Gimme those tomatoes.......

  

I asked my awesome sister-in-law  to do a little guest blogging to tell you all how Sammy is doing, see below. Sam is living with their family now. I miss him more that you can imagine, but I know he is much loved and well cared for. Look at the cute photos after all. I love the one in the middle. It is Sam in the backyard stalking the tomato plants because he wants to eat them; however, they had already fenced-off the vines because we warned that Sam would eat all the tomatoes...... 

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I can tell you guys (especially you) miss Sam a lot. I know he misses you but I think he is fairly happy here with us. I hope so, anyway. As for Sam's daily life, here are a few insights:

• The kids STILL argue EVERYDAY over who gets to feed him and hold his leash when we take him on a walk.

• Gwen (her nickname is Ding Dong) calls him Sammy Sam and loves him a little too much. I don't think he loves her quite as much as she loves him though.

• She likes to chase him through the house with one of those annoying ball popper push toys (http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Brilliant-Basics-Corn-Popper/dp/B00000IZOU) that are loud and should be outlawed for any kid to own. Poor Sam hates it and we tell her every time that he doesn't like it and that he is going to bite her. And we will let him. Probably a major reason he doesn't return her love.

• The kids think it is hilarious when he gets one of his bursts of energy and sprints around in circles in the backyard. The laugh and laugh while they try and chase him. It usually only lasts about 2 minutes but it's a good time for all.

• When Sam poops while we are out for a walk the kids start yelling "Poop alert! Poop alert!" so I can make sure to pick it up. Dexter claims he isn't old enough to pick up dog poop yet. We will definitely be working on that.

• Sam walks with us every morning to take Dexter to the bus stop. All the kids know him by name now, even though he still barks at them sometimes.

• Whenever Ding Dong (aka. Gwen) is eating something while she is walking around she will hold it above her head and say, "Sam not get it." She learns fast. And Sam knows she is his best target for getting food droppings or handouts. We tell her EVERY time to stop giving him food off of her plate but she doesn't listen. This may be a reason he has gained a little bit of weight. Sorry. We are working on it. But I think it also helps him not hate her so much with the torturous popping toy. It is definitely a love/hate relationship between those two.

• Dexter wants Sam to sleep on his bed SO bad but Sam isn't really having it. Instead he chooses to sleep upstairs in his bed or on the futon downstairs in the office. I can't tell you how many times we have gone down to check on Dexter after we have put him to bed only to find him asleep and snuggled up with Sam on the futon with a blanket and a couple of his stuffed animals. It's pretty damn cute. 

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Well that is all on the Sammy front. 

Today I finally caught up with D.L. and H.L., who moved here in January from the Bay Area. We had a lovely lunch near their house in Hampstead. First off, they are amazing. Dave and I barely made it here in one piece and they moved here last January with two kids (who are just two and four years old). OMG you are my heroes. I hope to see them again very soon.

So Portugal on Wednesday!!!!! I am getting really excited to see a sunset over the ocean again. Plus our hotel looks like it will rock - AND it is only like $70 a night. Check out the reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g189158-d1818282-Reviews-The_House-Lisbon_Estremadura.html.