Happy New Year!

2013, here I come!

Happy New Year to all my friends!

My New Year's resolutions for this upcoming year are...

1. ...to spend more time napping in comfortable places.
2. ...to dig more holes (and figure out how to blame said holes on someone else).
3. ...to no longer allow Sister to dress me up in funny looking party hats.

Christmas Roundup

Welcome to this year's Christmas roundup!

I know it sounds odd, but I'm only just starting to recover from all the fun I had on Christmas day.  That's why it has taken me so long to share the stories of my Christmas frivolities with my loyal readers.

Before I begin, I must first admit that I initially thought that this Christmas wasn't going to be a good one for me.  You see, Christmas Eve was a bit of a disaster.  Here's what happened:

Ma and Pa took me to "the spa."  Now, I know that some humans, when they hear the word spa, think of some relaxing place.  Well not me.  When I hear the word, I know that it can only mean one thing...bath time.  So there I was, unceremoniously thrown in a giant bath tub in Woofer Wash and I'm not ashamed to say that I carried on like I was being killed, after all, I worked long and hard on getting myself nice and stinky and I really didn't want all my hard work to literally go down the drain.  Although I was less than helpful during the washing process, I did eventually allow Ma and Pa to scrub me down with shampoo and conditioner (the conditioner gives my coat a silky smooth shine).  I put my paw down, however, when it came to drying.  I did not want to be dried by that noisy cold air blowing dryer.  Of course, my persistence backfired because when I got home I was so cold that I actually started shivering.  Ma and Sister felt bad for me and decided to see if I would tolerate being dried by the hairdryer.  It turns out that I loved it.  Within a couple of minutes I was nice and warm and dry.

Luckily, the holiday took a turn for the better after that.

I spent Christmas morning trying to steal crumpled up pieces of used wrapping paper as Ma, Pa, and Sister opened their presents.  I had a lot of fun and shredded a number of pieces even though Pa kept trying to hold me back with my leash.  I do feel slightly bad for my humans though; they got a lot of clothes and videos, and stuff for the house out east, but very little food and absolutely no plush toys.  Anyway, when they were done it was my turn.  Sister first let me open the present that Rita, Ralphie, and Brandy gave me (a box of cookies!) and showed me what Karin and Mecki got me (more cookies!).  Then Sister pulled from the bag next to her an oddly shaped package wrapped in Golden Retriever wrapping paper.  "Merry Christmas" she said as she handed me the package.  I gave the package a good shake in my mouth and all of a sudden I felt something soft and fluffy inside.  I rummaged around in the paper and pulled out a plush gingerbread man squeaker toy with some kind of crinkly plastic stuffing.  Now let me tell you, I played with that toy until I collapsed exhausted on the floor and took a nap.

I was awoken from my nap by the sound of someone opening the side door.  I jumped up, grabbed my toy, and found Aunt B standing in the kitchen.  Now, I must take a moment to apologize to Aunt B:  sadly I didn't give her a proper welcome when she came in because, well, my nose was distracted by the yummy smelling chocolate cake in her hands and I rose up on my hind legs in an attempt to get a good sniff.

Me and my moose napping.

With Aunt B present, the party could really begin.  Out came the food (potato chips and dip, prime rib, lasagna, cookies, and cake), I begged for pets (which Aunt B happily gave me because I wasn't drooling that much--I was still so tuckered out from the morning that I just didn't have the strength to drool as excessively as I normally do), and a police chase was viewed from the window (well, Sister, Ma and Aunt B saw it...I couldn't because the windows in the dining room are too high).  Then it was present time.  Just before Ma, Pa, Sister and Aunt B sat down to opened their presents, Pa told me that Santa had left me a couple of presents as well.  From the back room Pa brought out a bag of rawhides.  I jumped up and down and wagged my tail in circles.  After polishing off a rawhide, Pa brought out another toy from Santa:  a stuffed floppy moose.  As with my gingerbread man, I chewed on that toy until I fell asleep.

I've been napping (and, according to Sister, snoring loudly) ever since.   And who wouldn't after all that excitement?

A Christmas Song

I thought I'd take this Christmas Eve moment to share with my loyal readers my rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  Feel free to sing, or howl, along!

Merry Christmas!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Santa gave to me:

Twelve lizards running
eleven socks for stealing
ten Meckis jumping
nine beds for sleeping
eight bunnies hopping
seven friends a-digging
six Ralphies leaning
five tennis balls
four toys to gut
three car rides
two belly rubs
and a Kong filled with peanut butter!

Merry Christmas!

Defending Myself

I am a very gentle, good-natured, dog.  I doubt anyone could deny that (and if someone does, don't pay any attention--he or she is obviously a liar).  However, I, like everyone else, do have a breaking point and, when provoked, I will defend myself.  I reached that point yesterday afternoon.

The afternoon started off normal enough.  Sister had just left to return to work after her lunch break and I, having found a nice warm sunny spot upstairs, had just settled down for a nap.  It was then I heard it: a dull thud.  With a sigh, I got up, stretched, and scurried down the stairs to investigate. 

I checked the kitchen--nothing but a loaf of bread on the counter.  I looked in Ma and Pa's room--nothing.  I checked the kitchen again--that loaf of bread looked tasty.  I checked the dining room--no sign of a disturbance.  I went back to the kitchen and tried to judge just how close to the edge of the counter the bread was.  "Wait," I thought, "Santa's watching."  I then sauntered into the living room and, lo and behold, I saw it!

There, by the front door, lay the homemade Christmas wreath Ma and Sister had made a couple of weeks ago; the one wrapped entirely in red yarn and covered in felt flowers (neither of which I was allowed to play with while they were making it).  Beside the wreath lay the suction cup that had previously held it to the door.



The remains of the wreath

I scurried over to the wreath, grabbed it in my mouth, and dragged it to the middle of the living room.  Then I systematically pulled out each straight pin that held each flower and leaf on and left them in a slobbery heap on the floor (I was very careful with the pins--I managed not to pierce my lips).  Next I grabbed the wreath itself and bit down.  Let me tell you, few things are better than Styrofoam...nothing crunches or breaks apart quite like it.  Over the next few minutes I reduced the wreath to a slobbery pile of Styrofoam snow, knotted red yarn, and mangled felt flowers.  Then, I took the suction cup back upstairs to my nice warm sunny spot and gnawed on it until I fell asleep.

I'm sure all of my readers, including Santa, will not fault me for what I did.  After all, the wreath did attack me.

Double Standard

Humans are fickle.  All my four legged friends will understand this statement without any additional explanation.  My two legged friends, on the other hand, might not quite understand what I'm referring to.  Allow me to explain:

Where have you been?

Last night, Ma, Pa, and Sister brought into the house from the backyard the Christmas tree they bought a week ago from an actual Christmas tree farm out east (an outing I was not invited to attend--a picture showing my displeasure upon their return can be seen on the right).  Now, this process isn't new to me; the fact is that this is the fourth time they have brought a Christmas tree into the house since I've lived here.  Still, I continue to find their actions regarding this tradition perplexing.  Why is it that they are allowed to drag a big green tree into the house every December, yet each time I find a particularly tasty tree branch, rock, or bug I have to leave it outside (where I am still not guaranteed the opportunity to reduce it to toothpicks, gnaw on it, or chase it)?  It just seems to be a bit of a double standard which clearly affects me negatively.

Of course, despite my displeasure at this contradiction, I am super excited about having a tree in my house.  So far, I've already checked it for squirrels and birds, scurried under it in an attempt to drink the water from its stand (Sister laughed at me because the tree's bottom branches are so low that I couldn't manage to slide my back end in deep enough to reach the water), and attempted to snap off a lower branch so that I could gnaw on it (if the tree is indoors, then the "no bringing outdoor sticks in" rule doesn't apply, right?). 

But it gets better!  My humans haven't even decorated the tree yet.  Decorations, for those who don't know, bring a whole new level of fun to the situation.  What can be better than ripping apart the little paper bird decorations Sister made and stealing crocheted Santa hats?

'Tis the Season to be Helpful

Eleven more days until Christmas!  That means there are only eleven more days to prove to Santa that I'm a very good boy and deserve a new plush toy (though I wouldn't mind rolling on coal either).  And what's the best way for me to prove that I'm a good boy?  By helping my family with their chores and projects.

On Wednesday, I decided that I was going to spend the day helping Sister.  The first thing we did was decorate the inside of the house.  My contributions to the task were unwrapping the decorations by grabbing and ripping apart their protective tissue paper and spotting Sister while she stood on a chair to decorate the windows (she repeatedly muttered something about me always being underfoot and not respecting personal space--it's statements like those that could put her firmly on Santa's naughty list, but I'm not going to tattle to Santa because that might jeopardize my standing on the good list).  I also provided free decorating advice.  I barked and barked telling her that she shouldn't put that big fluffy Christmas teddy bear so high up on the shelf because I wouldn't be able grab it and play with it and that her stocking was also up too high and needed to be lowered to a more appropriate location (someplace where I could inspect it regularly to make sure its contents were safe).  Ultimately, Sister did not take any of my suggestions.  It goes without saying that I was quite insulted by her decision, but I didn't let it get to me or affect my fun loving and good natured persona because I didn't want to annoy Santa.

Then Sister went to work.  I scurried around the house looking for any pieces of tissue paper I could dispose of (after an appropriate amount of tearing and ripping of course) and I contemplated moving Sister's stocking myself (in an obvious oversight on her part, Sister left some big boxes in front of her stocking which kept me from getting close enough to it grab it).  I called out to Santa, "Hey Santa, I can't find anything else to help out with so if it's alright by you (and I know you're busy so only answer me if you object), I'm going to take a little nap until I think of something else to do."  I got no response, so I climbed up on the couch (yeah, I know I shouldn't be sitting there, but I'm sure Santa understands the importance of a comfy spot), circled twice, curled up into a ball, and fell asleep.

Later that night, Sister decided to go up to bed early so that she could wrap some presents before falling asleep.  Eager to help, I followed her up the stairs and proceeded to check out all the tools she had brought with her.  First I sniffed the scissors, but, just as I was about to pick them up, Sister swooped in and took them from me.  Then I sniffed the tape.  It was really sticky and every time I sniffed at it it tugged at my whiskers.  Seeing this as a potential danger, I decided right then and there to get it out of Sister's way before it accidentally got stuck on something.  I got three steps away before Sister noticed and took the tape away from me.  Next I moved in to sniff the wrapping paper, but Sister kept telling me to "leave it" as though she expected me to grab it and rip it to shreds.  A bag of gifts were next, and when I grabbed the handles of the bag, Sister pounced (she's actually a lot faster than she looks). 

Missed a spot.

Since I obviously wasn't succeeding at helping Sister with her wrapping, I decided that I should provide her with music instead.  I ran to my pillow and started scratching away like I was playing the washboard in an old time jug band and barking at various decibels and pitches.  After a couple of songs, I noticed that Sister was starting to pack up and put away her supplies (I guess she just wasn't into wrapping).  Then, I saw it: the one single package Sister had managed to wrap.  I scurried over to inspect her work.  It wasn't too bad a job, but I did notice that one corner was not completely taped down.  In the interest of pointing out the loose piece, I grabbed hold of it in my mouth and gave a mighty tug.

Shortly thereafter, I noticed that Sister seemed to be annoyed at something.  I'm not sure what exactly happened to make her so upset, but, being the good dog I am, I curled up next to her and rested my chin on her leg.

A Visit From Karin

On Friday, Karin (mom to my bff Mecki) came over to visit me.  Okay, she and Sister were technically just killing time before the Library’s holiday party began, but really, who wouldn’t look forward to visiting me?

I’m sorry to say I barked at her when she first came in, but that was only because I had forgotten that Sister had told me she was coming and I was concerned that the person following Sister into the house was a burglar trying to steal my kibble (one must remain ever vigilant for dinner thieves).  Anyway, once I realized who it was, I quickly grabbed my Lyle, Lyle the Crocodile toy and began circling her in greeting (oh, I also gave Sister a wag of the tail—she’s seen Lyle before).

Now, let me just say right off the bat that Karin is the perfect guest.  Not only did she come to say hello to me, but she also brought food—three gingerbread men dog treats to be exact.  They were really tasty (a quick note to Karin: Sorry I nearly took off your fingers when you gave me the treats—I get a bit over excited when it comes to food and tend to misjudge where the cookie ends and the finger begins).  Cementing her glorified status in my mind, Karin then sat down with me in the living room and scratched my neck.

Then it was supper time.  Sister made my dinner and Karin gave me the go ahead to eat (my family insists that I be polite and wait to be told to eat—it’s very hard to be so well behaved).  While I ate, I heard Karin tell my Sister that Mecki gets just about the same amount of food each day as I do.  I did some quick math and determined that either someone is being overfed or someone is being underfed and frankly, I’m apt to go with the latter.

After I finished eating (and after I burped on Karin) she and I went back into the living room.  I made sure to act as cute and adorable as possible.  I even rolled on my back to give her the opportunity to rub my belly (the highest honor I can bestow on someone).

It was then I noticed them; the sparkly bracelets Karin wore around her wrist.  Those who know me well already know this, but for everyone else, let me interject and say that I have a thing about sparkly jewelry.  It fascinates me, the sparkle of shiny stones and the glint of well polished metal.   I’m hypnotized by it and drawn to it.  One minute I’m begging for belly rubs and the next thing I know I’m absentmindedly licking the jewelry.  Anyway, Karin had a whole collection of shiny bracelets on and I just couldn’t help myself.  Now, if I just sat there licking the metal I would have been fine, but I got greedy.  I wanted the bracelets for myself.  Hoping no one would notice, I stealthily started to nibble on them using my front raspberry picking teeth (the front four teeth on the top and bottom of my mouth between my canines that I use to pluck ripe raspberries off the bush each summer).  Apparently I wasn’t sly enough though because Karin told me to stop.  I did, for a few minutes, then, hoping she forgot her earlier command, I started nibbling again.  What can I say, I’m nothing if not persistent.

Then a sad thing happened.  Karin and my Sister decided that it was time to leave to go to the Library’s holiday party.  Then a very sad thing happened.  I was told that I wasn’t allowed to attend.  Talk about bah humbug!  Anyway, Karin said goodbye to me and I collected the bribery cookie Sister gave me to allow her and Karin to leave the house (granted she had to do this twice because they didn’t move fast enough and I beat them back to the door).  With a sigh, I went into the living room to wait for Ma and Pa to come home from work.

When Sister came home from the party, she told me that Karin had said that I was a very good boy and so well behaved.   She also told me that Karin has declared that she no longer believes all the stories Sister has told at work about how troublesome I am.  I was shocked.  Sister is spreading lies about me a work?!

Before I go:  Happy Birthday Karin!

Digging For Attention

It is a sad fact of life, but sometimes my family does not pay me the attention I so rightfully deserve.  I mean, I give them ample alone time when they are at work or running errands, but after that I believe their waking and sleeping hours should be completely devoted to me and my needs.  Is that so much to ask for?  I think not!  Anyway, as I was saying, sometimes my family gets a bit distracted.  When that happens I am forced to act out so as to remind them of their duty to me.  Yesterday was just such a day.

Sister had taken a few of days off from work to start her Christmas shopping.  Knowing this, I understood and accepted the fact that she would be a bit more distracted than usual and I was willing to give her a pass because Santa is watching and if I want a new plush toy to rip the squeaker out of I need to be on my best behavior.  Therefore, I looked away when she left the house first thing in the morning and didn't come back until lunch time after which she sometimes went back out again.  But our agreement didn't end there nor was it so one sided.  For allowing Sister ample time to go Christmas shopping I demanded, in return, that, when she was home, she was required to spend the entire time scratching my ears, rubbing my belly, and giving me treats.

Well, Sister didn't hold up her end of the bargain.

Once Sister got home from the mall she let me out into the back yard.  First, I sniffed around and checked the perimeters.  Next, I chased a squirrel down the fence and up a tree (A quick side story:  The people in the yard behind me have created a security breach by leaving a cut up pumpkin in their backyard for the squirrels to eat.  Now I'm spending a considerable amount of my day chasing those interloping squirrels out of my yard).  After that I bunked noses with the Honey, the Yellow Lab next door.  It was then that I realized that I had lost complete track of Sister's whereabouts. 

I scanned the backyard.  Nothing.  I ran down the driveway.  She wasn't there.  There was only one thing left to do:  Bark as long and as loud as I could to alert the neighborhood that my Sister had gone somewhere without me and that I was quite displeased.  After the first few barks (one of which was my trademark, ear piercing, high pitched yip), I heard the following shout come from within the house: "I'm coming!  I'm coming!"  Now, I wasn't particularly happy with Sister's tone, but I was glad to hear that she hadn't gone somewhere exciting without me and quickly ran to the door with my tail wagging.  My joy, however, was short lived.

From the basement Sister emerged with a giant vacuum cleaner which she brought outside and placed next to her car (a car, I might add, that I'm not allowed to ride in because it is too new...not that I'm bitter or anything).  Then, rather than chase me into the backyard and play my favorite game in the whole world "Rip A Branch Off The Forsythia Bush And Keep It Away From Sister," Sister proceeded to vacuum then wash her car.  What nerve!

As I'm sure you will all agree, I really had no choice; I had to regain Sister's attention.  I decided to start small:  I laid down and started chewing on a stick.  Stick chewing usually brings Sister running because she's afraid that I might get a piece stuck in my throat, but she didn't even notice.  Spitting out the shredded wood, I made the quick decision to move right on to Plan B:  Barking at imaginary things on the other side of my fence.  Apparently, I underestimated how deafening the vacuum cleaner was.  "Plan C it is," I thought.  I casually meandered over to the flower bed located right alongside Sister's car, found a nice soft patch of dirt with the dried up stem of a plant sticking up, and started to dig with abandon.  I threw dirt so high up in the air that it looked as though it was snowing and, for good measure, I even pinged a few small rocks off Sister' bumper.  But it was all for naught; she was still too distracted.  Figuring that perhaps she didn't notice me digging because her car obstructed her view, I moved on to another more visible spot and dug some more.  Nothing!  Totally defeated, I found a grassy spot, laid down, and took a nap.



...and what a fine hole it was

Needless to say, Sister eventually found my holes and asked out loud who was responsible for them.  I wagged my tail proudly.  Maybe next time she won't ignore me.

Neighborhood Watch

It is a well known fact that, if not carefully monitored, a previously good neighborhood can easily morph into one that is considered on the "wrong side of the tracks."

Now, I personally feel that, besides being Head of Security inside the house, it is my responsibility to keep an eye on the neighborhood and report any odd happenings I might see to my humans and the other neighboring dogs.  As a result of years of practice, the neighborhood dogs and I have a very sophisticated alert system.  Let me explain.  When I see something, I bark and alert Hank, the Beagle across the street, who starts howling as only Beagles can, and Honey the Yellow Lab next door.  Hank's howls alert Biscuit the on the other side of the street while Honey passes the message on to the short little scruffy black dog living next to her.  Needless to say, within minutes, provided it isn't supper time or nap time, my message can spread from one end of town to the other.

Anyway, back to protecting the neighborhood.

I noticed them as soon as Sister let me outside; a couple of suspicious characters standing in the yard across the street.  For a moment, I stared in disbelief at their brazenness--they just stood there, one grazing on the grass and the other staring me down.  Well, I couldn't stand for that--"See something, say something" is my motto--so I charged the fence barking hysterically.  But the interlopers didn't move a muscle.  Then Hank started howling followed by Biscuit (Honey never alerted her side of the street...I guess it was her dinner time).  No change.  I was just about to start another round of barking when I heard Sister laughing behind me.

Glowing interlopers

"You silly boy," she said to me as she gave me a pat on my side and rubbed my ear, "those reindeer aren't going to hurt you.  They're just Christmas decorations!"

I admit, on closer inspection, those suspicious characters were indeed harmless Christmas decorations (unlike those scary blow up Halloween decorations that I'm sometimes afraid to walk by because the wind makes them move).  Still, despite sounding a false alarm, I still contend that one must be ever vigilant to maintain a neighborhood's integrity.  You never know when your town might come under attack.

Do these guys look suspicious?

A Test

Me and my turkey

Before I begin, I want to wish everyone a very happy (and slightly belated) Thanksgiving! I am thankful for four things:

1. My family and friends (both two legged and four legged)
2. My seemingly endless supply of boney-bones to chew
3. The turkey pieces Pa gave me 
4. The fact that I didn’t get my usual pre-Thanksgiving bath

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. Aunt B came over and we all ate a lot of tasty food. I personally had, in addition to my usual kibble dinner, some turkey (yum), breakfast sausage (scrumptious), a potato chip (tasty, but sadly lacking ranch dip), and then a parsnip which I chewed then spit out on the living room floor because it tasted yucky (can’t win them all I guess). The only way the day could have been better was if I managed to get a taste of the apple pie the humans had for dessert.

The next day, Friday, was a big day for me and my family. You see, my humans left me all alone in the house while they went out for a few hours. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “you’ve been left alone at home numerous times (which, by the way, you love because it’s hard work keeping track of your family and you only get a really good nap in when they leave the house), so what’s so different about this time?” Well, this time I was left alone, on my own, in the new house (where I have never been left alone for more than a couple of minutes).

Sadly I must report that my humans seemed a bit apprehensive with this milestone at first. Apparently, and I’m highly offended by this, they had some concerns that I might go crazy and start ripping apart the new couch (its two year guarantee covers spills not the shredding of material), or that I’d pull down all the curtains, or that somehow I’d manage to open the locked door, run into the backyard, roll in the mud, chase a few chickens, track the aforementioned mud into the house (locking the door behind me of course), and jump all over their nice new clean bed linens. Before I continue, let me first address their fears. I’ve never destroyed furniture before and while it is on my to do list, I’m very busy and there are far more interesting, and less time consuming, ways of getting into trouble. As for the curtains, I’d be much too concerned that the wooden rods that hold up the curtains might fall down on my head (which would hurt). And finally, as for that last concern…I love it! Why didn’t I think of that? I just need to figure out how to unlock the door by myself.

Anyway, I was a very good boy while they were gone. I looked out the front window for a time, I sniffed around for crumbs in the kitchen (sadly, there were none), and took a few good long naps. Later, when I heard a car pull into the driveway, I woke up and tried looking out the window to see if my family had returned, but unfortunately by that time it was dark outside and light inside so all I could see was my reflection in the glass (I was momentarily awestruck by how handsome that dog looking back at me was). So as to avoid another misunderstanding like the one I mentioned in my last post, I grabbed my tennis ball and ran to the side door even though I wasn’t totally sure that the car I heard belonged to my family or not. Well, turns out it was my family, and they really appreciated the greeting. Then, after a quick check of the house, I was praised by my Ma, Pa, and Sister for being so good while they were out. Apparently, they had became really worried when they pulled up into the driveway and saw me staring out the window with an annoyed look on my face which begs the question: Should I be insulted by the praise I did receive?

Two Sides of the Same Story

Ma and I had a bit of a disagreement this evening about a specific event which occurred when she came home from work.  I have chosen to share both sides of the story to allow my loyal readers a chance to decide on their own whose side of the story is accurate.

Ma's Side:  (AKA The Lie)
Ma parked her car in front of the house and started up the driveway toward the gate.  As she got closer, she noticed that I too was in the driveway, but rather than running over to her to greet her, I was simply staring into the next door neighbor's yard intently.  She opened the gate and walked in, closing the gate behind her with a loud click meant to gain my attention.  I didn't move.  She walked toward me calling my name, but, save for raising my ears up as though I heard a strange noise, I ignored her and continued staring into the other yard.

Suddenly, I turned and ran at top speed into the backyard to investigate a sound that only I heard.  Ma watched as I scurried in and out of the bushes searching for the source of the sound never realizing that Ma was right there.  

I might not have realized she was there, but someone else did:  the yellow lab next door named Honey.  Honey started barking because she wanted my Ma to pet her and I sprinted to the fence because I wanted to play with her (you see, according to Ma, Honey and I are really quite different.  Honey is a people dog--she likes to hang out with people.  I'm more of a dog's dog--I get along with people splendidly, but given my druthers, I prefer to hang out with other dogs).

When Honey's mom called her into the house, Ma started calling my name again which I seemingly ignored until, all of a sudden, her voice actually made it from my ears to my brain and I turned around to find Ma standing behind me.  I was overjoyed and ran to greet her.


My Side:  (AKA The Truth)
Ever since daylight savings time ended, I've noticed that it is very dark outside when Sister comes home from work and lets me out to explore.  As Head of Security, this darkness is quite problematic and could potentially lead to a major security breech.  Therefore, I must be extra vigilant in checking the property's perimeters for any intruders each evening.

With that said, I knew that Ma was due home from work at any moment and I wanted to make sure that there were no dangerous characters hanging around the property.  I was in the process of visually checking out the yard next door, when I noticed that Ma had just pulled up in front of the house.  Although I had every intention of running to the gate to greet her, I was distracted when I though I heard something on the other side of the fence.

While I was busy standing stock still trying to determine if someone (or something) was encroaching on my property, Ma had exited her car, entered through the gate, and was currently a few feet away from me.  It was then she started calling my name.  Now I can't express to you just how annoying that was.  There I was trying to determine if the sound I heard was coming from the next yard and I couldn't concentrate because Ma was making a ruckus.  

In between Ma shouting my name, I suddenly heard a sound coming from my backyard.  Desperate to keep Ma safe, I ran as fast as I could into the yard in search of the source of the sound.  I found nothing.

Then Honey appeared at the fence.  I quickly ran over to her to ask if she had seen or heard anything suspicious, but once again Ma was calling my name and I couldn't hear her answer.

Realizing that I wasn't going to be able to fulfill my position as Head of Security until I paid Ma some attention (I love her, but she can be so needy), I ran to her side to say hello.  Afterward, I considered continuing my search for the cause of the sound, but Ma suggested that we go inside for dinner and I figured that we'd all be safe inside the house.

So really, whose story do you believe?

Back to Normal

Smile!

Now that I've gotten power and Internet service back and my family is in a much better mood, I've decided to resume my hobby of causing trouble.  I was slightly concerned that, given how long it's been, I would need to practice getting into mischief before I reached my pre-storm standards; brush up on my skills.  Well, it has been a few days now and, according to Sister, I shouldn't have worried about losing my gift.  I guess it's kind of like rolling over on command, once you learn it you can never unlearn it (though you can always refuse to do it because it annoys your humans).

Here is some of the mischief I've caused over the last few days:

• While Sister cleaned and put away the fans for the winter, I walked off with...
• the Windex spray bottle twice
• the roll of paper towels three times
• a used piece paper towel once (I ate some of it)
• three screwdrivers numerous times
• the foot of the floor fan
• pieces of cardboard from the box she was trying to store the fans in (I ate a couple of pieces; it was really chewy).

• While Ma cleaned the bathroom I walked off with...
• one hand towel

• While Pa, Ma, and Sister ate dinner I walked off with...
• the dishtowel

• While Sister tidied the back room (formally known as the "Land of No" a place where everything I wasn't supposed to get a hold of was kept behind a baby gate) I walked off with...
• Sister's sneakers
• a bag of spring loaded curtain rods (I didn't get far with them because they made a scary noise)
• a receipt (I ate the corner of it when Sister tried to wrestle it away from me)

• While Sister folded the newly washed laundry I walked off with...
• two pairs of socks (nice thick ones)
• one of Pa's shirts 

• While Pa, Ma, and Sister tried to catch up on their favorite television shows and Sister crocheted I attempted to steal Sister's...
• ball of yarn
• scissors
• pencil

Taking a well earned nap

Sister says I've been so troublesome lately that I'm lucky I'm cute (cute?!-ruggedly handsome is more like it) otherwise no one would tolerate me.  To that I say:  "Thank you!"  It's always nice when someone acknowledges your hard work.

The Sandy Diaries: Part 2

Monday, November 5

I think I'm going through technology withdrawal.  It has been seven days without power and while Sister is still nice enough to post for me when she gets to work, I really do kind of miss posting it myself (not to mention I'm always concerned that Sister might twist my words around and tell her side of the story rather than mine). 

Today was a very lonely day.  Like they warned me, Sister and Ma went back to work and left me all alone except for during Sister's lunch break.  True, I took advantage of the silence and caught up on my sleep (you'd be amazed how much energy it takes to keep an eye on those two), but I really did miss them.  I was so excited when Sister came home after work that I ran around the back yard like a lunatic!  After dinner Ma gave me another Kong filled with peanut butter. 

Tuesday, November 6

Meri

The rat has abandoned ship!  Sister decided this morning that it was simply too cold in the house for her pet hamster Meri to stay, so she bundled her up, put her in the car, and took her to the Library to wait out the blackout.  I was quite jealous and tried my best to jump into Sister's car, but Pa held me back (and I thought he was on my side!).  Why does Meri get to go and stay in the Library and I don't?  It's just not fair!  I'm the avid reader, not the rat.  I'm the one who has shredded countless newspapers and ripped up a travel book!

Wednesday, November 7

Ma decided to stay home from work today which I thought was great until I realized that she had a lot to do and wasn't going to be able to spend the entire time with me.  She and I did, however, toward the end of the day, have reading time (Ma reads her book and I lay on her feet) which was nice.

When Ma took me outside later in the day I was thrilled to discover that it was snowing due to something called a "nor'easter."  Now, I don't know that much about nor'easters, but if they bring snow they can't be all bad, right?  I'm hoping that it snows a lot, though I get the feeling no one else in the house share's my excitement.

As I mentioned earlier, the rat moved to the Library yesterday to stay warm.  Today, Ma and Sister each packed an overnight bag and headed out to Denise and Alex's house to spend the night.  That meant that Pa and I were going to have something called a "boy's night in."  So far it has been great.  We sat around the living room for a little while then, at 9pm, we went to bed (finally someone has figured out that you're supposed to go to sleep when it's pitch black out!).  Then it got even better.  Pa said I could sleep on his bed with him!  I'm never allowed on the big bed (not that that rule has ever stopped me).  I cuddled up next to Pa and before he went to sleep he pulled a blanket over me to keep me warm. 

Thursday, November 8

Today was great!  I know, I've been a bit down lately since I haven't been able to check out my bff's blog and the hamster, Ma, and Sister have all escaped to warmer places (though I have enjoyed sleeping on the bed with Pa), but today was a real treat!

 

A canopy of branches

When I went outside this morning, not only was there still snow on the ground (about 6 inches), but the cherry tree in the back yard was bent over and touching the ground from the weight of that snow.  It was so weird!  I mean, who would have thought a tree could bend over like that?  Anyway, this new development got the wheels in my head turning and I came up with a number of really fun games relating to the tree's position.  First, I ran around like mad bursting in and out of the branches.  When I tired of that game I started grabbing the low lying branches and ripping them off of the tree.  It was really, really fun.  Yeah, I've grabbed and shredded branches that have fallen out of the trees before, but never did I ever have the opportunity to pick them off myself! 

A little while later, Ma and Sister returned from Denise and Alex's and, along with Pa, started cleaning up the yard:  Pa shoveled, Sister beat the bushes and the tree with a broom to remove the snow (which looked like a lot of fun especially when the branches suddenly sprung back upright) and Ma picked up sticks in the front of the house.  At one point, after Pa had left for work, I sprinted past Sister when she opened the gate and ran out into the front yard.  Ma grabbed hold of my collar before I could get too far which was good since I was so overwhelmed with the entire winter wonderland that I didn't know what exactly I was doing (I just wanted to run!).

Ralphie and me playing!

Ralphie and me leaning.

But the fun didn't end there.  After lunch Sister told me that she had a big surprise for me:  I was scheduled to have a play date with Rita's dogs Ralphie and Brandy.  Now, I've never personally met either Brandy or Ralphie but I have been a kind of pen pal with them for a number of years now and I know they are avid readers of my blog (they especially liked the video of me carrying on after my bath!).  Needless to say, I was excited.  Sister and Ma put my prong and choke collars on (or bling as we call it) and off we went down the street.  After a short walk we came upon a house with a cousin (AKA Golden Retriever) in the door.  "That's Ralphie!" Sister told me as she opened the front gate and let me into the yard.  Minutes later Ralphie bounded out of the house and the fun began.  We each gave each other a good sniff over, greeted our respective owners (Ralphie is all about being petted), then ran around like crazy dogs.  We had a great time running up and down the yard, begging for pets from passing strangers, and eating snow.  Ralphie even taught me how to make dog angels in the snow which I've been practicing ever since. 



Having a conversation.

After we played for a little while, Rita let her other dog, Brandy, out into the yard.  Brandy is very different from Ralphie.  She is much more refined and gentle which is fine by me because I've very flexible when it comes to playing with other dogs--I'll box with some, I'll run with others, and some I'll just hang out with.  Ralphie got a little jealous of me playing with Brandy, but eventually we were all running around the yard (and vying for pets).  I had a lot of fun and I hope we'll have another play date soon (after a good long nap).



All tuckered out from playing.

Sister and Ma are leaving again this evening, but I'm not too sad because that means I get to sleep in the big bed again (I just hope Pa doesn't hog it too bad).  Oh, and we've gotten more good news.  Just before nightfall, a utility company from California came and started working on the broken utility pole up the street.  Maybe we'll have power soon.

Friday, November 9

The day started out rather bad.  Today is day twelve with no power.  Now, if that wasn't bad enough, I also didn't sleep well last night because Pa was hogging the bed (though he will tell you that I was hogging the bed--he lies!) and Ma and Sister have gone back at work again (Ma took two days off and Sister's Library was closed yesterday because of the storm). 

PG&E to the rescue!

At lunch time, however, the day started to take a turn for the better.  First, those people from California showed up on the block around lunch time and continued to work on the utility pole outside.  I barked orders at them to tell them which wires to connect and whether or not the pole was perpendicular to the ground (none of the workers thanked me for my help).  Then, around 2pm, I heard the familiar sound of the refrigerator starting up and the house lit up like a Christmas tree (my humans really should have turned off all those light switches earlier).  Now the heat is coming up.  Maybe now things can get back to normal.