Best Vacation Ever!

Hi friends!

My mommy felt so bad that I didn't get to go on their vacation a few weeks ago that she decided to take me on a vacation. Without That Daddy Guy! Just the two of us! OMD! The even bestest part? My grandparents came, too! Mom didn't trust her Mister Taxi to make such a long trip, so Grandma loaned Mommy hers. My grandma is the greatest!  Mom was also grateful to have some company that doesn't snore in the car. I don't know what she means by that.

 We couldn't leave until Mommy was done with the work place for the day. Grandma and Grand-paw beat her, so they let me out of jail and we played until Mommy got home. She finished packing and we hit the road! We planned on stopping in Michigan and Mr. Holiday's Inn. On the way, we saw a big fire:

Luckily it wasn't on our side of the road, so we could keep going. People going the other way were completely stopped and that didn't look like fun. I only like car rides that go places!

We stopped for the night at Mr. Holiday's Inn. Mom put my crate cover sheet on the bed, so I could hop up. I made myself at home though:

I like my pillow forts :)  I also liked Mr. Holiday's Inn. The room was really big (plenty of space for Mommy, Grandma, Grand-paw, and my crate) and clean.  They also had a delicious smelling breakfast. Mommy didn't let me get close to check it out though. Something about letting the strangers eat in peace. I don't know what that meant either. Mom did save part of the icing from her cinnamon roll to give me though. It made me miss That Daddy Guy, but only a little bit. The only thing I didn't like was that the room was on the third floor. That meant I had to ride the Lelevator for potty breaks. I had never ridden one before and was curious at first. Then I realized how terrible they are. The floor feels like it moves, except it doesn't, except it DOES because when the doors open, you're somewhere other than where you started. I wasn't a fan after that. Luckily, we were close to the stairs, so Mommy took those for my morning break.  So Mr. Holiday's Inn gets 4 paws up, but the Lelevator gets ninety millionty paws down!

The next day we went on to Canada. This is Grand-paw's car in front of us close to customs and that line of cars going the other way were going to the US. And they are completely stopped. As in, that's how long the line was! Wow!

We stopped at the grocery store and I waited with Mommy while Grandma and Grand-paw shopped. I wasn't allowed inside...something about too tempting and we'd have to buy more because I sampled too much. I'm not sure how that happens, but they had nice benches and pee-mail boxes close.

 I love that Mommy of mine!

 Mommy's family has a cabin off Lake Superior. It's been in the family for a thousand billionty years and Mommy's been going every year since she was born. Grand-paw's been going for almost since he was a baby, too. Which is even longer than Mommy! Wow!

The people sit out on the deck all day and read books. The last couple of years, they let me stay outside too, just gave me a longer leash, but I kept getting tangled with the chair legs.  This year, they got me a pen and I liked it a lot.

 The view

 I spent my days on squirrel patrol. Here I am just keeping watch:

 Intruder!

 Go away, squirrel! But the chipmunks can come. I left those alone.

 Whew. He's gone, so it's time for a nap, looking at the lake that I won't go in.

 Mommy and I left before Grandma and Grand-paw. We were still on the cabin's driveway and I was already "snoring"

 That night, we stopped at my pal Luna's house. She moved to Ohio a while back and we haven't been to see her house.

Luna also just got a human puppy brother, so Mom was excited to meet that. I thought he smelled funny, so I tried to pee on him. Mommy caught me though, so I didn't get to. Only got a little on the floor. Boo. Luckily, Mommy always travels with my mess cleaner-upper spray. Even though I know better, sometimes I get too excited and forget.

I also was a big help to Luna's mommy with the puppy. Puppies are tough work, after all. I helped clean up after making bottles and sniffed the puppy's feet to get him to be quiet. I'm so glad I don't have one of those things at my house though.

We're finally home, and even though I liked having time with just Mommy, I kinda missed That Daddy Guy and let him give me lots of lovings. Don't tell, but I may actually like him.

Exhausted

Hi friends!
Sorry I've been so absent lately. Mommy gets very busy in the summers with her tutoring, and taking two classes didn't help. Since The Daddy Guy doesn't have much to do with my blog, Mommy's attention is a little more important. Luckily, both of her classes are over (with a definite A in one and a presumed A in the other! Go Mommy!) and now she has more time for ME!

I did get a little mad at my people last week. They had the nerve to go on a vacation...WITHOUT me! Poo on that. I stayed at Ms. Lisa's play place though, so I had fun with the other doggies. Mom and Dad were even impressed I went up to say hi to a dog in our neighborhood. They said maybe I was a real dog after all. Umm, duh. They said I need a B-A-T-H though. I can't be a real puppy dog if I don't smell like one DAD.

Anyway, the title of this post is "Exhausted" because I've been participating in the Blogville 'Lympics! In honor of the human olympics in London, us pets have our own version. After the Parade of Athletes hosted by Posie, I've been in two events: Sleeping Singles hosted by Oskar and Couch Potato Peeling (part 2) hosted by Lily. When Mom told Dad what I was up to, he said "Well he ought to get the gold in both those events!" BOL! The best part about the 'Lypmics is that everyone wins, so even though I don't have a gold medal like some of the athletes in London, I'm still a winner and that makes me happy.

Gotcha Day!

Hi friends! Today was the BEST.DAY.EVERRRRR! Today is my Gotcha Day. For those who don't know, a Gotcha Day is like an Adoption Day or birthday. It's the day my people came to take me home forever! Daddy had to go to the work place today, but Mommy managed to have the WHOLE day off! So we went adventuring!

My pal, Tiny, sent me a special present a few days ago.

Dentastix and a card! Thanks Tiny!

Mom gave me a stick to celebrate!

On my morning walk. It rained last night, so it was nice and cool and a little breezy, so Mom took me on my former "long walk" route. Since she's had class and work early this summer, we haven't been able to go as far as we usually do. I loved catching up with my friends on the other blocks. I left lots of pee-mails.

Then the real adventures started. We went to the Bluegrass Barkery and got an extra special treat. Mom said if she had thought about it, she would have had them make one that said "Gotcha Day", but it's kinda the same thing!

Mom also wishes it was blue, since I'm a boy, but I'm color blind anyway!

We also drove around and around and around. Mom said she was looking for shave ice places. I have no idea what that is, but if it's car rides, I'm for it. Mom said she found a couple for later, so success! Then we went to Petsmart and looked for something for when we go to Canada so I don't have to be tied up. I would like that.

After my evening walk, Mom and Dad gave me my treat:

Mine!

Now what?

No! It's mine!

I tried burying it under my blankie, but smarty Mom found it. She gave it back and I ran with it under the bed. She can never get me out of there!...Until she went back in the living room. Then she snuck back in the bedroom and got my bone. I'm telling you...smart!

She finally used those smarts and just broke it into smaller pieces.

Yum!

Best second Gotcha Day ever. 

Fourth of July a.k.a. WORST Holiday Ever!

Ugh. Yesterday was the WORST holiday ever. The Fourth of July. This is the worst and dumbest of all human holidays. It is a holiday we have here in the states where we celebrate our independence.

It starts off innocently enough. My people both had the day off. Yay! And a lot of people grill and picnic and eat lots of food. Yay again! But once the sun goes down...makes me shiver just thinking about it. The people light explosive thingys called "fireworks." They make look pretty, but they make an awful popping sound and I HATE them. Like HATE. Like more than thunder.

Luckily, this year, my people had bought me a Thundershirt. It's supposed to relieve dog's anxiety and it just wraps around me and attaches by velcro. Easy-peasy! Mom bought it hoping it might help my separation anxiety (which it kind of does if Dad's home. I don't pace), but we haven't really tested it much when I'm alone. She also thought it might help with my thunder boomie nerves. It definitely does help that. So we tried it yesterday for fireworks. I still heard them and I was concerned about them, but I stayed in my spot on the couch and didn't shake like last year, so we call it a success!

Mom didn't take any pictures of me with my shirt, but you'll just have to trust me. I give it 4 paws up!

Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated for my review of a Thundershirt. Mom paid for it with Dad's hard-earned money. All opinions are mine (as told through my mom).

Terrible News

Hey friends. Bad news. My pee-mail box at my house is broken. Last night, right as my people were finishing up their dinner, the doorbell rings. I go into ferocious guard dog, especially since it couldn't have been a food delivery guy. They're my favorite visitors.

Anyway, it was actually a neighbor who said another neighbor ran over my pee-mail box (he called it a "tree," but he should know better. I've left messages on his box before. I guess they got lost). Oh no!

Sure enough, Dad went outside and saw this:

Now that my pee-mail box is out of commission, are there any suggestions for my neighborhood friends to leave me messages? I guess I could always just go by their boxes...

Fathers Day

Hi friends! This was the best weekend ever! Sunday was another one of those dumb human holidays called "Fathers Day." It's like Mothers Day, except instead of giving your mommy kisses and snuggles, you're suppost to let your dad do whatever he wants...or something. Really, it's no different from any other day. 

This is the first time I met my dad. Of course, I knew he was my dad and sat in his lap. When I came home, I pretended I didn't like him. I kinda do now.


I like my daddy because he gives really good head scratches and belly rubs. He also gives me French Fries when he thinks Mommy's not looking. And lets me lick the knife after they make cinnamon rolls on the weekends.


We also take good naps together.

Since it was Fathers Day, Mom said she was giving Dad the afternoon off and took me to the park to go walking with my pal, Molly, and her mommy. Really, Mom just didn't want to do her homework. Dad stayed home and played boring video games. I definitely lucked out with the park idea! We had fun. I got Molly's mommy dirty and I smelled lots of smells and sent some pee-mails. But then it started to rain. Luckily, we were headed back to our cars anyway.

Mom wanted me to warn you that I might be a little quiet for the next couple of weeks. She has two classes right now and one of them is really hard with lots of writing, so she may not want to write for me, too. And apparently you need opposable thumbs to write. Do they sell those at PetSmart?

Reunion Season

Hi friends! This was the best weekend ever. On Sunday, my people and I went to my dad's hometown for a family reunion. I love reunions! They are always full of suckerspeople to beg from and feed me.  Mom said if I play my cards right, I could attend FOUR reunions this summer! That's one reunion for each paw. Wow! Mom said not to get too excited because one is in North Carolina. I don't know where that is, but it's a long drive and my people could only go for the weekend. I told her I didn't mind riding that far. Plus think of all the suckers family that would be there! She just said I was silly and I rolled over for her to give me a belly rub.

Anyway, Sunday was Dad's dad's side of the family. It was outside at a church's picnic shelter. The land the church is on was formerly owned by the family, so there were lots of family members that went to Rainbow Bridge in the church's cemetery. 

I was ready to go early:

 This is the cemetery. Mom, Dad, and I went walking after we were done eating. Mom said I was only allowed to potty on the trees, so I did.  Our walk kind of reminded me of my pal, Bandit's, walks. Except his cemetery is bigger.

Here is me patiently waiting for a sucker someone to give me food. A little boy kept dropping his ham, so I helped him clean up. Someone else gave me a bite of their carrot cake and then let me lick his plate! That guy was my favorite!

Hey Dad, you gonna eat all that?

Dad wouldn't give me any, so I stuck my tongue out at him.

After the reunion, we went to Mawmaw and Pawpaw's house to help them with their internets. I always love their house because it's chock full of food! They gave me a little more carrot cake and let me lick icing off their fingers. I also love their house because they have a huge yard. Part of it is a garden, so Mommy didn't let me potty there, but I ran and galloped and pranced all over. I told Mom she needed to get me a yard like this one. She agreed that I'd love it. Now we have to work selling the idea to Daddy.