice I was suddenly getting ice water and cheddar cheese added to my meals. So whatever happened… it must’ve been important.
I guess she didn’t realize that the littlest housemate has been using me as a step stool. Look, I’m just trying to be helpful. He was reaching for those cheese-flavored fish, and he does like to share… sooo, I consider it teamwork.
Here I am, starring as Rapunzel. The little girl housemate loves a good dress-up moment, and let’s be honest, her brother just doesn’t have the same natural talent for the role.
The weather was beautiful, which meant outside activities. I posed for my portrait. The artist did her best to trace my body on the deck, but space was limited, and apparently, I’m a bit larger than my inner Yorkie.
As for the finished masterpiece… I wasn’t expecting two noses and the bonus ear on top of my head, but hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The expression on my face says it all. I clearly know my alphabet, but I’m willing to play student one more time if it helps this housemate finally fall asleep.
This is me in my “Sunny Square”, that’s what my parents call it. I love when they say, “Cal, go to your sunny square.” Trust me, you don’t have to ask twice, I’m already there.
While my little housemates are napping, I take a moment to gather my thoughts and gear up for the rest of the day. It’s no small job protecting them from themselves.
Grandmom and I both had a rough day, so I stayed close and slept with her. It felt like the right thing to do.
As the day winds down and my housemates finally settle, I take one last patrol of my kingdom (also known as the living room). Everything seems in order, no snacks left behind, no tiny humans in immediate danger, and my Sunny Square will be waiting for me in the morning.
It’s a big job being me, but someone’s gotta do it. And tomorrow? I’ll be ready, wiggles, love, and something tells me the role of “Bunny” might be waiting for me.
Enjoy the Ride!
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A Village. A Volvo, and One Unapologetic Terrier
Today I had the pleasure of reading an essay titled “It Takes A Village” at https://athingirl.com/2025/12/11/it-takes-a-village/. Please stop by for a touch of Christmas Spirit.
That being said, I had my own village experience today, and I’m still thawing out from it since this afternoon.
On my way home from work, my neighbor texted me a photo from his Ring camera. A dog had shown up, and he was wondering if I knew who it was. Thankfully, I did. It was Scout, the rambunctious terrier mix, who had a hard time adjusting to life in an adoptive home. Little by little, she’s been getting better… just not today.
I pulled into my driveway and, lo and behold, there she was, right on my lawn. That lasted about two seconds. I called her name. She stopped. I walked toward her. She ran.
My phone dinged again. Another neighbor had been alerted and was heading out to drive around looking for Scout. Great! Meanwhile, I was now playing chase with Scout, who had managed to make it two blocks away in the freezing cold.
I knocked on the owner’s door. She was delighted to see me until she realized Scout was roaming the neighborhood solo. Mind you, it’s freezing, I’m 61, and I’ve been playing tag with a four-legged escape artist for a solid 20 minutes. So when she asked, “How did she get out of the yard?” I honestly don’t know what my face said, but my mouth stayed shut.
Just then, my knight in shining armor arrived, or rather, a white Volvo with every amenity known to man, including heated seats. Bless him. I climbed in, and we resumed the hunt in the lap of luxury.
The owner jumped in her own car, and off we all went. On our third lap around the neighborhood, we spotted Scout. I leapt out of my chariot for yes, another thrilling round of tag.
After “running” through yard after yard, Scout finally headed straight to her front door. I tiptoed, praying not to spook her, opened the door, and let her in. Mission accomplished… mostly.
Now it was time to call the owner, who is elderly and driving. After what felt like a million redials, she finally answered. I told her Scout was safely inside the house, warm and unapologetic.
I waited on the porch like a giant popsicle while my other neighbor, and those glorious heated seats, drove off to run errands. As I walked home, one thought crossed my mind:
“What if someone captured this insanity on their camera?” OH MY GOD!
By the time I finally made it home, frozen, windblown, and rethinking my entire personality, I decided two things. First, Scout is extremely lucky that she’s adorable. Second, if your Ring camera captured a woman running through your yard, yelling “SCOUT” with increasing desperation, that footage is fake news.
Enjoy the Ride!
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Two Bad Days
Over the past year, we said, “See you later,” to our beloved dogs Peanut and Landon. Landon left us on July 15th, 2023, and Peanut on November 1st, 2024. No one quite prepares you for the deafening silence that comes to a house without paws. We’ve had a set of paws for 19 years.
Landon came to us through the Dutch County Rescue. He was approximately 3 years old when he was rescued from a horrific puppy mill in Missouri. This left him with some physical issues, but nothing we weren’t able to take care of while he was with us. Landy is the dog version of a real rags-to-riches tale. Just when I thought my diaper days were over.
Peanut came to us through some friends who loved him enough to place him in our care when they could no longer give him the love and attention he deserved. Having just lost our beloved Chester the Beagle, we had plenty of love waiting to be given. Boy, did we provide it!
Although Peanut and Landon were their government names, they had many lovingly given names over the years. Landy and Dandy were most common for Landon, while P, Fred, and Pee Wee were the go-to’s for Peanut. There are many more, but I don’t want to seem crazy.
Pets truly leave their prints on our hearts. It’s incredible, really, when we think about it. I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t left with a mark from an animal. Even if they didn’t own a pet, someone’s pet along the way touched their heart and left a memory. Why am I envisioning Zoro but with a paw print? Anyway …
Losing these fur angels has been challenging. As I said earlier, Landy came to us with physical issues from the abuse he endured as a puppy, and I believe those things took a toll. He was 13, and we had him for 9 of those years. Last Summer, he had difficulty standing independently, and one day, he couldn’t walk. It became our “normal” to cater to his needs. It was so normal; we didn’t recognize how much he declined until we did. It was such a difficult decision because his spirit was still alive. At 10 pounds, he still had the appetite of a Great Dane and barked at anything that moved. He crossed over peacefully in my husband’s arms, where he was most comfortable.
Peanut, oh my sweet P. He wasn’t feeling well on Monday, and he still wasn’t himself by Wednesday, so I took him to the vet. The diagnosis: pancreatitis. He was scheduled to stay the night for treatment and testing. Peanut had never been away from the comforts of his home, and I was concerned he wouldn’t get the 5-star treatment he is accustomed to. Then the call came, one I did not see coming. P had a huge tumor on his spleen that spread to his liver. There was nothing to be done. It could be a month from now or tomorrow. If the tumor bursts, it will not be good. The only thing I could muster was, “Can I bring him home,” and that’s what I did.
My husband returned from his work trip early, and I took off. We spent the day loving P and discussing what to do. Our fear was not being home if he needed us. Again, he seemed fine, but our “fine.” If we were being honest, he hasn’t been “fine” for a while. We took him Friday morning, and he crossed at 11:11. We were bawling our eyes out, and Peanut lifted his head and started licking our faces passionately. He NEVER did that in the 12 years we had him. We believe it was his loving goodbye. Peanut was 14 years young, and the best fur baby a girl/family could have.
Writing this was difficult, but as someone once told me, “Get it out” and “Write it down.” I’ve been taking this advice very seriously these days.
Our fur babies gave us some of the happiest days of our lives and two of the worst.
Enjoy the Ride! This one was bumpy.
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Room Service
I’m not sure when this happened; all I know is it did. What, you ask? Well, I’m here to tell the tale of the king of our household—yes, you guessed it, the one with fur and paws.
Somehow, over this year, my husband and I have gone from owners of this abode to staff members.
We haven’t been able to pinpoint a time frame, but I know I was not the first to be hired, although I’ll admit I’m now a full-time employee.
We are so accustomed to our new roles that unless we have a guest, we don’t realize just how weird our behavior must look to the outside world.
My daughter was here for Mother’s Day, and she was the first to say, “What are you doing?” Without missing a beat, my co-worker replied, ” I’m getting P a drink.” Oh, let me clarify, P, our dog, was lounging on the sofa when he sat up, looked directly into my co-worker’s eyes, and telepathically demanded that his water dish be air-lifted in front of him to quench his thirst from doing absolutely nothing but snoring for the past two hours.
Needless to say, my daughter thought this was utterly insane, thought we needed help, and stated that she would under no circumstances be delivering water to P while he had four functioning legs.
Fast-forward to this weekend, when my sister, who I still believe birthed my daughter due to their similar personalities, came for a visit. We had plans for Saturday night, so she decided to stay in to catch up on Bridgeerton in peace.
The next day, she said, “I think something is wrong with Peanut.” Of course, I was not concerned because I somehow knew what was coming next. She explained that for a good half hour of Episode Six, Peanut was sitting on the couch crying, and she could barely hear the show. Without hesitation, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to say, I replied, “Oh, he probably wanted you to get him a drink.”
My sister is not delivering drinks to humans who are capable of getting up, let alone a dog. I wish I captured the look on her face. It was part horror, confusion, and a lot of WTF.
I explained the insanity, and as you all know, it sounds much more insane when you hear it coming out of your mouth. She responded, “Well, last I checked, I was not working at the Four Seasons.”
Something tells me Peanut n knows who will and will not be waiting on him hand and foot at the slightest sound of a whimper.
No worries, folks. We are well aware that we have created a terrible habit, but P is almost 15 years old, which is 105 in dog terms. If he wants room service from us, he will get it.
Enjoy the Ride!
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Sheets, Not The Streets
Is Mother Nature a little extra these days, or is it just winter? It’s winter!
If you’re watching the news in the morning as I do, you might think that this is something new for the East Coast in January.
Over the weekend, the media pushed the ICE fear any chance they got. Beware of untreated sidewalks. Freezing rain. Treacherous road conditions. Ice, ice baby.
This tragedy was to occur early Sunday morning. Now, I could care less if I don’t have anywhere to go, but my furballs, a/k/a Peanut & Landie, have to go somewhere to go, if you know what I mean.
As the best dog mother in the world, I set the alarm for 5:00 a.m. to get them out to do their biz before the ice age began.
My bougie fur babies enjoy the comforts of my king-sized bed and down comforter. They’re for the sheets, not the streets.
Peanut & Landie
Living Their Best Life
So, waking them from their lap of luxury to head into the dark artic air is a big freaking deal. It’s even bigger when you have to add coats, collars, leashes, and sidewalks loaded with rock salt.
In the end, it would all be worth it. We’ll be able to cuddle on the couch, knowing we dodged a potential broken back slipping as I tried to wrangle two little fur babies on an ice rink.
I thought ahead. I prepared for the worst. Only to have Mother Nature throw a curveball that ended with a forecast of “It will be warm and sunny unless it’s an ice age.”
If nothing else, this was a reminder that you can have all your ducks in a row, or your ducks can be running wild; we’re not in charge, so do your best and Enjoy the Ride!
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Sandy Paws
The Fur Balls!
Leading up to our vacation the concern was growing about the fur babies and their reaction to everything salty & sandy.
Peanut sat on my lap shaking like a leaf for the 2-hour drive. The poor little guy did not know what the heck was happening, other than his toys and bed were going with him. The last time this happened his previous owners left him at our house and never came back. Can dogs have PTSD? Yes.
Landon, on the other hand, slept like a husband, occasionally opening his eyes to check on his surroundings. Oh, it must be nice to be Landon.
Ocean City, NJ does not allow dogs on the beach during the regular season, however, the dog-loving beachfront homeowners paying a zillion dollars in taxes say “Oh please, just tell me to get off.” Gotta love the rule breakers who welcomed our pups to their protest.
Peanut & Landon LOVED the beach during the very early morning and late evening as much as we did. I think they sensed the peace.
Peanut channeled his inner mountain lion while climbing the dunes, and Landon played tag with the waves. Sandy paws are happy paws.
It’s strange, but I swear dog owners have some sort of magnetic force that attracts them to other dog owners.
Look who I met on my way to the way to the beach. Shhh … Peanut & Landon do not 
know about my Summer Fling.
Ladies and gentleman, meet Lucy. Could a name be more perfect?
This little-redheaded beauty is a 12-week old Cavapoo. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossbred with a Poodle a/k/a freaking adorable.
Her owners picked her up in Rochester, NY on Friday and drove her straight to their Summer home on the beach. Sadly, I only received a blank stare when I asked if they would consider rescuing a middle-aged woman.
I had the pleasure of seeing Lucy every day. We mainly discussed how the salt air was not friendly to our hair. You know, girl talk.
Ok, back to the fur boys that stole my heart. Spoiled is an understatement.
Here they are sitting outside of the ice cream parlor waiting for their order. Vanilla soft serve is their favorite.
They definitely received the memo about ice cream not having calories at the shore.
They went for walks.
Ate ice cream more than once.
Ran on the beach.
Went to the Chatterbox, a dog-friendly restaurant in town.
Enjoyed the beautiful sea breeze on the deck every night.
They were surrounded by all the humans they love unconditionally for 7 solid days.
“They’re on vacation” was the justification for all of the extra spoiling.
Seems like they’re on vacation every damn day while their home, but who am I to judge.
Surround yourselves with those you LOVE and Enjoy the Ride!
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Nailed It!
Just a little update to let the world know that yes, Peanut and Landon have been accepted to Camp Bow Wow! I know, I’m still in awe at their success.
As you can see during their interview they clearly nailed it. Just look at those wagging tails working the room like they own the damn place.
I was able to witness everything through my Camp Cam App. I think I missed my calling. The level of enjoyment I received stalking my dogs was alarming at best. Surveillance engineer or stalker … that line is very thin.
Dazzling the interviewer
After some initial formalities of the meet and greet portion of their interview, Peanut & Landon were taken to socialize with the other members. I’ll assume this is where business cards and bones were exchanged.
P & L are on the left getting the low-down from Ben the Beagle.
I know what you’re thinking, “everyone gets in Lisa, it’s a game.” I’m not going to lie, this did cross my mind. Part of me thought I was being forced to jump through hoops in order to make me believe my fur babies were extra special, but then I witnessed Bella, the 6-pound chihuahua mix shaking like a leaf in her Burberry knockoff coat as her owner told her “you flunked” while he was handed her rejection notice. Oh yea, right in front of us.
For the record, Bella seemed quite pleased with this outcome, however, her owner was now forced to continue making Martinis for her all day. I’m guessing she likes them dirty at night.
I can only assume this is Bella at home
It was all good at the end of the day. Peanut proudly received his acceptance notification as he posed for the camera, knowing full well this beauty would be on display for the world to see on the refrigerator a/k/a … the box of honor.
Look at those pearly whites!
Landon on the other hand …….
Something tells us he was “accepted” because siblings are an automatic admission.
The bottom photo cracks me up every time!
It doesn’t matter if you’re shaking like Bella, smiling like Peanut or winging it like Landon just make sure you … Enjoy the Ride!
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Reincarnation Goals
Lesson #1: Speak Clearly When Relaying Your Reincarnation Request.
Whether you believe in reincarnation or not I’m sure there has been a moment in your life when you thought “wow, I would love to come back as _________.” I have on more than one occasion.
I always imagined coming back as an animal, well, because they are just so much better people. Nothing but unconditional love.
I’m thinking something domesticated, nothing that prowls around in the jungle. That life seems a little tense.
Honestly, I’m not into looking over my shoulder on a daily basis because of a big bad co-animal looking for a snack or some bored rich guy looking for a new rug … OH HELL TO THE NO!
Too Hilarious Not to Share
Being a bird might be cool, but I’m not a big fan of heights, or a world where clean windows are potential death traps. Although leaving my mark on the windshields of the world while laughing from a nearby tree does sound inviting. Hmm … maybe.
Then I thought perhaps I could be a peacock, a flamingo or one of those other birds that have wings just for show. Everyone admires them for their good looks and pities them for their inability to fly. Hmm, sounds like the Kim K of the bird world … no thanks.
Looks like I’m a house pet kind of girl, however, I want to be placed in a house with someone who loves their pets like I do. Yes, I’m being selective.
Even though I’m deathly allergic to cats, I must say I LOVE their cattitudes. Recently I witnessed a cat walking across a 4 lane road, looking straight ahead as we all screeched, swerved and skidded to avoid killing him. ZERO folks … Z E R O ef’s were given!
He was so badass! He marched up a nearby lawn without even turning to inquire what all the ruckus was about. He already knew people, he already knew.
If I had the pleasure of coming back as a cat, I would insist on being Kate’s cat. Kate, over at Views and Mews, is the Carol Brady of cat moms. She’s purrfect!
I already picked out my parents if I’m lucky enough to come back as a dog. I want gay parents. Like Cam & Mitchel from Modern Family.
I met Richard and Robert when I took Peanut & Landon to the Vet. They were dropping off their daughter dog Bette. I’m 100% certain she is named after Bette Davis.
Bette had luggage including a monogrammed tote that read “The girl that owns this bag has been untouched, she is an original sexy beast.” I was very close to asking if they would consider rescuing a middle-aged woman.
As I sat green with envy, watching Bette sitting next to her tote as if she knew the routine. First the endless kisses. Then the hugs. Next, the reassurance she’ll have a fabulous getaway as she was swept off her paws by the young attendant, and carried to her suite. It was love at first sight for me.
Enjoy the Ride!
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Who Am I?
All morning I pondered on the question:
At what point did my life turn from waking up on a Saturday morning wondering what exactly did I do last night, to waking up thinking what container am I going to use for a fecal sample? Who am I …. really now?
No doubt there have been thousands of questionable comparisons over the years, but this was literally my first thought of the day. Life is too short people!
The longer I stayed in bed contemplating container options, the weirder it got.
You see, the fecal matter in question was being collected on behalf of my fur balls. That’s right ladies & gents, then I had to transport it, along with the fur balls, to the Vet for examination. Why?
Well, because I recently applied, yes APPLIED, for them to attend a Doggie Daycare and I need to provide evidence that they are indeed the healthy canines I claimed they were on their application. Because applying for colleges wasn’t stressful enough.
This all started because of some upcoming events that will leave my little lumps of love alone for a long stretch of time, and because we are wonderful parents we made the decision to investigate some options that would allow our little guys some outside loving hands and play time while we’re gone. Yes, we are still talking about pets.
Peanut & Landon sporting sweaters from their collection
After conversations with other pet owners, and the review of endless online accolades, we decided to give Camp Bow Wow the opportunity to care for Peanut & Landon in our absence. Not quite that easy.
My initial inquiry prompted an email with instructions that are equivalent to completing a FASFA application x’s 2. I have a new respect for parents of twins.
Aside from providing normal information such as an emergency contact, I was also required to describe how my guys interact with large dogs, people and disclose if they have ever been exposed to a group of 8 or more dogs. According to my responses I have successfully raised 2 sheltered homeschooled dogs.
Seriously, you do not realize how weird you are with your pets until you see things like “Peanut a/k/a “P” loves people, other animals, and children. He is an all around social butterfly wherever he goes” in your own handwriting.
After submitting the applications, along with their clean bills of health, I was able to schedule their interview. Yes, you did read that correctly …. INTERVIEW.
Do the hats make them look desperate?
They are to report to Camp Bow Wow on Friday at 11:00 a.m. where they will be observed for 3 hours while I wait to hear if they’ve been accepted. Maybe there’s a bar nearby …
Personally, Camp Bow Wow should be honored to have my fur babies paws gracing their facility, but that’s the mother in me talking. Meanwhile, I’ll be scheduling an appointment with the Groomer so they look dapper for their big day.
Enjoy the Ride!
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Low Riders
Zero Fucks Given
Today in Philadelphia we are dealing with some nasty weather conditions. Winter has arrived shutting everything down for the day. Yesterday it was shorts, t-shirts and record breaking temperatures, but that’s none of my business Mother Nature.
My luv bugs Peanut and Landon, who are on the same schedule, seem to have some “issues” with Mother Nature’s latest mood swing. They are no doubt the Felix & Oscar of the canine world.
Peanut and Landon are what we like to call a “low riders.” They have short legs.
We have discovered that Peanut does not care that he is built like Danny DeVito. He struts through puddles, snow drifts, and high grass as if he is working the runway. Wet belly, snow balls stuck to his undercarriage like a canine Swifter without one single care in the world given.
In fact, Pee Wee has been channeling his inner Husky since day one. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, he can’t wait to hit the snow. He avoids all shoveled areas, leaves his coat in the house and intentionally climbs to the top of snow piles to gracefully leave a pile of his own. Shhh! He doesn’t know we pick it up.
Nah, I’m good.
Then we have Landon, who is also a low rider and owns it. He has zero interest in the snow or any other weather that does not include sunbeams with perfect temperatures. High maintenance is an understatement.
Landy Dandy does not have it easy when bad weather hits our area. Nope, not one bit. Unless you consider being CARRIED over puddles and patches of snow a hardship.
Landon, the Rosa Parks of canines, REFUSES to go out in the elements for any reason whatsoever. It’s a flat, solid … NO! He doesn’t even consider conforming to the masses. (ME)
So, while my neighbors are enjoying Netflix binges on this snowy day, I will be spending a good amount of my time freezing in my yard as I coax a dog to pee, and blow drying snow balls off of a husky wanna be.
Enjoy the Ride …. even when it’s slippery!
Life With The Top Down 
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