A fun day!

This morning mommy gave us our brushings right after breakfast. And daddy was still home. That's unusual. I knew something must be up. Next, a lady came into our house! Hershey was furry excited, and the lady was furry happy to see us. I liked her a lot! I guess mommy and daddy liked her, too, because we all got in the car togefur! The lady sat in mommy's seat, and mommy sat in back with me and Hershey. Hershey was hogging mommy's lap, so I just went to sleep.

When we stopped, I recognized the smells. We were in the same town we went to on our last adventure, where some of the trees aren't trees but vines. The hoomans ate, and we walked around meeting people and doggies until it was time to head back home. That's a furry nice place. I wonder why we don't just live there?

My furst adventure!

I thought I had the routine at my new home pretty well figured out. Most days, we get up early and send daddy off to work (whatevfur that is) and hang out all day with mommy until he gets home. Some days daddy doesn't go to work, and we might nap all day or we might go to Fort Fun if the weather is nice. That's about it.

But today was way different! We all got up early, but daddy didn't go to work. Instead he took a bunch of stuff out of a closet and loaded it in the car. Some of it smelled yummy!! Then Hershey and I got buckled in our harnesses and mommy and daddy both got in the car and we took off! I figured it might be a long ride, so I curled up fur a nap.

When I woke up we were not in the city anymore. I saw lots of big trees, and lots and lots of little trees. Mommy said those little ones aren't trees at all, they're grape vines. I don't know, but the air in that place smells furry sweet! We went to a place with lots of tables and chairs and lots of furry friendly people. Hershey and I got some water and some treats and lots of attention. Nice place!

Then we got back in the car and I napped again until we stopped. We were at another place with tables and chairs outside. More friendly people wanted to say hello and pet us! It was warm out, and mommy said she could stay there furever, but finally we moved on.

This time we just took a short ride into a town. Mommy and Hershey and I found a bench, and daddy went shopping. We met more people and a few other doggies, and then daddy came back with a bag that smelled REALLY good!! And then we took another short ride. Wen we got out there were tables and benches again, and big trees and those little trees that grow grapes. Mommy and daddy picked out a table and daddy laid out all the food he had bought fur them. They had a picnic, mommy said. Hershey and I had a picnic, too. Daddy had more treats fur us, and someone had also left some food in the grass around the table fur us! I like picnics!

When we were all done eating, mommy took some pictures and then it was time to head fur home. We were all tired, but I think I'm the only one who napped until we got there! When I woke up, it wasn't warm and blue anymore at all, but foggy and cold and drippy. I knew we were home then!

The best-laid plans...

Today was supposed to be furry special. My Furst Big Adventure, mommy said. All week long she's been telling me about it. We were going on a Big Car Ride! I love riding in the car!! We were going up to the place where the wine doggies live! I don't know them, but she says it's furry nice up there. She says it smells sweet, and the people love doggies and we would have a picnic! I don't know what a picnic is, but she promised I'd like it. She bought me a special water bottle fur traveling, and a special leash fur sitting at tables with mommy and daddy while they eat. Outdoors!! She got out the Doggie Travel Bag that has the special treats in it. I can smell them!! She said we'd all be getting up early fur breakfast and brushings, and then we'd GO!!

Mommy got up early. Daddy said his throat hurt. Mommy took her shower, and daddy fed us and took us out. Then daddy plopped on the couch.

Mommy said "Are we going?" Daddy said *grunt*. Daddy said *sniff*. Daddy said *grumble*.

It's a spectacular day, sunny and blue and warm. I have a new leash and a new water bottle, and I'm all brushed up and packed and ready to go!

Daddy and Hershey are snoring on the couch.

::sigh::

Report card

Have I told you about the Wag Hotel? It's a place where mommies and daddies take their doggies to play. The people there are furry nice, but the best part is meeting all the other furs. I've been there twice now! This time I got a Report Card:

"Winkie is a great dog! He roamed around during Playgroups, making sure to say hi to everyone. He made a couple of buddies in Kai and Hershey the Samoyed. We hope Winkie and Hershey come back again soon!"

That's right, I met a big white doggie with the same name as my brofur! BOL!!

My Furst Barkday

"Did you have fun on your birthday, Winkie-dink?"

"What barkday, mommy?"

"You remember, Winks, it was just last weekend!"

"Last weekend? Mommy, I'm a dog! I can barely remember the last place I scratched!"

"C'mon, Sweetie, your friends want to hear about your big day."

*sniff* Okay, mommy, but after this we need to write stuff down RIGHT AWAY.

My Barkday was on Saturday. Saturdays are different. On Saturday the pawrents sleep later, and we don't have to say bye-bye daddy after breakfast. But last Saturday, we all went bye-bye! Me and Hershey and mommy and daddy all got in the car, and we went all the way across town. Then we stopped and got out at a place that smelled all doggy. Hershey still doesn't really talk to me, but I could tell he was furry excited! We went inside, and there were furry nice people who pet us and loved on us and got all excited with us! Then we went this way and mommy and daddy went that way. The next thing I knew I was off-leash in a big room full of other doggies to PLAY WITH!!! So I played and sniffed and sniffed and played and chased and ran around and then I found Hershey (who mostly lounges!), and I crashed!

Later mommy and daddy came to get us, and then we all went to the doggy store and I got to pick out a new toy! Of course I got a squeaky, BOL!! Hershey got a new toy, too, and we both got big cookies that looked like ice cream cones! We got to eat them when we got home, and they were SO GOOD! Then I got my toy and I went squeak-squeak-squeak all ovfur the place, and mommy and daddy played with me until I just dropped, BOL!!

I should probably say that even though I'm a grown-up dog, this was my furst actual barkday. Nobody knows when or where I was acfurrily born. But the vet dogtor looked at my toofies and said I might be four or five. I play like a puppy, so mommy and daddy decided I'll be four. I was turned in to the animal shelter last year on April 14, so they decided that would be my barkday! I liked it a lot!! I wanna do it again!!

First Trip to the Groomer!

Well, this was a most unusual day! After daddy went bye-bye, mommy put our leashes on and took us fur a ride in the car! Hershey knew where we were going, as usual, and as usual, he didn't tell me.

It wasn't a long ride. We got out of the car and walked a block or so, and into a place where you can smell all kinds of doggies! Kitties, too! Mommy talked to a nice lady there. Mostly they talked about me. Then mommy said "Be good, boys!" and she left! I would have started crying, but the nice lady opened another door, and on the other side were a bunch of other doggies! OMD I love meeting new doggies!!!

I can't tell you evfurrything that went on. Hershey says, "What happens at the groomer stays at the groomer!" But I got a bath, and then I got my hair cut, all ovfur!! So did Hershey! We were there almost all day, and then mommy came to take us home. The nice lady told mommy I was furry good and stood still and didn't mind anything except fur when she was shaving my nosey. She likes me a lot, and I like her, too! I hope we go back again!

Mommy took pictures so you can see my new haircut. She's furry excited about it. Mommies are strange.

Auntie Myrna

There is a lady who comes to our house sometimes. Hershey calls her Auntie Myrna, and mommy says she's my auntie, too. But she's not a real auntie, just a friend of mommy and daddy's who likes doggies. So she comes and knocks on the door after we get our brushings, and she takes Hershey and mommy takes me and we go fur a Big Walk. She came once last week, and twice this week!

Here's the thing about Auntie Myrna. She gives out treats! We get one when we get to the big grassy place, and one fur walking around it once, and another fur walking around it again, and sometimes just because she feels like it! We're supposed to sit like gentlemen whenefur we get treats, but Hershey furgets his manners when it's Auntie Myrna. He jumps up! See, they used to go out without mommy, so Hershey got away with stuff. But not any more, BOL!!

When Auntie Myrna wants to give me a treat, Hershey tries to take it! Mommy says Bad Hershey! But I don't think he listens. She says I listen better than he does, and I'm deaf, BOL!!!

I'm not sure Hershey likes me going on his Auntie Myrna walks.

The Big Walk

Today mommy took me and Hershey on a furry Big Walk! I could tell Hershey knew where we were going, but he doesn't really talk to me. We went out our door like always, but we crossed the street and went up some stairs (I'm getting good at stairs!) and right out of our neighborhood! There's a big, busy street up there, and that's what we headed down. Mommy kept us close.

We walked and walked and walked. We passed a place with lots of people milling around, and lots of dropped food in the nice deep grass by the sidewalk. Mommy wouldn't let us have any, but I think Hershey snagged something. Then we passed a place with lots of cars parked and driving in and out. That went on and on and on. I saw lots of people, but none of them stopped to pet me. We didn't stop much either. Hershey was on a mission.

Finally we went back down some more stairs, and Hershey was getting so excited he wanted us all to run! Mommy doesn't run. We kept walking, and soon I began to sniff all kinds of enticing things! Food, and treats, and other doggies, and toys! We crossed a street and through a door and OMD! We were in doggy heaven! The people inside pet us and gave us treats, and we smelled all kinds of food and treats and saw evfurry kind of toy you can imagine! I thought Hershey might go clean out of his mind! BOL!!

We didn't stay nearly long enough. Mommy got some little tennis balls, the kind that fit in my mouth best, and a stick to throw them with. The people gave us some more treats, and then we started fur home. We got another shot at the dropped-food zone, but to tell you the truth we were both pretty tired. It felt good to get back home to an apple slice and my nice soft bed. I wonder when we'll take the new balls out to play?

Dog of the Day!!!

OMD! Not this day (as Zaidie would say), but yesfurday when we came to Dogster, mommy went "OH!!" She said, "Winkie, look! You're Dog of the Day!!" OMD, I had rosies and crowns amd messages and pup pal requests all ovfur the place!! Mommy was so happy, and she said as soon as I sent out all my thank-you's, we could go fur a BIG WALK! :0)

And then something happened. Mommy started making faces at her confuser, and then she started yelling at it, and then she picked up the phone to call the confuser guys at her office, and the phone was dead. Ut-oh. That started a lot of calls on her little phone, and meanwhile I'm wondering, What happened to my Big Walk???

It nevfur happened. Mommy kept trying this confuser and that confuser and this phone and that phone and talktalktalking to people, and befure we knew it, it was just time for me and Hershey to GO OUT!!!! So all we got was a short "business walk." Grrrrrr.

It turns out somebody working around here cut our phone line. I don't know what that has to do with Dogster, but apparently they're connected. So I just finished all my thank-you's today. I won't list evfurry name here, but I do want to thank Flicka fur my commemorative plaque. I'm gonna keep it as my main piccie today, just because I couldn't pick it up until after everyfur went to bed last night! Thanks to all and all and all of you, and to Dogster fur choosing me!!!

Red-Letter Day!

This was a furry unusual day! Furst, it rained all day. It's nevfur done that since I've been here. Of course Hershey and I had to go outside anyway, but you've nevfur seen such a short walk! And when we got back we got rubbed and rubbed and wiped and wiped. Appawrently mommy is fussy about the carpet and furniture.

So it was a long lazy day until daddy got home. He only wanted to take us out one at a time, because of the drying-off part. Hershey went furst, and then me. It was another short walk and more rubbing and wiping after. Then mommy took my collar and put a new jingly on it! My license! I'm an actual dog now, as far as the City of San Francisco is concerned!

I was so excited and wound up that, I took a dive into the toy pile and came up with a stuffie, one of the fluffy bears that Molly and her fambly sent. And as soon as I started to work him ovfur, Hershey came up to play, too! He's nevfur done that befure! We dodged, we weaved, we wagged and pounced, we chased each other around and it was FUN!! Mommy and daddy were furry happy! I didn't think he had it in him, BOL!!!