There's something about that coffeepot/compost pail.

I'm not sure when this happened to me but for the past few months I have been OBSESSED with the coffee maker. I know, sounds crazy doesn't it? But let me just tell you, when I'm right about what happens its just the absolute best thing ever.
Here's what happens. Mama and Daddy do this thing called composting, they throw all their veggies and fruit peels and coffee grounds out in this big bin outside. And what is the most fun ever is running out to the bin before they get there and digging up the dirt on its border. Man, what a blast!
So, sometimes when they get the coffee grounds out they go to the compost bin but not always. How am I supposed to know if they are going or not? So I get really excited as soon as they are anywhere near that coffeepot and I start to get really amped up and sometimes I do my twirl thing and sometimes I do it while trying to go down the stairs and I bang my head on the banister but nothing will stop me! If they don't come downstairs to go out then I bark at them really loud to let them know I'm ready to do some digging!!!!! Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't.
Whatever. Its awesome to go out there so I'll always have hope they are heading that way.
P.S. Mama tried to get a picture of me twirling and hitting the banister but I move to fast.

My favorite toy!

This is my most favorite toy ever!!!



Daddy pulled this toy out of the toy basket a couple months ago and I love it!!! Turns out it was Nola's from when she was a little bitty puppy and for some crazy reason she didn't love it like I do. It used to jingle but I killed that. Take that!! I love this toy and I actually know what Mama and Daddy mean when they say "go get your toy".

I love my grandparents but...

I love my mama and daddy so much!!! Recently they left Nola and me at our grandparents house forever (a little over a week Mama says). Its fun at their house, they have lots of stuff to bark at, a fun porch door for me to bust open with my head, Grandma's laptime and some extra treats from Rafe if we play our cards right. However, most days when it was close to dinner time we kept thinking Mama or Daddy would come to get us. No such luck.
Just about the time we thought we were going to be with the grandparents forever who should drive up but Mama and Daddy!!! Man oh man, Nola and I were so excited. We both went back and forth taking turns jumping on them and giving them lots of love and attention. I didn't think we'd ever see them again!!!!
Being at the grandparents house did help my sleeping patterns. I sleep good over there and don't feel the need to wake them up so early like I usually do with Mama and Daddy. So far I've been sleeping good at home again too and Mama hopes this continues.
After they brought us home I ran in the yard and did a check of the perimeter and made sure all the trees were secure. I was able to curl up with Mama on the couch and take a nap with her and Nola in the bed. Awesome! This is how Mama leaves me sometimes on the couch when she has to get up for some unknown reason.



I know I get crazy sometimes and a little nuts but there's nothing like my home and my girlfriend Nola and my mama and daddy.

I might be bipolar

So, it seems I have some "issues". Just because sometimes I am the sweetest most loving dog you will ever meet and then sometimes I am mean and cranky and growl doesn't mean I'm crazy.
Here are some of my "issues" according to Mama and Daddy:
First thing in the morning after I've ran outside a couple times I am usually pretty darn cranky. I suck them in by rolling over and acting like I want my belly rubbed but then I growl and snarl and maybe snap a little. I don't see what the problem is. I wake up, run around and then its time for my early morning sleep time. It's kind of like this:

Other times I think I'm going to get beaten and have to hide and am really pathetic and sad. I'm not sure why I do this as neither Mama or Daddy has ever beat me but you never know. This morning in the kitchen Mama bent down to pet me and I ran under the dining room table. However, when she came home at lunch I was SOOOOO excited to see her I couldn't leave her alone and gave her lots of love and kisses.
Another thing I've been doing that really seems to bug them is when its time to go out at night I just sort of stand/sit around. Not sure why, just something about the night, it has some kind of odd effect on me. I used to just go out with my most wonderful girlfriend Nola, follow her around, do my business and come in. Then who knows what happened and I sometimes just sit out there and contemplate life and stuff. If Mama or Daddy come out to get me I get a little nervous, roll over and then I might just pee on them. They don't seem to like that.
What can I say, I had a hard life on the streets, it may have messed up my brain a little.

Today

Today is something called my anniversary. I'm not sure what its all about. Mama keeps singing some song to me with the word anniversary in it over and over and acting silly. Anyway, whatever day it is I feel cruddy. I've had an upset stomach for 2 days now and been throwing up and not sure why. Mama and Daddy have been extra sweet to me trying to make me feel better but mentioned that dreaded word--the vet, if I don't start feeling better.
Today is also my Daddy's birthday. I sure do love him and hope he has a super duper day!!!

I'm back in the crate

Well, my freedom at night didn't last that long. I've been back in the crate now for 3 nights in a row. After 6 days of doing great I just couldn't get it together and had some accidents inside. I've even done this during the day when I've been able to go outside. I don't know what's wrong, sometimes I just have to go and can't figure out how to get outside and go.
And lately I've been getting confused when Nola and I go out at night before bedtime. I don't know why but I just feel the need to sit on the patio or grass and just stare. The stars are nice sometimes so I'm looking at those and just contemplating life and stuff. Then I get really nervous when Mama or Daddy come out to get me and I pee a little. I tell you, it is rough being me sometimes.
Daddy had to leave this morning and Mama had a long talk with me before she went to work about going outside to do my business. I'm going to try hard, I know I'm the man of the house when Daddy's gone. I've got to do my best to take care of my girls.

I'm doing awesome!!!!

So says Mama.
I've continued to have freedom at night and I think I'm starting to understand they don't want me to go to the bathroom in the house. hmmm...maybe that's it, we'll see.
Anyway, I've been good 5 nights in a row and 9 out of 14 times total so hooray for me!!!! Mama seems much happier with me, maybe because she's getting more sleep and Daddy is rocking my world and walking me every night before everyone goes to bed. It is becoming one of my favorite things ever!
One of the best things about staying out of the crate is getting to be closer to my most wonderful girlfriend Nola. I try really hard to snuggle up with her but so far she's still not ready for that. Mama did catch her this morning sitting very close to me though. Baby steps girlfriend, baby steps.

Freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know what's happening in our house but after almost two long years of being locked away each night (and sometimes during the day too!!) in a crate I and my most wonderful girlfriend Nola have been left to our own devices at night. Something must be wrong with Nola though because she still sleeps in her crate. That's just crazy. I usually go sleep on the couch in the same room with her so I can be as close to her as possible.
The only problem with this new found freedom is that sometimes I have to go to the bathroom and Mama and Daddy don't seem to thrilled with me when I go on the carpet. They've been doing all sorts of new things like taking away the water after dinner and Daddy's been walking me before bedtime but still, sometimes when you have to go you have to go. Mama keeps telling me to let them know when that happens but I haven't figured that out just yet.
Mama has been walking us a lot too. I am trying really hard to do better with the cars but its hard, they are really loud and scary and I just know they are going to hurt Mama or Nola. Yesterday this really large yellow one drove by us 3 times. I finally had to let it know who was in charge and gave it a good barking. Gotta watch out for my peeps.

3 walks in 3 days!!!

Woohoo!!! Mama has walked me and my most wonderful girlfriend Nola the past 3 days. I love walking with my girl and Mama. I've heard Mama grumbling about me waking up early. Not sure what the problem is because when I wake up I just want to see her and Daddy and Nola. So what if its still dark out. If I'm up I'm up!
I think Mama thinks this walking will help me sleep more and be a bit more calm. We'll see. I do know that when we get back from the walk I am hyped up and ready to attack the trees in the back yard. You never know what they could've been doing while we were gone.

Take that you tree!!

The torture of flea meds

Once a month I have to get "medicine" for flea prevention. Somehow I lived years without this on the street but Mama and Daddy think this is important for some crazy reason. Well, this is torture to me. I hate it, I know deep down they are punishing me. When I know its coming I get so scared and sometimes I go and hide and when they find me I'm all curled up and shaking just waiting for the beat down I know is coming.
A couple months ago after my mom put the horrible liquid on my back I spent a very long time outside trying to rub it off of me. Another time I went and just hid under the gardenia bushes outside and curled up and shivered (it was cold then). I figure if I'm being bad and they are punishing me I should just go away somewhere.
I love getting on the bed in the morning while my daddy is getting ready for work. Last month they tortured me up there!!!! After that if Mama came anywhere near me when I was on the bed I had to try and hide from her.
I was unaware that Mama went and got a pill yesterday that I can eat for the fleas instead of this horrendous stuff they put on my fur. But since I didn't know what it was when she had to get the scissors to open this pill from its plastic wrapping I just knew the torture was coming. When she came back to get the food bowls for us I was all scared in the corner of the laundry room shaking like the world was coming to an end. So far it hasn't and I just had my normal breakfast with a little something extra flavorful in it. However, you never know what can happen so I've been on the lookout all morning since then just waiting to see what other things they may want to do to torture me.

I can be cranky

Or so I've been told. Whatever. Sometimes I'm just a bit moody, sue me. I was growling at Mama today and she took this picture, I wasn't happy.

I'm not sure why I do this. Sometimes I will walk right up to Mama or Daddy, lay on my back to have my tummy rubbed and then I growl at them. I know they get sad when I do this to them so then I'll usually try to make up for it by giving them some kisses because I do love them so very much but sometimes I'm just a grouch and want to be left alone. 

Sundays

This morning I played hard with my ball that I love.

After then it was on to my next favorite Sunday activity, being lazy on the couch with Mama and Daddy and Nola.

We help keep Mama warm. She loves it although she makes us get up eventually and that's a drag.

Daddy left today for the week. I don't like when he's gone, I have to be extra tough being the only man in the house. Its a tough job but someone has to do it.

I LOVE MY BALL!!!!

This is my ball.

I LOVE it so much. My Aunt Beth gave it to me and it is the most wonderful ball ever! I can chew and chew and chew and it never explodes (like those racquetballs I used to have).
I have lots of ways to play with my ball.

This is one of the best ways to play with it. The blanket attacks it and hides it from me and I have fight the blanket and find it and claim it as my own. I can be entertained by this for a long, long time.

This is one of my other favorite things to do with the ball, play with it right up against the couch. Man, this is so much fun!!!! For some reason it drives everyone else in the house crazy because sometimes the ball goes under the couch or behind the couch and I need help getting it. Whatever, it is my ball and it is awesome!!!!!!

This morning Mama interrupted my time with the ball for this picture. So annoying. Leave me alone with my ball lady!

This is how I look after playing with the ball for a long time. Did I mention I love this ball?

Walking

I never did this walking thing when I was living on the street. Back then I'd just run along, chase things as I wanted and hope for the best. Sometimes I forget how small I am and chase after much bigger things. When I walk with my mama and daddy and most wonderful girlfriend Nola I like to guard them from potential predators (i.e. cars, other dogs, children on bicycles, you get the idea). This weekend I went on 2 walks!!! I get so excited when we are getting ready to go I can hardly sit still for all my collars I have to wear.

This is Nola and me stopping for Daddy, we thought he was going to give us a treat, no such luck. Lately they have been strapping Nola and I together on this dual leash. I love being that close to my most wonderful girlfriend but sometimes she slows me down.
Our first walk on Saturday didn't go so great. We had a car go by really slow and I just barked and barked and then I just had to get it, I couldn't help myself I wanted to run and chase it. This has happened before to not so great results although I really can't understand why. But my mama and daddy wouldn't let me chase it so I had to fight the leash and try to bite myself loose (no luck dangit!). So Daddy took me home early and Nola and Mama kept on walking without us. I did get to attack the trees in our yard when we got home, you never know what they were doing while we're gone. I gave them a lot of bites though so we are all good.
Sunday's walk was good but I didn't chase any cars. Some days I'm better than others, I'm not sure what happens but I get in this crazy state of mind and just can't get out of it. Hopefully my folks won't give up on me and will let me keep trying.
Happy new year and happy walking!