Jelly Bean

Many people have asked me about how our wonderful dog, Jelly Bean, is doing in Japan.  He is doing great.  He is still under quarantine and will be until late February 2009, which means he cannot leave the base where we live.  I don't think he minds because he's got it pretty good.  In the mornings, Jelly Bean and I walk to the gate where Madeleine meets the other students to walk to school.  Sometimes Madeleine joins us in walking and sometimes she rides her bike.  It's about a quarter mile to the gate and the walk is very nice.  It is a residential neighborhood with wide streets and sidewalks.  Jelly has lots of opportunities to sniff around and takes advantage of "marking" his spot numerous times along the way.  Once we see Maddie off, we briskly walk back to the house so we can start our day.  (Of course he goes right back to bed.)  Usually I take him out again around lunchtime.  We will take a long walk around the base or go to his favorite spot:  the dog park.    Yes, we have a dog park here on the base!  It is a fenced-in area that has plenty of room to run around and includes a drinking fountain for both dogs and humans.  Jelly loves to play fetch with a tennis ball.  He runs and runs until he is completley exhausted.  In the afternoons we walk up to the gate to meet Madeleine and then straight back.  In the house, we play tug of war with some of his other toys or he sleeps.  On the weekends, Vanessa or Madeleine will take him for walks and to the dog park.  He sure gets lots of lovin' from us all but especially from Maddie.  Those two really love each other and will sometimes just lay together on the floor like two puppies.  Jelly Bean has recently made friends with a young black poodle named Shadow.  He lives close by and they will have their first sleepover at our house on Saturday.  They have played together at the dog park and got along well so we think it will be great to have him over.

One more thing I wanted to say.   Here in Japan we have these huge black crows.  They land in the yard a lot.  Sometimes we chain Jelly up to the front porch with a 20 ft lead.  From time to time the birds start to come close and he likes to run after them.  One time a crow came hopping towards him instead of flying away.  Jelly ran to the front door trying to get inside!  Since then he is a little less enthusiastic about chasing them. . . .

Well, that's the report on Jelly Bean.  We are all very happy in our little home in Japan.  And we hope you are too, wherever you are.