|
A story from Loretta about Herc, a wonderful dog!
posted 05/16/2012
Everyone thinks their dog is special, right? Well, Herc is a member of my brother & sister-in-laws' family; not mine! But I love him! He's gentle but he's a good watchdog. He's big but he doesn't jump on people & he's handsome. Also he sympathizes with me when my knees stiffen up if I've been sitting too long & walks slowly--but the other day it looked like his joints were getting a little achy,too. I got a lump in my throat; but I'm sure he still has years left in him. He enjoys his naps in the sun or under a table; and he has a huge yard to play & run in. And of course he gets lots of love, and gives so much in return.:)
A story from Loretta Bailey about Kaferah & Zoey
posted 05/15/2012
Zoey is the newest addition to Jim and Abby's life. (Jim's my son) Kaferah would have nothing to do with Zoey at first. After all she was there 1st.!! Now they have reached a tentative truce - where they just eye each other warily but allow each other her own space in the sun and food and water. It's interesting to see it play out. Kaferah has been a pampered (I say that with love) indoor cat for 3 years, while Zoey has been fighting for her life on the mean streets of Detroit. She was abandoned & became feral; you wouldn't know it now. She loves people. Cats have complex personalities! They've only known each other 2 weeks & they're adjusting & gradually accepting each other. I guess they could teach us humans a thing or two. Just like dogs can. PEACE & BE WELL :)
A story from kaitlyn about my dog
posted 05/11/2012
Hi john, I'm 9 years old, and I love your books. I have a dog that is almost 15 years old. You inspire me in my writing. Thank you so much!
A story from Ryan about Bad Dog, Marley
posted 05/09/2012
I like this book because it is funny. my favorite part is when he got into the garbage.
A story from ryan about Bad Dog
posted 05/09/2012
A story from ryan about Bad Dog
posted 05/09/2012
A story from ryan about ZZZZZZZB
posted 05/09/2012
A story from ryan about ZZZZZZZB
posted 05/09/2012
A story from ryan about ZZZZZZZB
posted 05/09/2012
A story from ryan about ZZZZZZZB
posted 05/09/2012
A story from ryan about ZZZZZZZB
posted 05/09/2012
A story from Rebecca Aguilar about Roy Boy
posted 05/05/2012
It was a couple day after my Roy Boy died. I was in a book store and I happened on Marley and Me. I had heard about it but never read it. So I took it home and started reading it right away. It made me laugh, it made me cry, but most of all, it helped me to get through the death of my dog Roy. In one year, I had put down not 1 but 2 of my dogs. King was a German Shepard Great Dane mix from the pound. His previous owners abused him, and when he first came home he was afraid of the sunlight. As time went on he realized he was safe with us and became the most beloved dog ever. Although he still had nightmares once in a while, and would wake up scared and shaken, then calm down after he found one of us and realized he was safe. Roy was a Black Lab and Chow Chow mix. We got him as a puppy and him and King became best friends. We were a military family so they moved around with us a lot. But we always took them where ever we moved to. They were good dogs and never behaved like Marley. But Roy did have an issue with cat poop. If he found any when out for a walk he would roll in it! The only problem we had with either dog were cats. They hated them and thought all cats were evil and must die. Once we heard a death scream from the backyard and found Roy trying to swallow a cat whole while it was still alive. The cat screamed and we had to tackel Roy and get it out. We had King for 16years! Thh vet said he should not have lived that long. It was a miracle that he did. In the end, we had to put him down cause his mind and body were going. His hips were bad and he started being absentminded. After a while his body got real bad and we had to let him go. Not long after Roy started going downhill. We had him for 13years. His buddy was gone and Roy's hips and back legs started drooping. After a year he was so bad when we took him in, we had to carry him into the vet. Me, my brothers and my parents loved these guys. I keep a picture of them up and still think about them every day. Dogs like that never leave your heart.
A story from Nicole from Germany about Momo
posted 04/29/2012
Dear Mr. Grogan! Thanx for "Marley & Me"! I love this book! I was laughing and crying, sometimes both at the same time. The chapter, when Marley died, I always look to our dog, a "black Lab - german shepherd dog"-Mix called Momo and I know, the time is runnig. Momo is ten years old now. She is a faithfull mind and loves all children. She is really not a watchdog,oh no, she would a housebreaker lick to the death or bring her toys for playing. Sometimes she´s the poorest dog in the whole world - when we´re sitting at the dinner. But we love her so much! Greetings from Germany!
A story from Nick Konarowski about My Wonderful Retriever: May 12, 1997-April 21, 2012
posted 04/27/2012
Hello Mr. Grogan, my name is Nick Konarowski from Oshawa, Ontario. Sadly, my family had to say goodbye to our beloved yellow lab Phoenix this past Saturday, shortly after 5pm. She was only a few weeks away from her 15th birthday. It seems like only yesterday when I first met her. I was 5 years old and it was the Sunday of the Canada Day weekend. I came home from the cottage with my dad to see this sweet, little pudge-ball of a yellow lab sitting in the kitchen. She looked just like the retriever on the Marley DVD sitting there. I remember taking her into the backyard and playing for hours until my mom came home, who told me she didn't go to the cottage to as she needed to pickup the lab who's name is Phoenix. I honestly can't believe that was almost 15 years ago. Letting her go was the hardest thing i've ever had to do. Part of me wanted her to stay, but I knew that would be the selfish thing to do, as her quality of life was not worth living. She began vomiting violently the night before, had a seizure, and could no longer support her own weight. I am so glad though that I was there with her right to the end, she went in peace, and the last two people she saw were my mom and I right by her side. I honestly thought she would live forever after an incident with chocolate eggs on Easter. She somehow managed to knock my chocolate eggs off the living room table and ate them all! Though she had a slightly upset stomach and pooped out gold and purple foil, it really didn’t phase her, I thought she was invincible. The last few days have been rough emotionally, but on Monday night, I went to spend the night at my moms house. We started by looking at many old photos, and there were so many pictures of me and my best pal that brought a smile to my face. We then compiled a list of all the great memories we had with her that never seems to end, its page after page of amazing times. Some of the memories were funny, dopey retriever things similar to Marley, like the time on Centre Island where she was eating a frozen pile of horse poo to times of playing in the snow and throwing snowballs to her, she would catch them, they would explode, and she would be so confused as to where they went. I also loved when she tried to eat an orange once, but when she bit into it, the citrus scared her and she would not eat it. I could go on and on with great memories, but I don't think is enough room for me to do so. We also watched Marley and Me, as Marley and Phoenix had so many similarities. I thought the end would bring tears, but it didn't. They both had peaceful ends to their lives, and what made me smile was when the boy playing your son was watching the video of Marley eating the diaper. Though it's painful to let them go, I will always have those funny memories of my silly lab for the rest of my life. What I'm going to miss the most though is the little things. When I would come home from school, she was always there either at the top of the steps waiting with love and a big, dopey smile or asleep on her couch (yes she had her own futon), upside-down in total relaxation. If I was sick or feeling blue, she would always be there by my side to cheer me up, she just loved back no matter what. When eating, she was always there looking sad to get the last bite, and I would fall for that face every time. She also brought joy to so many people who didn’t even know her. Both children and adults would ask to pet her and my mom would always say, “Be careful, she might kill you with kisses.” Little kids would love when Phoenix would kiss them; she was such a gentile girl. Didn’t have a mean bone in her, well except for maybe with bugs. She would see them, get this really confused look on her face (with the ears up and head tilted sideways), get down really low, sniff a bit, and then slurp up the bug and carry on with whatever she was doing. Though she may have looked sad to gain that last bite, this dog was the complete opposite of sad, oh was she ever spoiled. She was truly the most beloved dog on the planet. It's a shame that something that was so loving, so funny, wonderful, gentile, happy, and kind could only live for close to 15 years. I know I should be very thankful she had such a long life for a retriever. I miss her so much, and as I type this, the tears have begun to flow again. RIP Phoenix, I will always love you <3
A story from Lorraine Mara about Thank you for your story!
posted 04/25/2012
On a whim I took your book on CD out of the library. I'd never heard of it, but have been listening to it in my car since. There have been numerous times I've just sat in the car upon reaching my destination, not wanting to turn it off. I was born in 1957 and I think my early years mirrored yours in many ways... 12 years of parochial schools and a devote, Catholic mother. I laughed out loud so many times, especially Jenny's reaction to the voodoo aspect - guess I'd never really thought about how it looked to an outsider. I was the youngest of four children, and got away with way more than the first three did. More LOLs as I read about your escapades and how similar some were to mind. Thank you for writing such an endearing, meaningful and funny book about your life.
A story from Aletta Vandenberg about Our Dog Jarman
posted 04/12/2012
MEMORIES OF OUR DOG JARMAN 10-8-98 – 17-3-12 We got Jarman as a puppy from the Guide Dog Association back in October 1998. He was such a cute little puppy, one of six in the litter. We puppy-walked him for the Guide dogs but he failed due to cat distraction and also the sounds of the trains. We weren’t sure what to do, like when they asked us if we wanted to buy him from them or let him go to another family. We thought about it for a little while then in the end decided to keep him and we’re glad that we did. He has been the most delightful dog. He knew where he wanted to be. He wanted to stay with us of course. On some early occasions like when he was a wee little puppy he used to skateboard on the paving in our backyard, two legs off and two legs on and down he’d go. Then we would bring it back up and he’d go again. He was so funny, we wished we had it on video. We had hens too and you’d see him carrying them in his mouth without harming them and then let them go again. We also had pet budgies and Princess Parrots at different times, and Jarman would let them land on him and talk to him. He even took them for a ride. He’s been on trains, buses and trams. He’s also been in shopping centres and we’ve even taken him to church. We were involved in the Pets as Therapy programme run by the Guide Dog Association, then later with Lort Smith Animal Hospital. We went to the Royal Womens Hospital and nursing homes such as Lionsbrae, Amaroo, Gracedale and Olivet. He loved to go into Gracedale because a lot of the people would give him nice treats to eat. Often when walking past there he’d stick his nose in and want to go in, but I would say, “Not today, Jarmie!” When we went to Lionsbrae I would play the piano in the main room upstairs and Jarman would just lie down at my feet; sometimes he would go and do the rounds by saying hello to the people there. He also loved to visit the horses in the field not far from our home. He also had some other dog friends: Bucca and Sebastian (who are no longer with us either) and liked to have a play with them. He’d also say hello to Patch (a little terrier), who when he was around Jarman always wanted to jump on top of him. Everybody loved Jarman and thought that he was the best dog around. So gentle, loyal, loving and he had a really beautiful nature. He would sit out the front on the lawn, basking in the sun, and would rarely leave the property on his own, and would say hello to the dogs and people that walked past. He would always be at the front door to greet any visitors that came inside, and usually picked something up in his mouth to offer as a present. This happened a lot outside too: he’d always pick up a leaf or piece of stick and offer it to you. Well, he really loved Tuesday nights when we did the bread delivery. He would race outside and greet the people who came to collect the bread, and sometimes score some as well. Probably not the best food for him but who could resist such a lovely looking face. I would shake out the crumbs on the lawn and Jarman would have a bit of a feast. He was also a regular visitor at North Ringwood Primary School. Sometimes he would take himself there – then I would get a phone call from the principal saying, “I think we have your dog here, can you please come and pick him up.” When he was about 7 months old Simon’s class was doing an experiment on growth and development. Jarman was used in the exercise, where he was measured and weighed every two weeks. It was so much fun. All the children loved him, saying “There’s Jarman our friend.” He became to be a bit of a class mascot. I used to do a paper round and he’d always be there with me, attached to the trolley with his lead. He’d always stay with the trolley while I did that side of the street or across the road. He’d never stray away from there. One time I was collecting the Pedigree pal labels from the dog tins, for the Guide Dogs, I had them all draped around the top of the trolley and Jarman still had his puppy coat at that time, and I thought that would have made a really great advertisement for the Guide Dogs. Often he wasn’t even on the lead while I did the rounds, and would just stay with the trolley and not cross the roads. He was such a well behaved dog. I could leave him there and he wouldn’t move. I could do the papers on the other side of the road and he’d still be waiting at the trolley. I could even cross over the main road, Warrandyte Road, and he would just stay there when I said, “Stay!” There was a time though when I put meat up on the bench to defrost and I had gone out – when I got back it was gone. Uh Oh! Oh No! He ate it all. There was dinner gone for one day. Then another time he ate chicken fillets from the bench as well. My husband John wasn’t impressed and said, “If that ever happens again you are going straight back to the Guide Dogs!” Well fortunately it never happened again so we got to keep him. Well actually I was reminded by my son Robert that he did steal some chicken drumsticks that I had been defrosting in the sink. He’d got them all! He didn’t mind going to the vets either. He knew that he would get some treats. Well, he really liked going to Thrifty Vet, Dr Harry Corbett, because he’d always get treats there - liver from a doggy container on the counter. Often he wouldn’t move until he got one. He was probably a bit stubborn too at times. He’d tell me when he did and didn’t want to go out for a walk. I would say “Come on Jarman, let’s go for a walk!” He’d just stop in his tracks and just not want to go at all. He’d yank back on the lead, “No! I don’t want to go, I just want to stay! I’ve had enough walking for one day.” We’d often go visiting people as well and he was always good. He was always wagging his tail even to the last day, especially when we had group Bible study or people around, he’d be there and was nearly knocking over the coffee cups on the coffee table. His tail was a good fan too, especially in the warmer weather he’d wag it in front of you. He’d often dock himself in front of you and sit right on your feet. He was also a regular visitor to our neighbours Ray & Sally, who aren’t there anymore either. But he’d go and visit Ray a lot and keep him company. He’d also get treats from him. Ray would always give him an apple or the end of it. He loved his food, fruit, broccoli, any vegetables really. I am going to miss you, my special vacuum cleaner. He also loved his little cocker spaniel friends Molly & Misty who lived two doors up the road. Diane their owner would always give him treats there. He wouldn’t leave until he had received something. He was a real comforter too. When Kevin came around telling me about his dad’s death, Jarman was giving him lots of attention and comfort. Also when I was going through cancer myself Jarman never left my side. He was always looking out for me. He was always there for me. Thank you, Jarman! He knew what I was going through. He was loved by all. We had him put down at 9.15am on Saturday 17 March 2012; we were all there with him when he was put to sleep. Cuddling and patting his dear body. My sons Robert and Simon dug a hole in our backyard and John helped as well. When the hole was deep enough we lowered Jarman carefully down to his final resting place. Melody threw some dirt on Jarman and so did we all. We all said our goodbyes. We placed his collar and lead on top of him. Then Simon filled in the rest of the grave. We love you so much Jarman, you will be greatly missed. You have been the most special best friend and member of the family. Rest in peace dear boy and no more suffering for you. (PS I just started reading part of the book and it's bringing tears to my eyes - but glad for you you have another pooch to love and care for).. I am thinking of taking another Guide Dog Puppy in August or so this year.) I really miss him...
A story from Jason about Coffee
posted 04/07/2012
I just wanted to say Marley and me reminded me of how Coffee in her youth probably would have gave Marley a run for his money on the destruction side. I rescued her for a pound that was going to put her down because no one wanted her. She destroyed a long list of my stuff, but grew into an awesome dog and is still going strong. It is great to see her get the look in her eyes and revert back to her youtth. She has her own way.
A story from Loretta Bailey about "TLTH"
posted 04/05/2012
Happy belated birthday! Only missed by 16 days!:) I'm enjoying my very OWN copy of "TLTH" which I bought for myself a few days ago. After reading the library's copy , I knew I needed to add this book to my personal library Please keep on writing for adults, too. Best wishes to you & your loved ones.:)
A story from Joanna about Marley and Me
posted 04/03/2012
Sorry, Marley and Me.
A story from Joanna about Matley and Me
posted 04/03/2012
Dear Mr. Grogan, I just want to thank you for sharing your story. My Haley is only 2 but she's already taught me the importance of unconditional love and devotion. She lives ever day to the fullest and I do too, with her by my side.
A story from nataie duncan about lillie rosie and copper
posted 04/03/2012
the cool story about natalie and her dogs well it all started when i got my frist dog lillie now i have to tell you smoething she is a humper :) she is a super werid dog and she is my first dog and my coolest dog I LOVE YOU LILLIE My dog copper came next he like's to hump lillie and i thank he is wried :) :) :) :)but i love him as much as lillie love ya copper Rosie the sweet dog like's to snug with you and she can be mean but sweet LOVE YA ROSIE and that"S my story xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxxxxooo:) :)
A story from nataie duncan about lillie rosie and copper
posted 04/03/2012
the cool story about natalie and her dogs well it all started when i got my frist dog lillie now i have to tell you smoething she is a humper :) she is a super werid dog and she is my first dog and my coolest dog I LOVE YOU LILLIE
A story from sarah about marley and me
posted 04/03/2012
Mr. Grogan Sir your book made me cry, laugh, and smile all at the same time and may your loveable Marley rest in peace knowing that his story is making pepole laugh and smile all across the world
A story from Loretta Bailey about Your Mom's sense of humor
posted 04/01/2012
I'm on my second reading of "The Longest Trip Home" and I think it's appropriate to tell you I'm thinking of your mom & her sense of humor on this April Fool's Day ( which happens to be my mom's birthday , she passed away in '99). Your mom had such a positive effect on everyone she met ( I never met her, but I can tell from your book). Her sense of humor was wonderful. Hope you have a wonderful April Fool's Day, & are able to escape any jokes or pranks. Almost impossible in an Irish family! :) SE MI weather has returned to more March-like conditions-- one day we were wearing t-shirts ; now it's back to winter coats. Just an update for you. :)Good ole MI weather. :-)
| 
