Sad Tidings

Our friend Sam lost his big sister, Cisco this weekend. Mama and I are very sad and it makes me remember the haiku Mama and I wrote when my big sister Blossom passed away.

Your bowl is empty
Leash on its hook -- abandoned
My heart is broken

If you would like, go visit Sam and offer him and his family your condolences.

Wordless Wednesday

This Week: 2 Years Ago

That's me!

Domo Arigato!

That's "Thank you very much!" in Japanese.

Just why, you may ask, am I saying "thanks" in Japanese? Well because just a few days after Christmas I received a package from Japan. I've never been there, but Mama tells me it's very far way. So far away I couldn't get there on a R-I-D-E. Now that's far!

As those of you who've been reading my blog may know, I have friends from Japan, which is why my full name is "Tsubomi-san", Japanese for Miss Flower Bud.

This year, my Japanese friends, Yuui (pronounced 'You-wee') and Toui (pronounced 'Toy') sent me this beautiful hat, which my mom thinks is adorable.


This gift is very special, because what Yuui and Toui didn't know is that it is the perfect accessory to go with one my new, pretty parti-collars. As you can see:

I am stunning! Am I not?

Domo arigato Yuui and Toui! I send you doggie kisses from America and hope you have a Happy New Year!

Unexpected Windfalls (of the Kitchen Variety)

Twas the night before Christmas

And all through our home
Wafted smells from oven
Which made my mouth foam

As I honed my begging skills my human Uncle D disappeared into the kitchen. Now, usually I follow into the kitchen, but as I said I was begging and couldn't abandon hope of receiving even the tiniest tidbit from Mama, or from HGM. Which is why I wasn't in the kitchen then disaster struck. Or should I say, disaster for Uncle D...

Glorious windfall for me.

He claims he was taking the apple pie out of the oven and was almost to the counter when the whole pie pan bent in half and escaped from his grasp; falling in all of its scrumptious glory to the floor. And as everyone knows, according to Universal Canine By-Laws (applicable to family pets only):

"If it's on the floor, it's fair game."

Mama was afraid all that pie would make me sick, so my family cleaned the bulk of it up, but just when I was about to lose hope...they called me into the kitchen and LET ME CLEAN THE FLOOR! Oh joy! Oh Rapture!

Making sure I get to all those hard-to-reach spots....

And that no crumb, no matter how small, gets missed...



Some of it even splattered onto the dishwasher...

Of course I was more than happy to clean that up...

I get the warm fuzzies just thinking about that night. Good times.

I love apple pie!

In closing, I would like to point out that Mama says that it's been a tough year all around and that we were luckier than many. So here's to hoping that 2010 is full of unexpected windfalls for all my friends far and wide.

Special Delivery from Mother Nature

Some of you may not believe this, but here in Katy, Texas (just west of Houston) it doesn't snow here very much...or ever. At least that's what Mama says, and she's lived here her whole life so she oughta know. Strange thing is that it's snowed here three times in the last five years! And this year was one of them.

Mama had been practically buzzing all week when the man on TV said it was going to snow on Friday -- and even better...it was a Friday when Mama didn't have to go to work. Those are my favorite days!

First thing that morning, Mama went through my wardrobe and picked out a shirt for me to wear (my favorite!) for extra warmth. Then, while Mama was away from the house, running errands, I could smell the wind kick up and then this cold, flaky stuff started falling from the sky.

So this was "snow".

After a while, Mama came home and took me outside to check it out.

Hmmm...what is this? It is cold and slightly wet.


When I get wet, I have to shake.

Very carefully...sniffing this stuff called snow. Ooh! See my new collar? It has jingle bells on it. I love jingle bells!


I have decided that this snow in my yard is unwelcome. It may make Mama happy, but I believe I'm happy that it doesn't "snow" here often.

Mama is now threatening to take me someplace where I can really enjoy snow. She says there are places were the snow on the ground is so thick you can't even see the grass anymore. No grass? Where shall I pee? This idea doesn't sound like one of Mama's best.

Although she said that it would involve a long R-I-D-E so it's not the worst idea she's ever had.

Hiding in Closets

It catches me by surprise every time! Just when I start to feel safe, the loud popping starts after dark. This time though, Mama made me a goose down nest in one of the closets and closed the door. I felt pretty safe in there and the loud-popping became just a muffled sound. In fact, I felt so safe in there I didn't want to come out when morning came -- but my bladder had other ideas!

Mama says there will be more popping in the nights to come. Since we live outside the city limits without laws against popping, there will be loud popping every night of the week -- just like on July 4. I do not like to hear this. For the next week I will have to make sure to take my last potty trip outside before the sun goes down. I don't know if you know this...but it's a long time from sunset to sunrise.

A long time!!