Saturday, June 28, 2014

HAPPY DOXIE BIRTHDAY TO DUKE!

Yes, our beloved doxie Duke is seven years old today.  These years with him have been a roller coaster ride of laughs, fun, love, and joy.  He came to us as a scared little eight-week-old puppy, but
that didn't last long.  In a few days, he felt right at home and his antics have given us many laughs.

Super Dawg
I had told my hubby:  "I want a dog with personality," and boy, did we get it!  Yes, he's a tad stubborn, but that's a noted doxie trait.  If we tell him to get up on the couch and lie down, he makes a beeline for the blue chair across the room in front of a window!  But he does lie down in the blue chair, so I suppose that's obedience--well, partial obedience, anyway.

He loves tug-of-war, too.  For only an eighteen-pound dawg, he's very strong, so the game exercises any human arm that plays it with him.

"What?  I thought you said TREAT"
After my recent surgeries, he made it his priority to stay by my side and take care of me.  I had trouble getting up from my recliner when I first came home from the hospital, so Clark would take my hands and pull me up.  Of course, my knee hurt, so I probably groaned and had a pained expression.  Duke promptly got between Clark and me, whining and barking at him--Duke thought Clark was hurting me, when it was only the process of getting up that hurt me.  We reassured him that I was okay, so he's never intervened again when Clark has helped me up.

His vocabulary is large, too.  By "vocabulary" I mean the words that he understands:  food, hungry, eat, breakfast, lunch, dinner, cheese, eggs and bacon, treat, toy,
ball, bone, squeak toy, sock, lie down, bath, go out, car, ride, mailman, cat, kitty, squirrel, geese, Mama, Daddy, and all the names of everyone else in the family, especially those of the grandchildren.  Notice a pattern of all the food-related words?

Of course, as most dogs do, he is overjoyed when we come home from anywhere.  Lately, it's been to my physical therapy sessions, which last about two hours.  Clark drives me because my recent knee replacement was on my right leg--not up to driving yet.  Duke wags his tail and smiles, giving us doggie kisses and being thrilled to see us.

He made his debut in THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES series in Book 2, I AM DACHSHUND.  Sarge takes Duke under his wing (or paw, to be exact) to teach Duke how dachshunds should act, as well as some of his own time-tested methods for obtaining human food.

All in all, I can't imagine how boring our lives were before he came.  Our children were married and lived out of town (well, one of them is only an hour away now), so the house was very quiet.  Duke has livened it up considerably, still wanting to chase his ball after we throw it down the hall for him. 
"Why should I get off your bed??"

In fact, we've talked about his remarkable talent for remaining puppy-like in middle age (in dog years, that is).  He has a gray hair here and there now, too.  But his fun-loving and comical personality from puppyhood is still intact.  He makes us laugh every day, and he gives us that unconditional love that only a dog can give--down here, anyway.

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.  And in our case, we love Duke for the handsome, sweet, stubborn, intelligent, comical, loyal, and yes--the downright human--dawg he is!

Friday, June 27, 2014

NEW CUDDLE BUDDY


Shadow's family just got a new kitten whom they named Thor (Asher, our grandson, is really into superheroes).  This kitten is so cute and cuddly--and he's really smart, because he's already found out that Shadow is the best cuddle buddy in the house!

The other two cats, Piper and Aslan, are gradually warming up to the fuzzy kitty.  In fact, Piper has been seen babysitting Thor when everyone was elsewhere in the house.

Piper and Aslan will come around to loving Thor, too!

Dachshunds--you gotta love 'em!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

I AM SARGE

Hello, everyone!

This is Sarge the dachshund, and I am here to pass along a "doggone" great value for those of you who love to read inspirational fiction!

My first book, I AM SARGE (paperback edition), is listed for only $6.59 on www.christianbook.com!  The book normally retails for $14.95, so this price is exceptional.

Book 1 of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES series, in I AM SARGE I enjoy entertaining readers with comical tales about my human family and the world as I see it.  What makes this book so interesting is the fact that many of the things I write about actually happened!  This book also includes how I met my beloved Papa Duke, one of the main characters in my book--and he really is quite a character.  He seems to understand us doxies so well that I've made him an honorary dawg.

To order I AM SARGE, click on the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser :

http://www.christianbook.com/1-i-am-sarge/mavis-hinton/9781602903159/pd/903159

And, after you read it, let me know how you liked it by posting a brief review on Amazon or Christianbook.  People often read reviews before getting books, so a good word from you might help me get the word out.

Thanks, and happy reading,
Sarge
                                  
This is me relaxing with my buddy Piper 




Wednesday, June 25, 2014

THOR HAS ARRIVED!


The grandchildren were thrilled when their mama brought home a new kitty yesterday whom they named Thor.

He promptly became a source of unending entertainment, and he's already made himself right at home.  Shadow welcomed him with open arms . . . er, paws, wagging his tail and giving him doggie kisses.  Piper, the big cat, is reserving judgment and keeps his distance.  Aslan, the Siamese, won't stay in the same room with the intruder yet.

Nevertheless, he's a cutie and a hit with all concerned (humans, anyway).  Will post more pics of him soon.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

TIME FOR SWEET DACHSHUND PUPPIES!


Everyone goes "Awwwww" when they see cute puppies, especially doxie puppies! 

Today I merely wanted to provide a cuteness fix if anyone out there is in need of one.  I cannot resist cute little puppies, and the black-and-tan babies below remind me so much of Duke when we first saw him.

Enjoy!
"Er . . . will you move your head, please??"

Innocence Personified

Puppies love to sleep, and do it so cutely!
Dachshunds--you gotta love 'em!

Friday, June 13, 2014

THEY'RE COMING!

We haven't told Duke that the grandchildren are coming, and they'll be here in just a few minutes!  They're also going to spend the night at our house.  If he knew, he'd be barking, whining, running around, looking out the window or storm door (like the picture below), and looking at me as if to say, "When are they gonna be here?  Huh?  Huh?"


Last time they were coming, we slipped up and mentioned their names.  He got so excited that he nearly drove us nuts jumping up on a chair and looking out the window, barking, running back and forth from the door to the window.  We finally let him out, and here he is below, sitting on the sidewalk waiting for them!

He loves them SO much--probably because they get on the floor and play with him, chase him, throw his ball for him, and just roll around on the rug with him.  Of course, I cannot do that; Clark does get down on the floor with him sometimes, but I never do since my knees won't allow that!

Dachshunds and grandchildren--you gotta love 'em!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

FACEBOOK: MAVIS DUKE HINTON'S BOOKS






If you are on Facebook (and who isn't, these days), I invite you to visit my business page, MAVIS DUKE HINTON'S BOOKS.  If you enjoy the posts, dachshund pics, and comments, also consider liking the page as well.

There are a number of dachshund-centered pages on Facebook, but none involving books "written by" a dachshund!

Sarge the dachshund is eagerly awaiting the release of his third book, DACHSHUNDS FOREVER.  Stay tuned for further updates when its release is imminent.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY IN HEAVEN, DAD

My late father, known as "Papa Duke" in THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES, was one of the main reasons I wrote those books--to let his great grandchildren (whom he never met, sadly) know him and about him.  He passed away before they were born.

Here's a fitting tribute to my friendly, outgoing, teddy bear of a man, my dad:


I also posted this poem on my Facebook page, Mavis Duke Hinton's Books.  Someone once said that we never really "get over" the death of a loved one; we merely learn to keep going, and the warm memories will eventually replace the pain that is felt at the time we lose them.  I agree wholeheartedly!

I have many fond memories of my dad, and now the little great grandchildren can have them as well.  My eight-year-old granddaughter Alexa has been reading I AM SARGE.  She recently asked me, "Grandma, did that fishing story really happen?"  I was thrilled to tell her that it did, but the main difference between the one in the book and the actual event was that Sarge the doxie wasn't with Papa and Sellars in the boat.  Sarge had to be there in order to tell the story firsthand.  In fact, the real event actually occurred in Alaska, whereas in the book, it happened in North Carolina. Writing fiction allows one some leeway :).

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY IN HEAVEN, DAD!  We miss you.

Dad with his catch of salmon in Alaska

Sunday, June 8, 2014

SHADOW THE CUDDLEBUG!

Granddawg Shadow at age 13 still loves to cuddle with Mama (that's her hand you see in the photo).  She commented that she hoped the children would also want to cuddle when they reach the age of 13 (they are currently ages 10, 8, and 4).

That's one of the MANY things I love about doxies:  they love to cuddle and give us doggie kisses, no matter their age.

Dachshunds--you gotta love 'em!

Friday, June 6, 2014

I'M BACK . . . POST-OP PICS

Duke has informed you of my progress :).  I am doing much better than last time, and my knee is healing well.  I don't have the stamina yet to do much, but it's nice to be pain free most of the time.

Our daughter Bethany flew in from Arizona for ten days for my surgery, and she helped a great deal, giving Clark a break from cleaning, cooking, and laundry.  Our daughter Holly spent the first night in the hospital with me.  Clark is, of course, the best husband on the planet, bar none.  I could go on and on about the family, but you get the idea :).

The photos below were taken at our home four days after my surgery.  It was so good to have us all together, minus our son-in-law Kurt, who remained in AZ for work.  

Grandma and the boys: Clark, SIL Philip,grandson Asher

Bethany, moi, Holly

Clark and the girls

























































I am doing very well at this writing, having begun my physical therapy.  I am able to do more than I could at this point in time with the last surgery.  I look forward to getting completely healed and doing things I haven't been able to do in years! 

God is good, and our friends at church have taken good care of us in the way of meals, calls, cards, and visits.  We are so appreciative.

I'll be back soon!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

DUKE THE DOXIE SPEAKS

Hello doxie lovers,

This is Duke, Mavis Duke Hinton's dachshund. 

If you have read I AM DACHSHUND, I am introduced in that book, the second one of THE
DACHSHUND ESCAPADES series.

I am writing on her behalf to let you know that she is still recuperating from her second knee replacement surgery--but she asked me to tell you that she'll be back soon, blogging away!

From my observation (and doxies are master observers, you know), she is getting along so much better than she did with her first knee surgery.  Why, she was able to do things for herself when she first came home, unlike the first time, when my human daddy Clark had to help her up from her recliner, etc.  And this time, her leg is hardly swollen at all!  Oh, if I forget and jump up on her lap on the right side, she lets me know right away to move away from her sore leg.  But I caught on pretty fast and don't do that anymore.

I like to stay close by her, though.  I want to do everything I can to help her get well so she will feel like playing with me again!  Daddy does sometimes, but all humans know that there's just nobody like mama, be they human or canine.

She got her 51 staples out on Monday, and I heard her tell Daddy that they did hurt somewhat, but she was glad to have them gone because they pulled sometimes.

She asked me to tell everyone that she'll be back soon, and to please check this blog for updates.  Don't forget to stop by now and then!

Until then, just remember that she is making good progress and is able to walk very well, but not very far yet, because she gets too tired.  She has already started outpatient therapy three days a week, and that will help her build up her stamina.

Thanks for reading this from me, and she'll be back soon!

Duke


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