A Suburban Pup in the City!

Hi friends!

I had the best weekend (for real) ever! My daddy's birthday was Thursday, so he decided to take Friday off from work place. Mommy didn't have to go in until the afternoon, so we went adventuring that morning.

Our first stop was to try out a new coffee place called A Cup of Common Wealth. It's around the corner from Daddy's work place, so he's been once before. They have outside tables, so I got to get in on the adventuring!

Afterwards, Daddy had to pick something up from work place. I'm pretty sure he only invited me and Mommy along so they didn't try to kidnap him and make him work for the day! They didn't and we were off on our next adventure. Daddy also had to renew his Mister-mobile plate and Mister-chauffeur license. He went into the office for the first part and Mommy and I W-A-L-K-ed down to the bank to get the green papers for his second part.

Downtown has great smells!

This block has a funny story, but there's still smells there, too.

W-A-L-King downtown was fun. There were lots of smells and lots of sounds. I'm not sure I'd like being a city pup. Mommy wouldn't let me potty in many places, and I like to own everything. 

For the rest of the weekend, Mom and Dad just laid on the couch and enjoyed the free weekend, so guess where I laid, too?

And that's why this was the best weekend ever!

Poetry

Hi friends!

My pal, Oz, is having a "Bad Poetry Contest" on his blog. I've never tried to write a poem, so I thought I might have a chance at winning! I went to my super secret writing spot to write:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
I am color-blind
'cause I'm a dog.
But I'll pee on the flowers.

Mommy used to be a classroom teacher and she did a poetry unit, so I stole her notes and examples and learned more about different types of poems.

First, a haiku:
Pottying is fun.
I love to run in the yard.
But sometimes I can't...count.

Next, a limerick:
There once was a dog named Mister,
Who thought of himself an A-lister.
He barks in his crate,
His parents don't think it's great.
He just hopes he never gets a brother.

And finally, an acrostic:
Pretzels
Really great
Eat them all the time
Tastes salty
Zoo animals can't eat them
Elephants would probably like to
Love pretzels!

BOL! That was kind of fun! What does everyone think? Head over to Oz's blog to check out more bad poems and even enter yourself!

Poop Talk

Hi friends!

A couple of days ago was a very special day. It was "Scoop the Poop" Day! My mommy takes poop scooping very seriously. We never leave the house for a W-A-L-K without a bag to scoop with. Then, when we get home, safely stores it in a can beside the house. I'm not quite sure why she wants to keep all my poop like that, but she likes projects, so I can't wait to see what she does with all my poop!

Anyway, this morning we came across something that is an important reminder. We see these from time to time:

Yes, friends, that is a tied up bag of poop just laying on the sidewalk. This drives my mommy crazy! If you're going to take the time to scoop, bag, and tie up poop, why do you not take it with you and dispose of properly?!?!?! I tried to pee on it, but Mommy said, "Aaa! No Mister. We will save it for the super secret project I'm making from poop because your's is the most specialist of all time." At least, I'm pretty sure she said that last part.

So, humans, please scoop your dog's poop because stepping in it ruins other humans' days. But also, please deposit said poop in a proper receptacle! And if it's a choice between leaving it bagged on the sidewalk or adding it to my stash, Mommy says, "PLEASE go ahead and add to my collection!"

Graduation

Hi friends!

This was the worst best weekend ever. Lots of great things happened, but I was always left alone while my people went and did the fun things! No fair!

On Friday night, my people had one of those darn date nights. They drove all the way to Daddy's work, walked to a restaurant downtown and then went to a movie downtown, too. I've been walking downtown lots, but I wasn't allowed this time and I just don't understand why not. I'm a ball of fun!

Then, on Saturday, my people did my routine really weird, threw me in jail and went OUT for breakfast! I didn't even get to beg! Afterwards, they went Mister-mobile shopping and Mommy got a new Mister-mobile. Apparently my approval was not desired, but I do like it.

The best part is Grandma and Grandpaw and Emma came to town Saturday. Grandma gave me lots of treats, as always. Then, Emma and I got thrown in our jails AGAIN while the humans went out to a fancy-pants dinner.

Daddy, Emma, and me

Luckily, by Sunday morning, they seemed to be over the whole "throw Mister in jail" thing. Daddy made pancakes, so I had to help him. He even made me my very own short stack and drizzled just a little syrup over them. Deeeeelicious!  After a morning of lying around, I knew I was in trouble when the humans started showering. Things never end well for Misters when that happens. Sure enough, I got thrown in jail AGAIN. This time it was something about Mommy's graduation. I wasn't really listening, since I wasn't invited. Daddy said I would have been better behaved than some of the humans there.

Mommy getting her paper that says she's graduated

Daddy and Mommy

Grandma, Mommy, and Grandpaw

Mommy stayed in her bathrobe so we could take a family picture

Mommy and the new Mister-mobile

Mom, get this thing off me.

So I didn't like being in jail so much, but I'm glad my mommy graduated. Now she doesn't have to leave me for so long in the evenings. Plus, I heard Grandma and Grandpaw and Mommy and Daddy talking. They're coming back to visit in a few weeks! And even though Grandma and Mommy are going to this pretend place called Ikea one of the days, Daddy and Grandpaw will be home the WHOLE time, so no jail for me!!!!

Vacations

Hi friends!

This has been the BEST WEEK EVER!!! This weekend, I went of vacation with my people! My grandpaw's dad bought a cabin in Canada forever ago, so Grandpaw went up as a little boy and my mom's been going since she was born. Now, my whole family goes! We had great adventures, but I will let pictures tell the stories.

The trip is about 12 hours from my house, so we stopped for lunch and I got to potty and drink water. We stopped for the night in Michigan, in the upper lower peninsula, then only had a few more hours the next day.

I slept most of the way.

Mom tried to take a panorama picture with her Iphone-pod-pad. It's a little distorted, but you get an idea of the view! That's Batchawana Bay (off Lake Superior) in the background.

When we got there, I had a great surprise! Grandpaw and Great-Uncle A completely fenced in the deck. Usually I have to be tied up (which is a problem since I like to wander around and under and get tangled) or penned (again, I'd rather wander). I had to show squirrels, chipmunks, and Emma that it was MY fence!

Lots of squirrels and chipmunks live in Canada, so Emma and I had to patrol. She's a quick learner.

We even got along most of the time and laid down in close proximity to each other. We went back and forth between sun and shade.

I also liked my Gotcha Day present--a cool bed. It has a foam liner and Mommy pours water in it, which soaks into the foam and keeps puppy dogs cool.

Follow me, Emma!

I also liked Mom's deck bed--pillows sewn together.

They call me Old Man Puppy Face. I don't get it.

On our last full day, friends of my Grandpawrents came to stay for a few days. To celebrate, we went to get ice cream. I wasn't allowed inside, so Mommy waited with me. They had a huge yard with a teepee skeleton in the middle, so Mom took my picture.

They also had a totem pole, but I was too excited for ice cream! Daddy did actually give me a few licks. Yummy!

When we got home, everyone ate dinner and then some friends came from down the beach to visit. We had a deck full with 8 humans and two puppy dogs!

The coolest part was the present Grandma and Grandpaw gave me. They just got back from a cruise to Alaska and one of the things they did was visit Happy Trails Kennels, home of Martin Buser, 4-time Iditarod musher winner! They got to meet puppies in training, learn more about the race (including the fact that Martin wins lots of Humanitarian Awards because of the condition of his sled dogs when they reach check-points and are inspected by independent V-E-Ts), and even see a training race! They got me an authentic bootie worn by one of Martin's dogs in the Iditarod (Rachel).

Rachel's info card

Me modeling the bootie. Mom says I probably don't have a future as a sled dog based on my less than excited reaction!

We had a great vacation, but I'm glad to be home with my people. I missed my couch and I don't eat well when I'm not at home. But the smells in Canada are amazing! We even saw what we think was a moose track in the sand one day (way too big to be a deer). And I now own all of Canada...well at least Batchawana Bay!