Goodboy Norman Featherstone

Still Truckin'

2011-05-30T15:13:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone! Remember me, Norman? Woman got a new computer that doesn't have Photoshop, so she's been slacking in the uploading photos to flickr department, and I've been slacking in the blogging department, because I have no photos to share! So, like all things, I blame Woman! Everything is going great with my new seester. I actually really really like her. We snuggle together, and I lick her ears - it's a great relationship. She is painfully cute, even I must admit! I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I will try to get Woman back on track this summer!

The Upside

2011-03-02T07:42:00.002-05:00

The upside to having a seester is that Woman will dress her up in stupid clothes instead of me, right?

Words with Friends

2011-03-01T18:06:00.002-05:00

If you like this phone app, look me up. I love it! Username: tammyleino

ZOMG!

2011-02-28T08:42:00.002-05:00

The People were gone for a pretty long time yesterday, and when they got home, they smelled like other dogs. Frenchies to be exact. Girl Frenchies. Woman then informed me that I was getting a seester! Can you believe it? A seester! I'm pretty stoked. She better not try to take my toys or snuggle my Woman, but I am excited to boss her around and steal her treats. Woo-hoo! Seesters are the best!

Apparently my seester's name is Miss Magic, and she is 4 years old. She is a retired "breeder", but that doesn't mean she's some sort of lady of the night. From what I hear, Frenchies can't do the deed on their own, so they are "inseminated" manually. Gross, I know. The People are going to pick her up next Wednesday after all the construction is finished.

Are you excited to meet her? I sure am! From what I smelled on Woman already, she's a pretty cool dog.

Snow Days!

2011-01-11T09:34:00.003-05:00

This year has started out just like the last year ended - with lots of snow on the ground! I have finally learned how to potty when there's this much snow. I just skirt the house where the roof has kept the snow from hitting the ground - never even get my feet wet! The problem with snow days is that I don't get to go for walks. I have to admit that I'm getting pretty stir crazy being in the house all day, but at least I don't have to work! How are you spending your snow days?

No Brudder

2011-01-05T12:29:00.003-05:00

Ian made the stunning announcement in December that Woman was allowed to finally get a Frenchie. This shocked everyone involved, especially me. You can imagine how opposed I was to the idea of getting a Frenchie, and the fact that Ian didn't consult me before telling Woman the news made me like the idea even less. Woman was finally able to convince me that having a brudder around would be fantastic - just like having Pugsley around all the time. I slowly warmed up to the idea and finally accepted it.

So, Woman applied for a cute little 2-year old Frenchie named Elton through FBRN. She got a call from the foster Mom a week later explaining how she had never had so many applications for a dog in her experience as a foster, and that we were in the final running for getting Elton. Woman was very excited and had her hopes set pretty high on getting Elton.

Those hopes were dashed this morning when Woman received an email stating that we were not selected as Elton's forever home, and you can imagine Woman was devastated. I'm pretty sad too, but not nearly as sad as Woman. She thinks we were not chosen because I'm an old man dog, but I can assure you that I play like a puppy when hooties are involved.

If anyone has any advice on adopting a Frenchie, please share. Woman isn't sure she wants to go through this disappointment again, but would still be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Thanks!

The Eyes Have It!

2010-12-23T14:33:00.002-05:00

I just got back from the Vet, and the news is good - she says I'm looking much better and she's not worried about me any more. The ulcer appears to have healed up, the cloudiness is clearing, and although my poophole is still oddly dilated, she thinks I'm going to be A-OK. I told her my poophole is always dilated - it's why I'm so gassy! I'm not sure what that has to do with my eyeball though. Maybe we should seek out a second opinion? Thanks everyone for your prayers and well-wishes!

My Eye Woes

2010-12-22T15:07:00.002-05:00

I had to go to the Vet yesterday, because my right eye is all runny and cloudy. The Vet was afraid it could be glaucoma, but now thinks it is uveitus, which has Woman really worried, because uveitus can be caused by cancer. I'm not all that concerned - I get lots of attention when I'm sick! But, if you don't mind tossing a prayer up for Woman, she'd be much appreciative!

Revenge!

2010-12-12T13:12:00.001-05:00

It snowed last night, and Woman expected me to go #2 in it. #2?? No thank you, ma'am. I prefer to #2 on your rug! Mwa-hahahahaa! Woman did exact her revenge by forcing me to pose in the snow for our annual holiday photo. I'm plotting my *next* revenge. It's an endless process...

Out of Body Experience

2010-11-18T08:23:00.002-05:00

I went to bed last night in my bed, but woke up this morning in bed with Woman! Whoah! I'm not sure how that happened. Maybe I was sleep walking?

Unoriginal Halloween Costume

2010-11-01T07:26:00.001-05:00

I went to Halloween this year as a "bad dog." Woman said it wasn't a very original idea, and that next year I should try harder. I told her she should stop trying to cram me into costumes that don't fit any more, and we'll call it even. She wasn't impressed.

The Results are In

2010-10-20T08:30:00.002-05:00

Lyn called to let Woman know that both the lumps were grade 1 mast cell tumors. Although Woman was hoping they weren't mast cell tumors at all, she is relieved they are grade 1. That means the cancer is fully contained in the margins of the tumors and has not spread. Thanks for all the well wishes!! My stitches are a little itchy, but other than that, I'm feeling fine!

Four Years Cancer Free - Restart the Clock

2010-10-01T14:02:00.002-05:00

It has been four years since my last mast cell tumor was removed. I've been living la vida loca since then, and Woman has been checking me frequently for lumps. Unfortunately she found a suspicious lump recently. We took a trip to the Vet today to have it checked out, and after aspirating it and studying the cells under the microscope, the Vet concluded that it is another mast cell tumor. And, there's another lump that might also be a mast cell tumor. The cells of the second lump didn't clearly show up as mast cells under the microscope, but they still exhibited mast cell like properties. Woman isn't really clear what that means.

I am scheduled for surgery Tuesday, October 12 to have both lumps removed. Woman is pretty upset. Ian assures her that I'll be alright, but you know how Woman can be!

On the way out of the Vet office, Woman ran into a lady who commented on how handsome I am, and they got to talking. The lady told Woman that she was there to put her Great Pyrenees to rest. Woman and the lady cried together in the parking lot for a good long time. Woman hugged the lady and petted the big dog named Lampchop. Poor Woman. She's having a rough day. RIP Lambchop. Your lady will miss you.

Twins

2010-09-23T07:55:00.001-05:00

Who thinks Gabe and I look alike?

Out-of-Towners

2010-09-21T08:34:00.004-05:00

I entertained some out of town guests this past weekend - Winston and Sela from Panama City! Woman said I was a very good host, which is amazing, because she usually has to scold me for being a bad boy when there are other dogs in the house.

Three Pug butts barking at the neighbor dogs.

The Women had "fun" trying to get a photo of all three of our faces.

My favorite part of the trip was taking Winston and Sela to visit Pugsley and June Bug. I don't have any photos, but you can imagine the chaos that ensued!

Winston doesn't know what chaos means.

Sela knows what it means, but she can't be bothered by it.

And I just have a crusty nose.

Thanks to Rob and Page for bringing Winston and Sela to visit me. I hope we can get together again soon!

On Vacation

2010-09-03T20:55:00.002-05:00

The People are taking a little trip to Mexico, so I decided to take a vacation of my own - to Pugsley's house! Woman is really worried about leaving me, because I've been having some "blood in my stool" this week. Our friend Lyn, who is also our Vet, prescribed me antibiotics and a yummy diet of rice and chicken, and she says I'll be fine, but you know how Woman can be - she's a worry wart! I'm her whittle man after all, so I can't blame her.

So, please be praying for me to get all better and for Woman to have a good time NOT worrying about me in Mexico. Well, if she worries a little that's ok - I don't want her to have TOO much fun!

Sausagefest!

2010-08-19T08:26:00.001-05:00

Sausagefest is this weekend! I get to go spend the entire day with my BFF, Pugsley! Also, we have a very special guest coming to our house this weekend - Victor! I'll try to post some photos, but Woman has been lazy with the blog lately. Lazy Woman ...

Who?

2010-07-30T12:58:00.003-05:00

Woman told me I need to be nicer to Monty, that he's a real dog too, and that I treat him very badly. She says I make him bark by instigating him, and that I get him in trouble. She says I have been a very bad host and need to straighten up. I said to her, "Who is this Monty thing of which you speak?" She had nothing else to say.

More Dogsitting!

2010-07-27T09:48:00.002-05:00

We are dogsitting Monty for almost 2 weeks! That's a long time for me to try to keep ignoring him. Woman says I am a "breedist" because I only like Pugs. I remind her that I like her, and she's not a Pug, but she claims it's not the same thing. I don't know what she's talking about, but that's true of most of our conversations.

Here I am ignoring Monty. In my opinion, he doesn't exist.

Woman insists that he does exist and says this is the photographic evidence that proves she is correct. I think she photochopped this picture, because I do not recall anyone named, "Monty" being in it.

In other news, Woman is finally on facebook - (look her up). Can you believe it? She also has a new website for her fitness business and a facebook page for her fitness business. It's crazy. You should totally go become a fan of her fitness page, because she posts daily tips for fitness and nutrition. She claims they are very useful for healthy living.

Babysitting Squeaker Toys

2010-07-16T16:05:00.002-05:00

For some odd reason, we kept the neighbor's squeaker toys at our house while their humans were on vacation. I can't imagine people having such an attachment to their squeaker toys that they would employ neighbors to watch them. Weird.

This is squeaker toy #1, Mimi.

And squeaker toy #2, Peppy.

Woman said I should really like these squeaker toys, because they are Pom-a-Poos, part Pomeranian, part Poodle. My late best friend Chew Bear was a Pomeranian, so Woman thought I should be "friends" with these squeakers. That's just ridiculous though - they're squeaker toys! I'm not friends with toys...

Hot Dog

2010-07-14T10:57:00.002-05:00

It has been really really hot here lately! The People took me on a walk the other day, and I got so hot I had to put my head in the freezer.

I did not get a taste of that scherbert in case you're wondering. It looked pretty freezer burned anyway.

Five Pugs

2010-07-09T15:42:00.001-05:00

Have you ever heard of that burger joint, "Five Guys"? Woman says it's pretty good, so I decided to recreate the experience with Five Pugs instead. Pugsley and June Bug have two pug house guests for the next two weeks, and I'm going to drop in tomorrow to fulfill my Five Pugs fantasy. I'll post photos for sure! Hopefully there will be burgers too.

Biltmore Wine Label Contest

2010-07-06T11:06:00.002-05:00

Ian has been chosen as one of the 5 finalists for the 2010 Christmas at Biltmore wine label contest! The good news is that you don't need to log in or provide your email address to vote. It took you longer to read this post than it will to vote!

So, please vote for Ian's design , "Christmas Tree Gathering". It was created using scratch board and will be printed on navy paper with pearl ink.

Thanks in advance!

Brick by Brick

2010-07-02T10:12:00.001-05:00

Ian has a new submission over at Threadless. Check it out!

"A tribute to one of my favorite artists (MC Escher), using one of my favorite mediums."

Give the link a click. Give the design some love. Earn the Pug a treat!!

Snug as Three Pugs in a Rug

2010-06-28T08:03:00.004-05:00

Pugsley and June Bug have been at our house since last Tuesday. I have to admit that it's been pretty awesome, and I will miss them when they leave.

We are quite the handsome group.

Woman had a lot of fun taking us all three on a walk together by herself. She said I was the most well behaved. Here is additional photographic evidence that I am the most well behaved of the three Pugs. Notice how the other Pugs are jumping off the couch, but I am obeying Woman and posing for the camera. What bad dogs ...

I am also the most distinguished of the pack. Look at the majesty.

I do let my fur down with Pugsley every now and then though. We like to play kissy face while June Bug tries to ignore us in the background.

Pugsley does not appreciate the paparazzi interrupting our private time.

Here we are giving our best "Blue Steel" pose.

I will miss them when they're gone, and so will Woman! Ian - probably not so much though.

Bubbles

2010-06-24T08:36:00.004-05:00

Norman is busy playing with Pugsley and June Bug right now, so I, Woman, will be making today's post.

When I'm working in the garden, my mind seems to wander here and there, searching for something interesting to think about. Today it landed on Bubbles the Chimp. For some reason I had that song, "Man in the Mirror" stuck in my head, and I started wondering if really wealthy powerful people like the CEO of BP were ever inspired by lyrics on a personal level and possibly "changed" their ways as a result. Then I started thinking about that episode of the Simpsons, Stark Raving Dad, where Homer got committed to an insane asylum for wearing a pink shirt and met a big white guy who claimed he was Michael Jackson . When Bart talked to the guy on the phone, he asked him to name his last three Grammy dates to prove he really was Michael Jackson, and one of the dates was Bubbles the Chimp. This got me wondering what happened to Bubbles the Chimp. Did Michael still have him when he died, or was Bubbles just filling in as a temporary child until Michael could get some "real" children in his life?

Interesting thoughts, eh?

After finishing up my gardening work, I sat down at the computer to start my "real" job, which always begins with a perusal of CNN to ensure the world has not exploded over night. What do I see under the front page of the entertainment section, but a story about Bubbles the Chimp! (click that link with caution - there is a huge photo of La Toya at the top, and man is she frightening.)

Michael adopted Bubbles from a research center in the early 80's and surrendered him to the Center for Great Apes in Florida in 2004 when he became too aggressive to keep as a "pet." His first child was born in 1997, so my "surrogate child" theory was probably a bust. Michael had visited Bubbles several times over the past year before he died, which is sweet to learn. Maybe next time I'm in Wauchula I'll pay him a visit too. Oh yikes - I just checked where Wauchula is located - a little too far South for me. Maybe I'll just send him an email.

So, if you've ever wondered what goes on in this head of mine, now you know. Scary and kind of boring, eh?

Me and the Crew

2010-06-18T10:05:00.004-05:00

I had a fun time with Pugsley and June Bug last weekend. They will be coming again next Wednesday and staying with me for a whole week! I'm really excited.

Woman definitely gets more work done when there are three Pugs in the house. Look how hard she's working!

And she gets plenty of rest!

June Bug is a really good hostess. She makes sure all our guests are well attended.

BFFs!

I can't wait until next Wednesday! Pugsley and I are going to have the best time ever!!

Puglsey is Staying at my House this Weekend!

2010-06-11T08:34:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited that my bestest friend Pugsley is coming to my house this weekend for a sleepover! He's bringing his little sister Junebug too, but we know how to ignore her. We like to play pranks on her and lock her out of whatever room we're in. It's fun to harass little sisters. That's what they're for, right? I'll post some photos of the pugstravaganza for sure!

Gray Beard

2010-06-07T08:56:00.001-05:00

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgggg! I be goin' gray!

Do you think I am a distinguished gray like George Clooney or a sexy gray like Sean Connery?

Things the People Learned this Year at Disney World

2010-06-03T08:41:00.001-05:00

1 - Flamingos sound like frogs.

2 - Virtual reality head gear leaves some serious imprints in the forehead.

3 - Towel art is less creepy when it isn't given a face using google eyes and pipe cleaners.

4 - Chinese gymnasts have crazy strong necks.

5 - Woman smiles like a troll.

6 - Even after all these years, Vikings are still dangerous.

7 - Minnie Mouse likes to show her bloomers for the camera.

8 - It's very exciting when your best friends decide at 11pm to hop on a plane the next morning and join you in Disney World.

9 - Elena is Queen of the Bongos.

10 - If you are not Queen of the Bongos, plum wine gives you mad bongo skills, so awesome in fact, that your elbow must assist in the bongo'ing.

11 - It's fun to spot someone wearing a t-shirt you designed for Threadless and ask to have your picture taken with them.

12 - The Kim Possible challenge at Epcot is also well aided by plum wine.

13 - Butterflies sometimes "carry" each other around. This is of particular interest to young children who like to point this out to their giggling parents.

14 - You can get those tea cups spinning really fast with four people in the car!

15 - Buzz Lightyear does not like to hug.

16 - You can get really wet at Animal Kingdom.

17 - Animals come really close to the truck on the safari at Animal Kingdom.

18 - The beer in Ethiopia isn't all that bad.

19 - The views from the rooms at Animal Kingdom lodge are worth the extra cost.

A Couple Must-Haves

2010-06-02T14:45:00.005-05:00

Whether you like to shop or not, here are a couple of items that you should look into picking up for yourself.

1 liter Sigg bottle for $11.96. Seriously, these things are like $25 in stores. AND, they are offering free shipping throughout the website. Make sure you don't sign up for the mailing list though; otherwise you'll get 5 emails a day from them.

Hands-free bug screen lets puggies come and go, but keeps bugs and birds out of your house. If your Pug is like me, he doesn't lower himself to using the standard "doggie door." However, if you're really sneaky, you can trick him into using this clever screen equipped with magnets for easy opening and closing. We bought one this year, and Woman absolutely loves it! It is kind of pricey, but there is no price too high to keep birds from getting onto our porch and Woman from having to get out of her chair to let me outside.

So go now and shop. What are you waiting for? These are quality items!

Gargamel

2010-06-02T08:18:00.000-05:00

When we were at Max Patch, we met a dog that has been living there for who knows how long. He had a collar on, but no tags. The People think he was either dumped there by his owners or possibly got separated from his group and is now lost. They like to think he is just lost and that someone wouldn't dump their dog like that, but who knows. He didn't look sick or hungry, so people must be feeding him well.

Here he is playing with our group. He looks like a boxer / pitbull mix.

On the way up the trail, we learned that this dog likes to be in charge of all other dogs on the mountain when he voraciously "alpha maled" Rooney. He didn't mess with me though - I think we all know why. After that we had to keep him away from our group so Rooney and him didn't get into a tussle. We decided to name him Gargamel because he was always trying to sneak into our group and terrorize Rooney.

The name of our camping trip became "Gargamel Watched me Pee" when Margarita made this exclamation on her return from a pee break.

The People asked a group to call Animal Control when they got off the mountain and had cell signal, so hopefully Gargamel is not running around the mountain any more.

Camping Weekend

2010-06-01T08:47:00.005-05:00

We went camping at Max Patch this weekend. I got to sleep in a tent! It was pretty awesome.

We did not camp right on top of Max Patch, because it is really windy up there, and we couldn't build a fire, but we did hike up and spend time enjoying the view.

Ena led the way up the trail. She's a pretty good guide - we didn't get lost once! Not bad for someone who will be two-years-old in September. She could work a bit on her "banter" though. She seemed to just say, "Hi Sarah" over and over again, which had little relevance to the sights and sounds of the hike.

Here we are hiking. Can you believe Woman had me on a leash? In the wild? I'm a dog! Let me run!

The view on the way to the top.

One of the views at the top. The cool thing about Max Patch is that you get a 360 degree unobstructed view of the surrounding mountains. And also, there are lots of things to sniff and pee on! You know, if you're into that sort of thing.

Here is the geologic survey marker at the highest point of Max Patch. Yes, I did pee on it in case you are wondering. It's an important artifact. I needed to show it some appreciation.

I made some new friends on this camping trip. First there was Rooney, Tara's new puppy. He runs fast and likes to roll in stinky things. I kept my distance from him most of the time due to the smell.

And also I met some dudes who were hiking a little bit of the Appalachian Trail. Their names were "This Dude" and "That Other Dude". I'm not so good with remembering names. Maybe one of them was Andrew? I dunno. They smelled slightly better than Rooney, so I hung out with them a little more than him.

The ladies decided at one point that it would be a good idea to build a human pyramid. I think they pulled it off well.

When you go camping, you have to hike away from camp to find somewhere "private" to pee. This took a little getting used to for me. Here I am on my way back from a bathroom break.

We celebrated Sarah's birthday with champagne at sunset. This is the face she made when I told her I was going to tell everyone on my blog that she is 29!

The People said the views were really pretty.

I wouldn't really know, because I see best with my nose, and since I couldn't sniff Pisgah National Forest's butt, I couldn't really tell you what it looks like.

I was glad to get home to my real bed and my toys, but I do look forward to our next camping trip in two years or so. Who else likes to go camping? Do you sleep in a tent or right on the ground? Have you ever been eaten by a bear?

Rooooo-Roooooo!

2010-05-25T11:07:00.003-05:00

I'm roo-rooing over here to let you know that Ian has a new t-shirt for sale on his website perfect for anyone who has ever loved any video game.

As you can see, I got to help with the product shots ...

I was his inspiration for yelling at the TV!

LOST Party

2010-05-24T08:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Ian's birthday and the LOST finale, so the people combined the two historic events into one giant party! Everyone was encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters!

Trevor as the smoke monster.

Whitney as "post explosion" Juliet.

Kari as Hurley.

Bill as Jack.

Ian and Woman as Richard and Ellie.

There was plenty of Dharma issued beverage in the fridge.

And wild boar and island fruits for dinner! The People seemed to have fun, but I was kind of bored. Man, I'm glad this show is over.

... And then the Looting Began

2010-05-24T06:31:00.001-05:00

The People were really ticked off at the television last night and contemplated a looting spree to show their disapproval of the LOST ending. Anyone else go looting last night? Get anything good?

Stinkpot

2010-05-21T08:35:00.001-05:00

I am a stinky Pug this morning. I was helping Woman garden in the rain at 7am and got all wet and muddy! She kept trying to get me to go into the house where it is dry, but I just love gardening way too much! Besides, you never know when those tomato plants are going to start dropping fruit, and I have to be ready.

Guard Dog

2010-05-10T08:20:00.002-05:00

Woman didn't want me to leave "Poophenge" up for viewing all week while she's on vacation, so I set up this entry last Friday to post today.

This is me keeping watch over my kingdom.

I have to be sure that free-range neighbor dog Frankie doesn't step paw onto our lawn. He's a chihuahua, and while he might be little, he is trouble! I don't want him hanging out on my lawn, that's for sure. I wonder who's watching the lawn while I'm at Pugsley's? We better take a walk over there and make sure everything's ok!

Check out that back fat.

Woman says I'm a guard dog, so I must get donuts for my trouble!

Poophenge

2010-05-07T08:09:00.002-05:00

I recently starting dabbling a bit in art, and since I have a readily available supply of 100% organic clay-type material, I decided to give sculpture a shot.

Behold, Poophenge.

That's right. It's poop. It's my art, so don't judge - I'm very serious about my art.

In case you're wondering, this is the scene Woman came home to one day last week. She didn't set up the poops to look like that - that would be gross. I set them up for her!! It was all part of her birthday present from me. I'm very thoughtful like that. She flushed it down the toilet though. Some people just don't appreciate art.

0%

2010-05-04T11:13:00.003-05:00

The People are going to Disneyworld next week, which means I get to stay with Pugsley ALL WEEK! Woo-hoo! Woman is glad to see that there is a 0% chance of rain most days in Orlando since they were so painfully rained out last year. We don't like to talk about it around here ...

Happy Birthday Woman!

2010-04-27T08:44:00.003-05:00

Today is Woman's birthday! She is officially twenty fourteen! She has lots of presents out on the counter to open. I can't wait to help!

It's also the one month anniversary of my 9th birthday, so Happy Anniversary to me!

If you're looking for a way to celebrate, Ian has a new shirt for sale (today only) at teefury. Just $9! If you've ever loved a video game, you'll love this shirt!

A Rough Week

2010-04-23T08:33:00.003-05:00

Last week was a pretty rough week around our house. It all started on Tuesday when the hot water heater decided to heat its last 40 gallons of water. The People had been expecting the unit to die sometime soon, since it is 28 years old, but last week was a pretty crappy time for it to happen.

Goodbye old hot water heater.

Dated - 1982. A lot of my non-pug readers are younger than that!!

It was a bad time to lose hot water, because Woman had to have surgery on Thursday, and running to the neighbor's house to shower after surgery is kind of a pain in the butt. But, that's what had to happen, because our new hot water heater wasn't installed until Sunday due to a seemingly endless number of problems encountered during installation. BTW - woman did not react well to the anesthesia or percoset and threw up a lot. She's feeling better now though.

And then Woman woke up on Monday to this:

A lot of water had somehow got trapped between the sub-flooring and hardwood floors. Nobody knows how it happened, but it obviously happened while the hot water heater was being installed. The floor boards were heaving from one end of the room to the other. Woman was a little frantic.

So Ian built a fire to bring down the humidity in the house, and we turned on the heater and space heater to try to soak up the water. The floors look better now, but they'll never be perfect. Many boards are still discolored, and heaved up on the edges and at the seams. The rug covers most of the damage, but I'm sure we'll need to replace the floorboards in this area at some point.

This week hasn't been so great for me either. We ran out of goodboy bones, and then Ian forgot to get new ones at the store. Thank pugness we had some left over from a batch Priscilla sent me for Christmas! They're candy coated!!

I Actually did get a Popsicle

2010-04-21T08:25:00.001-05:00

After reading my blog, Woman took pity on me and let me have some popsicle yesterday. Can you believe it?

It was "all fruit" so don't worry about me eatin' too much sugar.

Dang that was a good popsicle. I think it was tomato flavored, but I'm not 100% sure.

I forgot to tell you that the People brought me back a rib bone the other day from 12 Bones. It was so good it blew my mind and made me forget that I ever even ate it. Maybe that's not a good thing, but thankfully I did remember, just now in fact. I guess the popsicle was so good it helped me regain all those memories I lost about the rib. Nice job popsicle.

Feelin' Hot - Hot - Hot!

2010-04-20T08:15:00.003-05:00

The People have had a fire, the furnace and a space heater going for the past two days! It is so hot in here, I think I'm going to pass out.

"Have the People gone insane?" you are probably asking. Or maybe you're wondering if we got another 3 feet of white stuff. Well, the People have always been insane, but no, there is no snow on the ground here. Thank pugness! This past weekend we got a new hot water heater, and apparently there was a mishap with water that caused some damage to our hardwood floors. Woman claims running the heater and keeping the humidity low with the fire will help fix them so we don't have to replace them. Anyone have experience with water damaged red oak floors? Either way, please tell Woman to turn off the heat or get me a Popsicle!!

Me and a Plant

2010-04-13T08:38:00.002-05:00

Here's a photo of me and a plant. Woman says it's name is, "Bleeding Heart." That sounds weird to me though, so I don't think she's correct. It doesn't matter though - it's an upright thing, and I gotta pee. I'm just glad to see something finally blooming out here. It's hard to lift your leg on a snow drift - it gets cold "down there."

Free for All

2010-04-12T08:23:00.003-05:00

The People left the house yesterday morning, like they do every Sunday morning, and told me they would be back around 5pm. That's a little longer than they are usually at church, but Woman mentioned something about "rafting" so I didn't think much of it. 5pm came and went, and as 7pm was approaching I started to get annoyed. I should definitely be snuggling Woman on the couch by 7pm, so I took a poop in the middle of the floor to show my discontent. That'll teach her when she walks in the door in a couple of minutes. A couple of minutes turned into a couple of hours, and 9pm was upon Hootie and me. Hootie had a great plan to get back at Woman for the long wait - I took the pillows off the little couch and whizzed on one of them! HAHAHAHAHA! I decided to sacrifice one item in the house for every additional hour I had to wait. Then I took a nap, and when I woke up, I forgot about my plan. The People finally came trotting in the door around 11pm. Can you believe that? They left me home alone for 12 days!!! All by myself, with only Hootie to keep me company. I was glad to see them, but I'm still a little ticked.

Woman said the rafting didn't go as smoothly as possible and they were unavoidably delayed. Whatever Woman. Whatever ...

Argyle Pug

2010-04-08T09:20:00.002-05:00

This is what I'd look in argyle.

I wonder what I'd look like in gargoyle?

Late Birthday Photo

2010-04-05T08:02:00.001-05:00

Here I am a little after my birthday in front of my special birthday forsythia. It's always in beautiful full bloom on my birthday, but not this year. The snow kept it from budding out as early as usual, and also diminished its blooms this year. Oh well. It's still pretty!

83 and Sunny

2010-04-01T14:18:00.002-05:00

I actually panted today. Can you believe that? Panting!

Woman is hoping the snow is finally finished and Spring can move in for a nice long visit!

I Pooped on Lexington Ave

2010-03-28T15:29:00.002-05:00

Birthday Update: I took a poop on Lexington Ave after lunch at Chorizo. The People were absolutely horrified since they had no doggie poop bags! LOL!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-03-27T07:06:00.001-05:00

I'm up bright and early to wish me a happy birthday! I'm 9 today! Woman says I am old enough to mow the lawn now. I'm not a goat, so I don't know how she thinks I'm going to mow anything!

I will post my birthday photo in front of my birthday forsythia bush a little later. It's still trying to get its bloom on.

Did You Know ...

2010-03-23T08:07:00.003-05:00

Back when Woman used to be a kid (Crazy, I know. I'm glad she outgrew that phase before meeting me), her mom would make pickled eggs every summer. She would put eggs, a can of beets with the beet juice and some vinegar in a "sun tea" jar and let it brew in the fridge for a couple days. The eggs would turn purple through to the yoke from the beet juice. Anyone else make pickled eggs like that?

Woman didn't care much for these eggs and liked the canned beets even less. She hadn't eaten a beet since then until one day on a crazy whim she had some fresh beets at Bouchon, a local French restaurant, and loved them. Last night the People tried to replicate the recipe and were pleased with the outcome. No, I didn't get any beets, but I hear they were tasty.

So, now onto the "did you know" part of the story. Did you know that if you pig out on beets and don't offer any to your faithful Pug, your pee and poop will be red the next morning? Woman didn't know either. But now she does. Be warned people.

Woman bought some beet seeds for the garden and is excited to grow her own. I'm excited too, because I do get veg from the garden. I will have me some beets! Not "beatens" though - those are totally different.

I've Got a Birthday Coming!

2010-03-22T07:41:00.003-05:00

I haven't blogged in a while, and that's all Woman's fault, but more importantly, my birthday is this coming Saturday! Can you believe it?? I get a Saturday birthday! I'm so excited. Woman is going to take me to lunch, and then to the doggie bakery and then on a hike! It better not rain!

More than One Way to Skin a Muppet

2010-02-26T09:44:00.002-05:00

You probably didn't know that Pugs are hunters, but we can become quite aggressive when provoked by annoying creatures that refer to themselves in the third person. Check me out clothed in the pelt of my prey.

I've never liked muppets, especially that smug Elmo. Seriously - who refers to themselves in the third person? You can see now why I had to take him out ... and wear him.

Norman happy! Norman likes Elmo's fur! Norman sleep now...

Some Warm Weather!

2010-02-22T10:36:00.003-05:00

We finally had some warm weather this weekend. I got to take a walk and help brew beer out on the back deck. It was good times indeed! Buddy and I are on our way to becoming master brewers! I guess Nate and Ian helped a little bit though.

In other news, Ian has started up a t-shirt giveaway every Tuesday! If you'd like to win something, click here to check out the details.

Riding in Cars with Pugs

2010-02-19T10:46:00.003-05:00

Here's a picture of me on my way to Mobile.

I look pretty comfy I'm sure, but what you can't see is that I am actually locked into the seatbelt by my leash and have like 12 inches of mobility! I'm not complaining too much though, since I used to have to ride in a crate, and that was a real bummer. Still, I would like to see out the window, but Ian doesn't want me getting my "gross" nose prints all over the windows.

Here I am on the way home - noticeably more tired.

Funny story - when the people stopped in Auburn on the ride home, they realized I wasn't actually locked into my seatbelt. I didn't know this either though, so I didn't try to move outside my usual range. I guess old Pugs can learn new tricks. Or maybe not - did I learn that I can't move or did I not learn that I could move? I'm not sure. Maybe both.

Ian has some new stuff in his store, including LOST pint glasses and an assortment of postcards, which are pretty much awesome. They're selling really fast! In case you're wondering, he's sold over 200 of his t-shirts! There have been many a late night packing up t-shirts in our house! FYI, we are not getting rich from all these sales - the t-shirt business has a low profit margin. LOL!

He also has a design up for voting at Design by Humans. If you have a minute or two, please send a vote his way!

So It's Come to This

2010-02-16T10:00:00.002-05:00

The weather is cold - cold - cold, and I feel like doing a little complaining, so here is my list.

1 - I am going to have to enable the verification mechanism on my blog for comments because some chauch bags keep spamming me. Do they really think this is an effective advertising method?

2 - Woman held a baby for TOO LONG while we were in Mobile. I was threatened. Look at that kid smirking at me.

3 - Woman has to go to Dallas next month for work, and I do not get to go. She'll probably be gone for a really long time since Dallas is in Prussia or something. I have never been good with geometry though, so I could be mistaken.

I guess the list isn't that long. Maybe things aren't as bad as I thought. At least that baby got left in Mobile. Face baby. Face.

La Casa de los Rubles

2010-02-15T09:48:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! I am back from my vacation at the all-inclusive and highly exclusive resort "La Casa de los Rubles" in lovely Mobile, Alabama. The weather was cooler than normal for Mobile, which is good for me, and the amenities were lush! This was one of those vacations, however, that requires a vacation to recover from the vacation as you will learn from this vacation summary!

Upon check-in, I was given my own private concierge, Elena, at no extra cost. Here she is attending to my demanding butt rubbing needs.

Elena also helped me dress for dinner and kept me entertained throughout most of my stay.

Although the prices were fair, I do not recommend the spa. As you can see here, the attendants were pretty aggressive with their treatments, chasing me down and manually extracting me from my cozy deck chair.

The end result was good though, I guess. My coat was nice and shiny, and the back scratching that came along with the thorough grooming was satisfying.

The walk to the lavatory was a little longer than I prefer. Look how steep that staircase is! Next time I'll request a poolside room that does not require hiking gear to reach the potty.

One cool perk at the hotel was the creation of this little miniature likeness of me. Don't we both look enthused?

On the final night of my stay, the humans put on a great show for me. Woman and Ian dressed up as Princess Leia and Han Solo. Elena dressed as Boba Fett, and the Ruble parents were Indiana Jones and Marianne. Pretty cool, eh??

I wore my party attire.

Now you can see why I'm so tired today. I think I'll sleep until next Tuesday!

Escargot

2010-02-05T10:30:00.001-05:00

We are escargot'ing to Mobile! It's Elena's birthday this week, and we can't miss it. Woman has packed up all my costumes for some reason. I'm a little apprehensive, but I'm sure it will be fun. I will post photos as long as they aren't too humiliating.

Snowed In ... Again!

2010-02-01T09:17:00.004-05:00

The snow started in on us around 2:30pm Friday afternoon. Within 2 hours, we were under 12 inches! It snowed more throughout the night, and we awoke to a "Winter Wonderland" on Saturday morning. Well, some people may have awoke to a winter wonderland, but none of those people live in our house. We awoke to groaning and moaning about having to shovel the driveway and talk of being stuck in the house for the next 3 days.

Here I am surveying my Snowy Kingdom.

I'm getting used to this "snow" stuff. Watch as I venture out into the unknown.

Alright, play time is over. Back to work on the couch!

The temperature is supposed to reach the 40's today. Woman is hoping it will melt the remainder of the snow from the road so she can make it to the gym to teach tonight. The People spent 2 hours digging out the cul-de-sac yesterday, but the roads were still too icy for either of our lame sauce cars to drive on. We need to get a manly car.

Wash Out Asheville

2010-01-29T15:20:00.001-05:00

Here the snow comes!!

Catching up on Correspondence

2010-01-27T13:32:00.002-05:00

It was rainy and ugly all weekend, but I didn't mind, because it meant Woman stayed home and snuggled with me. When Monday rolled around, it was sunny and warm. I was working on the couch, like I always am on Mondays, trying to "catch" some z's, when Woman asked if I wanted to go for a midday walk. I thought she was joking, so I went back to work. When she came around the corner with my collar and leash in hand, I knew she was serious! Wow! A midday walk! That doesn't happen very often around here.

It was nice to get out of the house. I had a lot of pee-mails waiting for me on mailboxes, curbs, and utility boxes. It was good to catch up on my correspondence!

The weather has been crappy again, so no more walks for a while. It's supposed to snow on Friday. I'm not excited about the snow at all. Let's all keep our paws crossed that it will just be flurries!

Goodbye, Christmas!

2010-01-19T09:34:00.003-05:00

Woman would be embarrassed for me to tell you this, but we just took our Christmas tree down last week. Actually, it's not really "down" completely. It's sitting on the back deck waiting to be stripped of its lights. My People are the laziest! I'm gonna pee on that tree now!

Woman also just took the Christmas cards off the fridge last night. She said she was so used to them being there that she didn't really think about them as being for Christmas. LOL! Send me more cards please, as my fridge is now naked.

LOST Fan Shirt Reprint!

2010-01-15T09:06:00.002-05:00

If you missed the first run of the Ian's "Polar Beer" LOST fan shirt at Teefury, I have good news. Ian has printed up a batch of his own for sale! The shirts were printed locally here in Asheville by Image 420 on American Apparel t-shirts, and they look fantastic! Check it out for yourself!

New Year's Resolution

2010-01-14T09:38:00.002-05:00

Did anyone make any big New Year's resolutions? And if so, were you able to keep yours for the entire day like I did? I was so proud of myself. I made a resolution to be a good boy for New Year's, and I kept it all day long. Well, mostly, but what's life if there isn't a little fun here and there, right?

The day after New Year's I went back to being a bad boy, of course. You know, barking and that kind of stuff, and Woman said I had to be good or I would be breaking my resolution. Crazy Woman. New Year's is only one day long! She thought I would keep the resolution for the entire year! That's just nuts. Like her.

While we're on the subject of Woman, if you have been seeing comments on your blog from someone named "Tammy" who has no profile, it's Woman. She has her own gmail account now, and for her to be signed into gmail, I have to sign out of blogger, so she gets lazy and posts comments from her account. Woman kinda hates gmail, because if I sign into my blog, it signs her out of gmail automatically. Google - you really need to fix that.

I don't know who told Woman she could have her own gmail account. I don't remember signing any permission form for that. I better look into it...

Crampin' My Style

2010-01-08T17:20:00.005-05:00

Pugsley and Junebug came to stay with us for four days after Christmas. I don't mind them staying for one or two days, but anything longer and we start to have some problems. See, at first Woman makes the extra Pugs sleep on the floor, and I get to keep all the attentions for myself.

Don't they look sad and pathetic at Woman's feet? That's where visiting Pugs belong.

But as the days come and go, Woman gets more and more attached to the extra Pugs until finally I get edged out and they rule the roost!

Yes, that's me down at the BUTT! I belong at the face, and Woman knows it. I guess I should be thankful that I'm not lying on the floor in that photo, but I'm not. I'm resentful.

Merry Chrilloade

2010-01-07T14:20:00.002-05:00

One of the highlights of the Dirty Santa party was a gift basket Ian procured containing some hot chocolate, candy, a candle that smells like baby diapers (gag), one of those chocolate orange thingies and two of these mugs.

Does that say "Merry Chrilloade?"

Yes, I believe it does. I vote we all start celebrating Chrilloade from now on. I haven't completely devised the rules yet, but it will involve giving me things. Nice things. Things like butt rubs and new hooties. I'm open to suggestions.

Speaking of nice things, Woman got me a new toy during her after Christmas shopping spree.

Meet "Lamby Poo".

He's very soft and snuggly. Woman got him for just $2 at Bath and Body Works. He smells pretty good too!

I also commandeered this blanket from Woman. She got it for Christmas. Someone from Ian's side of the family always gives Woman a blanket at Christmas. I guess she must get cold easily. Too bad for her, because it's mine now!

I hope you are all enjoying your Chrilloade!

Dirty Santa - Recycled Edition

2010-01-06T13:53:00.003-05:00

The People had a party this past weekend to help their friends get rid of undesired gifts received over the holidays. The rules are this - bring a present you got for Christmas that you don't necessarily want and for whatever reason you can't return. There were some very interesting presents! People showed up with everything from tacky holiday sweatshirts to children's books obviously written by someone who had only heard recently about the existence of English.

Jane came dressed in her most lovely Christmas sweater.

And yes, I ended up wearing that tinsel ... grudgingly.

Most of the presents were lame, but I did get some good butt rubs.

I also got some snuggles from Woman. Gah - you're choking me Woman!

I'm glad the holiday parties are over. I just want to lay around and watch some TV!

New Baby!

2010-01-04T09:10:00.002-05:00

Ian's sister, Allison, had her baby on December 31, 2009. She gets to share her birthday with Uncle Michael, but I don't think he minds.

Here she is, Hannah Beatrice.

And in case you're wondering, yes, she is my baby. All babies belong to me! The People won't take me to see her though. Babys' Daddy's have no rights in today's society.

I did get to see one of my babies this weekend, although this guy Andy claims it's his baby. Whatever. Ena is totally my baby! I mean seriously - she looks like a teddy bear. Doe Andy resemble a teddy bear? No. Do I? Well, no, but I do more so than him. Geesh.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone, from me, Santa Paws!

We will be spending the day at the Gammy's house, and I am making plans to score some Christmas cookies. I hope you all get to eat lots of cookies too!

Naughty Little Pugger

2009-12-24T08:34:00.002-05:00

I have been sniffing around the Christmas tree a lot lately. I am particularly interested in a bagged gift labeled, "Aunt Nita," that I know must be mine. It smells really bad, in a good way. That means humans would like the scent, but Pugs would not, but for some reason I am intrigued by it. I'm not sure what's in the package, but I seriously want to find out.

Last night I got into a little bit of trouble. The People went to the Biltmore Candlelight tour, and while they were gone I decided to take a peak at some of my presents. I got a little overzealous and ended up opening two of them. Oops! I just meant to peak!

The People came home and Woman immediately noticed the remnants of wrapping paper on the floor. She was searching the house looking for the gift that previously occupied the paper, but she couldn't find it. That's when Ian shouted out, "It's his new kitty, and he's prancing around the house with it!" Woman didn't think to check my mouth for the present! LOL! I was so excited to get a new kitty, that I couldn't leave it in the package once I peaked inside, and I wanted to show it to Woman as soon as she walked in the door!

Woman confiscated kitty and said he had to be wrapped back up. Bah! Humbug!

Woman then noticed a second present missing, but she couldn't find the wrapping paper or the present. Eventually she noticed it tucked under the couch. Dang! She found my hiding place!

Note that I did not mess with the present we got my dog Aunt, Risa. I'm not that big of a scrooge!

I blame Woman for my bad behaviour. You see, earlier that day we got a package from Punchy, and Woman let me open it up. I thought it was time to open all the presents. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Thanks for the new babushka, Punchy! This is a hat, right?

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

Freedom!

2009-12-23T11:22:00.003-05:00

The People got out yesterday! Ian had to shovel the cul de sac though. It looked like hard work from the couch I was laying on. Woman even made it to her class this morning! She was nervous with the ice, but she made it home in one piece, so all is well.

The mailman still hasn't delivered our much needed packages. We know of at least one box that has been sitting in Asheville since Friday! Bring us those presents, mailman!

Here's a sneak peak at this year's Christmas card theme.

Yes, I am as thrilled as I look.

Lazy Mailman

2009-12-22T09:30:00.002-05:00

I'm going to have to have a bark at that mailman next time I see him, and possibly a little nip too! He has really slacked off these past couple of days! People are driving all around our neighborhood, but no sign of the mailman. So everyone, I'm sorry to inform you, but my Christmas card is going to be late getting to your house.

In other news, the People saw that Dan and Nina could get out of the cul de sac in their Ford Taurus yesterday, so they tried to get out too. The Lexus IS350 wasn't going anywhere. They got stuck in the cul de sac and it took an hour and three neighbors to dig them out. They're going to try again today though. I have packages that need to be mailed!

Someone Get a Hairdryer

2009-12-21T09:28:00.003-05:00

If everyone on the cul de sac brought out their hairdryers, we could melt this snow in a jiffy! As it is, we still can't get out of the neighborhood. It's supposed to be a little warmer and sunnier today, so Woman is hoping the snow will melt and she can get to her class tonight. Stupid snow!

We saw a lot of this throughout the weekend ...

Neighbors visiting to take advantage of our electricity. We had lots of fun visiting and sharing our warmth with them. Their power is still out!!

Sarah had fun playing in the snow, but she got her fill pretty quickly too. She and her family abandoned their house on day 2, and we haven't seen them since!!

A lovely snowy sunrise.

The snow made for a beautiful view ... that got really boring after a while!

The solar lights that line our sidewalk look like gnomes buried under the snow!

I'm sure this doesn't seem like a lot of snow for you people who live "up north", but for us in Asheville who don't own snow shovels, plows or have a supply of road salt on hand, it has been a huge deal. It was fun for a day, but now it's day 4, and the fun is over. Way over.

And I need to pee.

Homebound

2009-12-20T08:30:00.004-05:00

We have been stuck at home since Friday morning. There is no chance of getting either car out of the cul de sac since the snow is very deep and the city doesn't plow our roads. Apparently we're not cool enough to have our roads plowed. The People are going stir crazy. Send a helicopter. Please.

Ian figured out a way to get me to pee. There is a patch of ground all around the house that is without snow due to the overhang of the roof. Ian can drop me into that area and I do my business. Somehow I make my way to the other side of the house without getting in the snow. Ian hasn't figured that one out yet. It'll give him something to do while he's stuck inside.

On an upside, we are the only people with power on the cul de sac, and our friends Kris and Lyn and Clint and Lauren who live in the neighborhood also don't have power. We had everyone over last night for a little snow party. It was great fun! I got to play with some kids and have some egg nog. Good times.

I'm ready for the snow to melt now though. Woman said we can't get our Christmas cards or presents in the mail until we can get out of the house. The mailman won't even deliver our mail! Can you believe that? For shame mailman. For shame!

It's Still Snowing!

2009-12-18T16:12:00.002-05:00

And I'm not pleased ...

Some how we are the only people on the cul de sac with power. Woman thinks our solar powered walkway lights are keeping the house powered. She's kind of dim herself. I think her battery needs recharged.

I'm Peeing ... On a White Christmas ...

2009-12-18T09:12:00.002-05:00

Actually, I'm peeing on a coreopsis, but we could have a white Christmas, and in that case, I will pee on it too.

It's forecast to snow in Asheville all day and all night! I'll post some more photos later in the day.

All us neighborhood dogs got to howling this morning. It's our way of talking about the weather. None of the dogs are happy with the snow, but we all predicted it would happen. Just like old men! We could feel it in our bones. LOL!

Baking is Boring

2009-12-15T09:29:00.002-05:00

Woman was on a baking spree this weekend, but Ian was sick. I decided to be sick too, but I did make an occasional appearance in the kitchen to clean up Woman's floor droppings. She dropped a whole lot of coconut at one point - it was yummy!

Ian and I napped most of the time.

Woman said I pouted all day. She thinks it's so cute when I use shoes as pillows. They're soft, and they smell good, so I like to put my face on them!

Eventually I got bored of pouting and wanted to play some video games, so I woke Ian up. Abruptly. What do you think of that orb in this photo? Anyone out there believe that photo orbs are spirits? Woman doesn't, but I'm still undecided.

Ian didn't mind when I woke him up. There were hot cookies waiting for him after all!

Parties!

2009-12-14T10:15:00.002-05:00

'Tis the season for parties, and the people have been taking advantage of the season lately for sure. I have been left at home, of course, but I do get to be entertained by their amusing attire before they leave.

Fashion Victims Ball

Two weekends ago the People attended the Keller-Williams Fashion Victims Ball, which raises money for numerous local charities. The real purpose is not to raise money for charity, but actually to dress up in the most fashion victimy possible manner while keeping with the theme. The whole "charity" thing just gives people an excuse to act like crack heads. This year's theme was Mardi Gras, and since the People lived in Mobile for many years, they know Mardi Gras!

Woman bought those sparkly pants at a resale shop several months ago, knowing they would be perfect for some party in the future. She was right, because they were horribly perfect. Ian is not only wearing a woman's satin shirt, but also women's pants. FYI, he wears a ladies' size 10. LOL!

Hillary looked fantastic with her purple pants tucked into her cowboy boots!

Angela found her lovely victorian dress at Goodwill!

Kevin, for some reason, dressed up as a baby wearing a devil mask. Devil Baby?

And Wes was ready for a really tacky round of golf.

There was much boogying down on the dance floor.

This guy, who Woman dubbed, "Fancy Cowboy" won the costume contest. Woman was quite excited by his outfit. Giddyup!

Mad Men

This weekend the People attended Jane's annual "Swanky Party" which had a Mad Men theme. If you haven't seen the show, it's about an advertising agency in the early 60's located on Madison Avenue; thus, the "Mad Men" title. I hear it's a good show, but there are no Pugs in it, so I don't pay much attention.

Woman sported a righteous "do." She found that dress at the same resale shop as the sparkly pants, and again, she just knew the dress would come in handy in the future. Woman is a planner for sure!

Ian and Doug were the big winners for best "man" costumes.

And Jane and Woman took the prize for best hair.

Nate brought two dates. One was a real girl.

And the other pooped an olive. That big toothpick had to hurt!

Big Girl Sarah looked great in green.

And Margarita and Leah traveled a long way just to attend! Margarita came from Texas and Leah from New York. Now that's a good party!

The People have had a good time the past couple weeks with all the party-going, but they're glad the parties are over. It's hard work looking so good!

Time for Christmas!

2009-12-10T10:42:00.002-05:00

I was so excited last week when the People finally brought home a Christmas tree! I knew it was getting time for the Christmas tree since my whiz freezes before it hits the ground. I love Christmas! Mostly because I love presents, but also because I love when Woman bakes - she's very messy, and I get some sugary sweet floor candy! Woman bakes a lot at Christmas.

Look how excited Christmas makes me!

OK, so maybe that's not the most excited photo of me, but Woman woke me up while I was basking in the sunshine, and I wasn't in the best mood for a photo shoot. But trust me, I'm pumped up.

Woman got some new decorations this year for Christmas that she wants me to share with you.

First, the People found an old wooden candle mold at the Tobacco Barn. They stained it and added some mini poinsettias and candles. Woman says it looks cool. I can't see it from the floor, so I'm undecided as of yet.

You all know Woman loves plants, and she was especially excited when she found this cool poinsettia at Home Depot. It's called Ice Punch, and apparently only sold at Home Depot.

I'm all ready for Christmas. Now, bring on the presents! ... please ...

Peak-A-Poo!

2009-12-08T09:02:00.003-05:00

I pooped on the rug this morning. Do you know how cold it is out there? Quite cold indeed. Do you want to squat out there? I didn't think so. Woman says I need to learn to use the toilet if I'm going to potty inside. Silly Woman. The rug is the toilet!

Happy Birthday Utter Page!

2009-12-04T17:49:00.004-05:00

I can't believe I almost forgot to wish one of my favorite women a Happy Birthday today! Happy Birthday, Utter Page!

You're probably wondering why I call her Utter Page. Well, it has nothing to do with cow boobs, obviously since those are "udders" and not "utters." It all has to do with this Paige we know who is 4 years old:

This Paige deemed Page to be Utter Page, because obviously Paige is Paige and Page can't be Paige too. We thought it was so darned cute that we too now call Page, Utter Page.

What I did on Halloween

2009-11-25T13:17:00.002-05:00

I know it was a long time ago, but for some reason I haven't posted my Halloween photos. I blame Woman.

So Woman was pretty lazy this year and didn't really put much work into my costume. I think I pulled it off well though. I went as a new recruit to the Dharma Initiative. Remember how in that one episode when Ben and his dad came to the island they gave them leis? Yeah, that's what's going on here. I just arrived on the island, and I'm about to be issued my workpug jumpsuit. Sigh... I wanted to be an engineer!

Woman dressed up like a flower. She looks kinda scary in that photo. I guess she's a spooky flower, with teeth and stuff.

It rained all day and night, so we didn't have many trick-or-treaters. Later that night we went to our new neighbors' house and hung out.

Meet Peppy and Mimi - my new neighbors. They are pomapoos - part Chewbear, part Poodle. They don't care much for me, because I am awesome, and they are not. Stupid girls. They have "owners" too, but we don't have a photo of them. Peppy and Mimi only live here on the weekends - the rest of the time they live in Charlotte. This is their weekend house.

Speaking of dogs that are awesome and girls that are stupid, Pugsley and Junebug are spending Thanksgiving with us! Hooray for 1/2 that statement. Pugsley is my bestest friend in the whole wide world! Junebug is his little runt sister who mostly gets in the way of our fun. I guess she's OK though. She doesn't ever eat the treat Woman gives her, so Pugsley and I split it between us. That's a cool thing.

I'll post some photos when Woman can get some of us. She says we move too fast to capture!

A More Livable Living Room

2009-11-24T11:54:00.003-05:00

The People have been doing a little redecorating lately, mostly involving making our house a little more livable for guests.

We have always had just one couch, and when other people come over or stay with us, that one couch can get cramped, so the people decided to get a second couch. The problem is that our living room (and house in general) is very small, so we can't fit a second full-size second couch in the room. Woman saw a small brown leather love seat in the grandinroad catalog that is not as deep as standard furniture, so she ordered it. She was really nervous about ordering on-line, but she is happy with it. It's pretty hard, but she says she's going to restuff the cushion. I doubt that will ever happen - LOL!

Here Hootie and I are on the new couch. You can tell by my face how uncomfortable it is. I also resent this couch, because it steals my sunshine. See all that sunshine on the couch? It used to hit the floor, and I would bask in it all day long, toasting my hide. Awe - the good ole days ...

I prefer this couch. Much more cozy!

The People also decided to hang some curtains. They feel all grown-up having curtains. Woman isn't sold on the color, but they were the best she could find. She's going to keep her eyes open for less yellow-looking curtains in the future.

They also bought some round end tables so people have somewhere to put their drinks when they visit!

Ian ordered a lamp for that dark corner of the room yesterday. It should be here soon, and I know you're going to want to see some pics. Isn't redecorating just so exciting? Note sarcasm.

A Spot of Tea

2009-11-23T12:36:00.002-05:00

Woman was trying to be a gracious host and offer her computer some tea on Friday at tea time, but the computer didn't want any and decided to turn itself off. Woman freaked. I guess she expected the computer to have better manners. She had to take it to a Doctor to get it fixed. Thank pugness she's back in action today, working away on her computer. We got bills to pay! She said the keys are a little sticky, but nothing she can't work around.

Let this be a lesson to you - serve your computers coffee. They don't like tea.

Twenty Two

2009-11-20T11:09:00.002-05:00

Do you think 22 pounds is too much for a Pug to weigh? Woman weighed me today, and she declared me to be a chub-chub! For shame, Woman! I'm one sexy creature!! Just ask Mr. Pugsley ...

A Couple Updates

2009-11-17T09:08:00.003-05:00

Sorry I've been lazy lately. I guess it's that time of year when I just want to lay around and sleep! Woman said that yesterday I was Barky McBarkerson, so I must be lifting out of my funk gradually. LOL!

A couple updates - first, Woman did get that job I told you all about that involved a two-day 9-hour interview. It's for teaching a bootcamp here in Asheville, though she doesn't expect anyone to sign up until Spring since it's so cold and dark here in the Winter. Second, Ian sold over 1500 of his Polar Beer shirts at teefury! Thanks to everyone who helped promote the shirt!

The People have been "redecorating." They still have some curtains to hang, but I'll post some photos when they're done, if I'm not sleeping.

Snug as Three Pugs ...

2009-11-09T09:11:00.002-05:00

Ian tried to abandon me last Wednesday. Woman had to teach two classes during the day, and while she was gone, Ian harnessed me up to take a walk. I was excited since Ian rarely takes me on a solo walk without Woman. I was even more excited when we made what I thought was a pit stop to visit my BFF Pugsley. I was not so excited when Ian left Pugsley's house without me!

Thankfully, the People did come back for me yesterday night, and I was ready to come home to my toys and GIANT bed. When I was at Pugsley's, all three of us pugs slept in one cage! We were snug as three pugs in a rug! LOL! I didn't realize how big my doggie bed is until this weekend.

Hootie missed me a lot. I gave him some extra squeaks to let him know I still love him.

LOST and found

2009-11-06T07:26:00.002-05:00

Ian's LOST fan shirt is on teefury today only! Don't miss out on the coolest piece of LOST apparel ever!

LOST Fan Shirt! Check it out!

2009-11-04T08:46:00.002-05:00

This Friday, Ian's LOST t-shirt fan design will be available from teefury for ONE DAY ONLY. At just $9, this stylish tee is the perfect way to show off your LOST-geekiness!

You can also order Ian's "The Beer Station" LOST fan pins from his etsy shop.

With the last season of the show upon us, it's time to amp up your commitment to LOST (and support an independent artist in the process).

*Ian receives $1 per shirt sold, so if you don't want to buy a shirt, you can just send him a dollar. LOL!

Sleepover

2009-11-04T07:28:00.002-05:00

I get to spend 4 nights with Pugsley! Oh, and I guess Junebug will be there. Sigh. Anyway, Woman has to go to Mobile today and won't be back until Sunday! Party time!

Mmmm ... Ham ...

2009-11-03T08:01:00.002-05:00

Woman got home on Saturday and was really tired. She said she had to work out a lot, and she wasn't expecting that! She wants to teach the class, not take it. She kept talking about her hamstrings hurting, and that made me really hungry for some ham. LOL!

She found out last night that the company does want to hire her, and they want her to teach two classes a day - one at 6am and one at 6pm, Mon-Thurs. If you know Woman, you know that 6am deal-io isn't going to fly. Woman hates mornings!

Halloween was quite sad. Woman decorated me up, but it was raining, so I didn't get to shake my booty at very many kids. Bummer. There's a photo of me in costume somewhere around here, but I think the camera battery is dead or something. I'll have Woman work that problem later. She's busy today, and I don't want to mess with her. You know how Women can be!

9-Hour Interview

2009-10-30T08:33:00.002-05:00

Woman is on her way to Charlotte today for what is effectively a 9-hour interview over the course of two days. Isn't that crazy? A 9-hour interview? For a fitness job? I'm glad I get to stay at home, because all that "working out" just makes me need a nap!

Too Busy for the Pug

2009-10-26T13:10:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note to let you all know that I'm still alive - Woman is just too busy for me lately. Poor me! Woman has also been sick, and let me tell you, it has been no picnic around here. She's sneezing and blowing her nose all day long, and she can't sleep at night, which means she keeps ME awake. Geesh! I need my 20 hours of beauty sleep!

Thomas Jefferson Loves the Ladies

2009-10-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

I found this photo on Woman's camera from her trip to Williamsburg, and I am in shock.

Do you see Big Tom whispering something into Kristie's ear? I bet it doesn't have much to do with the Declaration of Independence, but by the way she's holding on tight to his hand, she doesn't seem to mind!

Courtney, Woman and Punchy all seem to love the attention from this founding father, but Jess looks uncomfortable with the whole situation. I guess it's because she's from Canada and doesn't really appreciate the long history of womanizing in our country. Something to take back with you, Jess!!

Present for Me!!

2009-10-13T10:45:00.003-05:00

Woman is back safely from the blogger meet up in Williamsburg, VA. She drove to Charlotte last Friday, and then FLEW into Newport News. Crazy, I know - she got on one of those airplane thingies like what crashed on the LOST island! She took some drugs so she wasn't as scared and if she woke up crashed or dead would be able to deal with it better. She said she sat next to a woman on the outbound flight and talked with her the entire time and has no idea what they talked about. I think the woman was imaginary or possibly Oprah. She was GLAD Kristie was at the airport to pick her up; otherwise, she would have just sat on a bench and slept until her return flight on Monday. LOL! Those are some good drugs.

You would expect me to get a gift from this event, and thanks to Rachel, I did. She sent home this fun edible game of tic tac toe.

I don't know how to play tic tac toe, but I tried to learn the rules.

I had to consult with Ian pretty often regarding my next move.

In the end I decided to just eat the game pieces instead of finishing up the game. Ian said it was a dumb move on my part, because I had Woman backed into a corner and could have won on my next turn. I'm not sure what that means. I did win, right? I got the treat!

I hope Rachel knew this was an edible game when she bought it; otherwise, she's probably devastated that I ate the game pieces.

Thanks Rachel!! No thanks to Woman for no additional gift for me. She said her luggage was too full for anything else. Uh, yeah. I saw all that outlet shopping you did. Give me a break!!

Where It's At

2009-10-07T08:43:00.003-05:00

We've been keeping busy here in Asheville. This past weekend I helped Woman clean up the garden - I ate all the tomatoes off the ground while she pulled weeds. I'm helpful like that. Later that night I barfed, because those tomatoes were rotten. If you think I "learned" anything from that mistake, think again. There are lots more of those squishy yummy tomatoes up there, and I'm going to tear them up when I get the chance.

The People are fixing up the spare room as my own personal bedroom. They don't know it yet, but they'll find out soon enough. Check out my new futon. It's actually a real bed mattress, not just a cushion. It's nice and springy, and I like it. I'd rather it was purple, and possibly velvet, but brown is OK too. We'll have to work on the velvet.

Ian has another t-shirt up for voting on Threadless. You know you want to vote for it.

If you don't vote for it, when I go to the cupboard for a treat, I might find nothing in there!

You don't want me to starve, do you? Oh good, there was one left - Woman made me SIT to get it. GAH!

You should still vote for it though.

Sixty-Two

2009-10-01T09:43:00.002-05:00

That's how many degrees it is in my house today. The People won't turn on the heater, and Woman won't come out on the couch and snuggle me. What's a Pug to do? It's frickin' freezing! I guess I'll just snuggle my kitty. Kitty always wants to snuggle.

Woman has been letting me sleep with her lap blanket at night so when she gets up in the morning it's nice and warm. She says it's the only way she can get out of bed in the morning! I'm gonna pee on it tonight. That'll learn her!

You wish it was Friday when ...

2009-09-29T14:38:00.004-05:00

You are responsible for becoming an expert on something that takes 105 pages for an overview. Gah. And you have five days to do it.

When do you wish it was Friday?

I Passed!

2009-09-28T15:20:00.003-05:00

I am pleased to report that I got my results back from AFAA today, and I am officially an AFAA Certified Group Exercise Instructor! Hooray! I only missed 3 out of 100 questions on the written exam! Not too bad :)