Day 337

Happy New Year!  I am going to stay home New Year's Eve.  It's too wild out there.  Mom and I are cooking dinner for friends.

Day 336

I know that I look really cute in my underwear, but I HATE WEARING UNDERWEAR.  It's way overrated, and I cannot figure out how my people can stand the confinement.  I relish my nakedness.  If you've got it, flaunt it.  And so, in an act of pure wizardry, I remove my underwear when no one is looking and pretend that nothing happened.  Unfortunately, without underwear, I am unable to leave the kitchen for fear of destroying the house.

Day 335

Mom went grocery shopping, and I am helping unload the groceries.  

Day 334

Making friends, as usual.

One small kiss, through the fence.  How romantic.

Day 333

Moo-fin, PLEASE come downstairs and play!  We can play hide-and-seek in the contractor's curtain.  Be brave, Mister Moof.

Day 332

I am too afraid to ascend the full staircase, but I did muster the courage to strike a pose.  We are at Orchard Beach, and did not stay long because Christoper and Eli were freezing.

Day 331

Merry Christmas to all!! For Christmas, Santa gave me a new toy.  It squeaks!  I love it.

I am wearing Mom's old Victoria Secret underwear underneath Eli's old boxers.  Does this make me a Victoria's Secret Angel?  These days, I am definitely skinny and pretty enough to be a professional underwear model.  

Day 330

It's Christmas Eve, and I am in heat for the first time.  I am wearing Eli's old tighty-whities underneath Eli's old boxers.  Don't I look cute?  I think this is going to last 7 days, which is kind of a bummer.

Day 329

Christmas is exhausting, and it's not even here yet.  Mom and I have lots of errands to run.  I can't wait to get home and nap.

Day 328

Greetings from puppy class.  Can you tell which one is me?

Day 327

Mario and Mom put the tree up in the basement, and Mario strung the lights.  I wanted to see the tree so badly that - Hey, Nicole, are you reading this?? -- I WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS ALL BY MYSELF. When I got to the bottom of the steps, I was overcome by a desire to eat the cat food, and I ran into the unfinished part of the basement.  I thought I was being stealthy, but Mom caught me before I finished the food.  She could not be mad at me because she is SO PROUD.  This is the very first time I have walked down the basement stairs by myself!  Maybe, for Christmas, Santa will give me the gift of bravery.

 I am 50% there.  Going down the stairs is great, but up??  Not so much.  Mario has to carry me.

Day 326

I went with Mom and Peter to buy a tree today.  First, we went to the store where they sell Christmas stuff.

Then, we picked out a tree.  Mom says that we usually put the tree in the Living Room, but since our house is a construction zone this year, the tree will go in the basement.  We had to buy a smaller tree than usual. I love the smell of pine.  I sniffed around and chose the best smelling tree.

Then, I took Peter into the store so he could pay for the tree, and I helped him pick out the perfect Poinsettia.

The nice people at the store tied the tree to the top of our car, and we took it home!  I love Christmas!

Day 325

  I took Mom to the hardware store today to buy a few things.

 

Day 324

I went to the mall with Mom today.  Did you notice those coats are 50% off???  What a STEAL.  I don't need a coat, though, since I grow my own.

Day 323

I love running errands with Mom.  Sometimes, she does not plan to take me with her, but I meet her at the front door and look at her with my best cute puppy face and wag my tail, and then she looks at me and says:" Rhythm, do you want to come with me?"  Yes, of course I do!

Day 322

It's muddy outside, and when I walk, I kick up dirt onto my legs and stomach.  Mom and I think there's a market for doggie mudflaps.  Now, we just need to invent them.

Day 321

It's no fair - Muffin gets a bodyguard but I don't.  I want to kiss Muffin, but Mario won't let me. 

Day 320

Mario calls me The Snow Queen, and I could not think of a more appropriate title.  Cold paws, warm heart - that's me!

Day 319

Our house is a construction zone, just in time for the holidays.  Me and the cats, we think it's really cool. 

 Muffin looks like a bird of prey, perched on the contractor's drop cloth.  You can tell he knows that he's handsome.  Arrogant.

Hemi thinks the BEST part is the ceiling fort that the contractor made just for her.  She could not think of a better Christmas present!  I wish that I could join her in the fort, but I hate stairs, so I am DEFINITELY NOT climbing a ladder.

Day 318

Every once in a while, I need to air out my bed.  Breathe, bed, breathe.

Day 317

I love snow, and it's even better when I get to play in it with by best two playmates, Christopher and Eli!

Day 316

Have you ever contemplated the profoundness of a leaf?

Day 315

I am not quite sure why people must stretch their legs before they exercise.  I think that we dogs have a far superior physique.  Here I am, helping Mom prepare for her run.  You know, I could always consider a career as a personal trainer.

Day 314

Mom and Peter found these old photos on his phone.  They are of Archer, of course.  In the first photo, Archer is at Maggie's, the local pub.  It is a family hang out.  He was very popular there, and now I am the main attraction.

In this photo, Archer is kissing Hemi.  Doesn't Hemi look happy?

Day 313

As often happens, we went for a walk today that ended at Maggie's.  That beer looks really good.  I wish I could have a sip, but Mom says I'm underage. 

Day 312

I love playing tug games with my rope toy!  I am so happy that my braces are off and I can play tug games again!  That was a really great strategy of mine, to chew on my crate, break my braces repeatedly, and wear down the dentist until he surrendered in defeat.  I must be a Super Genius!!

Day 311

Santa, for Christmas I want a new squeaky toy and some more treats.  I've been a really really good girl this year!  Please don't ask Muffin for his opinion.  He is a cat, and cat opinions are worthless.

Day 310

Don't I look regal?

Day 309

This dog kind of looks like a raisin, doesn't it?

Day 308

Moo-fin came out of hiding to play with me!!!

Day 307

Here, me and Mom are looking at a model of the NY Public Library.  If you look closely, you can see Patience and Fortitude flanking the stairs.

 

Day 306

I think these trains might be carrying dog bones, just for me.  Do you think Santa will travel by train to our house?  I hope so!

Day 305

This holiday weekend, instead of battling the Black Friday crowds, we kicked off the Christmas holiday season by visiting the NY Botanical Garden Train Show.  Eli has gone to the show every year, and he wanted me and Mario to see it.  

Yes, that's the Brooklyn Bridge overhead!  Some day, I want to walk across the bridge.  That would be really fun, especially since there are no stairs.

 

 I love trains!

Day 304

Happy Thanksgiving!  As I lie here in my new doggie bed, I contemplate all for which I am thankful, besides my new bed and my toys.  Here's my top 10 list:

10:  My dog parents, for having me.  

9:  Guiding Eyes, for breeding my parents so they could have me.

8:  Julia, for "starting" me.

7: Nicole, for being the best teacher ever.

6: Muffin for being my best ex-friend.

5: Hemi for being the coolest cat on the planet.

4: Peter for letting me ride in his very nice hot rod of a car.

3: Mom, for being my mom!

2: Eli for being my best playmate.

1: You already guessed my #1.  Mario, of course!

I am a very lucky and loved dog.  There is so much more for which I am thankful, but these are my top 10.  I hope you all have top ten lists too, that are really awesome like mine!