x-posted to "guide-dog-l" Australia, guide_dogs and my journal!

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday Dear Heartly girl,
Happy birthday to you!

1 2 3 4 5 6 hard leash corrections .. I mean .. slaps .. I mean ... pats
1 2 3 4 5 6 smaccos for you tonight (ha you wish! :)
Well what a milestone .. 42 in dog years! and yes I had to share it! What great work i have seen from her over the years, meerely improoving all the time!
She use to be such a hypa little puppy, and while she's still got tons of energy now, she can totally switch and behave when on harness.
The canteen at TAFE is still her fave spot where she will challenge me the most to get to her absolute favourite hobby in the world ... also she never fails to take me into Mackers every time we pass one, but .. that's OK!
If she can't eat the food her second best thing is to watch it being prepared and/or watching her humans eat it! Not to mention the "big brown eyes"! .. hmm it's true! When I'm at my parents house for tea, any of us can be preparing any of our meal and there you'll find Heartly - watching from behind!
Same with me when I'm here! I swear if she's not careful she'll trip me up one day and get sloshed with boiling water .. or something that I'll feel enclined to temporarily kill her for ... but ...
I love my little 42 year old Puppy who's getting reminded more and more by various sighted family members that .. she is getting greyer and greyer under her little chin!
.. And .. she's now on my bed. "ha, you're wagging Mum, i will too!"
Nah but I am going in later! Then no doubt she'll want her birthday pat from all our class mates! ..
Keep up the great work Heartly! It's not time to slow down yet my Heartly Pup! .. but never forget that you can look forward to a happy and secure retirement, living with my parents (who have totally not been into dogs until, and with the exeption of you!)
Love,
Mum.
Heartly: Where are my smaccos?