Final post

Hello to all of Clifford's friends,

At 7:30pm tonight, July 13, 2010, Clifford George Jackson moved from this world into the next. I was honored to be at his side during this process and with his permission I am honored to write this, the final post on his blog.

On many of his earlier posts, Cliffy had indicated that his life had not always been good but he never quite told the whole story. Part of this was because he didn't want to be pitied. He didn't want to be stereotyped as "broken" or "damaged". And yet when he arrived in my home and in my life he was broken and damaged. Cliffy's owner passed away and his owner's wife took him to the animal shelter to be euthanized. Fortunately the Schnauzer Rescue, Cincinnati, found him and asked me to foster him and adopt him. When he arrived, he was terrified of everything.

It took months of love and encouragement, especially from Mikey, the wonderful, exuberant rescue Schnauzer and his new brother. Slowly we started to see Cliffy emerge and were delighted to meet this wonderful, loving dog, who was quiet, gentle and funny! We settled into a wonderful life of fun and love. Last year in October we had a setback when Mikey very suddenly passed away. Cliffy was devastated, but slowly he started to enjoy being the only dog and getting all the attention. His fabulous personality that you have all come to know, came out in full force. I loved watching this metamorphosis. I loved seeing Cliff enjoying life and commanding attention.

As you know over the past few months Cliffy has been showing his age. He had lost his hearing and most of his vision and his strength was starting to diminish, but he was still CLIFFY. This weekend that changed. Another bout of pancreatitis flared up and after trying to keep him comfortable at home I finally had to take him to the vet. He had one seizure last night and five seizures this morning. I went to visit him at lunchtime today and he was in a great deal of pain, despite being on pain medication. This evening I went to see him. He had another seizure. I have never seen him in so much pain and distress. It was time to let him go.

From the moment Clifford came into my life I knew we were on borrowed time and I knew that every moment we had together was something to be cherished. Tonight that time came to an end, and I am extraordinarily sad. This little dog, who had endured so much, has taught me so much. I was in awe of him for being willing to trust me after all the bad things that humans had done to him before. It was a valuable and necessary lesson for me to learn. His dignity in the face of his physical challenges was incredible and I will carry that lesson with me as I face challenges of my own.

In his life Cliffy has experienced a great deal of pain. Today it was physical pain. but it has been a different kind of pain he has experience before. But I realized tonight that as awful as pain is, and as much as it can dominate one's life, it eventually ends. Maybe relief comes from medication or recovery or perhaps even the final release as was the case tonight. So pain, and probably most other things are temporary. What is enduring and constant is love. Not the love that binds one to another, but the perfect kind of love that holds you when you need to be held and lets you go gently when it is time to go. Its not easy to find this kind of love. As humans we want to to possess and own the things we love. Our dogs and other animals teach us more about this kind of true love. They love us without expectation and when we often don't deserve to be loved. They allow us to be more vulnerable than we would dare to be with another human. They live in the moment and we can try to learn that from them.

Maybe because he came into my life late in his life, I never felt like I "owned" Cliff. I knew what I needed to do was to love him and that would be enough. And I think that is probably always enough. So, tonight I am here with Olive. Very out of character, Olive is sitting next to me. There is no doubt that she knows Cliffy has gone. We are both sad and there will be little to console us until we get used to this new reality.

Clifford George Jackson came into my life on March 28 2008. I will cherish every memory I have of him. I could not have loved him more, I think I loved him enough for several lifetimes.

My deepest gratitude goes to the Schnauzer Rescue, Cincinnati for giving me the privilege of caring for Clifford for the last part of his life, also to all of you who have shared his stories, and mostly to Clifford George Jackson, for sharing his life with me.

The Human of Clifford George Jackson
Namaste Cliffy - see you soon babe.

From my sick bed

Hello to all my friends,

I am sending this message to you from my sick bed. My old nemesis, pancreatitis has struck again and I am feeling really lousy today. The human is taking good care of me, but is not giving me much food which is terrible - I AM STARVING!

Now I know she is doing the right thing - no food helps my pancreas rest and reset itself, but it doesn't stop me from being hungry. I am in a lot of pain so if this post is short and reflects the less than charming side of my personality, then I apologize, but when you've walked a mile in my paws then you might be more understanding.

I know exactly why this happened. As you know the human is uber-vigilant about feeding me a pancreas friendly diet, but on Friday, I seized the opportunity to take a huge mouthful of tuna off her plate when she stupidly put her plate down to answer a phone call. She was distracted, and I was jonesing for something other than chicken and rice, so I threw caution to the wind and laid into the tuna. In my excitement I knocked the fork off the plate - she heard that and immediate realized what was going on. She ran to grab the plate from me. I knew I had just a few seconds and vacuumed as much tuna into my mouth as I could.

Of course, I did not get into trouble. The human knew it was her mistake to leave her plate where I could reach it. Plus I think she knew I would be facing the consequences of my bad choice soon enough. So, here I lie, miserable, in pain and hungry - all because of a momentary weakness - DARN THAT TUNA!

So far I am doing well enough to avoid a trip to the vet. But it will depend on how dehydrated I get. I really hope the human can help me get through this without having to go and get IV fluids.

The human says I need to rest, and for once I am going to pay attention to her. So, if you will excuse me I need to get some sleep and hopefully get through this soon.

A word of advice to all of you - don't take food off other people's plates - no matter how good it looks.

Ouch, ouch,
Clifford George Jackson

Dog days of summer

Did we just spin off our normal orbit and end up closer to the sun, or maybe on the sun? It sure is hot. So, can anyone tell me why hot summer days are referred to as the dog days of summer? My theory is that everyone pants like a dog when its so hot.

Even Ms. Cool Cat aka Olive is feeling the heat. She is spending most of the day indoors, sleeping in my bed. On Sunday morning she went for a walk with us and she was panting - no, really! Walks have been cut back because my energy evaporates in this blistering heat. I start off strong but literally fade after about a block and a half.

I hope all of you, well at least all of my US friends, had a good holiday weekend. The 4th of July - what a fun celebration! I often wonder what the original founding fathers would think of all of the way we celebrate Independence. They don't strike me as guys who knew how to have a lot of fun. Sometimes I think their hats might have been too tight!

My human went to visit J & W yesterday evening. I got to stay home - too hot for me to be out, but I did miss seeing two of my favorite humans, especially Ms. J - I think she has a crush on me! But then there are quite a few ladies smitten with The Clifford!

Post Buble concert feedback - two CDs and a concert t-shirt! So not only has the human been singing along with the Michael Buble CDs, but she is now also dancing around while she sings. Every now and again, she picks me up and makes me dance with her - OMG! Actually I blame this on Mikey (may my sainted brother rest in peace) but he loved it when the human would sing and dance and he would jump up and start prancing around and then she would pick him up and they would dance like crazy fools! So, Mikey, when I see you again - you owe me!

Well, my friends, stay cool! And if you dance, make sure no one is watching!
Clifford George J

Mikey, the dancing dog!

Hello to all my friends!

I am home again after being shipped off to the vet once again. Really, this is all just a little too much - seven trips in just over two months! Even with the special treatment I get at the vet, this is too much for me.

The human assures me she is home for a few weeks, and I hope so. I need to be able to relax and catch up on my sleep and treats. Nobody gives me more treats than my human, so I have a lot to catch up. I have also decided that when I first get home from the vet I will refuse to sleep in my dog bed. Its quite simple really - just a battle of wills and you can guess who wins! I don't really have an issue sleeping in my bed - its really comfy, but there has to be some payback for all this travel - right?

In the short time that I have been home, nothing too exciting has been happening. You know, good food, lots of treats and walks. With the hot and humid weather we've been having I find myself running out of steam on our walks. So, my goal now is to see how slowly I can walk. Its amazing just how much one can slow down. The human, in her never ending quest to make me happy, is endlessly patient with me. I can tell she would really like to scoop me up and carry me home to put an end to the walk, but she resists every time. I think I am now able to stretch a what was a twenty minute walk to a 35 minute walk! I am going for 45 minutes!

This weekend we will celebrate Independence Day. I remember from last year there were a lot of fireworks around the area. Now, you know that generally dogs despise fireworks, but this year I will not be bothered by the mini-explosion at all! This is one of the benefits of being deaf. Another will be after my human attends a Michael Buble concert tomorrow evening. You know when she gets back and for a few days after that she will be listening to Michael Buble CDs and worse still, singing along with them - YIKES! At least this time I won't have to listen!!

Well, there you have it - an update from Clifford George Jackson
Let freedom reign!

Resurfacing

Wow! I can hardly believe how much time has passed since I last posted on my blog. It was right after Mother's Day, and here it is almost Father's Day.

Well, I can give you a whole bunch of reasons for my silence but the real reason is that I have been trying to deal with some changes in my life. I am never a big fan of change anyway, but the things that have been happening have had me a little out of sorts.

As you know, I am getting up there in age, and I have been aware of some subtle changes with my body, but in the last few weeks and months it seems that instead of these changes creeping up on me, they have been executing a full on assault! So, suddenly I gone from missing the odd sound to missing all but the loudest sounds. The vet had mentioned something about cataracts on my eyes, but until recently I didn't really buy it - now I have to acknowledge that I am loosing my sight too!

All of this has been a tremendous struggle for me to accept and so as I have been trying to deal with this new found vulnerability. One of the most difficult things for me to handle is needing help from my human. I feel like the roles have been reversed and she is now my protector. It's a bitter pill to swallow.

My human has really been trying to make me feel better. She has pointed out some benefits to being deaf. We have been having lots of thunderstorms lately and I, of course, can't hear the storms, so I can sleep through the whole thing. Recently, when we were walking, we met two adorable little girls who wanted to pet me. As they were really close, I could see that they were talking in the really high pitched manner that excited little girls have - and once again, this didn't bother me, and I could stand there and soak up the attention.

The human even bought me a really cool Chinese jacket on one of her trips (I think Chicago)- its not quite the smoking jacket I wanted but its close and its really cool! Watch for photos!

So, my friends, this has been a challenging time for me, but I think its something we get to face if we are lucky enough to live a long life. And as I slowly learn to accept my frailties, I will remind myself of all the good things in my life - things like friends, and families, and FATHERS!

Happy Father's Day!
Clifford George Jackson

Post Mothers'Day Wrap

Hello all,

I am back home and the human is back from New Orleans. It seems that the oil spill in Louisiana is wreaking havoc. Did you hear that they use dog hair to assist in the clean-up? I personally never shed, but for my colleagues who leave dog hair everywhere, remember this fact the next time your human rants and raves about dog hair on their clothes!

So, yesterday was Mothers' Day or is it Mother's Day? This is an odd holiday for dogs. Very few of us remember our mothers, which makes sending a card difficult, right? Seriously though, although I don't remember my mother, I do think about her, and wonder what she was like and what kind of life she had, and what she would think about me.

It makes me a little nostalgic but it also makes me realize that biological mothers are not the only mothers we have. Aside from the obvious meaning, mother also means originator, protector, take care of someone tenderly,... When you look at it like that you realize that in the course of our lives we may well have more than one mother.

And that is probably a good thing, because sometimes we need all the mothering we can get. I watched my human yesterday and although she didn't say much about it, I could sense that she was missing her mother too. Her mother lives in a different country and like so many of us who are far from our mothers (in whatever way that might be) Mother's Day reminds us of the hollow place we have in our hearts when our mothers are not with us. My human has several people who help mother her since she is far away from her own mother, but I can tell she has a strong bond with her South African mother.

In some ways (and please don't tell her or I will have to endure being showered with kisses and being spoken to in baby talk) my human is one of the mother figures in my life, as are some of the wonderful people at the rescue organization who helped me at the worst time of my life. Sometimes I think that people who aren't your mother but step up and act as mother when you need it most, need a special holiday all of their own. I wonder what we could call that holiday?

Mothers come in all shapes and sizes, and aren't always what you are expecting, but they always seem to come through for us. So lets celebrate all our protectors, and all those who care for us with tenderness, whether we call them Mother, Mom , or anything else.

To all my mothers - thank you and I love you all
Clifford G.

On my way to the vet!

Well, hello again,

I thought I would try and sneak in another post before the human takes me to the vet for a 6 day stay. She is heading off to New Orleans for some big conference - all work and no play makes her pretty dull!

While I am at the vet, I am having my teeth cleaned. When I was last there they tried to clean my teeth, but I was not having any of it. When I first moved here I had to have 20 teeth extracted, which is no joke. And which was also not my fault. Its not like I had a toothbrush and some floss. My life before this was not exactly pleasant and I did not get the kind of care and attention I get now. So, after enduring that last lot of dental surgery, there was no chance I was letting them anywhere near my few remaining teeth. So, my human has arranged for me to be sedated while they clean my teeth. She had convince me that this was a) going to be painless for me and b) that it was critically important. She did a good job of convincing me, and now I realize that this minor inconvenience for me is important - I really can't afford to lose anymore teeth!

J and W have promised to come and visit me while I am staying at the vet. It pretty cool for me, because I am the only dog boarding who gets visitors. It does a lot to boost my reputation! Plus they always bring treats!

Well, hopefully when I write again I will have some pearly white teeth to show you. In the meantime remember to floss!
Talk to you soon
Clifford George Jackson

Rainy Monday

After some spectacular spring weather, we have had some rain on and off since Saturday. Now I know rain is important for several reasons, but as you know I am not a big fan of rainy days. It has severely curtailed my outdoor time, so I might have become a tad cranky over the past few days.

What is more interesting is that the human appears to have some sort of spring fever and is going out more. This is really strange, but not necessarily a bad thing. She went to dinner with friends on Saturday evening and then went out for lunch on Sunday! Usually the only thing that gets her out of the house is when she has to travel for work, or when she has to shop for my food. So, I wonder what is going on? I am not complaining, sometimes I like having the place to myself as it gives me time to lie on every piece of furniture in the house.

This morning the human took me for a walk - in the rain! And would you believe it, the cat, Olive, joined us for our walk. She often joins us for our walks, even when there has been snow on the ground. It really makes people stop in their tracks to see a cat out walking with a human and a dog. Have you ever heard of a cat going for a walk, let alone a walk in the rain? She finally ran off when a school bus came driving by and spooked her. We haven't seen her since. She has probably found some new and exciting place to explore. But in the rain? She is, to put in mildly, an interesting cat.

Well, I need to try and find a cozy spot and catch up on my sleep.
Stay warm and dry 'til next time
Clifford G. J.

Did you think I had forgotten you?

Hello to all of you!

I know its been a while since I last wrote to you. I wish I could say that I have been busy, but that would be a stretch of the imagination. Once again you can blame the human, she has been busy and that means I have to lie around and wait.

I hope you all had a good Easter. I did, and I got some Charlie Bear treats in my Easter Basket. I overheard the human telling someone that she was going to cut egg shapes out of bread and give them to me as my Easter treat. Well, at least she was trying to be creative! For those of you who are puzzled by this, I usually get bread as my treat. This pancreatitis severely restricts what I can eat, so no ordinary dog biscuits for me. I stick to wholewheat bread and Charlie Bears, both of which are low in fat, which is what my pancreas can't handle. Hardly a tough life! Besides the Clifford likes to watch his boyish physique, so only the best for me!

The human and I kicked back on Sunday night and watched some movies and then watched a few episodes of the Dog Whisperer. That Cesar Milan, he is quite something, isn't he? He really thinks he has us dogs all figured out. He thinks because we respond to some command we have changed our behavior and you humans are now in control. Hasn't he read my earlier blog posts about acting? And as for that notion of the human being the pack leader, well, really, is he kidding? Does he, and don't all of you humans, realize what is going on? We can respond to your commands, do those little tricks you find so amusing, stay off the furniture,...but do you really think we care? We know what's going on, and we know which side our bread is buttered. So, next time your dog does something cute in return for a treat, just stop and think about what might be going on in our old brain box. I guess its no different than you feigning respect/love/admiration/fill in the blank, for your significant other/spouse/boss/fill in the blank, to get what you want from them.

Luckily for me, my human doesn't try to implement any of his techniques with me. As she says, "Cliffy, you are the perfect dog" so why would she want to change anything. Sometimes she shows some real potential.

Well, the human is hitting the road again this weekend, so I am gearing up for a visit to the vet. Its been a while since I visited them, so I hope they have things shipshape and ready for me.

And to those of you who have asked for my opinion of healthcare reform, I will be posting my comments on that soon.

Happy Spring to all of you,
Clifford George Jackson

Birthday wrap up

Well, my friends, here I am a year older. The birthday party went well, and I want to give a shout out to all my friends who came out to see me and celebrate with me. It was a good evening!

Two of my favorite humans, W & J, gave me this really cool shirt. It reminds me of a Roy Lichtenstein piece of art - you know pointillism meets pop art. It says "Woof" on the back, which saves me having to say it myself, people can just read my shirt. They also gave me a necktie. I know some of you think of neckties as an instrument of torture and a means of "the man" controlling you. But I don't agree. I think its lends an air of sophistication to me, and really is exactly what I have been looking for.

So, with the gifts, the ladies serenading me and some new friend/maestro tickling the ivories, it was a good night indeed.

Sunday, although it is the real day that marks the start of my new life here, was quiet, almost uneventful. Unless you count the 93 minute international phone call I made. Well, it wasn't intentional for a start. Someone left me alone for a long time, and that same someone left the phone on the love seat right near the pillow I like to sleep on. Its not my fault that I belly dialed some foreign country and let them listen my abdominal noises for 93 minutes. So, you can imagine someone was not happy with me.

I am including a photo of myself in my new shirt and tie. The quality is not very good, but you will get the idea.

Until next time, always remember to give a little love, or is it, get a little love?
Clifford George

Tuesday - okay, I don't have a catchy title for today's post

Hello to all of you from a grey and gloomy Columbus. Where did the lovely spring weather go?

Another week is underway. But this is not just any week, this the last week of my ninieth year! Sunday, I celebrate my 91st birthday! I am determined to spend my last few days at this age doing some exciting things. And I have already gotten off to a good start.

Yesterday morning, on my morning walk, I managed to give the human the slip. It had been raining and I noticed a large muddy puddle up ahead, so I made sure I went to the opposite side of the puddle from her. I knew she would not want to step into the mud AND I knew she wouldn't yank my leash. So, after stretching as far as she possibly could, she had to let go of the leash - and I was off - running like a wild dog with her in hot pursuit! It was all rather amusing. There she was running after me, yelling - and you all know she can't really yell, and me running with the soundtrack of "Born Free" playing in my ears! Wish you could have been there!

She did finally catch up with me, or if truth be told, I slowed down so that she could catch up with me. By this stage the leash was wet and muddy. I got the lecture, of course... "you are just lucky we live in a quiet neighborhood! What if there had been a car coming..." Oh! Please, give me a break!

The excitement just carried on yesterday. Upon returning from our evening walk, my nemesis, Henry, the so-called dog who lives next door, managed to slip away as his human was trying to hook him up to his leash and he came running over. He is a young buck and he and I have been battling since I first moved in here. He will insist on challenging me! He just never learns that I am in charge. I had to once again show him a thing or two and his human got him suitably restrained. Someone ought to tell him that the new haircut does not help his image!

And that leads me to my haircut. I am scheduled for some Clifford pampering time tomorrow. I have to look my best for the big birthday party on Saturday. I, of course, will get a real Schnauzer cut and not some "cute puppy" style.

I hear that some one new is coming to the party, and he plays the piano! Hey, I hope he knows "Happy Birthday!" I can't wait to have my favorite ladies serenading me on my birthday!

Catch you soon
Clifford George

Pre-birthday ponderings

Well, the haircut went well, and I am, as my human likes to describe me, "devastatingly handsome." I am more than ready for my birthday on Sunday when I will celebrate my 91st birthday. Actually, like most dogs, I don't know when my real birthday is, but March 28 is the day we celebrate. Now some of you who know my human, may also know that March 28 is her birthday, and so, you may conclude that she just decided to keep things simple and make me share her birthday. But, there is nothing simple about my human and there is another reason that March 28 is the day chosen as my birthday.

March 28, 2008 is the day I came to live here. In fact all of us animals who live in this home celebrate our birthdays on the day we came to live here. Olive's day is March 14, and our dear brother, Mikey, was December 23 - a true Christmas gift!

Olive has been here the longest - even though she is the youngest! She has been here for three years, Mikey would have been here for 3 years this past Christmas, and I have been here for two years this Sunday. You see, we are all adopted, all rescues! So, in her complex way, the human has hit on something good. We may celebrate our birthdays on a day that really isn't our birthday, but we celebrate the start of our new lives, in fact, we celebrate life itself!

So, Sunday is indeed cause for celebration. I will be celebrating my new life and honoring all those who helped to get me here. Its been an interesting journey, and at times very painful and unpleasant, but the journey has led me to where I am today and to all of you. So, thank you! May your journey take you to wonderful places and to wonderful people. And lets always celebrate life.

Ciao!
Clifford George Jackson

If you would like to honor some of the people who helped rescue me (and Mikey and many others), you can make a donation to Schnauzer Rescue Cincinnati www.schnauzerrescuecincinnati.org. Just be sure to tell them that Clifford sent you!

Hello everyone,

Once again I have been barred from using the computer - this time you can blame the human's busy job. Now finally, I can sit down and catch up with all of you.

Not a whole lot has been going on in my life - get up in the mornings, have breakfast, read the newspaper, go for a walk... I read that some guy won the Iditarod for the fourth year in a row. I am not sure whether to be impressed or appalled. I guess its an accomplishment and the dude is a throat cancer survivor, but its not like he is pulling the sled himself. Its the dogs that do the work! Its times like this that I am so pleased I am not a husky or malamute or whatever other dogs get into that. I think that guy should come with a warning label to all "mushing" dogs - BEWARE OF LANCE MACKEY!!!!

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. I wish I could tell you that we had some fabulous celebration and drank lots of green beer, but the closest I got to green anything was the green beans in my food! My human really needs to get a life - she is really holding me back.

I have something else I want to get off my chest - I read about Sandra Bullock this morning and how her husband has had an affair. Honestly, I am getting really tired of these kinds of stories. Tiger Woods, John Edwards and now Sandra Bullock's husband! What is it with you humans? Doesn't being faithful mean anything anymore? Maybe you think its strange for a dog to talking about this? But dogs are experts at being faithful. We might not have wives or husbands or partners, but we are inherently faithful to all of you. Even when you don't deserve it! It seems like some of you think its "cool" to betray the ones you love, well, the way I see it, its way more "cool" to be faithful.

When you betray someone you love or claim to love, it is the ultimate act of selfishness and narcissism. And that is not cool! Some people say being faithful is boring, well, then get a hobby, and if its so bad then get out of the relationship, but don't cheat! At least you humans can get out of a bad relationship. As dogs we don't have that option. Even when the relationship is abusive we are mostly trapped, and still we are faithful.

I have known the pain of betrayal - yes, even Mr. Clifford knows this pain. And its taken me a long time to get over that. I had several humans help me get to where I am today. When I first got here, Mikey helped me to realize that I was safe and loved. More than anything Mikey taught me that if I learned to trust, I would open myself to so much happiness. He really showed me that being faithful to the ones you love, makes your life richer.

My human always says that Mikey came into her life to show her what pure joy is, and that I came into her life to show that you can trust again after you've been hurt. And that's why I am sticking around - she still has a lot to learn.

So, be cool
Clifford George Jackson

Its almost the weekend!

Well, hello to all of you!

Another week has flown by. Is that an indication that I am having a good time? They say time flies when you enjoying yourself. And I have been enjoying myself.

This week my human bought herself, or as she like to say "treated herself" to a new yoga DVD. And strangely enough it was not a Rodney Yee DVD. I was beginning to get concerned about her obsession with the human pretzel, Rodney Yee. This one is called "Warrior Yoga" and it features Sting's wife, Trudy somebody and some bendy Asian guy. I chuckled to myself as she watched it, this is going to be fun. And it has been fun! After watching the DVD she felt ready to try the moves herself. I watched her, I watched the DVD, was she even doing the same set of exercises? Yikes! That was no warrior! Although it was a little scary watching her!

I don't know what the big deal is about yoga. Maybe its because I already know how to do downward facing dog and upward facing dog. I don't need some DVD to learn that, I was born knowing that. And then relaxation pose - who has to learn to relax? Humans - you guys are certainly interesting.

On that note, I leave you with a true relaxation pose - a photo of my brother, Mikey, showing us all how its done.

Namaste!
Clifford George Jackson

Is that Spring I smell?

Hello again!

Can you believe the great weather we've had the past few days? Sunshine, and even, dare I say it, warm! Almost all the snow has melted and I can see the grass again and there are all sorts of new smells to discover. It does mean my walks take a lot longer. I have to check out every new smell I encounter and decide whether I want to anoint it.

We went for a walk this morning and encountered a small dog of dubious descent. He went crazy - barking, almost choking himself. I made sure I walked really, really slowly past his house, pausing to sniff and anoint, and ignoring him. That just made him even wilder. And then the best part was his human said to him, "Why can't you be good like him?" I love that. Mind games! Such fun!

The warmer weather also means that the cat is spending more time outside. I would love to know what she gets up to on her jaunts. She never tells, but alludes to the fact that I am missing out on some good times. Hey, what does she know? She's a cat! And a crazy cat at that. She came in yesterday, after being out for hours and then promptly gets into my bed and sleeps for about 3 hours! Lucky for her, I sleep on the love seat during the day!

Well, my friends, I believe a party is being planned to celebrate my birthday in a few weeks. I checked the guest list and gave my approval - all of them are on my favorite people list. I hear that there will be some other birthdays celebrated as well, but that's okay, I am happy to share the love. I wonder what gifts I will be getting?

Take it easy!
Clifford George Jackson

Hello my friends,

I apologize for the long delay in writing. I have been unable to access the computer due to my human having a rather debilitating virus. This has kept her in bed or on the couch for several days. And as she won't give me her password, I have been unable to communicate with you! What's with the secrecy? Its not like she is giving me the password to access her bank accounts.

I am pretty sure the cat knows the password and I tried to wrestle it out of her. She keeps insisting that just because she lies on the computer keyboard, runs across the keyboard, etc., doesn't mean she knows the password. I am not sure she is telling me the whole truth, but as she fully loaded with all her claws and not afraid to brandish them, I didn't push her too hard.

So, with the sick human there has not been a lot of excitement here. I have tried to be a little more attentive and lay on the bed with her, sat next to her on the couch, watched the Oscars, and I think I did a fairly good job of nursing her back to comparative health. She is still coughing and that really disturbs my sleep, but I will have to exercise patience with the patient! I give her credit for ensuring that someone took me for my walks. Here's a big shout out to W and J for taking me for walks! You are on my favorite human list.

Despite being busy brushing up on my nursing skills I have been giving some thought to what career I would follow (if I ever decided to). I definitely think nursing is out - long hours and not much reward.

I did think about acting. I think I am a natural, and watching the Oscar's last night I think I could do at least as well as any of those guys. George Clooney - really! Everyone swoons over him! Don't get me wrong, he's a pretty cool dude. But so am I - silver hair and a way with the ladies - Georgie boy, watch your back!

That got me thinking about the arts in general. I think I am a born performer and multi talented at that. To back up this claim I am including a photo of moi, playing the piano (incidentally the human is standing by to turn the pages). If I had to earn a living, and I pray that never happens, I think the performing arts might be the way to go.

I used to have this conversation with my brother, Mikey, before he passed away, and he always like the idea of being a cowboy, or joining the circus. I think he would have been really good at making people laugh. He made me laugh! That's a great gift to have and to share.

I hope you make someone laugh today and that someone makes you laugh too!
Best
Clifford George Jackson

Home again!

Hello my friends!

I am back home again after a few days of socializing at the vet. I know most of my canine pals baulk at the thought of spending time at the vet, but I usually have a grand time (unless of course I am ill, in which case I am just miserable).

I decided on the moose sweater, by the way, and I was right, the ladies loved it! Actually even the guys loved it. Several of the guys asked me where I bought the sweater. I gave them the 411. Gotta help the little guys!

The human is obviously home. She seems to have had a good time. She seems to think I really want to know all the details of her trip - where does she get that idea? She was rambling on about the hotel where she stayed. Apparently they have a "canine ambassador"! Likely story, or so I thought, until I checked it out. This hotel in Boston, The Fairmont Copley Plaza, does indeed have a canine ambassador - a black Labrador, named Catie Copley. Soooo predictable! She hangs out in the lobby to greet guests and then worse still she is available for guests to take her on walks. Honestly, Labradors are just such approval seekers. Dogs with jobs - whatever next?

Now I know some dogs are service dogs and good for them, but really, to work for no pay? A pat on the head? A "good boy"? A treat? I get all that and more without doing a thing, unless you count manipulating humans as work! Besides I don't know how people find time to work. I mean that would really interfere with my other activities.

If I had to choose a career, I wonder what that would be? I am talented in several areas so I would have many options. Hmm...I think this line of thought could be interesting. I will let you know what I come up with and let me know your thoughts on this too.

Talk to you soon

Clifford George Jackson

Hard at work!

Friday - already?

Well, my friends, it's Friday again. I wanted to give you an update yesterday, but the Internet service was down almost all day. I had planned on watching the Healthcare Reform debates yesterday and then sharing my insights with you, but the circus going on here was much more entertaining.



Imagine the raging battle of blame between the VoIP guys and the cable guys! Finally a technician from the cable company came over. He installed a new modem - still no Internet access, and finally it turns out there is some issue with the "node" which also explains why our neighbor had also lost her Internet access. But now peace reigns once again and VoIP and Internet connections are working!



I will have to get back to you on my opinions on the healthcare reform saga. I am heading to the vet for the weekend, so I might take some time while I am there to think this through, get some opinions from others and get back to you. But, I am not promising anything. I usually don't have too much free time when I am at the vet.



I am, what you might call, a frequent flyer at the vet. My frequent bouts of pancreatitis have often landed me in the vet hospital and I am not sure if my human tips the staff or if its merely my natural charm, but I get showered with attention. My near celebrity status means that I have a lot of visitors whenever I am at the vet. Fortunately, this time my visit is purely social - no medical issues, thankfully. My human is headed to Beantown for a fundraising event and some meetings and she knows that I need constant attention, and that is why I am taking a weekend trip.



So, now I am wondering about what to pack for the weekend. Argyle sweater- maybe too preppy; Moose sweater- very "rugged and woodsy" and a favorite with the ladies; Classic navy cable - very British and makes me look distinguished. So many choices! What I really need is a very cool smoking jacket! If any of you know where I can get one, please let the Clifford know.



'Til next week

Clifford George Jackson

Remembering

Wednesday, February 24, 2010.

Today was the funeral of my human's aunt, so it is a somber day and a day to reflect. I had never met her as she lived in South Africa, but I have listened to my human and her cousin (one of my favorite people) talking about her and I know I would have loved her too.

Its hard to lose someone you love. At times like this, it seems that sadness and loss are all around us, all our lives. Sometimes you feel too tired to carry on hoping. But it always seems that when you least expect it you find strength or strength finds you. It comes in all sorts of forms, a kind word, a smile, a hug, or a sense of calm and peace... Rescue comes just in time.

To all my friends and family who have gone, I am thinking of you and remembering our times together. And to my friends who are dealing with pain and sadness, I am thinking of you and hoping that you will be rescued too.

Rest in peace, my dear aunt. Say hello to Mikey and enjoy the ice cream.

Clifford George

In memory of my brother Mikey (Michael Frederick Jackson)

Just another Monday

Hello to all of you,

Yesterday was a routine kind of day - catching up after the weekend. It rained yesterday so now the snow is melting quickly.

As I am sure you know, Schnauzers are not fans of rain. First of all, it can wreak havoc on our coats. Second, invariably your feet get muddy and you have to endure either the complaints about muddy paw prints in the house or the indignity of having your paws washed. Yikes! But I have masterminded a way to deal with this.

First, refuse to go outside on your own. I find that if you add a look of fear to the refusal, you are much more successful. This is especially effective first thing in the morning when they know you must need to relieve yourself. Now sometimes they will be quite determined, this is where you must be more determined. A little whining and shivering helps here and don't give up! If you are smart about this, you will succeed and they will have to accompany you outside. And somehow seeing them enduring bad weather makes it all worthwhile. They will also have muddy paws and so there will be fewer complaints. Also, remember to take your time. If you have to get wet, you might as well make the most of it. Find that perfect spot and enjoy watching them huddled under the umbrella! An added bonus is that wonderful wet dog smell that we love and they hate!

Now if you are not immediately successful with this technique don't be disheartened. It takes practice, and concentration and lets be honest, that's not easy on a full bladder! I perfected this technique rather quickly, but I have some things working for me - I am an accomplished actor who long ago mastered the "sad dog face" and I have a human (let me put this politely) who is a push over when it comes to animals and children. You might not be this fortunate, but don't despair, with hard work you will get there.

So, in the words of Winston Churchill, "Never, never, never give up!"

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a cigar to smoke!

Clifford George Jackson

Deer hunting and other activities

Well, its Monday again. It was a good weekend, as are most weekends. As promised I did have some time with at least one lady!



J came by to visit me. I didn't realize that she had even arrived at first - I think she snuck in to surprise me, but of course all the humans insist that I didn't hear her - stuff and nonsense. I didn't want to seem too needy. Anyway, I got a great back rub from her. Practicing the "sad face" pays off every time.



I also had my human to myself most of the weekend. So, now there is plenty of food in the freezer for moi and I got lots of attention and lots of back rubs, and lots of walks. Quite the life I lead. The weather was warmer too, so some of the snow and ice have started melting.



The highlight of the weekend was Sunday afternoon. I went outside to stretch my legs and do you-know-what. I was standing on the top of the steps of the deck looking out at my woods and saw four deer feeding off the low branches. I stood perfectly still, locked them in my sights and waited, like the hunter I am. They were completely unaware of the imminent danger they were in - poor Bambi's - like the proverbial lambs to the slaughter - deer in the headlights.



I signalled to the human to document this on film (well, really on a chip - in case Hilton is reading this) so that you could all share in this. She managed to get several photos of them and then I decided to make my move. I leaped from the deck at full speed and charged! They took off, out of the ravine, through the creek bed and over to the other side. Once they were clearly out of danger they stopped and looked around. They bowed their heads to the great hunter and protector - Clifford George Jackson.



Oh! You thought I was going to take them down? No, no, that is not my style. I can live along side them and other creatures. As long as they show respect to me, I am okay with that. Live and let live - that's my motto, or at least one of them.



For the skeptics among you, the human will be posting the photos of the deer, just as soon as she can figure out how to do that. So, you will soon have the evidence!



So, after an exciting weekend, it is back to work. I have to catch up on my sleep and the human has a busy week. I heard some rumor that she is traveling at the end of the week, so I guess I will be shipped off to the vet - AGAIN! I will let you know more about that.



Happy Hunting to all

Clifford George Jackson

Friday

I am happy to report that I had my morning walk today! As I told you yesterday, I missed my walk in the morning because of ice. But then I got sidelined for my evening walk because the human had a conference call and didn't get out of her office until about 7pm. So, not only did I not get my evening walk, I also got my dinner late!



I was not happy, and sulked all evening. But today looks like it will be a better day - or at least for me especially if the human can tear herself away from work long enough to get to Costco to buy my food.



Ahhh! Food! Glorious Food! No Kibbles 'n Bits for me! Like many Schnauzers, I have developed pancreatitis. This is a painful disease that makes it difficult for me to have any fat in my diet. If you want more information about this, visit my human's website - she runs an organization that deals to all diseases of the pancreas. (For humans, but most of the basic information applies to us canines too). Anyway, enough of the scientific mumbo jumbo, what this means to me is that the human cooks organic chicken breasts, organic jasmine rice and organic green beans. Then she carefully measures this mixture into portions, and freezes individual portions for me. Apart from tasting really, really good, this diet keeps the pancreatitis at bay - at least most of the time. I have trained her well. Some say I am a lucky guy. I say I am a smart dude who has trained my human to obey my every command.



There's another added bonus to this eating plan - the cat doesn't get any! She eats some dry cat food that is apparently well balanced - Ha! Ha!



Well, I might not post anything again until Monday. I might have a busy weekend - you know, with the ladies... I will give the scoop on Monday.



Til later

Clifford George Jackson

My first posting

This blog is a collection of my thoughts - and as a thirteen year old Schnauzer, I think I have some wisdom to share. Mostly, though I intend to ramble on about my life, what's happened today, that sort of thing.

Right now my life is kind of peaceful, and I like it like that. It gives me to think about the important things in life. When there is too much going on, one doesn't get to contemplate too much.

I have had an interesting, not always good life, but I am not going to talk about that today. I will share my past with you at some stage, but today I want to talk about what's going on at home.

I missed my morning walk today - snow and more importantly ice everywhere. In case you don't know, here in Columbus we have about 20 inches of snow on the ground (and no, I am not exaggerating) Some of the snow started melting yesterday and refroze overnight so when I step outside I went sliding. Of course the human said stuff about it being too dangerous. I was pretty annoyed and insisted on eating several extra treats to make up for it.

We went for a quick walk to my cousin's house at lunch time. He is leaving for South Africa this afternoon. His mother died yesterday, so we have all been sad. I was pretty excited to see him and even managed to look interested in playing with the dog that lives there. Oscar award winning performance! I also met their new cat - well, really a kitten. His name is Dwight. He did the usual, predictable cat stuff - hissing, arching his back - you know the whole "I'm an invincible cat" act. Well, living with a crazed cat I was not that impressed.

Well, I need to catch some ZZZZs and brew up some more philosophy for you.

Later,

Clifford George Jackson