Uncle Bud is one of the more amazing people I know. He happens to be related to me , but I would claim him anyway. My Aunt Elaine is nothing to sneeze at either.
If you are one of my newsletter readers or you have visited my web page over the years, you have probably met Uncle Bud already. He’s a funny guy.
I’ll list some of the funny things he’s written at the bottom of this post in case you need something else to smile about, but first watch this video.
Was that not hysterical? Amazing even?
Here’s the inside scoop.
Missy, the canine star of the show is my uncle’s service dog. She’s a lab-boxer-beagle-lion-monkey mix. For all her quirks (she hates going outside, dislikes men with boxes, and enjoys turning on the heated seats in my aunt’s car) she is a huge help to my uncle. He has lost most of his sight and she helps him get around.
One of her most amazing abilities is to find the men’s room for him. She’s never wrong! She also remembers where Aunt Elaine parks the car and can lead Uncle Bud to it.
She also enjoys wearing doggie sun glasses and a babushka when they go out. On forays around the neighborhood she sits demurely on his scooter.
The little dog bouncing up and down in the background of the video (and sometimes in the foreground) is Liberty, the plumber’s dog. My aunt and uncle were dog sitting because she doesn’t do well in kennels and her people had to go out of town. Liberty and Missy are good friends.
My cousin Niki works for Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in West Palm Beach, Florida. She fostered both dogs and arranged their adoptions. At the end of the video is a phone number to make a donation to the Rescue League if you like. My cousin Mindy has just opened Glamour Paws Salon in Tequesta/Jupiter, Florida. Just in case you have a dog who needs to look gorgeous.
My cousin Simm (no, that’s not a typo) and her husband Doug are videographers. Doug shot the video and he’s an amazing musician. He never goes anywhere without a flute and entertains everyone with impromptu music as the spirit moves. Simm is an accupuncturist and a very talented photographer and if she had married my husband instead of me, she would have been Simm Simms!
So much for the shameless promotion, except that you can EMAIL my uncle for the “directions” on how to teach your dog to read. He will send you an MS Word file so you can print out your own cards and instructions.
And one more thing. It’s very important.
My uncle is checking You Tube stats hourly. Would you like to make an 80-year-old guy really happy? See how many people you can get to watch this video. Forward this blog to them, or email this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W-CSIvMHYM
Read stuff written by Uncle Bud:
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(By the way, I Twitter too.
And I friend quilters on Facebook!)
Through The Eyes Of A Quilter 
What a hoot your uncle’s car story is! And what a talented writer he is. So you came by your writing ability legitimately—you got it from Uncle Bud….I especially love it when your dog writes your posts!
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Ami is the greatest niece anyone could possibly have. I love to write, but Ami is the one who encouraged me to share my writing. If she hadn’t pushed and shoved me, I never would have written THE RELUCTANT SAILOR.
I am the luckiest old man in the world to be surrounded with such a wonderful and loving family, including Missy.
Uncle Bud
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This is darling. I watched The Reluctant Sailor and immediately ordered it for my brother for a St Urho’s Day present…he (my brother, not St Urho) is also retired Navy.
Linda
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Your family is amazing
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If you taught Madison to read, he could read “Marley and Me” and get lots of ideas! Your Uncle Bud is a treasure.
Pat and pups
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Thank you so very much. My family is the real treasure.We have 4 wonderful daughter and great son-in-laws with Liberty and Justice for all. You quilters are amazing. You are all so bright and warm and understanding. Also artistic and accomplished. Quilt on!
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Could Missy be any luckier a pooch than to hang out with Uncle Bud? I don’t think so.
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Missy is not the lucky one, I am! She was a rescue dog but as everyone who knows me agrees, she rescued me! We are together 24/7 and enjoy every single moment. Someone turned her into the shelter when she was 7 months old. We were fostering dogs until my daughter Niki could adopt them out. Missy was our 9th foster dog. It was love at first sight. She was born outside and had never been inside a house. She liked our house and decided to stay. She did anything she could to make us love her and keep her for our forever dog. Now she runs the entire house and isn’t quite finished training us. The pleasure continues.
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THANK YOU for sharing your uncle with all of us — what a GREAT way to begin my Monday morning!
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Thanks for sharing this video. I am more of a cat person but really enjoyed watching Uncle Bud and Missy! Great start to my week.
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I just love to hear about Uncle Bud. This started my week off on a happy note. Does his dog have a Puppus Doggus quilt?
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I just loved this! We have two cats now and are getting a dog next year when my husband retires (we’ve always had dogs – these two cats will be furious next year!). I have no doubt that Missy can read – trust me, that will never happen with cats. This brought much laughter and sunshine to my house this morning – I am sharing it with everybody I know. Love and kisses to y’all!
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Ami, I just read about Uncle Bud’s first car and can’t stop laughing. However, I am also 81 and attended Central High in Detroit graduating in 1946, I can’t believe how I must have missed meeting Uncle Bud while we were students there. I would have surely remembered a fun guy like him. The story about the car brought back a memory of mine regarding Cars. My husband’s first car was similar. We called her the “Blue Beatle” because he painted her a bright blue!! No she was not a VW. He installed a gasolline heater in his also. And had to add oil to her every few miles. This was all while I was still in Nursing school at U of M. Small coincident , eh?? Wish we had met!!
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Uncle Bud is a peach! his dog is very talented too. I think dogs can be taught a lot more than what we routinely ask of them and this is a perfect example!!
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How sweet of you to make this blog and promote the whole family but most of all to get people to watch and forward this request to watch my Dad’s You Tube video.
Cousin yours Niki
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You just gotta love Uncle Bud! My cousins called my dad Uncle Bud, and you are a keeper just like he was! Thank you for your grateful personality and I’ll be ordering that book straightaway! Great stories, and what a treasure you have, Ami. If I come your way, you better make sure I don’t steal him away.
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Thank you for sharing – I loved the video! And Uncle Bud’s books too!
I bet Missy could learn to spell, like my Tessa. We can’t even spell c-o-o-k-i-e without her jumping around in circles, ready to lead us to the kitchen.
Fostering is great, for the dogs and for the family. It’s also a good way to “try out” dogs until you find one you just can’t let go to another home. Right now I have two dogs of my own and one dachshund rescue – expect two more rescue dach’s next month. How to find five corners in my kitchen…
Hugs to you and the family.
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Several weeks ago I read this item. I wrote the title of your Uncle Bud’s book on my desk blotter intending to try to find it on Amazon.com for my husband, who also was in the navy, and then got sidetracked. Today he finally saw this note and asked about it. When I told him all about it, he said, don’t bother buying it as I have it. Our daughter, who at that time lived in Ann Arbor MI, bought it for him in 2004. He has read it and really enjoyed it. So I showed him your blog and he proceeded to get to know Uncle Bud. Small world.
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You and Missy make quite the team. I checked out a book from the library a few weeks ago called “Teach Your Dog to Read.” It’s by Bonnie Bergin and Sharon Hogan. So now you have scientific backup, not that you needed it, that the two of you are geniuses ’cause you two figured it out without outside help.
That’s so great that you help other critters out by raising money for animal rescue. I greatly admire you and appreciate the work you do.
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I just loved it!!! I knew Missy was an amazing dog….but READING! It is just more proof that Dogs are the best kind of people!!
Hope Glamour Paws is doing great!
See you soon!
Fondly,
Nancy
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Very nice write-up. I certainly appreciate this site. Keep writing!
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How can I get the file to print the cards and instructions for training? The email link goes to an error page.
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I’m sorry, but you can’t. My uncle has passed away and they are no longer available.
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