Summer! It’s here and I love it! The month of July has been the most incredible yet. I’m not even sure where to begin.
First, there was the 4th of July. Then there was a vacation. Well, not a real vacation, but for four days I didn’t wear my service vest. They left it behind! We went out into the mountains of Maryland, little hills really but they call them the Appalachian Mountains, and we walked. We walked, and we walked, and we walked some more. My puppy raisers and I slept outside under the stars and I got to meet plenty of squirrels, coyotes, and other creatures of the forest. They called it backpacking. I called it a four-day party except they made me carry my food. I’m definitely ready to do that again.
Of course, even during summer, there were classes. We worked on picking up things and opening doors, but we got a couple of weeks off too. It can’t be too much work. Except for when I was out backpacking, I got to go into the office every day. My puppy raisers call it work; I see it as another opportunity to strike a napping pose.
Absolutely, the highlight of my month was my guest appearance at a rock concert. This guy named Billy Joel came to town. Sold out the Nationals Park to 40,000 people. He thought it would be a great idea to recognize and honor veterans while singing “Goodnight Saigon.” Well, if you know me, I like hanging out with veterans, so I had to be there too. So, we arrived and got our tickets and backstage passes.
Then we went out and practiced. It didn’t seem so hard. Everyone was worried that I’d freak out. Go crazy. Nope, I’m cool as a cucumber. I was ready. So halfway through the show, they snuck us onto the stage under the cover of darkness. The lights were down, and Billy Joel was singing and playing his piano. Then the lights went up, and the crowd went wild! Wild, I tell you. Clapping, cheering, showering the veterans with love. I lapped it up. What a great time. What a great opportunity. All amongst my veteran buddies showing what all of us Hero Dogs are capable of. It was pretty awesome. But afterwards, I was bushed, so I went back to my “green room” and took a nap.
Finally, I’m often envious of you humans for those things you call thumbs. I see the benefit of opposable thumbs in getting out treats, turning knobs, and holding onto bones. But I’ve learned how to type, and discovered countless friends in the greater world of social media. So come on over to Twitter (@MitchtheDog) or Instagram (@HeroDogMitch) to follow me in more detail or receive more frequent updates. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to follow Hero Dogs on Facebook and Twitter too. It can’t all be about me (but it should).
If this was July, I can’t wait for August.
