Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas From Sandy Paws!

In our house the Christmas holiday is a little chaotic.

You're surprised that a little dog like me even knows what that word means?  I'm a reader.  I do it at night when the people are upstairs in bed.  We have a lot of books, and I have Isabelle and Harry help me.

ANYway... There's boxes and wrapping paper (that Harry and Isabelle find endlessly fascinating) and then stuff in side them, and all my best friends stop by to visit ... My Molly and my Conor and my Rory all under one roof for the night - I'm in Pug Heaven!

And, yeah, on Christmas morning they forgot all about me and my breakfast when they were making a brunch for my Auntie Nan and her girls:

Me lovin' my Auntie Nan

My cousins, Kaley and Darcy

I had a happy day, and I hope you all did, too.  

My dad fed me smoked salmon and a tiny bit of aged cheese.  Mom does not know this, so PLEASE do not tell.  She'll just go on about keeping to my doggie diet.  

I love you all...

MAN! Am I Busy This Time Of Year!

You'd think it would be Christmas stuff, but no! 

Mom had to deliver a lot of paintings yesterday (really, Mom?  You couldn't have finished them BEFORE the day before Christmas eve?) to the South Shore of Boston, and of course she needed me to help.  Between stops we pulled over at the water in the Crow Point section of Hingham.

The tide was HIGH!  

"Stand in front of the Boston Skyline" she said.

I am, I guess, supposed to just 'know' where and what that is.  Get real.

Before we got in the car to head to Scituate, I saw the waves and scampered (yeah, I'm a scamper-er!) over to get my feet wet - BRRRRR!

Then we did the last 2 drop-offs and I was just BEAT.  Mom untied my back leg from my leash (You know when you do that twirly thing before you lay down... I'm always getting tied up doing that!) and put on Christmas music on the radio, gave me a cookie, and rubbed my head till I fell asleep.  The next thing I know we're back in RI, taking pictures of the big fishing boats all strung up with lights.  I'll show you that tomorrow - a little Christmas present from me to all my wonderful Blogging friends!

Wordless Wednesday

OH! Christmas Tree!

I went and picked out our Christmas tree today.

My Mom made us stop at FOUR places, before we went to the place we usually go anyway:

And while the other four places had very few trees - including one Christmas Tree FARM, this farm had millions of trees.  Trust me.  I counted.

It's a cute farm that seems to label everything.  "Rabbit Habitat", "Wreaths", and this one below, that I could not believe...

See the 'DUH' look on my face???

Anyway, I was a little confused about the etiquette at a 'tree' farm:

But THAT one was already dead, OK?

So anyway I picked out a really good tree...

And as you saw in the top picture, it even fit IN the Prius, with the tailgate shut and everything!

We had a really happy day today, even though Mom dragged us to the studio and made Dad and me nap for a couple of hours while she worked... and LOOK how the day ended up!!!

(That's Isabelle on the top of the chair - she didn't really help like I did, she stayed out of the way)

And.... hey, people... the star is crooked!  I didn't do it and I can't reach it!

This is me, when my Mom picked me up at my Molly's new house.  This is me saying "Why didn't YOU come with me the first time I visited here.  I didn't know where I was.  I was scared.  Too scared to poop.  And I couldn't get  close enough to my Molly.  How close did I want to be?  Well... under her skin, actually."  See, I love my Molly.  And Mike, too.  But I didn't KNOW this place, and well, I'm a dog and I didn't understand why it didn't smell like Molly's other apartment.  

Don't get me wrong.  It is FUN FUN FUN to visit my Molly.  And I'll be a little more relaxed next time, because I 'know' it now.  And I know Mom knows how to come get me.  That's IF I get invited again.  

Here's me and Dad discussing whether or not I could 'handle' any of the snacks my Molly put out for us. Dad thought 'no', but... really, I could.  I know I could have.

Her Cheating Heart...

Yeah... I know it's supposed to be 'Wordless Wednesday', but I am just about to POP and I have to tell you this.  My Mom went away all day on Saturday.  And LOOK where she went.  To the Bay Colony Dog Show in Providence.  WithOUT me.  Yeah, no 'pets' allowed, blah, blah, blah...  And LOOK where she hung out!  At the Pug ring!  THAT picture is NOT me!

Neither is this... (but she IS cute...)

And what's with THIS chick?

Not sure, but I think he's a Rock Star...

I think this gentleman was trying to look like his dog.  He 'got' the mouth, but the eyes need to be more cheerful and sweet I think.  He needs to work on that.

Tis The Season....

I've only lived through ONE other Holiday Season, so I am not an expert, but I think this is exhausting!  There's so much 'cheer'.  And look, I got a new Baby - a reindeer!  Mom let me pick it out at Petsmart.  Well, I picked it out while she was reading some labels, and when she turned around to see why I was so quiet she said "PACO!  You took that off the shelf?  You got slobber all over it - now I HAVE to buy it!"  

So, OK.  Try to imagine this.  You're a little dog.  You go into a great - I mean really great - store filled with dog chews and pigs' ears and great smelling cookies  - out in the open in a cookie bar, no less.  There are all sorts of babies sitting on puppy-height shelves - there for the takin', I say! 

You want one of those babies - REALLY want one.  But... can you talk?  No.  Whining does not get the point across.  Sitting down and staring - same deal.  Nothing.  What would you do?  I say GRAB the baby you want and lick it all over - then she'll have to buy it for you.  I'm not smart, I'm just a puppy, but I'm THAT smart ;)

They Say I'm The BEST DOG EVER

Hey, it's not me.. I hear them saying it these days.  See, when my Mom is teaching in the studio - THIS is what I look like.  I stay right here in my little bed.  Every once in a while I snuffle, moan or turn around but ... and this is hard... I'm in the BACKGROUND.  

Oh, I say 'hi' to everyone.  but it's so nice.  They play fun music (which makes me sleepy), and they talk and laugh and paint.

So. That being said, is it the WORST thing in the world if, when I get home from being GOOOD for 4 hours... if I eat a few dirty tissues that I find in the trash basket?  Or a little bit of cat poop?  

NO!  I'm not hungry, just bored!  

I just remember Mom saying.. "Best Dog Ever"..... :)

Paco On The MTA

OK, I know what you're thinking... is that dog on the SUBWAY? (tilt your head to the side...) 

Yeah... that's kinda what I was thinking, too!

My Mom had a busy couple of days, and my Molly was very lonely, so I thought "I'll go hang with Molly, help her write and stuff.  I like that."

But what I DIDn't know was that I'd have to get on a TRAIN.  Heck, I didn't even know what a train WAS.  So here's me, being brave.

Otherwise, having a blast as usual.... ;)

Wordless Wednesday

*It was chicken salad*

Drama King

I can make my whole family laugh.  I sigh and huff and moan, and I can even roll my eyes!  This guy, my Conor, carries me around.  He believes me when I say I have to go for a walk and it's midnight.  He lectures me on healthy eating ("No Pizza for YOU, Paco, it's not good for you!").  Then he laughs at all my tricks.

He and Molly like it when I 'attack' the dogs on the Dog Show on TV.

I could totally 'take' that silly Golden Retriever!  And NO, that's not a 'piddle pad' I'm standing on.  I mean, well, yes it is but it must be for Harry or Isabelle.  Not me.  I'm not a baby anymore!

Gratitude

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving.

I guess it's a day all about Gratitude, which I am full of.  

For instance, I am very grateful that my Molly and my Conor come to visit me.  (Molly's legs are UNDER me in the above photo)  When they come they sometimes bring special cookies or toys, but they ALWAYS hug and love me, take me for fun walks and rides, and let me sleep right on top of them!  My Mom and Dad never do that, although, yeah, I'm grateful for them, too.  I guess you could say I have

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

Now my kitty sister, Isabelle, has what I call CATITUDE.

Harry had a bad rap, but he actually is very grateful for ME (and Mom)! 

So I hope you all got good turkey, although not as much as me, because I had a tummy ache after. :(

I'm grateful for all of YOU friends, too! xoxox

I was in the garden yesterday, and it struck me ... no more snacks!  I guess I'm just learning about 'Seasons' and what the heck that means.  I'm so glad it's not hot anymore.  I feel like running around and rolling on the ground, growling and yipping - you know how that is.

But I LOVED coming out to my garden!  In the morning while Mom and Dad sat and sipped coffee at their little table I would wander and disappear into these big areas of... well, my favorites were the tiny tomatoes!  Talk about bite sized snacks!  I could pluck the red ones right off the vine! (Don't tell ME I can't see color!)  I also loved the red peppers.  But they were a little harder to get off the vine.  Ohhhh, I DID it, but it was harder!  Yum! Who needs "Dog Food"???

Flattery, Carolyn, Will Get You Everywhere

My Mom knows this awesome artist, Carolyn Finnell, who is doing 30 pet portraits in 30 days.  Mom sent her a picture of ME, and guess what?  It's on her blog today!  We couldn't drag it her, but check-check-check it out!  I ate a new pencil today, because we think I may have to sign autographs... Mom said that I am in danger of being a celebrity... I said "So what?" (pssst... what's a celebrity?)

Apparently you don't EAT the pencils to write with them.  Hey, I'm a dog, I didn't got to People School or anything.  I've SEEN people put pens and pencils in weird places.  Their mouths.  Behind their ears, in their ponytails, pants pockets and goodness knows where else.  Besides.... did anyone notice I don't have fingers?

Thanks Carolyn.  I'm trying to convince my parents to buy it for me!

She Loves Me....

Last time I posted I was asked by a friend if my Mom ever painted me.  Yup!  Here's one.. and it sold to one of her favorite artists.  She said it's OK, that she sees me in this exact 'pose' a LOT.  I actually think it's one of her best paintings....  I can't help it.  You see on Thursdays she puts on a radio show called Artists Helping Artists and sets up her paints right near my best chair.  When she arranges that cuddly blanket on it, and starts humming while she paints it's just zzzzZZZZzzzzzzzzZzzz....

Hey! What's Up?

I have to say I love my Mom so much, but lately, well... she's been a little irritating.  I have done all this fun stuff - and the family even has photos of it - but when I say "Can we blog now?"  She says, "Later, Paco, I'm busy posting, prepping for class, getting my demo ready, packing the car, framing... really.  All I hear is "Blah, blah, blah..."  

It's not ABOUT her.  It's about ME.  And YOU.  My friends.  So, OK, we'll catch up slowly.  Because my family noticed I had sucked the innards out of the limbs of all my 'babies' they got me a NEW green baby.  With lots of legs for me to suck on.  

So, OK.  I can be bought, I guess. :) :) :)

I have missed all of you!

Innocent Until PROVEN Guilty

I did NOT do it.  I swear!

And I'm TOO MUCH of a gentleman to say who DID steal the little luscious Maple Candies Mom bought.  Too, too much.  

Pssst.... Don't worry, Isabelle... I promise I won't tell...

****pssst... just tell me.... were they good?****

Dog Days Of August

Ok, it's been SO humid this summer, I kicked my buddy Harry off his chair and claimed it.  He's just a cat, you know?  He can find a high place with a nice breeze and jump up there.  I've chewed all the straw-like stuff off one side of this chair, so my chins (yes, plural) feel nice and supported.  (Mom has finally STOPPED yelling stuff about "ruining" the best furniture she has.  She now sees how I have made it BETTER.)  

Anyway, apparently it isn't HOT ENOUGH here, so my buddy Rory went to the DESERT.  Yeah.  A place called Las Vegas.  He loved it, as Mom said he would, but I think he really missed me.  He thought about me so much he bought me this 'wife beater' (not that I WANT a wife, nor if I had one would I BEAT her!) shirt.  I am to wear it to the Dog Park.  It says I'm in charge.  Cool!

Summer

I don't really like Summer.  Gotta admit it.  That heat and humidity gets my itchies going and makes it hard to get comfortatble.  I can't run around.  I don't like to swim.  We don't have air conditioning (hint.. hint...).  Even though my Mom cools me down by wetting me all the time, and I have my own fan in front of my own chair..  still, I like the cooler days better.  Mom says August will have some nice cool days.  *sigh*  I hope so...

Heaven... I'm in Heaven....

This morning my Mom got me up REAL early - I usually like to sleep in - to see this moon setting, below...

And I thought... "OK, Nice, but isn't it still, like.. NIGHT?"  But she had made a cup of her favorite tea and said we could sit on the front porch and watch the sky wake up.

I ... couldn't .... stay .... awake......

So Mom held me in her arms and I took a liiiiittle nap.  She got no more tea after this, but does she really need 3 cups of tea?

Do you think I need wrinkle cream?

Bliss

This evening my Mom was a little cranky (I KNOW - whaaaat?) because she was trying to paint and I was running around, and Dad was asking her a million questions and she couldn't concentrate.  My Dad found my new :) brush and took me to the garden to try it out.  Hey - did you know it can reach that *spot* on your lower back, right above your tail that you can't get to?   AAaaaaahhhhhhhhh...  we both had a great 'time out'.

And I just want to say thanks to all my doggie and people friends who have stuck with me and NOT forgotten me while my Mom was "getting her act together".  As if it's 'together' now.  ;)  I love her anyway.....  and all of you, too...

Another SHOT?

See me here?  Don't I look TERRIFIED?

My Mom says "Go with the nice lady, Paco, and there's a treat when you come back!"

OK, but I KNOW what 'shot' means.  I had one a few weeks ago for my Lyme Disease exposure.  This lady smiled for the camera, but as soon as the photo shoot was over she was *all business*.  OOOWWWWWW! 

I actually need 2 treats after this.  Isn't it enough I have to take pills for my itchies every morning and night? (OK, I get CHEESE with them, but still..)

Wordless Wednesday (Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated..)

*Jus' Nappin'*

wordless Wednesday (Why Doesn't Mom Post More?)

I'm A Recycler

The other day my Mom said "Paco, you are going to have to get a job."  I think she doesn't see I HAVE a job.  I'm a recycler.  I find stuff, that the people in my house are not using AT THAT MOMENT and I 'save' them.  Today I got a shoe, a coke bottle (under my back end) and a water container.  They were just going to put that plastic in the big blue tub.  Why?  I'll line my little bed with it.  Don't tell ME what's comfortable!  You don't know until you try it.  I've got a nice layer of 'puggie fat' to cushion me, too.  I hope you all recycle.. I bet you do, too!

Wordless Wednesday

Gardening Is Not My 'Thing'

So Mom says "It's such a nice day, Paco, lets get some of our flowers in!"  Wow!  Wait... why would she think I would want to help with that?  I'm busy flattening the stuff that comes UP without us having to do any 'planting', like the irises and tulips, etc.  I DO like chewing on the dead straw and stuff that she pulls out when she's clearing spots for the flowers.  

Mostly, they just get in the way of stuff, like

MY NEW BALL!

And THIS is how I like to play with it!  RUFF!  RUFF!  Grrrrr!

Here I'm pretending it's The Bad Thing.  I can get it!  I can kill it!  LEMME at it!

:) so fun.