What? Don't Pennie and I get asked?

This morning there was a second knock at the front door. The first knock was the Dryer Repair Man. Mom let the Dryer Repair Man in through the garage, straight into the Utility Room, without allowing Pennie to smell him at all! He installed a new electronic device into the dryer. Pennie played no role in any of this. The dryer dries again, but who knows what was actually installed? No doubt a self-timed bomb, that will go off a some inconvenient point, since Pennie was not allowed her usual thorough inspection.

The second knock came from a neighbor up the street -- suspicious into itself for it was a Red-Head. Mom is a mostly gray, but natural Red Head. Who knows what this Young Red Head is like; Mom has proven that Red-Heads are formidable foes, even after going to gray.

Anyway, the Red-Head Neighbor had a Strange Dog with her. She asked Mom if she recognized the Strange Dog, for it just showed up in her yard. Mom did not recognize Strange Dog, and indeed due to long black hair, it was not even recognizable if Strange Dog was a Male or Female. Red-Head Neighbor's Dog, Roscoe, is not overly friendly to other dogs (probably is stressed from his own life with a Red-Head,) so Red-Head Neighbor did not want to invite Strange Dog into her own house.

This is what Mom offered: "If you can't find Strange Dog's home, drop him off here, and he can stay in the utility room and I'll take him to the vet to see if he has a micro-chip."

WHAT!!!!!

Neither Pennie nor I wish to have Strange Dog spending time in the Utility Room! Isn't it bad enough to have a new Electronic Device installed in the Dryer without also having a Strange Dog?

So far Red-Head Neighbor has not returned with Strange Dog so hopefully he has found his home and now all Pennie and I have to worry about is the Dryer exploding.

Unpacking Groceries

Mom went to the Target on Tuesday, and the regular grocery store on Wednesday -- seems that having the Lads home from school over Christmas Break used up a lot of supplies! The refrigerator sure looked clean, but the emptiness was haunting.

Pennie and I decided to help Mom, since she had so many items to put away. As Mom was busy arranging cans in the cupboard, she heard a strange scuffle.

She turned around, and I had powder sugar all over my whiskers and snout. Pennie did not have detectable powder sugar, as she has white at the end of her snout; alas my snout is white only on one side.

Pennie and I had found the box of mini powder sugar donuts! Neither of us would confess who had the ingenious idea, but I will pass along that the cellophane window in the top of the powder sugar donut box is amazingly easy to shove a snout through to get to the donuts.

Just as Mom discovered the crime, I made a strange sound and threw up two small powder sugar donuts right at Mom's feet. The donuts were still practically intact! Obviously I must have been making a real pig of myself! The donuts were still so intact that Mom could have just patted them dry a bit and put them back in the box and no one would have been wiser.

Mom banished me to the crate! Pennie was NOT banished. Pennie is fortunate to be blessed with a stronger stomach.

Nasal Collage Removal

Dad removed the Nasal Snot Collage from the Van. Pennie and I worked very hard at that piece. Pennie, in particular, deserves a Michelangelo Award -- he may have had to lay on his back to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but Pennie imprinted her nose on the front windshield by being flung into the windshield when she saw a deer or squirrel while Mom was driving and turning a corner.

Alas, Mom was complicit in Dad's removal of the Nasal Snot Collage -- with the Low Winter Sun shining through the van, the rays reflect strangely off of our artwork, making it difficult to see out the window. I think that is stupid -- it has been nothing but rain for days and days on end, so that is no reason to ruin our art, just for the few moments of sun that may peak through before Spring arrives.

Shelter Happy Beginning Posting

My Mom sent in a picture and update to the Shelter where I spent my exile before Adoption. Following is the link.


http://circletail.net/index.php?page=happy-beginn ings

(Note: I have tried to fix the link: if there are any space between the letters in "beginnings", it has to be removed. Santa must have the internet overloaded with last minuted Naughty/Nice pupdates.)

Spewing Sophie

My Mom has Zero Maternal Instincts. Yes, Zero.

Mom was talking on the phone; in an unusual display of hope for a gift from Santa (it's too late to get on the Nice List, Mom;) she was listening politely to someone from the Bank asking her to sign up for another Credit Card. Mom quickly announced: "I have to go. My dog is throwing up."

Yes, there I was, spewing forth onto the kitchen floor. I left a little Sophie Spew Trail on the way out the front door, but managed to miss the rugs. Strange. I almost always throw up on the rugs.

After a bit, Mom felt sorry for me out shivering in the cold rain, so she let me back inside and proceeded to eat her lunch.

Obvious to anyone with Maternal Instincts, I was under duress, and needed to sit on Mom's lap and be snuggled. Mom was trying to eat her bowl of rice, and I kept hopping up into her lap, in need of comfort. Mom kept pushing me away, and forcing me onto the floor! She said she didn't want Sophie Spew Breath and Mouth near her lunch!

I simply don't understand that woman.

Subterranean Sophie

In the middle of the night, I crawled up from my usual sleeping spot, and burrowed under the blankets, down to the same exact spot, except UNDER the blankets.

Mom does not like Subterranean Sophie. She doesn't mind so much when I find my spot, curl up in my Sophie ball, and go to sleep. Mom just thinks it is creepy to see the blankets moving while I walk around under them. It reminds her of movies where someone gets some horrid bug infestations (like the Scarab Beetles in "The Mummy,) and one can see them moving around under the skin.

I don't care what Mom thinks. If I want to burrow, then I will burrow.

Conducting Interviews, then Mom got home

Mom left. Abandoned me. I thought she was gone for good.

On Tuesday night before Thanksgiving, Mom, Dad, and Middle Lad headed off for a High School Marching Band Trip. Their destination was Philadelphia, to march in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. Mom and Dad did not march. They just yelled at teenagers, taped doors, counted teenagers, and got very little sleep. The band then headed to Washington DC for an "educational" experience.

Oldest Lad and Pennie were left in charge of Little Lad and Wee Lass.

By Thursday I had given up on Mom and figured I might as well start interviewing new moms. Pennie was distraught from over-work, but did not seem worried that Mom would not return. I was taking no chances. Sure Pennie can be Nannie Pennie, Tutor Pennie, Nurse Pennie, and any one of a million other jobs, but I, Queen Sophine, am of a more delicate nature. By Thursday I was already tired of working my paws to the bone caring for the family.

Oldest Lad took Pennie, Me, Wee Lass, and Little Lad up to the park to play. I immediately honed in on two Mom-ly looking woman who were also at the park. I did my best charming and fawning, OR as Oldest Lad put it "whoring around." I was pretty sure one of those two woman would take me in.

Oldest Lad texted Mom that I was interviewing new Moms already, and Mom was a bit perturbed, but too busy loading students on buses after they shot some sort of Disney Video to come home and show me she cared.

Finally today, Mom just appeared! I ignored her completely for a long time. I fully greeted Dad and Middle Lad. Finally I decided to grant Mom a little Sophie time, and sat in her lap, pressing into her so hard that she was certain that a 33 pound dog could not produce that much density. I shall have to let the Interviewees know that I am no longer "looking," but in the meantime, I shall make sure Mom knows that I am unhappy with her.

One Year Anniversary of Gotcha Day

Today marks one year since I joined my new family. I have never revealed to any soul how I managed to be exiled to the Shelter. I am just thankful that unlike other famous Royalty who have been exiled, I did not suffer a tragic fate. Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the Isle of Elba, and later exiled to the isle of Saint Helene, where he succumbed to either stomach cancer or poisoning.

Instead, I was rescued from my exile at the Shelter by Oldest Lad, as his first Foster Dog, and became Rental Dog Sophie. Mom and Dad were so smitten by my charms that arrangements were made for me to permanently join the family.

Now for one year I have been able to assume the role befitting my personality, as Queen Sophine. Despite Pennie constantly complaining that I never lift a paw around the house, I do help out. I am always up with Mom to help manage the Lads and Wee Lass, and I am quite good at providing Compression Therapy. Maybe I am "Management" as opposed to being "Working Class," such as Pennie, but some must be the organizers -- what company can run adequately without a CEO?

I eagerly await the showering of gifts and attention that my family will no doubt bestow upon me today, as they express their gratitude for me as part of the family.

What About our SPOTS?

Mom has had to move the Wee Lass Play Table into the Family Room. The Play Table used to be in the Living Room, where there was room to spread out toys like trains and Duplos and not impede the general flow of traffic throughout the house. Unfortunately, Wee Lass got herself Banished from the Living Room. The house was getting extremely hot. Dad and Mom were very worried that the thermostat was dying. That is until Mom discovered one day, when she thought she was having a Hot Flash, that it was actually Wee Lass -- Wee Lass was taking the Duplo Bins over to the thermostat, stacking up the bins, standing on them, and then playing with the Thermostat. It explained why it was 87 degrees and Mom was having a Heat Stroke as opposed to a Hot Flash. In addition, the Thermostat is located right next to the Curio Cabinet that Dad inherited from his Grandma. Wee Lass could easily have fallen off the Duplo bins and crashed into the glass doors, and then Dad would have had to take Wee Lass to the Emergency Room, after he finished beating Wee Lass with the broken Curios.

It was just best to move the Play Table.

Anyhoodles, the Play Table was impeding traffic flow in the Family Room/Dining Area/Kitchen aka Open Floor Plan.

Mom and Dad decided to MOVE FURNITURE. What? They can't just decide to move the Sophie Spot and the Pennie Spot without asking! One moment our Spots are all arranged and the next moment who knows where we shall take our next nap! Where is the best napping spot to keep an eye out the window? I had my afternoon schedule all worked out and suddenly I have to find a new Throne.

To express our general displeasure, while Mom and Dad were moving furniture, Pennie and I decide to have a major Play Battle in the middle of the room. We leapt over ottomans, couches, chairs, and enjoyed ourselves, while adding to the mayhem. At least Mom did find a few stale Goldfish crackers in the couch cushions for me to munch on.

Busted! Off Leash

Oldest Lad, Housemate One, Housemate Two, and Daisy stopped by again today to take Pennie and Me for an outing. Instead of the Natural Preserve park, we went to another park. We ran up and down the trails, and once again Oldest Lad forced me to go off-trail, into the woods. I did find lots of things to munch on, however, probably Deer Poop, but I'll never tell -- let's just call it Trail Mix.

After walking through the woods, we went out into a big field to play ball. That's when the Park Ranger caught us! I barked and barked at him, trying to tell him that it was not MY idea to be off-leash, that I am a law-abiding dog, and did not want to off-trail or off-leash! Regardless, Oldest Lad was given a Warning and told that next time he would get a ticket.

See? It's best to play by the rules, whether it means to stay on the trail, or to stay On-Leash.