OUT OF OFFICE...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAX's mom here...

We are off on our annual holiday and will not be blogging until the second week in December! We will miss our blogging friends during this time. Max and the pack will be well cared for with a dogsitter and an array of emergency numbers. Thank you all for your wonderful friendships and love which is so openly displayed. We love you all!!! Here are some pictures of our holiday destination along the SOUTH AFRICAN east coast. Take care and we will be back soon.....

With love

MAX's mom in

SOUTH AFRICA

AWARDS! ...and my shameful attire!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXDOG & MOM here today...

On Saturday we are going on holiday! At least the humans are...and they are off to the beach for a week by the seaside. The picture above is the view of Table Mountain (in Cape Town).

Our humans are however NOT going to Cape Town, but will be going to the sea along the EAST coast of SOUTH AFRICA. Unfortunately Mom will not be able to blog during that time, so we are trying to fill up with exciting blogposts before they leave!

We have some exciting news...

Yesterday we received the most awesome award from Petey!

Petey's wonderful and creative Mom has designed this award - an award which we think is a truly amazing one!

It's the "YOU'RE A BLESSING AWARD!" and is a brand new award in bloggie-land!

Thank you so much Petey for this award. It is very, very special!

"This award is to be bestoed upon five individuals with the hopes that they will cut and paste the badge above for their blogs, then honor five more and so on and so on... "

Although ALL our friends are special to us and have been such a blessing to us in the past few months, we have had to choose five special people. So we give this award to them with absolute thanks and gratitude for the extra special roles they have played on our life:

1. TO COCORUE

Our little flirtylicious COCO! Thank you for the delightful bantering which Max & you have - on the chat box - and on the blog! Thank you also for your constant message of hope and warmth. Thank you for sharing your friendship with us...you are a real blessing to us!

2. TESSA

For those who don't know, Tessa's mom battles a lot with her health yet still manages to blog. She has gone beyond this blog to email us with uplifting messages and guidance during our ordeals. We so appreciate them! Thank you - you are a blessing to us!

3. TWO SPECIAL WIRES

You are such a blessing to us in that you allow us to experience the altruistic aspects of life. We love your poetry, your vision and the manner in which you convey it! Thank you!

4. MANGO

Who can't love MANGO & DEXTER! Thank you for blessing us with your incredible sense of humour, your creativity and for ALWAYS putting a smile on our faces. Thank you for all the support you have given us on the sidelines too. We appreciate you immensely!

5. KONA - DOGS BY NATURE

Thank you for bringing Kona's story to us and for taking that special step to offer him a forever home. You have shown us the beauty of rescuing a dog and the joy for that dog in finding the freedom he deserves. You are an inspiration in so many ways...and a real blessing!

Whilst I can write books for each of our blogging friends, I am restricted to five. Thank you to all of you for the blessing you are to us in simply being our blogging friends!

We love you all and wish you all...

A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Oh dear! Oops! So you have seen my attire! Ouch!

Okay, I'll tell you...Mom has ridded me of the bandages! At first, I thought I felt

'f-r-e-e-d-o-m-!'


but not for long!

Unfortunately I started scratching when the bandages came off, so Mom thought she'd put PHANTOM & THUNDER's idea into practice. Hey guys, what have you done to me? Mom says that it works well! I must admit, it is quite comfortable and stops me from scratching. I am seeing the Vet on Friday...maybe he'll take my stitches out!?! Not sure about the T-SHIRT though!


Anyway, this new T-Shirt effort is quite calming and comforting.

See...I'm in the

TRADITIONAL MAX POSE!

TOFFEE thought he'd relax too!...


Until supper time!...

There is just one other thing which I want to show to my bloggie-friends.

Since we will be away for a week from Saturday, I thought we'd get a special sign for our house.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT?

That's all for today! We'll TRY and get one more post in before the family goes on holiday.

Lots of licks

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

SOME CUDDLES! ...THEN LIFE GOES ON!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

MAXDOG here...

Hello there all my furry friends and their bipeds!

As you can see, I still have my bandages on, but I am really much, much better! Mom took a peek at my scar and stitches and they are healing up nicely.
Quite frankly...I don't notice!

Anyway, on Sunday a lot of our humans gathered to help Mom clear out our late Granny's room at the old age home. It was a sad task for Mom, but we were all there to cheer her up. The bonus of all this is that two dear little girls came to visit us doggies. We got lots of pats from them and spent the whole afternoon with them. Here are some pictures of us all just sharing time together...

MAXDOG: "mowing" the lawn.

I love cuddles!!!

Now TAMMY gets in on the scene...

Thank you, Katie-Meg and Amy for visiting us and for all your lovely hugs and cuddles!!!

Now, since I have gravely neglected my 'TOUR GUIDE' duties over the past few weeks, I thought I'd show you some pictures.

This is the "V&A Waterfront"in Cape Town with the beautiful mountain in the background and it's legendary 'table cloth'...

This is a sunset picture - from the top of
TABLE MOUNTAIN, CAPE TOWN...

AND FINALLY...

Our new soccer stadium in CAPE TOWN - all lit up!!!

We are all excited for next year, the...

2010 SOCCER WORLD CUP, SOUTH AFRICA!

That's all for now.

Lots and lots of licks to you all!

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

AFTER THE RAIN...

GREETINGS FROM SUNNY SOUTH AFRICA!!!

MAXDOG here...

Hello there all my furry friends. I hope you are all well, happy and healthy!

We have had so much rain here, in JOHANNESBURG, over the past few days. It's been cold and miserable and everything is sopping wet. This morning, however, the sunshine has arrived. Sunshine always makes me feel frisky and alive!

...it brings the hope of a new day and a new beginning...

We have a honeysuckle bush in our garden and the birds and bees are having a feeding frenzy in it. Unfortunately Mom is too slow to get a pic' of the birds, but the bees obliged...

All this rain also gives us doggies far too much new energy!

We seem to get ourselves into lots of trouble sometimes...

TAMMY, in particular, loves to dig holes... and make mud pies!

This goes back a long way!

Check this picture out of her, when she was a puppy...

"TAMMY-PUPPY DIGS A HOLE AND LIES IN IT!"

Well last night when we were all sitting in the kitchen ...

This APPARITION arrived...


At first I didn't recognise her!...

Yep, it was TAMMY DOG!!!

More affectionately known as ZOG-DOG!

Silly girl busted herself!

This morning, Mom and I we went outside to find out where she practiced her artistic endeavours this time...

BUSTED!...

Clever girl had dug her hole underneath the agapantha plants - very well camoflaged!

CONGRATULATIONS TAMMY!

(MAXDOG is proud of you!!!)

Well, since we were out in the garden, we decided to look around ...

GUESS WHAT!?!

Do you remember, some time ago, Mom said that we would plant some 'sunflower' seeds - especially for the ARMY OF FOUR - for Christmas!?

Well, we did plant the seeds and they germinated and are now sporting their beautiful golden heads.

ZIM, AMMY, STORMY and DAVE...

here is your early Christmas present, specially from SOUTH AFRICA..

YOUR SUNFLOWER!

(We hope you don't mind if we share it with everyone else too!?!)

..and to EVERYONE out there...

Please just know how much we appreciate you!!!

Your love, prayers, constant uplifting comments have kept Mom's head above the water this past week. We have had many new visitors to our blog and we want to thank you very much for your visit! When things settle down here, we will get around to visiting you too...please be patient.

Next week is going to be particularly difficult as Mom prepares for our Granny's funeral. Don't worry though - I will snuggle my nose in her side constantly and tell her to blog only when we can.

I hope you know how much we love you all!

Lots of licks

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

PRAWN ERADICATION DELEGATED!

mmmWOOF!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

MAXDOG here...

Hey there all my furry buddies from across the globe!

How are you all? I am much, much improved and we have excellent news...

The results of all the tests for my tumour surgery are back and I am TOTALLY CLEAR!

WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

The tumour is regarded as a Grade 1 tumour. This means that it was benign and that they got it all out! All the margins are clear and the MAXDOG can look forward to a happy and healthy few more years!

Mom is really happy! As for me...well I'm still recovering!

Eish, but I must say...these "KONGS" are challenging and are keeping me so busy. I don't have time for anything else! My bandage is holding and I am still very comfortable.

TOFFEE, however has decided that it is time to usurp my crown. He's all high and mighty, but I help him with his problem by playing with him a lot! He thinks he's top dog, but I know better!

We are having a really cold snap in the weather here in JOHANNESBURG. It has been raining for a couple of days and this means that some particular crickets are propagating:

"PARKTOWN PRAWNS"

(Is what they are called)

As you know, TOFFEE is the great PARKTOWN PRAWN KILLER-DOG!

He won't allow any of them in the house and is extremely skilled at eradicating them...

(I just hope this video is going to work...!)

I am happy to delegate that job to him!

Whilst TOFFEE the PARKTOWN PRAWN KILLER-DOG is busy...

I take over his bed!!!

HAVE A HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND RESTFUL WEEKEND!

Lots of licks

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

MOOD LIFT!

mmmWOOF!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

MAXDOG here...

Hey all my furry buddies!

Firstly this picture below is specially dedicated to the

"NOT-SO-LITTLE-MAN"

and his special pooch-friend, CLIVE!

"Hey Murray...my little therapy doggie is helping me too!"

Yesterday when I got home from the Vet, Mom told me that all my buddies in cyberspace were saying that I was a STUFFIE who was falling apart!

Well, I am NOT! Definitely NOT!

(Any Stuffie-surgeons out there - don't get any ideas!)

I am a Golden Retriever...who bounces back in hard times!

When I heard what you were all saying, I decided to scratch that stent off and get myself a decent bandage! My Vet obliged me.

I want to suggest to Doggie-Mommies out there that when us doggies have operations and want to scratch, then perhaps they can consider 'bandaging!"

My mom had seen somewhere how the lovely doggie-buddies from "Tellington Touch" would wrap 'aggressive' dogs up to calm them down. Now remember, I am NOT an aggresive dog!!!

I simply didn't want to have my friends think I am a stuffie!

This bandage (under Vet's approval and bandaged by the nurse) worked wonders! She did it in a half figure 8 around my front leg and over the surgery site. I had a wonderful night's sleep! I am comfortable and content! The bandage makes me feel secure and keeps my wound site intact....

Woof! It works really well!!!

Anyway, here I am - back with my pack - and yes, I have them all waiting on me and catering for my every need! (I gave some of your suggestions to my Mom and she also allowed me on the bed for a short while...pssst...thanks guys!) Mom even bought me a KONG!

Are there any doggies out there who can give me some tips on how to get those tempting treats out of there??? Suggestions will be much appreciated!

The KONG keeps me busy for hours and I become totally unaware of my surgery site!

...and as for my gorgeous girlfriend, Tammy...

She's by my side again...looking upon me with absolute adoration!

The MAXDOG and his Mom are very comfortable today!

Lots of licks to all my cyber-buddies

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

WELCOME HOME MAXDOG!!!

Dear Friends

I can't say enough "Thank you's" for the tidal wave of love, support, encouragement, prayers, warm wishes, uplifting comments which are so openly displayed by you, my dear friends, in this cyber-world, towards my entire family and our beloved MAXDOG. In the small hours of the night, when I battle to sleep, I read your comments and find serenity. Thank you too to PETEY for updating the friends yesterday. Your guys are really special!

I am totally overwhelmed by your love!

As you can see...Max is home! Sore yes, but Im trying my best to be with him and help him through this healing process.

The 'stent' (white cotton wool area) will be removed on Friday and his stitches will come out in two weeks time. Thankfully he doesn't have to wear a collar as he seems comfortable not to lick.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing, professional, and wonderful staff, nurses and Veterinary specialists at

RANDRIDGE SPECIALIST VETERINARY CENTRE

Thank you particularly to Dr Miller, Dr Naude and Dr Steenkamp.

I can't tell you how grateful we are that you have given life back to Max. Please accept our sincere thanks!!!

I will try and keep all our cyber-friends posted in the days to come. Please would you allow me to 'blog when and where I can' as I am grieving at the moment and have funeral arrangements to make for my precious mother.

With lots and lots of love and thanks from both me and...

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA