Decorations

I'm guessing that most of my dogster pals already have their holiday decorations up. But, if you remember from my diary entry about the skeleton you will see that mom has just recently taken down the Halloween decorations. So we are running behind.

First, I have to fill in some background. I know this because the ghost of Dot has told me. A few years ago mom and dad decided that their Christmas tree was getting sort of threadbare and sad looking. They decided that after Christmas they would get a new tree when the trees went on sale. The next year when it was time to decorate, mom had the older boys over, Jake and Luke. Mom and the boys looked everywhere for the tree. They looked in the closet. They looked in the attic. They looked in the carport. They looked in the shed. But they could not find the tree. When dad came home he thought they just didn't see it. So, he looked in the closet. He looked in the attic. He looked in the carport. He looked in the shed. NO TREE! Apparently, they threw away the old tree, but never bought a new tree!

So they hung tinsel all over the windows and furniture. They put lights and ornanments on the tinsel and the house lookeds very Christmasy. But, this year dad just hasn't been feeling good and mom is not a tall person so she really couldn't reach all the tops of the windows to hang tinsel on. So they have scaled down the decorations this year. They have one strand of lights that look like stars. They are hanging on the windows. They only put up ornaments that they have recieved this year as gifts. They hung them on draw knobs. They have all these red ribbons with bells that are on doors and furniture. The house looks pretty nice. They put a table out that they decorated with Santa t-towels. The table is loaded with presents that they have recieved but are not opening until Christmas. Mom also put up several of her nativity sets (she collects them) including her dogtivity.

And we hung up stockings. There is one for me! I can't believe it. I have never had a Christmas as a family member. I have only been a part of Christmas as a family dog.

So all you pups, enjoy your tree. And never let my mom and dad decorate for you. They will loose your tree.

Grown-up Party

Earlier in the month, Big and Little's parents got invited to a grown-up party. Big did not mind too much, but Little was very put out. Not so much that mom and dad were going some place without him, but more so that he did not get invited. When he told mom about it, she had a cocktail party for all the action figures: Batman, the Terminator, the animals from Madagascar, all the Fisher Price people, but it just wasn't the same.

Today, Big and Little came over to our house to play. So mom decided to have a grown-up party. Everyone had to wear neckties or tea party hats. They had to talk in falsetto voices. They had to wear hurty shoes. They had to listen to jazz. (Mustaches were optional). They drank Apple Cider Champagne. So Little had his own grown-up party and decided he liked kids parties better. There were no jumpy things or pizza or treat bags. Well, mom didn't want them to go home disappointed. She did have some gifts for them.

She got them peeps. She had got them peeps during thanksgiving. She looked everywhere in PA for them and everyone told her peeps are for Easter. Mom figures peeps might be a cultural thing. When she finally found the Christmas peeps, the cashier was surprised, but she knew how to poke a hole in the package to make them stale. Mom told the cashier how to put them in the microwave for 10 seconds and they grow really big. They are also good in hot chocolate. Maw-Maw thought mom was nuts. Anyway. Mom got Big and Little some Christmas peeps and Peeps coloring books.

After the grown-up party and peep eating, me and Big and Little played lasar tag. They found my lasar and would shine it while I would go chase it. It was great fun.

But, I did get in some trouble. Big pulled my tail and tried to sit on me so I snapped at him. I didn't bite him but I scared him pretty bad. Mom put me in time out and made me stop having fun while she talked to Big. I think Big got in trouble too. Then their mom to come and get them. I wanted to go with them, but I am so tired from playing Lasar tag I can feel a nap coming on.

Snow

I had never seen snow before. At first I wasn't sure I liked it. It was wet and cold and I was afraid that if I stepped on it I would sink down to the bottom of the earth. Mom stayed in the backyard with me and threw some snowballs. Of course I had to go get them. It is part of my breed. This snow wasn't so bad. Soon I was running all around the yard. I got the zoomies. I was running everywhere. We have all this bamboo that the snow weighed down. I loved hiding in it. I would go in under one stand of bamboo and end up at the opposite end of the yard. It was a blast. But, I sure got wet and tired. I came in and took a big nap. Mom said that the snow was a present from Dorothy in heaven.

Mom wanted everyone to know that even though West Virginia is snowed in and the governor has declared a state of emergancy and the turnpike has been shut down for over 14 hours with people stranded on it, that we are ok. Our roads are pretty clear, but slushy and will probably be a mess as the temperature drops today. It's been snowing steadily but lightly all day. Mom thinks we got about 3-4 inches of snow depending on where you are. Lots of people don't have power, but we have power: lights, heat and water. We have been checking in on our neighbors as well. We also have plenty of food and are planning on having jambalaya for dinner. There is no need for family and friends to worry about us.

Knock, Knock, Knock

My normal morning routine usually consists of getting up with mom around 6:30 and going outside to patrol the backyard(and to do my business). Then I come in and have breakfast while mom gets ready to go to work. Dad drives mom to work and I get to go on the car ride, too. (Don't be jealous, you might get to go on a car ride some day). But, on Wednesday, when it was time for the car ride, mom just gave me a pat on the head and said: " See you later." She took the car and left!

A little while later there was a knock at the door. It was dad's friend Roger. He was picking up dad in a big van. Maybe I could go on a van ride. But no. Dad told me to guard the house. He knew I would do a good job.

I was guarding the house when there was a knock at the door. I didn't let them in so they went away. Later, I was guarding the house and someone else knocked at the door. I still did not let them in so they went away. Still even later someone else knocked at the door. I thought I knew who it was, but I still didn't let them in. Who was knocking at my door all day?

Mom finally came home to tell me.
The first people who knocked were from the tree cutting down company. The electric company wants to trim or cut our tree at no cost to us! I think we should do this. That way all those nasty squirrels will not be bothering me. Mom says we will do it, but secretly she hopes they just trim the tree. She enjoys seeing the birds. Plus she heard that trees were good for the environment.

The next person who knocked at the door was the mailman. He left a big BIG package on the porch. Mom said the mailman was only delivering it for Santa. And we are not allowed to open it until Christmas. (Mom makes a personal note here to say Thank you to Team Jesus, the package arrived).

The last person who knocked was the girl that mommy tutored. I knew it was somone I knew. She took her big test last weekend. She was returning some study aids. Mom doesn't know how she did yet, but everyone keep thinking good thoughts for her.

So we were very popular! Mom said I did so well guarding the house that she took me for a night time car ride to a popular fast food resteraunt and got me a cheeseburger. But, she didn't get anything for dad. Mom said he was out of town and eating bad food provided by his company.

Now we are supposed to get six to eight inches of snow. If we get snowed in maybe mom will open that BIG package from Santa early.

Skeleton

Mom has this scary, scary skeleton. It is big and rattlely and glows in the dark. Around Halloween, mom hung him up on the porch.

Halloween is over now. But, has mom taken that scary skeleton down? No! When People ask her about it she says that it is Santa before he eats all the cookies. When people asked her if she was going to take Skeleton down and put on lights mom said she didn't need to put up lights: Skelly glows in the Dark. It's the perfect year round decoration.

Dad said: "No! Seriously, the neighbors are talking."
Mom: "Are they talking about me being a crazy voo-doo queen?"
Dad: "Well, the word crazy was mentioned."

So mom told dad he could take it down. Dad found out why mom didn't take it down. The string got all tangled on the hook and the hook got bent and mom couldn't reach it to set it free. Dad considered becoming a crazy VooDoo King but he finally got it free.

When they brought it in the house-I did not like it. It was too spooky. I thought since it was made out of bones it would be good to eat, but it made a scary rattlely noise and even though I am a brave, serious pup-I am not going near that skeleton. Mom better put it back in the closet.

You Know What?

Do you know what tastes really good? Paper! That's right. Paper! It comes in most trash cans and it comes in different thickness. There is thick like carboard which tastes like pizza. There is the ever popular homework flavored paper. There is even a tissue thin one that is also quite tastee. I always make sure I shred some paper all over the house at least twice a day. The best time is right after mom has cleaned up all the paper.I highly recommend it.

Secret Family Receipe

Well, momma finally made Deerghetti. It was so good. It tasted like spaghetti, only with deer in it. I snuck into the kitchen while mom was cooking so I got her secret reciepe.

First: Get some deer meat. Get some ground deer meat. Mom got ours from Luke. I don't know where you can get yours from, maybe at the store. You can also use other meat as well, like hamburger or sausage. But we didn't get to the store yet this week. All we had was deer.

Chop up an onion and some garlic. You could rub your pot with garlic before you start to brown the meat. Mom likes to use the big casserolle pot. (Yes! you can cook with them on your stove top). Brown the onion and garlic and all the meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper and oregano and basil and garlic salt and onion salt and any seasoning you like. Don't go crazy crazy with the spices. It takes practice to get it right. You can be like mom and when anyone complains you just say: "Well, then next time you can cook."

After you are done browning, dump a jar of sauce in. Sure, mom could tell you how to make home made spaghetti sauce but mom doesn't really like to cook and besides deerghetti is a quick meal. So just get your favorite Sauce from a jar and put some more spices in it. (But, don't put sugar in it. Sugar really isn't that good of a secret ingriedent-everyone already knows it's sugar).

While you are busy browning and seasoning you should have another big pot of water boiling away. This is for the noodles. Here is what mom knows about noodles: The thicker the sauce, the fatter the noodles. So if all you have in the cupboard is skinny angel hair then you want a really thin sauce or the noodle won't hold it. Mom had some springs. A medium noodle. Boil your noodles for about 10 minutes. Taste one to see if it's ok. (Don't throw it against the wall-if it's not your house. Some people spend lots of money on their kitchen walls and don't appriciate noodle stains ).

When your noodles taste done and your sauce is boiling mix the noodles in the sauce and say: "Come and Get it!"

I say yum.

This is mom's receipe for the month. Feel free to share one of your secret family receipes.

Solutions

I told mom she just needed to take a day off and be alone and just let her mind wander all over the place and she would feel better.She managed to find solutions to all her worries, or at least managed to put her problems into perspective and not worry over them. I told her she needs to be like a dog and just worry over bones.

Now I want to know: Where is my Deerghetti!?

Windy

It was an extremely windy day today. It made it hard for me to patrol the back yard. Mom said she would have to hold on tight to me or else I would fly away. I think I would like to be a dog kite. Then I could look down into the trees and see where all those nasty squirrels are hiding. But, mom is not letting me fly away. Mom is starting to feel in a better mood, but she is still a little distracted. Maybe if she spends all day with me tomorrow that will get her back on track. (ps. I heard we might be eating deerghetti tomorrow for dinner!)

Vacuums

Mom would like to know how a doggie who can bark down a bear (a real live wild bear) without a second thought, and then see a vacuum and jump over the couch to get out of the room. Even before the vacuum is turned on!

Bears are just silly. Vacuums are EVIL!