My Fire Hydrant

Recently, a Small Paws member created this video as a “Welcome” to the Small Paws site. This is Winston, and he’s adorable!

In memory of Bailey, join our online Bichon Bash by clicking and donating to Small Paws Rescue. No donation is too small, and every donation will make a difference in a dog’s life.

My furiend Romeo promised a wonderful video to celebrate our Bichon Bash, and HERE IT IS!!

Let’s make this a fluffy, fluffy day!!

Four years ago, just after Bailey had her cancer surgery, I purchased a digital camera that also took videos. At the time we thought her life would be very short because of our choice not to do chemo/radiation, and I wanted some good photos of her. Silly humans! Of course my contrary little dog would live longer than the dogtors said she would!

Five of the videos I took back then ended up on my YouTube channel. I see a difference in my girl between that time four years ago, and recently. The videos are Bailey in her prime–demanding, noisy, and singing for cookies. This is the way I want to remember her.

This last one has had over 40,000 views!! All I can think of is that it’s sitting on somebody’s website racking up views.

OK, if you really want to make yourself nuts, hit the go button on all five videos at the same time.

I’m on vacation until after the New Year, so with nothing better to do I was messing around on the Internet and came across the following joke. This is actually something that I’ve come across before–in fact, with I Googled it I found over 1,100 hits! So for your enjoyment, I present The “Iams Diet.”

Don’t ask a retiree a dumb question…

The next time someone asks you a dumb question wouldn’t you like to respond like this? Yesterday I was at my local Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Iams Dog Food for my loyal pet, Abby, the Wonder Dog and was in the checkout line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.

What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I’m retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn’t have a dog, I was starting the “Iams Diet” again. I added that I probably shouldn’t, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I’d lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Iams nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter’s ass and a car hit us both.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack, he was laughing so hard. Wal-Mart won’t let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

I am mostly dealing with retirees during my vacation, so I can totally believe that some old codger came up with this story–it’s exactly the kind of joke my Uncle Bill would have told!

Tomorrow our holiday season hits a crescendo with everyone coming to our house for “Family Christmas.” I feel properly smug–got my shopping and wrapping all done.

It snowed overnight.

Before you become enchanted with the scene, remember: Today’s White Christmas is tomorrow’s slush!

Bailey, who is famous for refusing to potty outside if there is even a remote possibility that her feet might get wet, was heard to mumble “Bah! Humbug!” in her native Bichonese.

Not everybody likes the snow.

I know it’s after Halloween, but I had to share this wonderful eCard I received from Skeezix:

For the past 10 days, I have been obsessing over Twilight.

Are you familiar with this series of books? Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and (I recently discovered) a partially finished manuscript on Stephenie Meyer’s web site called Midnight Sun.

I’ve been very annoyed with myself for getting sucked into this vortex. I’ve put my real life on hold because I’ve had my head stuck in one of the four-and-a-half (I’ve been reading Midnight Sun on my iPhone and going blind) books. I’ve been trapped in the story even when I’m not reading.

Almost all the time during the past 10 days my enjoyment in reading about Bella and Edward has been tempered with a certain amount of cynicism and some outright disgust. What kind of love includes stalking and fear? And why was I finding this so appealing?

I finally had to resort to some online research to resolve my feelings, and here’s what I’ve decided: Edward is like a dog (With the exception of the last book of the series Breaking Dawn–I’m still trying to figure that one out).

TOP TEN REASONS WHY EDWARD IS SIMILAR TO THE BEST KIND OF DOG

10. He has inspired cult-like forums and web sites, similar to breed-specific forums and web sites

9. He is as polarizing as a discussion on what dog food to feed (raw versus kibble, brand A versus brand B)

8. He has a face that is “angelic,” something all dogs have

7. He is fascinating to watch

6. He watches over Bella as she sleeps

5. He follows Bella around when she’s awake

4. He snarls and growls when he plays with Bella

3. He snarls and growls when danger threatens Bella

2. He exists just to make sure that Bella is happy

And the number 1 reason: He gives Bella unconditional love

If you are interested in further reading the following links were very helpful to me and I highly recommend them (especially if you’ve felt as conflicted as I have in your response to the Twilight series):

My Thoughts on Twilight

Five Reasons a Smart Young Woman Adores Twilight

Five Reasons a Smart Middle Aged Woman Loathes Twilight

And because the movie just didn’t do it for me: If Twilight Was 10 Times Shorter and 100 Times More Honest.

I’ve discussed it with some of my friends. We’re seriously thinking of starting a Twilight 12-step program.

Twilightaholics Anonymous?