Happy happy happy

Mami says she can't tell very good jokes, but I think she's really funny! As you can see here she's just told me something hilarous about cats. I can't repeat it, or Lulu might find out.
Saturday is Mami and Papi's sixth anniversary of being, well, Mami and Papi. Last month Papi gave Mami flowers on the anniversary of the first day they met, but this is the big romantic one. That means that they're gonna go to someplace fancy and have lots of good snacks. Maybe if I'm lucky there will be leftovers! I love leftovers. Last night, I had leftover rice and a spoonful of vanilla ice cream. Who knows what they'll bring back from the fancy place, maybe cheese!

Yummy yum

Have I mentioned how much I love to chew? Not on the things that get dogs into trouble, like shoes and books and rugs and things. I haven't done that in yeeears. But I really really love chewing on the things that are mine, like my bear and my weiner dog and my ruby slipper and best of all, my rawhides. Oh I am crazy about those! They really make my afternoon. And the vet said I have fabulous teeth, which is all because of how much I chew on things all the time. It keeps them sparkly and clean and Mami doesn't even have to brush them. Not that I'd let her.

LOL Choodle

Man it's nice and sunny here today, and there's even a daffodil open out in the back yard that I can see when I sit on the rug in Papi's office. I slept in really late this morning because it was so warm and snuggly in the bed, even the sunshine couldn't tempt me out. It's one of those days where if it was just a little bit warmer I'd take a nap in the grass, but right now, I'd rather sleep on the back of the couch with one eye open in case there are cats strolling out in the sunshine.

Cheers to my ears!

So I went to the vet again yesterday for a checkup, and had the nasty thermometer experience again, plus they swabbed my ears with big long thingys and it was all very uncomfortable. But I got Easy Cheez plus these really tasty meat snacks, so it wasn't all bad. Also the doctor held me and gave me snuggles while we were waiting for the lab results.
Anyway, I'm all clear! No more yeasties in my ears! The doctor said I'm doing really well and that we just have to be careful not to get water in my ears again. So Mami said I'll just have to wear a shower cap when I have a bath.

Spring!

Here is the photo I meant to post with the blog below before the Interwebs totally got messed up. We took this on a walk this weekend.

Problems with de interwebs

Hello all! I'm posting late today 'cause the Internet thingy was broken at Mami's work today, and her email still isn't doing well, so she can't pull my special photos off her hotmail, which is why this post is sans photo.
What I wanted to talk about was how spring is in the air and there are all these things blooming now, and how I'm feeling extra frisky and such. In fact, Mami has caught Lulu and I playing wrestle games twice this week. We like to chase each other around and then Lulu pounces and grabs my back leg and we roll across the guestroom bed, and then I jump up and chase my tail.
It's really really fun. And slightly scary.
Later today I have to go back to the vet for a checkup on my ears. They feel really good now but I guess they have to poke around and make sure I'm okay. Maybe I'll get more cheese whiz!

More Yoshi goodness

Hot off the presses, a new Yoshi photo. Notice how big the paws are growing.
This has been your Yoshi update. Stay tuned for future Yoshi goodness.

My cousin Gin

This is my Tia Kate's cat, Princess Gin Kitty. She has very lovely blue eyes and long blonde locks. Here she has just finished getting into trouble on the dining room table. She thinks everything is her business. Mami went up to hear Tia Kate singing on Sunday, and then she got to see cousin Gin for a little while before she came home to me.

Ears to you

So, yesterday was my last day of taking ear medication and boy am I relieved. But it's kind of a mixed blessing, because this morning, when I finished my breakfast, I sat there and waited to be picked up and medicated, because that meant I got some jerky. Only there was no jerky, and I was kinda sad. I mean, I'm glad that no one's poking around in my ears, but I really liked that jerky, especially the beef liver one. Man, that was good stuff.
Anyway, it's back to the usual stuff now, like playing with Wage and chasing Lulu and napping on Papi in the mornings. Maybe I can talk Mami into buying some more jerky just because. Or, I can start faking another ear infection.

A visit from Cousin Emi

Well, not a real visit, but a virtual visit. While he was down in Austin, my Papi got to visit Tia Lilia and Tia Carol, and they live with my prima (cousin) Emiliana, or Emi Cat. However, she is very independent and when she doesn't feel like showing herself, she doesn't, so Papi didn't get to visit with her this time. But when he and Mami were down there last time they got to see her. She is very beautiful and she looks a lot like Lulu, only much tougher and slimmer, because she gets to go outdoors and she has to defend herself and be street smart. One time, she traveled for days and days, trying to get back to her old home after my Tias moved across town. It was a milagro that she survived, but now she realizes that she is living in a new place, and she stays home.
Isn't she bonita?

Papi's book!

A very exciting thing happened Monday night. When Mami got home from work there was a big cardboard box on the step, and it was very heavy. She wasn't going to open it because it was addressed to Papi, but when he called her from work he told her to open it, and inside was his very first book! It is all about a man called Cesar Chavez, and it's very important. There's a big dove on the front cover. Papi doesn't like that very much but Mami thinks it's pretty.
Anyway, it's a very exciting thing to happen. Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything about choodles in there, but maybe there will be in his next book!

Busy time in the sun

My goodness, what a busy weekend! First on Friday night, I got a visit from my Tia Candace and my good friend Charley, and it was so much fun! I got to jump around with Charley and then Tia Candace taught me all sorts of neat tricks. Also, she taught Mami something that Mami now calls the "Jerky Method." You know how I get kinda bitey when she gives me my medicine? Well, now she gives me a big mouthful of jerky before she puts stuff in my ear, and by the time I'm done chewing, she's already finished! It works really good.
Then on Saturday we took a loooooong drive to see my Abuelo and Abuela up in the montains. They still had a little snow on the lawn that I got to run through. In the afternoon when it got really sunny we took a long hike into the woods and I got to sample some elk poop when Mami was not looking.
Then I sat in the library chair for a while looking outside, as you can see from the photo.
Afterward we went to visit my Abuelita in her apartment. It was very exciting, so exciting in fact that I had a little accident in the hallway as we were leaving. Oops!
Sunday I spent a long time out in the yard while Mami raked leaves, and then I got to sit on her lap and sleep while she read a book. Then, on Sunday evening, Papi came back from Austin and it was so exciting! I am very glad that he is home.

A guest appearance

This was sent in by my Abuela in Albuquerque. She met this nice Maine Coon cat named Fergus in Belen, N.M. He weighs around 25 pounds, which is pretty much four times my size. He has a nice long fancy coat, and he seems like a nice relaxed fellow. But I think I might be a little intimidated by such a big guy.

Tea and crumpets

Here's a photo of my Tia Candace when she and Mami had a Valentine's tea yesterday. Mami brought home scones with lemon curd and I got to have some for breakfast this morning. It is sooo tasty. Tonight my Tia might come over and help teach Mami about putting stuff in my ears. I'm still a little bit bitey.

Full of love

Hello all! My ears are feeling much better, and I'm even nicer to Mami when she gives me my medicine. I only bite her for the first half.
Today is St. Valentine's Day, and although Mami always wears black on this day and Papi had to go to a conference and isn't home, I am still determined to celebrate. I am very full of love and send good wishes and besitos to all my friends and family. Con carino!

Drama

Lulu here, reporting in, since Emma is still sick with dough in her ears. Or yeast. Something like that. I really wasn't paying attention.
It's been pretty interesting around the house, especially during medicine time. Mami has to put medicine into Emma's ears twice a day, and Emma doesn't like it AT all. She makes this really terrible face with her lips all curled up and her teeth bared, and then when Mami puts the tube in her ears she tries to take Mami's hand off. It's actually kind of scary. Mami gets a little scared, even, and she shakes afterwards. When it's all done, Emma gets really friendly again, but I don't like that face she makes. It makes me think twice about smacking her in the butt on the sofa.

Itcy itchy ears

This is Papi holding me at the vet's office this morning. I had to go see the doctor because I have been scratching my ears a whole lot and the fur has worn off, and Mami got really worried.
It turns out that I have a bad yeast infection in both ears. I guess some water got in them from either my bath or the rainy weather. Anyway, now it's all sore and swollen and full of badness down in there. So Mami has to put drops in my ears twice a day and then wash them out every other day until I get better. That's a lot of yuckiness, but I guess it's going to make me feel better. Eventually.
But anyway, the vet said I'm in perfect health otherwise. I'm just the right weight, my teeth are shiny, my coat is healthy and I have a good heart and lungs. So hurrah for me! Also, they gave me some Easy Cheese as a treat. That's the only good part about going to the vet.

A lovely weekend

Here is my new friend Wage sporting a fancy hat on Sunday. He and I have been inseparable since our introduction. Well, except for when Mami took me for a walk. It was quite nice out Saturday, so we took a stroll around the neighborhood, and I got to sniff snowdrops and look at all the things starting to pop out of the ground.
All weekend we have had loads of naps and snacks and fun. Other than a slight problem with my ears, which has made them very itchy, I've been quite in a good mood.

My new friend, Wage

Hello everyone. I want you to meet my new stuffed friend, Wage. He was a gift from my Tia Jennifer. She got a new job that takes her away from Mami's office, but she promised she is still going to be my friend, and she gave me her stuffed doll Wage so that I could chew it and think of her. Isn't he handsome? He comes with his own apron. He is supposed to be an oppressed big box store worker, but I prefer to imagine he's a baker who makes me pies.

Cesar Schmackimus

I've told you before about the biggest, boldest, nicest cat I know. His name is Cat Smacky, and he lives with Tia Jennifer and Doris. He is very well taken care of, but because of his good nature, he often finds himself in unexpected predicaments, such as being used as a fashion accessory, or cuddled to within an inch of his life. He is also very mischevious, and often ends up in unexpected places, say, fancy shopping bags, the tops of dining room tables and sometimes on top of the fridge. Here are some examples of a night in the life of Maximum Smacky.

Luff and stuff

I know February is all about fuzzy lovey dovey stuff, but when you're a choodle, everyone loves you all the time, not just on a certain day in mid February. As you can see here, even Lulu can show her love sometimes. At least, she can refrain from smacking me when we're both on the couch. Mainly I think it's because she gets sleepy, but I do appreciate it when we can sit together and not fight.

Squeaks!

When it's winter, and most of my time is spent napping, I need to get a little burst of excercise now and then to keep trim and healthy. Thats where my Squeaks come in. Those are my toys, which normally reside in a cardboard toy box in the bedroom, but I usually like them better spread all over the wood floors. My current favorite is a pink weiner dog that squeaks and honks too. It is longer than me, and fun to chase. Here I am last night, tempting Mami to throw it. I ended up hitting Lulu in the face on naccident, because she was sleeping next to Mami on the couch and my aim was off. Sort of.
I really really love pink ball but it's always under the couch and Mami says there's a limit to how many times she gets down on the floor to fish it out. Pink weiner dog is too fat to fit under the couch so I never lose him.

Late nights

I tell ya, I've been staying up too late these days. Either we're all up watching movies in the living room (last night it was that old black and white Beatles movie, something about working like a dog, I didn't get it), or if we do go to bed at a decent hour, Mami and Papi are always talking talking talking until I even dream funny things. Mami said that's what you get for living with a philosopher and a reporter, there's always something to talk about.
Why can't we all just be like Lulu, and spend our time asleep with our paws over our eyes?

Walkies, finally

Well, after absolutely weeks of rain, snow and freezing weather, Sunday afternoon it finally got nice enough for long enough to take a walk. Mami got out the leash and we headed out for a 45 minute walk, all the way to campus and then down frat row and then by the park and back home. I was so tired that on the final block, I stopped and refused to go any further, so Mami had to carry me the last few steps. Then I took a really big nap. It felt good but I think we pushed ourselves too hard. Next time we'll take it slower.

Rosey surprise

Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of the day when Papi and Mami first met each other, so last night, Papi snuck a bunch of pink roses home for Mami. She likes them lots better than red ones. They are very pretty on our dining room table, so I thought this morning that I would climb up and sit next to them, because they look maybe like they'd taste good. Turns out, they don't, so I settled for a biscuit. The pink makes me think about springtime. Right now, there's not very much color in the world, so a little pink makes it nice.

Must...nap...

Okay, I've just about had it with this wacky weather. It can't decide whether it's snowy winter or warm, wet spring. All I know is, it's so nasty outside that I never get my walks any more. That means that the only thing I have to do with my time is nap. But no matter how much I nap, I'm still sleepy when I wake up! It's very frustrating. I can't wait til Spring comes and I can take big, long walks and sniff daffodils and stretch my paws out a little.
Meanwhile, Mami says I'm causing mischief because I've been cooped up for too long. Maybe I can blame that poo on the bathroom rug on cabin fever.