My friend Charley

Last night I had a surprise visit from my friend Charley. She's one of the only big dogs I know that doesn't try and eat me, and I really like her a lot. We can play in the yard and she never minds if I bounce or bite her toes, and she never tries to smack me around or scare me. Sometimes I get a little nervous, but Charley stays still so I won't think she's gonna eat me. It makes me feel really brave to play with such a big dog. Next Saturday we're going to a tea party at Charley's house and I'm so excited. Maybe I'll wear a fancy collar just for the occasion! I can't wait!

A three day weekend

Nothing's nicer than lots of time out in the yard, and on Saturday I got to sun myself quite a bit while Mami put in her vegetable garden. She made me stay inside when she hauled gravel from the borrowed pickup truck out into the big garden spot, because she didn't want me under foot, but once she and Papi unloaded the whiskey barrel planters, I got to go out and watch her fill up the barrels with soil and plant a bunch of yummy smelling vegetable starts. It's really nice to walk around on the warm gravel and smell the barrels.
On Sunday, Mami had to drive really far away to Southern Oregon because my Tia Veronica was in the hospital and had to have surgery, but she's okay now, and Mami came home late Sunday night. On Monday, she and I did lots of digging and weeding and then we lay in the sunshine and got tans. Well, you can't tell on me cause of all the fur, but it sure felt nice.

Bark if you believe in faeries

Hello all! I had an exciting time last night. Mami and I went to visit my Tio Tony and Tia Lisa, and I got to ramble in their garden. It's such a beautiful place, with all sorts of nice smells and things to snack on the sly. It also doesn't have a front gate, which Mami didn't know about, so I got to sneak out into the front yard and bark at things until she caught me, and then I was confined to her lap, which wasn't so fun.
But one of the coolest things in the garden is a fairy house that my Tio constructed. It's a very small and lovely little home, all wood and moss and stones. And for Mami's birthday, they gave her a faery door all of her own, so when we got back home, she put it up against a Hawthorne stump, and made a little path going up to it. It is even too small for me to live there, but I'm sure a nice gnome or faery will move in soon, and I'll have someone new to play with.

Attire

I have to say that even on chilly Spring days, I prefer to curl up in a blanket rather than add any layers of clothing to keep me warm. I know that it's quite popular to put chihuahuas and poodles in little sweaters and shirts, since they're so shivery, and maybe some people are okay with that sort of thing. Frankly I find it rather humiliating. There's nothing nicer than a pure unadulterated fur coat with no embellishments. But I know that sometimes, putting cute things on me is just irresistible, so I put up with it for a very short time. Of course, they have to catch me first, and if I hear the clothes box opening up, I'm smart enough to hide.

New kinds of snacks

Lulu here again!
With Mami home for a three-day weekend, we were pretty busy around the house. I have found a new hiding spot on the very tip top of the highest bookshelf, on top of a political scarf from Poland. I enjoy waving my paws as people pass by, and it's cooler there, and Emma is very very far away.
I also came upon a new favorite treat. It's something called beef jerky and it's quite magical. Papi brought some home from the powwow, and man was it great! I was ravenous for it. I ate heaps and heaps. So did Emma, but I got more because I was closer to the bag. It is so tasty! I didn't realize there was such a wonderful treat out there. Now I wish there were a powwow every weekend.

Stinky

Last evening, after a nice time out in the sunshine eating my new rawhide, Mami brought me indoors and threw me unceremoniously into the tub. I really don't like baths, they make my fur smell all soapy and unnatural.
Mami keeps the water nice and warm, and she does the scrubbing really quickly, but I prefer the part after she dries me off with a big towel, and I get to go crackers all around the house, rolling and growling and having fits. I was doing that on the couch when Lulu jumped up to see what was the matter, and I tried to bite her on the nose, so she left in a hurry.
I was real fluffy for the rest of the night, and soft, but I smelled like flowers and not like me.

Hot dog days

Well, I think summer is finally here again, and it's so exciting to have my own yard to enjoy a hot day. There are so many wonderful bushes to sniff, and birds to chase, and cool grass to roll around in. I just love it. Here I am lounging next to a blanket. Today is going to be even nicer, but Mami's working late and Papi's teaching, so I may not get as much sun on my belly as I'd like.

Warm laundry

There's nothing nicer than a pile of warm laundry in the morning. Here I am buried under some fresh towels. Mami is always surprised to find me when she comes back to fold things up. I tell her that anything that lands on the floor is mine, all mine.

Yard lounging

Here's my Tia in the sunshine from a few days ago. Yesterday evening Mami was outside for a couple of hours yet again, working on digging out the big stump in the garden. She does a lot of mumbling and growling when she's using an ax, so I stay on the other side of the yard, waiting to see if another rat comes by. So far, we've been rat free since Tuesday night. Now Mami has half the stump out, and she's just got a little more to go before the whole thing comes out. It's pretty exciting to sniff and steal little pieces of wood that come flying out of the hole. I like yard work.
Yesterday Papi came outside and helped Mami by sitting on a two by four so she could prop up the stump and hack at it better. It was kinda like sitting on a teeter totter. I would try and help but I'm only 7 pounds and that doesn't provide much leverage.

Squeaky goodness

Yesterday was Mami's birthday, so my Tia Chelsea came to visit and brought many many gifts. She is a good Tia, and always remembers her nieces, so she gave me a very beautiful new squeaky toy to play with. It's a big red witch's boot and I love it very much. It is almost as big as me, but it is very light and fluffy so I can carry it around and smack into people and I don't fall over. Much.
I also got to run around and lay in the sun, because it was so warm and beautiful and sunny out. Mami and Chelsea laid around on blankets getting tan, and then after Tia went home, Mami worked digging out a big stump, and I got to help by patrolling the area. But while I was off in another corner of the yard, a big rat ran out from under the stump! Mami put me inside after that, because she said the rat was bigger than me! I wanted to see it, but I guess it's better if we don't meet after all. My teeth aren't very big or strong, and I might not put up a very good fight.

Fiesta!

Saturday night was our annual Cinco de Mayo party, which coincides with Mami's birthday. It was a crazy time. There were more than 50 people crammed into our house, and lots of food and music and dancing. I got really tired. Here I am hugging my Padrino, Jake. I get passed around a lot at parties.

More news on my new cousin

Miss Moss is a half Australian heeler, half Tennesee Mountain Hound, and she is not very old at all. She's learning how to behave in the house, which means Tia Chelsea has to get up at all hours and let her outside. I'm sure I'll get to meet her soon. I hope she doesn't mind that I'm small. I figure I could talk to her about things you're not supposed to do inside, just in case you get caught. She's young and needs to learn these things.
Meanwhile, this is my 200th post! Hurrah!
Now if only these spring rains would stop so I could go outside and take a walk!

Friends in need

Sometimes Mami's job takes her to places that are kinda sad, but then sometimes she gets to help out. Last night, Mami got called out to a place where a lot of puppies and little dogs weren't living in a very nice situation. Their Mami wasn't taking care of them so well, and there were more than 80 dogs all living together. The police had to come and take the doggies away, and now they're all in the shelter, getting some help.
This morning, Mami brought them some biscuits, and she is trying to help get the word out that the shelter needs small doggy food, like the kind I eat, and little toys for the puppies, and other things to make life better for the dogs until the court decides what is going to happen to them. If you wanna help out, go to Heartland and see what they need. Mami even spotted a couple of boys who look just like me! Maybe they'll find a nice home like I did!