Day 276

It's good to have a best friend. 

Did you say that you wanted to see more Archer photos?  Nicholas, Archer's new person, sent these today.  Archer, as you know, is my predecessor.  He is now a working guide, living in a college dorm room with Nicholas, his awesome new person.  He really likes Pittsburgh!  The scary duck is an art installation traveling from city to city.  It arrived in Pittsburgh from Hong Kong.  I think a dog would have been a much better choice!

Day 275

Eli is supposed to be studying.  Hey, Hemi, what should we do?  Do you want to walk on him, or should I lick his face?

Day 274

Most girls want to be princesses for Halloween, but what about a bunny rabbit fairy? Who can beat that?  Trick or treat!  PS: Believe it or not, wearing clothing is part of my training, so please do not think my people are being mean by dressing me up.

Day 273

Pretty me, squirrel watching.  I often wonder how they tight rope walk along the phone lines.  I think they enjoy pelting me with acorns.  I wonder if they taste good -- probably just like chicken.

Day 272

Mr. Squeakless and I are off to practice steps with Mario.  I call it Step Class, but Mom says that's so 1990's. 

Day 271

If practice makes perfect, then I am flawless.  I am doing great going up and down all the outdoor stairs, but am still building courage on the stairs in my house.

Day 270

Me and Mario practice "Close".  Even though I learned this command a long time ago, I still need to practice every day.

Day 269

I went back to the vet today. Before he adjusted my braces, he practiced stairs with me. He finds it hard to believe that a big dog like me could be afraid of stairs, but sometimes life makes no sense. We had fun, and I did great!

Day 268

I totally get why people hate going to the dentist.  I hate it too!  And guess what ... my braces are loose and need to be tightened tomorrow.  The dentist is fed up with me!

Day 267

Me in my crate.  I am allowed to roam around the house these days, somewhat on my own, because I behave most of the time.  Even though I have a bit of freedom, I often choose to sleep in my crate with the door wide open.  I like it in here.  It's like my own private clubhouse.  However, I no longer have a comfy bed because I tried to eat my bed.  I chewed a big hole in it, and so Mario threw it in the garbage.  I do not know what came over me.

Day 266

Love is a beautiful thing.

Day 265

Mr. Squeakless is not just my boyfriend.  He is also my personal trainer, encouraging me to ascend the steps.  You may have noticed that his name is slightly changed.  I love him, and I've nibbled on his neck one time too many.  It seems his squeaker is no longer squeaking, so Mom changed his name from Mr. Squeaky to Mr. Squeakless.  My boyfriend is silent.  I'll bet there are many girls out there who envy me!

Day 264

I really do not feel like practicing today.

 But, Mario convinces me.  I cannot resist Mario!

Two steps today, and who knows what tomorrow holds?  Sometimes in life, one cannot just meet and conquer challenges head-on.  Instead, the tortoise approach of slow and purposeful progress is often the best way.  I am a tortoise dog.

Day 263

Me, Eli, and Mr. Squeaky, play in the living room.  All work and no play would make me a  very dull dog, and that's just not the way it is.  I am a loved and cherished family member, although Muffin may prefer if I were excommunicated. 

Day 262

Mario took me to the local train station to practice stairs and, well, I am afraid of these stairs!  Be patient, though.  I will master them eventually.

Day 261

I ain't afraid of no steps!

Day 260

Happy Columbus Day!  Today, we celebrate the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.  In honor of the discovery of the Americas, Mario took The Rhythm, The Eli, and The Christopher on a 3 hour hike.  It was lots of fun, but I am tired!

Day 259

There once was a dog named Rhythm
Her cats called her a chicken
Because the steps she would not ascend
But this, this is THE END

I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO STEPS! YEAH!

Well, just these I have mastered.  There are so many more that I must conquer, but we celebrate our wins while we can!

Day 258

My evil twin chewed the door molding in the kitchen.  I am a skilled carpenter, and Mom thinks that this is what broke my braces.  The solution?  Mom put hot sauce on the kitchen molding everywhere I've been tempted to chew.  It's orange in color and matches the kitchen walls.  Mom hopes this deters my woodworking aspirations.

Day 257

Hemi:  "Hey, Rhythm.  What's the big deal with the steps?  I am 1/3 of your size, many multiples of your age (a girl NEVER discloses her true age), and yet I sail up and down the steps like poetry in motion.  Granted, my intellect is far higher, but what's the deal?  You do not need to be smart to climb steps. JUST DO IT!!"

Mr. Squeaky: "Hey, Rhythm, come down here and play with me!  Come sink your braced teeth into my fin, flipper, wing - who knows what it is?  Gaze into my purple eyes up close.  Kiss my beak.  I love you!"

Day 256

Well, Mario got a little bit creative with this photo.  I do not believe for a moment that there is such a thing as World's Dog Day.  Really.  I think that Mario is upset with me because I broke my braces and the dentist was a bit angry and mean to him -- Mom was conveniently at work -- and so I think this is Mario's revenge.  I look downright silly.  Don't get mad, get even.  And, as far as I am concerned, EVERY DAY IS DOG DAY.  We dogs are awesome, even the non-purebred mutt-type dogs. 

Day 255

I think the doggie orthodontist hates me.  At the very least, he hates my people.  Mario took me to the doggie dentist, and I broke my braces AGAIN.  The vet had to replace them, and he said THIS IS THE LAST TIME.  I am not supposed to have any toys at all, but my people give me soft toys because otherwise I will chew the cats.  Mom thinks I broke my braces when I gnawed on the wooden molding in the kitchen, and, well, Mario could NOT tell the vet that.  So, I got new braces (and Mom coated the molding with hot sauce).  First, I skipped breakfast in the morning and did not have any water either.  Then, I was sedated.  When I awoke in the crate in the dentist's office, I had new braces.  Ugh.  I am a problem doggie.

Day 254

What do you think Hemi is saying? "Cluck, cluck, cluck.  Chicken dog, afraid of stairs.  You can't get me!  Na, na, na-na, na!" OR "Rhythm, you can do it, I know you can!  Climb up the steps and give me a KISS!  You are so brave and beautiful!"  It could be either.  You never know with cats.

Day 253

I had a great day today!  Isn't every day great?  First, I took Mario on a picturesque walk.

Then, I helped Eli with his homework.  As you can imagine, I am especially good at writing.

Finally, I helped Mario on the computer.  I am a tween girl, and so I am technologically savvy.  I am always happy to lend a paw when I can.

Day 252

I had a really great weekend.  Peter and Mom took me to Target, and I got to pick out my very own toy.  I checked three toy bins.  In the first, I saw a nice toy, but after one lick, I knew it was not for me.  In the second bin, there was nothing appealing.  In the third - bingo - I found the perfect replacement for Mr. Squeaky  Chicken.  We spent Saturday and Sunday together, and it's love.  Mom thinks I chose the ugliest toy.  She wanted me to pick the duck, but something about my new Mr. Squeaky was so appealing, perhaps it's his purple eyes.  We cannot decide what kind of animal he is supposed to be, maybe a platypus?

Grandma, Grandpa, and Monique visited this weekend.  I love my Aunt Monique, but she avoids me.  I cannot figure out why I scare her.

Isn't my new Mr. Squeaky beautiful?  He's my new boyfriend!

Day 251

We practice steps a lot.  You know that I really do not like going up steps all that much, but I really want to be a guide dog, and so I must practice, practice, practice.  And besides, when I am successful, I get really good treats.  My people bought me doggie cookies from Trader Joe's, and they are DELICIOUS.  So, I practice, and then because I am so gorgeous, I strike a pose so Mario can snap the perfect photo.  And you, my fans, have the pleasure of seeing yet one more beautiful picture of moi. 

In the gorgeous department, I have a bit of competition from Iko.  He is Archer's son, and he just earned his puppy jacket.  For those of you who are not regular readers (and why aren't you?), Archer is my predecessor.  He had a short stint as a stud, and is now a working guide and college student.  He attends classes with his new person, Nicholas.  Iko is stunning, just like his dad!