is quite large as well. So large that the south side of the home we refer to as the guest wing.
This side we have closed off right now for winter. The only time we enter is to do laundry
and feed the pets. This area houses the formal dining room, large guest bath , two
bedrooms and the laundry room. It is really like another house. This home being
so old maybe around 100years old has no proper heating. What we are used to back
home as central heat... a lovely warm gas furnace! Here we only have a few electric baseboards
that cost a mere fortune to use. We are only using a bare minimum and shudder at the
thought of our next electric bill!
We have of course in this home fire alarms. One of the alarms is located in the dining
room. This area of the home is just if not colder than outside.
As you all know who have been following my blog we have a 4year old German Shepherd.
A beautiful highly intelligent beast who is faithful, loving and yes challenging at the best of
times. I have heard it said the more intelligent the dog the more challenging to train. Or better
yet the more they will test your leadership skills! Pilot does all that and more... but we love her
very much.
Around 3am yesterday Pilot came running up the stairs to our bedroom. Our bedroom is
located on the second floor on the North side of the home. You cannot hear anything from the
South side from up here. She immediately woke up my husband. He grumbled thinking
she needed to go outside.
He followed her down the stair case and immediately heard the alarm going off.
Thank heavens it was a false alarm. He figures the alarm was triggered from such cold
temperatures. But just the same we were so pleased with our Pilot alerting us to what
could have been a serious situation.
So today I want to say thank you Pilot girl ....we love you!
Wishing all of my American relatives (in Lewiston & Niagara Falls, NY) and bloggingfriends a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Pamela xo
What a beautiful and smart dog Pilot is! I am happy that he knew that the sound of the alarm was important enough to wake you up and thankful it was only the alarm. It is very hard to heat with electric baseboard isn't it? That's what we have although our house is only 38 years old and is well insulated. But, it is still expensive and I sometimes wish we had an alternate source of heat such as gas (clean) or wood (dirty)! We have a dog, Marshall, part husky/shepherd and he's pretty smart too. So, please give Pilot an extra hug and a treat from me. :-)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Pam
What a great dog Pilot is. You must sleep easier at night knowing that he is also your alarm! He's a very handsome dog, too!
ReplyDeleteXO,
Jane
What a smart and loyal dog you have. I think ours would just shiver and shake in the corner.
ReplyDeleteI've heard stories about dogs doing brave and clever things like that before. When my husband was a child their family dog came and whined to his mother until she followed the dog outside and he led her to an old man that had fallen down on the sidewalk and couldn't get up. He would have died from the cold if the dog hadn't alerted my husband's mother.
Smart dog indeed! We keep our upstairs closed off and heat it only when we know the kids are coming to spend the night. However, if you are living there you do know to keep enough heat on so that your washer/dryer pipes don't freeze and burst...and also the bath if there is one in that area. That is not a pretty sight when that happens.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the Thanksgiving wishes. I seem to remember you celebrate on a different day? Hugs- Diana
Oh sweet Pamela....what a bright and loyal friend you have in Pilot....thanks for stopping by this morning and leaving such a sweet comment...it is always nice hearing from you.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Jo
Pilot is a beautiful German Shephard! They are the most wonderful dogs...and we know because we were blessed with our German Shephard, Dusty, for seven years before we lost him to bone cancer. Oh...the stories we could tell about ours. We lost him in 1987 and still miss him to this day.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness Pilot is such a smart dog.......and that it was a false alarm!
ReplyDeleteTake care in that big, cold house - can I send you some thermals???????
We're off on a road trip for Thanksgiving - still quite mild but should be chilly by the weekend so packing tall boots and warm fleece tops!
Hugs - Mary
great story Pam!
ReplyDeleteOh how scary Pamela! What a smart dog Pilot is for alerting you to possible danger. I'm so glad it was only a false alarm. I bet you can sleep a lot better knowing you have such a smart and loyal dog that loves and watches out for you! I love your house from all of the photos you share. I would love to live in a house that old with all its character and charm. Drink lots of hot tea! Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes!
ReplyDeleteI have only heard stuff like that in stories.
ReplyDeleteI am grateful that he can save you!
Sleeping in your clothes??? Did it help? I sleep in my warm cozy housecoat!
Pilot ~ you are a great dog and a blessing to your family!!! Thank you for keeping them safe. My very best wishes to you and your hubby and of course dear Same for a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
Wow, what a smart dog! It must be comforting to know your dog will be watching out for the family's safety.
ReplyDeleteShe is intelligent and beautiful!
A quick step to say hello and wish you all the best in this festive time! xx
ReplyDeleteHi Pamela, I was just wanting to make sure you got my email. I tried to leave a comment here before and it would not go thru, just thought I would see if it would work for me today!
ReplyDeletehugs~~~ Daphne
What a wonderful dog....really pets are amazing! Give sweet Pilot and little hug from me. You are blessed. xoxo
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful dog, animals can be really amazing. If I recall my mother's first dog they had when their were married alerted them of a fire in the house, they got out ok but the dog hid under the bed and they could not get it out in time, it saved their lives.
ReplyDelete