We gots COATS!

By Charley, Sadie, Oliver and Belle

"You got yer coat zipped up, little bro?"

Today our mama went to the sanctuary in Maple Ridge to drop off some extra large crates - an act designed to ward off the Evil Flood Gods, in the same way that carrying an umbrella ensures it won't rain. In March 2007, the Hearts on Noses PotBellied Pig Sanctuary, which is located smack dab between the North and South Alouette Rivers, was virtually destroyed in a massive flood that saw volunteers (including our mama) and firefighters wading in chest deep water trying to get piggies into crates in order to move them to the only dry spot on the property - the house. Twenty seven pigs inside a house. Twenty seven wet, muddy, frightened, noisy pigs inside a house. Can you imagine? Our mama thinks four wet, muddy, noisy dogs inside the house is a challenge!

Anyway, with the heavy snowfall finally melting, and with all the rain that is falling, Hearts on Noses is getting prepared just in case the same thing should happen again this year.

What does this have to do with COATS you might ask?

Well, our Auntie Ewwen stopped by the sanctuary this morning to leave a package for us. Just for us! It was vewy, vewy special!!! We has our own couturier!!! Our Auntie Ewwen sewed all four of us dogs our own warm and water-resistent coats!!!

Our mama had never dressed us in anything other than collars or halters. She says dogs don't need clothes. But this winter has been soooo cold and soooo wet and our fur is soooo long and thick that it never dries........so she mentioned to Auntie Ewwen one day that maybe we needed some coats like her Whippet Boyz, Kinley and Cisco, wear. (Mama said she was worried we were getting chilled, but we finks she was just getting tired of drying off four sopping wet, cold dogs elebenteen times a day.)

And so.....we gots coats!! And they is BOOOTIFUL!!! They are easy for mama to put on us and take off us, and they are lined with fleece and they even has reflecshun tape so she can find us in the yard at night! We is vewy, vewy handsome dogs. Here's some pictures of us in our new duds:

Oliver

Charley and Oliver

Sadie

Sadie

Belle and Oliver

Charley

Belle

Belle

Charley and Martin

Martin thinks he should get a coat too. After all, he LIVES outside. At least we dogs get to live in the house with mama.

And guess what??? Our mama got a coat toooooo. Our Auntie Janice at the sanctoooary gave her one! Look - it's pretty cool, huh?

Now we are all sooo snazzy. An' Auntie Ewwen gave our mama a book for Christmas called Old Dogs are the best dogs by Gene Weingarten, photographs by Michael Williamson (Simon and Schuster, 2008). We think Mr. Weingarten and Mr. Williamson should take our pictures in our new coats ('cuz we is all Old Dogs) for their next book. They can take mama's picture in her new coat too. She's only a little over eight in dog years but that's almost old enough to be an Old Dog, don'tcha think? We lets her be an Honorary Old Dog.

Thanks Auntie Ewwen. And Mama sez thanks to Auntie Janice, too.

We is vewy lucky to have such good fwiends.