Happy Spring!

It is a very glorious day out. The sky is blue, the trees and flowers are blooming, and Mami mowed the lawn last night with her new push mower and so I can run through the yard without getting lost. Happy Spring, everyone!

Important work

On Friday, I was given a very important assignment by Mami. She is hoping to help her Abuela find a new place to live that is a little bit easier and safer than living by herself, but her Abuela doesn't really want to move. So Mami asked me to come with her to visit Abuela, and take her on a trip to visit some new places.
I got to sit on Abuela's lap during the drive, and I got to go inside each place and look around and sniff, and I got to sit in my carrier in the dining room and watch everybody eat. Mami even snuck me some yummy pork tenderloin when no one was looking. It was pretty tasty.
I think it would be nice if Abuela had a new place to live where she had someone cook for her and help her around. I hope that she decides to move pretty soon, then I can go up again and play in her new apartment.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Hello all! I just wanted to wish you a Happy St. P's Day. Technically I'm not Irish, I can't drink beer and I don't have anything green to wear, but I can still celebrate! Besides, as a half-chihuahua of Mexican heritage, I know all about the San Patricios, the Irish fighters who joined up with Mexican fighters a long time ago. If you haven't heard about them, look it up, it's a pretty interesting little piece of history. Viva Ireland!

Trouble and fun

The other morning, things got kind of crazy around the house. Lulu and I were chasing each other up and down the hallway, but we weren't as careful as we maybe should have been, because Lulu got excited and knocked into the baby gate and it fell and smooshed her. It's not very heavy so she took off from under it and hid under the bed for a long time. She finally came out again after she stopped being embarrassed. She said it was my fault but I wasn't even touching it so I don't see how that could be the case.
Tonight is going to be very exciting because I have a play date with one of Mami's friend's dogs. It's a big dog, but I've been told she's very friendly and likes to play with little dogs like me. Her Mami knows a lot about dogs and dog training, so maybe she can teach me a few things about how to behave. I guess I have to act real nice tonight so she'll think good things about me.

Spring sunshine and scooter balls

You know what's tasty? Little yellow scooter balls. Most people don't realize this, but they kind of taste like fuzzy lemons. The regular size tennis balls are too big for me to carry around, and can be rather frustrating. But these special little ones are just right. I can walk around carrying one for hours and hours, and I have even figured out how to bark with one in my mouth. It's kinda muffled, but it works. That way, I don't drop it and lose it under the couch if I happen to see a cat or something else barky going by.

Que fancy

Some days, I feel fancier than others. For instance, here I am sporting a fetching rainbow costume. I don't care for dressing up too much, but sometimes I just have to get my fancy pants on.

Woofin

Okay, I'm not supposed to bark, but sometimes, when I'm sitting on the back of the couch and someone goes by who I don't care for, I just have to say something.
I don't care for people walking dogs, I hate passing cats, and anyone who appears to walk in the general direction of the house has some bad words coming to him from me.

After an uneventful week, Saturday was full of excitement! Mami got up early and put me in my special green carrier bag, the one with the pretty embroidered flowers on it, and took me shopping! First I had to get my nails done, which I hate, and the groomer place is always full of big barky dogs, but it only takes a few minutes and then my nails are all nice and short.
Then we walked around inside the big pet store, and I got to look at bunnies and birds and ferrets and other dogs. They were having a pet dress up contest but Mami said I didn't have to enter because I hate wearing dresses, and I'd already gone through the whole nail thing.
Then we drove around and stopped to look at other neat stuff, like pottery and fountains, and finally, we went to go get lunch, big meat sammiches! Well, they were for her and Papi, but I got to sniff them real hard.
After lunch, we all took a really really long walk up into the hill behind the house to explore. We were gone an hour, and I was really tired when we got home. But it was so nice!
Sunday Mami spent the whole day in the yard. I got to watch her out the window, and sometimes Papi would take me out to play ball. Mami got really muddy, but everything looks nice now.

Happy Anniversary!

Tomorrow (Thursday) is Mami and Papi's fifth anniversary. They are going to go out and eat a fancy dinner. I'm hoping that they bring me back something in a doggy bag, but I think maybe that's not going to happen. I hear at those fancy places, they feed you even less than they do at a cheap place, so there are never any leftovers. I don't understand human rules like that.
I guess that means Lulu and I will stay home and watch Animal Planet until they get back. Then I will give them really big kisses. That's the only present I can give. At least, the only one they appreciate. They don't care for poo presents.
Here is a picture of all of us last summer. Well, not all of us. Lulu was at home. She doesn't like to go out very much.

Scooter ball time

I got a couple of really cool green scooter balls for Christmas, and I'm way into them, but they're always rolling under stuff in the house so they get throw outside a lot, which can be frustrating. Lately, after I run around and do my business in the yard, I find one of them and take it in. Mami takes it and throws it outside, but Papi sometimes doesn't notice, so I sneak it in under the radar.
Then I play ball all day long, until it gets stuck under something. This morning it got stuck under the fridge, and then the couch, and then the bookshelf. It was such hard work I got really hungry and had to eat a big breakfast. Mami said she's about ready to throw my ball back outside, but luckily she had to go to work and I got to keep it inside for the day. Woohoo!

Snaps!

I've discovered a new favorite thing, ginger snaps. I've never had them before, but Mami decided that it would be a good thing for me to try out as a special kind of people treat, so she gave me one on Sunday. Then another one accidentally fell out of the bag, so I got two. They are soooo wonderful. I've decided that I like them better than biscuits. They're one of Papi's favorite treats too, and he gets to eat more of them than I do. But he's bigger than I am, so I guess that's only fair.

Let the sunshine in

It was so sunny Saturday that I thought it was summertime. I spent a long time out in the yard, playing ball with Mami, but it got hot enough that I had to take a break a couple of times and pant. Then Papi and Mami and I took a really long walk downtown and ate lunch at an outdoor cafe, and I got to sit on Mami's lap and watch the other dogs go by. I tried to stick my head in her bowl of sauce because I thought it was my snack, but she caught me before I had a chance to eat it. Papi bought cookies for the walk back, but they had chocolate in them so I didn't get any.
Then we came back home and I took a nap while Mami did yard work and Papi graded papers. The sunshine was so warm and nice, it made my fur feel quite fuzzy. Too bad it started raining again on Sunday.

Bites and pieces

Being small has its advantages. For instance, I am lap sized, and therefore can sneak up and put myself in someone's lap very stealthy-like, and settle down and nap before they even notice me.
It's also handy for escaping tricky situations, say I'm getting yelled at for not quite getting into my litter box. I can fit nicely under the coffee table and hide.
It also allows me to escape the clutches of Lulu because I can be little and slippery when I need to be.
And sometimes, like last night, I get special small treats, like mini-pancakes, which are just my size.
But being small can also be rough, especially when I'm too small to jump on the bed without help, and I can't jump up and kiss faces when people are standing up. Also, I'm very portable, so I get picked up a lot without giving anyone permission to scoop me into the air. This is especially bad when I'm barking at something outside and I get grabbed and held up so that I can't bark anymore. That makes me pretty frustrated.
But what's worse than that is when Mami picks up Lulu and holds her instead. I HATE that. That cat is spoiled and I'm not afraid to say it. Well, at least not while she's safely in Mami's arms and not on the ground where she can get me.

Love and kisses

Today is a very important day for choodles, who are always full of love for everyone they meet. Since I can't make my own Valentines, I'm sending you virtual choodle kisses, which make me thirsty, as you can see. I never run out of kisses for all my friends and family, which makes every day Valentine's Day for me.

In the dog house

My new favorite treat is a pig skin rawhide that I carry around the house and chew on until I fall asleep. It's extremely tasty and I can't get enough of it.
But Mami said it also makes me kind of grumpy. She doesn't understand why I growl at Lulu when she gets too close to it. She says that Lulu isn't interested in my treat, but I'm not so sure. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Last night though, Mami got fed up. I kinda started jumping up and down next to Lulu's head and barking at her really fierce, and Mami picked me up and put me in the bedroom and locked me behind the baby gate. Then Lulu came over and stared at me through the bars and said "Nah nah nah nah!" It was not fair at all. I had to stay in there for ten minutes until I calmed down. Mami says next time, she's putting the raw hide up for good, so I've been trying to be a little nicer about it. But it isn't easy.

I wish I had something exciting to report, but last night I stayed all alone for hours and hours because Mami and Papi went to Portland to see a big concert by Los Amigos Invisibles. Well, Lulu was home too, but she was sleeping in the guest room so I had no company. It was really super boring. I hope there's something more exciting going on tonight, like a cheese party.

Back from blog hiatus

Well I'm back after a bit of a break. Mami had to travel to Illinois and Iowa for a conference, so she wasn't able to help me with my posting, but now she's back. Today Lulu and I got to play with the mailing boxes they're using to send presents to people, including my Tias Lilia and Carol, and my Abuela in Albuquerque. Here you can see me trying out the boxes.
I'll have more news tomorrow, but right now I have to chase Papi because he's sweeping the bathroom and I hate that broom.

Cheese

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before or not, but I'm crackers about cheese. It's one of my favorite snacks ever, and I really really can't get enough of it. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of cheese doled out in our household. Occasionally, a little bit of parmesan or gouda crumbles land on the floor while Papi is cooking, or I get a smidge of pizza with some cheese on top. But an extra special treat is when I get a piece of extra sharp cheddar, as seen here. It's my favorite cheese. It's also Lulu's favorite, so sometimes we both get a little crumb. Lulu's whiskers stand on end when she smells cheddar, and she sometimes even meows for it. I don't know if other cats are big on the cheddar, but that's up there with mashed potatoes in her book.

Lulu thinks about breakfast

I have discovered a way to get my breakfast delivered as early as I want it.

Before Emma came into the picture, when I wanted my breakfast, I would wake up Mami by patting her on the nose or sitting on her pillow and leaning over to stare at her until she woke up. Sometimes I'd have to lick her eyelids, but eventually she'd wake up and feed me.

But once Emma arrived, I decided to take a more indirect approach. You see, at night, Emma has to be locked in the bedroom with a gate so she doesn't get into trouble while the padres are asleep. When she wakes up in the morning, she cries until Mami takes her outside, and then we get fed.

Well, if left on her own, Emma sleeps until Mami's alarm clock goes off. But that is too late for me. I prefer breakfast at 7 a.m., just after the sun comes up. So I've figured out if I go into the bedroom really early and wake Emma up, she'll cry for Mami. It works every time.

I tested my theory this morning by not waking her up, and sure enough, she slept until 8:30! That means I have to wake her up bright and early tomorrow, so that we'll get fed at a more proper time.

Fuzzy

I've been told that I might need a haircut by strangers, but I resent that. I am naturally fuzzy, much like a teddy bear, and I don't see the need to get all slick and foofy for fashion's sake.
I know that sometimes cookies get caught in my beard, and that when I wake up my forehead fur kind of gets smooshed to one side of my head, but that's all part of being a choodle. I didn't get the curly hair of my father, or the straight hair of my mother. I'm kind of in between. And that's the way I like it.

What not to wear

As you might know, I have an extensive wardrobe. Most of it fits in a doll closet, but I also have a fancy trunk to keep my coats.

I don't care to wear many things, especially not dresses, although I don't mind wearing a t-shirt when it's chilly, or a coat when it snows. But in general, I prefer to keep my attire limited to a collar (currently red).

As far as human clothes go, they're okay for sitting on or chewing or hiding, but I'm no judge of appearances. Mami usually asks Papi's advice when she has a fashion crises, but he's in San Fran today, so she had to ask me about whether or not I thought her shoes went with her outfit. I told her I don't wear shoes, so I didn't have any input, but if she took them off, I'd be happy to chew on them for her. She decided to keep them on.

Tricks

So I'm now almost 1 1/2 years old, and I'm finally getting the hang of a few tricks. Well, they're not really tricks so much as things I do well, that makes Mami happy. For instance, I'm a very good sitter. I sit super well, and for a long time, and I will do it whenever I'm asked, even if I'm really excited about catching a ball or a treat or something.

I am working on stay. Sometimes I stay, othertimes not so much. I will wait though, until Mami says "Okay" before I eat my cookie. And when Papi says "Hold up" when we're walking, I'll stop and wait at the corner instead of walking into the street.

I do not lay down. Nothing Mami can do will make me lay down. Even if she puts a treat on the floor, I won't do it. I maybe will steal the treat, but I won't lie down for it. Of course, if I steal the treat, Mami fishes it out of my mouth again, but still, I tried.

One of my really good tricks is that when I bark at something, Mami goes "Tssst" at me and I stop. If I'm stinky and want to go back and bark again, Mami says "Go to bed," and I go lay down.

My weirdest trick is giving leg. When Papi holds out his hand and says "Give me leg," I will give him my back foot. It's pretty cool. No one's sure where I learned that, but I do it every time.

Also, I know the names of all my toys, and I can pick them out when you ask me for a specific one.

Those are all the tricks I can think of right now. If I learn something new, you'll be the first to know!

Sleepy time

I had a long lovely walk yesterday out in the sunshine, and it was so warm I didn't even need my jacket! I walked all the way to Papi's office and back, and got to sniff out all the messages other dogs had left, and leave a bunch of my own.

The only trouble we had was this nasty gray squirrel who was swearing at me from a tree. I didn't like him at all. I didn't bark, because I didn't want to dignify him with a response, but he sure was vulgar.

Lulu doesn't care for walks. She prefers to sleep in the sunshine, or when it's dark, on the couch. Last night I was very tired from the walk, so I curled up in a ball on Mami's robe while they watched the new Battlestar Gallactica. I think that show's kinda boring. There aren't any dogs in it.

A fun but short visit

I had just woken up yesterday afternoon from a long winter's nap, when Mami came home, scooped me up and put me in the car.
Well, as you can imagine I was worried. I mean, I didn't even have my jacket on, and she didn't put me in my carrier or anything. I thought maybe it was an emergency, or that I was going to the vet.
But then, only a few minutes later, we pulled up to this house, and there were my friend Tony and Lisa, and they had a little visitor for me to meet, Tony's goddaughter.
That was so exciting! I got to run and romp and play and kiss. I love little kids. They are the best. I wish I could be around them all the time. But I only get to see kids on very special occasions.
Anyway, here's a photo of me in the snow before it all melted away. Now it's not so cold, and I can run without getting ice between my toes.

Laundry

I have to say, one of my favorite things to chew is a nice pair of socks. Now, being a choodle, I prefer slightly used socks, ones that are aromatic and fresh off the toes. But I'm not adverse to chewing on a clean pair, if that's all I can find. I especially like the rolled up ones, because they're easier to carry around and get between my paws.

Sometimes I steal socks and hide them under the bed while people are getting dressed. Then they get confused and wonder where their socks went. I kind of get a chuckle out of that. But usually, I prefer to lay in bed and give them a good chew until someone takes them away from me.

Cold weather

Let me tell you, after awhile all this snow and ice gets to be a little boring. I liked it at first, but when it stayed below freezing for five days in a row, I started to get a little tired of it.

Papi won't let me go walking when it's this cold outside, because it's too hard on my paws, and I don't have much belly fur. My coat just doesn't cut it when it's this cold out.
I suppose I should be grateful for staying indoors, but I have been super bored. I need a walk at least every other night, and it's been a whole week since I got to do more than run around the back yard. Today it started to warm up a little bit, finally, so maybe soon I can go for a nice long walk again. I can't wait to stretch my legs!

My new cloak

A few of my fans have requested a photo of me in my new Princess cloak, so here it is!

Lulu turns 6

Saturday was Lulu's sixth birthday. She doesn't make much of birthdays, cause she takes after Papi that way. She'd rather just be left alone and not reminded that she's getting older. But we gave her a little birthday treat all the same. Mami put a big plate of nice chunky Albacore tuna out for her, and kept me from stealing it until she'd eaten it all up. It made Lulu real sleepy, and she went and napped for hours and hours afterward.

We've taken down the tree, but we just got our Christmas photos back, so here is Lulu in front of the tree when we first put it up. She likes the lights.

The weather outside is frightful

But it's toasty warm inside! Although I did have fun racing around in the snow this morning with Mami. I got to eat lots of it, and jump and jump around in the grass, and I got covered in white. But I'm so fast, Mami couldn't get any photos of me, I just whizzed past her! We got 3 1/2 inches in the back yard, she used a tape measure to check on the fence posts. It's pretty cool outside. I went back in and sat on the couch with Lulu to watch it come down. Papi was sad because they didn't cancel classes so he had to go to work. Mami had to go too, but she likes driving around in the snow.

Lulu has something to say again

I know I haven't posted in a long time, but really, the holidays have been far too busy for me to pay attention to such things. There have been trees to sniff, wrapping paper to sit on, ribbons to tangle up in, not to mention keeping an eye on that little beast, Emma, who is always getting into things. I have to keep her in line by jumping out from under things and grabbing her ankles. She doesn't care for that very much. She's always running to Mami when I pounce on her. Such a wuss.

Anyway, as I was saying, there are a lot of things that fill my schedule each day. For instance, the other day I went through the house and opened every drawer and cabinet door I could. This morning, I was routing around under the sink. And sometime last month, I climbed in the bottom drawer of Papi's dresser, and shoved a couple of pairs of his pants underneath the drawer so they would be securely hidden. He didn't find them til this morning. He didn't seem real happy that they were covered in dust and cat hair and shoved under the drawer. I'm not sure why.

So if I don't do much cat blogging, you must understand that there is only so much time in a day not spent napping that I can attend to my public. Ciao Meow for now.

Capes n such

Well, we haven't turned in our Christmas photos yet, but my Abuela wanted to see me in my new cape, so Mami took a camera phone picture. It's hard to tell how pink it really is, but you can get a general idea. There are better pictures on the digital camera that I'll post later, when Mami gets them to the store. For now, you can enjoy a little fuzzy splendor and just imagine how rosey pink my outfit is.

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time and energy playing with my sister, Lulu. Because it's too wet to do much outdoors, we have to be content with ambushing each other in the hallway and chasing each other under the guest room bed.
Lulu is a very stealthy cat, even though she's pretty big. She likes to creep down the hallway and spring at me, and then I have to bounce on top of her head.
Usually there's some growling and rolling around and occasionally, I get bit and there's a scream. But not too often.
Sometimes we fight too early in the morning and wake up Mami and Papi with our big growls and thuds under their bed. They just don't get how much fun it is to wrestle.

Compadres

As you can see, I really like to spend time with my human friends. I don't have that many animal friends because I'm kinda small. Lulu is my only good animal friend, and even she sometimes smacks me around a little. But my human friends are all very nice to me, and let me give them lots of kisses whenever I want. Here is a picture of me and a friend from Papi's work. I think she was impressed by my new rocker t-shirt.

Presents!

My Abuela in Albuquerque sent us boxes and boxes of presents for Christmas, including several outfits for me. This is a reflective rain coat that I can wear when we take walks at night. I don't really like to wear it, as you can see, but it's very practical. It's really the hood that bothers me. It makes my ears feel funny.
I also got a princess cape. I'll post a picture of it sometime. It's pink with faux fur trim. It's pretty fancy.

Feliz Ano Nuevo

Hey folks! Mami's gonna be away from her computer for the 3-day weekend, so I thought I'd wish you all a very happy and safe New Year celebration. I did a few rounds of visiting my friends today to give them holiday kisses. I saw the folks in the newsroom first, and then went to see the people at Papi's school. I had to give out a whole lot of kisses, and boy was I tired, even though Papi carried me around in my special bag.

I'll be back to tell you about my weekend next Tuesday. Until then, I send you a virtual beso!

Are you ready?

There's not much love for sports around our house, except during the World Cup, but for Christmas, my abuelos gave me a football that I really love. It's squeaky and exciting and I am really happy about it. I carry it all over the place and throw it at Mami and Papi.

Today, Mami said there's a big bowl game going on. We live in a college town, and our team is playing some other team. Normally Mami wouldn't care, but the paper she works for makes it a big deal, so she wore team colors to work today, because she's filling in as the boss and she wanted to set a good example.

Meanwhile, I'm staying home with my football. Go team!

Busy days

There's just no end to the visitors during the holidays. Last night we had another house full of guests, and I was pretty happy to find new people to play with. I have a lot of new Christmas toys, and I needed to try them all out.

It's also nice when people eat things at our house, because there's always something that gets down to floor level. Last night, it was a salmon and apple tea sammich. I gobbled it up before anyone caught me.

It was really good, but later, I had a really loud burp that everyone heard, and Mami said I was rude and didn't have any manners. But I just had to let it out!

After that, I kinda got a little sick in the guest room, but that was because the salmon didn't agree with me. Next time I'm sticking with tuna.

Post holiday bliss

Well, I don't know about y'all, but I am pooped. All this traveling and snacking and socializing has me worn to a frazzle.

Now I'm all for being festive, and I love to see my extended family, but after spending my Christmas trying to stay out of the snapping jaws of Teddy the Corgi, eating too much Christmas cake and playing with all my new toys, I really don't have the energy to do much today.

Mami and Papi are both busy working, which leaves me at home to nap. And trust me, I need the break! Lulu is well rested, she spent the holiday by herself at home. She doesn't know why I'm complaining. She doesn't understand how exhausting it can be to be a choodle.

Merry Christmas!

Well, it's Christmas Eve, and we're gearing up to head north to the Abuelos' house for a Christmas Eve party. Mami is working late, but as soon as she gets home we'll make a dash for it. I've got my little bag all packed with my leash, my kibble and my new Christmas tee. It's pink and black and has Blondie on it. It' s pretty rockin.
I hope you all have a very happy holiday and get to eat lots and lots of treats. I'll report back on the day after Christmas and let you know how it went. I can't wait for Santa to come visit!
Feliz Navidog everyone!

Happy Solstice!

Hello everyone and Happy Solstice! I love the winter solstice because it means that the days are gonna get longer from here on out. Last night, we had a really fun Solstice dinner with my Tia Chelsea and my new Tio David. They didn't let me eat any of the nummy chicken and potatoes, but I did get to sit with them afterward and have some cookie snacks.

I like that Tia and Tio both let me lick their chins and give me cuddles and bounce me around. They both taste like cookies, which is okay by me. And Tia said they bought me some Christmas gifts, which I'm very excited about. I can't wait for Christmas and presents and maybe pie! We're going to spend Christmas Eve at my abuelo's house in the mountains. Lulu can't come, because our cousin Teddy the corgi doesn't like cats. She has to stay home. Poor Lulu! Lucky me!

Life on the couch

Sure, we've got a whole house to roam around in, but for the most part, we like to spend our days on the couch. It's got pretty much everything we need, big cushions, a view outside through the picture windows, a coffee table that usually has some crumbs, and right now, a big ol Christmas tree to sniff.

When Mami and Papi aren't home, we curl up next to each other on the couch and wait for them to come back. Sometimes Lulu sleeps on the arm, and I sleep in a corner, but when it's really cold, and no one is watching, we sleep right next to each other, because it's warmer. We still aren't really that crazy about each other, but it's just nice to share a little body heat when the temperature dips real low. But don't tell anybody.

Feliz Navidog!

Hello everyone! This was a very busy weekend for me, as I played a crucial role in helping get things ready for the holidays. For instance, I sniffed the tree really hard before it got brought in, and after it was decorated, I thoroughly inspected it. It seemed secure enough, so I let it stay.

Lulu really likes the tree. I'm not sure if it's all the shiny lights or the ornaments, but she likes to stare at it and sniff it and be near it whenever possible. She was drinking out of the bottom, but Mami covered it up with a sheet so she couldn't get into it. I guess tree water is kinda bad for us.

In addition to my tree duties, I also helped sample all the baked goods Mami made this weekend, including the peanut butter cookies and the coffee cake. They both passed inspection with flying colors. I'm always ready to help with important missions like that.

Chores

I was pretty busy this weekend, helping Mami around the house. As you can see, my chores included sitting on fresh laundry, removing dirty socks from the pile in the utility room, chasing Lulu and barking at the front door.
Luckily, there was plenty of time to take breaks, and Papi took me on some walks as a reward.
There were also opportunities to watch Christmas movies on t.v. and nap on the couch on Mami's lap, and occasionally snack on some popcorn. All in all it was a productive couple of days.

Morning nap

As Mami can tell you, I like to get up early for my "constitutional" outside, and to have a bit of breakfast, but after being up an hour or so, I get a little sleepy again. That's usually about the time Mami has to go to work, and so I sidle up to her and suggest that perhaps, if she's leaving, she might put me on the bed so I can curl up next to, or on top of, Papi. Here's me this morning, settling in on his belly. We get a couple good hours of sleep in before Papi usually gets up. It's nice and warm and cozy and quiet. It's my favorite morning activity.

Holiday spirit

You know why I love this time of year? Because I get so many treats. Everyone of my tias and abuelas brings me gifts, and there are always extra snacks lying around, and more company than usual. It's a great thing! For instance, the other day, Mami came home and handed me this spectacular new ball. It's red and green and very Christmassy, but it's also fuzzy and it squeaks, so it's got a lot going for it! I'm pretty excited about it. It's become my new favorite toy. I could play with it all day long, if someone would throw it for me. I wish Lulu could throw it when Mami and Papi aren't home. But she prefers to sleep. Boring old cat.

Movie time

Normally, I don't care too much for television. It distracts Mami and Papi when I want attention, and sometimes it's too loud.
But on Saturday night, Papi put on a movie that I've never seen before, and suddenly, I was riveted.
It's called "2001: A Space Odyssey." Papi said it's a classic. Mami says it's boring. And maybe some of it is, but the first 10 minutes I just stared and stared. There were these monkey things that were hooting and shouting and jumping up and down, and I couldn't get enough! It was so amazing! I folded my paws and cocked my head and watched and watched.
Then there was a spaceship and I got really bored so I fell asleep, but that was the longest I've ever watched anything on t.v. before. I hope they let me watch it again sometime.

Meanwhile, I've been helping wrap Christmas presents. Hurrah!

Walkies

Last night I got a little crazed. I'd been home by myself all day, and when Mami and Papi came home, they took a nap, and I was so bored. Finally, I couldn't take it any more. I started to race around the bed, yelling and crying, and threw myself against the mattress over and over again.

Finally Mami woke up and put me on the bed and called me a "Craisin." Then she and Papi wrestled with me for a while, but I was so crazy I got all wild and bitey.
That's when they put me in my trench coat and we went for a long walk. It was cold but it wasn't raining, and it was real quiet out because everyone else in the neighborhood was asleep. It was pretty fun, and I finally got tired out. Sometimes, you've gotta be a Craisin to get your way.