What's love got to do with it?

Mom likes that song by someone named Tina Turner. Says that's the kind of old lady she wishes she was! I like Mom just the way she is......but that's not why I'm here.

I noticed my last entry was one year ago and I was then 63 pounds........now I am 68. I keep asking if things make my butt look too big, but no one responds and Mom just gives me a strange look and says she wished she weighed double that! I don't know what that means, but Mom thinks it's the peanut butter treats and lack of exercise.........and she keeps repeating if your dog is too heavy, then you both need more exerc ise. But this snow continues and Mom has to put on her snowshoes just to walk us around the property and well, we're all kinda over the bad weather.

But that's not why I'mhere, either. I'm here to tell ya all what love has to do with it. Read on:

I've made a new friend via the internet - isn't it wonderful for virtual friendships? Not a substitute for the real butt to sniff, but still.....her name is Eve and she's around five or six years old and blind. She's
a big girl - a white Samoyed - who was found on Christmas Eve - hence her name - and taken to the local shelter. She was fostered by a wonderful family and adopted this week by another wonderful family who lost their beloved dog in early January of this year.

She's learning her way around her new house and, from what I hear and Mom reads, having a great time. It's so wonderful that loving, compassionate people saw her for what she really is and weren't turned off by her handicap; indeed, I doubt Eve thinks she's handicapped at all.

A big thank you to her foster people andher new family for giving Eve a great new home. I gotta go cause some mischief now, but did you get the point of what LOVE has to do with it??? See ya! Zoe Noel

Officially, I am a BBW

Oh, dear, I don't now how to take it. I was weighed yesterday at the vet's and I TIP ? the scales at 63 big ones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Mom says I'm a Big Beautiful Woman now and not her Little Girl anymore. I don't think I like that. Vet says I'm not overstuffed - just right for my breed mix. But I wanna be my mom's Little Girl. I'm gonna ask her to keep calling me that anyway.

Mom said she had no idea I weighed that; Dad said he did ' cause I jump onto his lap a lot more than hers. Well, should I join Weight Watchers for Canines?
Should I spurn all the treats I'm offered - not that many! Should I take the high road and refuse any goodies?

Heck, no! My main pleasure in life is FOOD. So I guess it's up to Mom to ration things to keep me from gaining.

ilovefoodilovefoodilovefoodilovefoodilovefoodilovefoodil ovefoodilovefood

Pardon me, I'm tired typing - need to go look for some crumbs somewhere - there must be some as they don't vacuum THAT often!

Define PERFECT DAY: me playing in the river

What a great day. Mom took me for a walk downtown and then to the river near the play hole for the kayakers. I fell in. That's the second time I've done that and I don't know why. Anyway, we meandered on the path and when we passed under the bridge, I met a German SHepherd Dog named Sarge. I asked if I should salute. He laughed and said, "Nah. I'm not a real sarge, just a pretend one. My trainer named me that 'cause I was raised and trained in a prison."

Hmmm, I though, I should mind my manners since Sarge is "trained." But, hey, what the heck? I acted in my usual topsy- turvy fashion, running up and down the rocks, running in and out of the shallow water by the edge and letting Sarge chase me. He kinda liked the water part, but not the rocks. That's okay; I enjoyed the time running around with him so much. I hope I meet up with him there again someday.

I heard Mom say she was going to take turns, as in take Jesse the next time, then Dusty, before she gets to me. Geez, by then they'll be ice on the river. Why can't I go EVERY day and she can just leave the BOYS at home? Huh? Huh? Huh?

Mom says I can act like a DIVA sometimes, like it's all about me. Isn't it????

Have I found my true calling?

Whoa, Mom and me and Jess and Dusty just came in from our morning walk around the field. Jess wanted to retriee tennis balls as usual and Mom, as usual, threw one for me, too, never expecting I'd return it. But I did - 10 times. It's so easy to make her happy! Now of course, Mom is wondering if I'll continue to do this as it's the first time in my 11 months of life I've ever done this. I'm so glad I made Mom happy.

I even amazed her last night, too. I knew she and Dad were leaving for the evening, so I walked into my crate and lay down and waited. Mom went to look for me to put me in my crate and there I was - as proud as could be! She even brought it up as a topic of conversation at the dinner - she's a hopeless case!

Am I finally getting things together or is this a short-lived time in my young life?
Zoe Noel

So I slid on my face down a hill?

Yes, I managed to slide down an embankment the other day. My legs were going too fast and I took a tumble and soon my face was making contact with the dirt and sliding downhill fast. I landed in a heap and looked a bit startled. Mom ran over to check on my condition, but I only some grass stains on my front legs. Then a young woman riding her bike over the pass came by and smothered me with concern and pets and pats. Ohh, how nice that was. I love attention. It also was the source of a lot of laughter from the bike crowd and then Mom, too. Now that kind of embarassment I can do without!

But later, we found all these pretty wildflowers and a cabin to explore. As the humans were taking photos, I wandered off and discovered lots of shallow water - my favorite kind. I ran back and forth and forth and back and they could hardly get a photo of me I was running so fast and splashing water all over. Mom promised to put some photos on the site of me doing this - let's hope she gets to it soon!!!!!

Who needs a checkbook?

Like I'm supposed to know these pieces of paper mean anything.........I was really after the leather cover, but got a bit carried away and chewed up and tore up the checkbook register. Then I proceeded to rip apart the Sunday paper. Mom was away and Dad was busy..can you tell? Neither seemed particularly pleased...........Zoe

I fell in the river and Mom laughed

Everything was fine; we went for a walk along the river and explored the area around the rarely-used railroad tracks at the east end of town. Mom let me off the leash and I sniffed to my heart's content. And since most people do NOT pick up their dogs' deposits, I had a LOT of sniffing to do. Mom kept telling me to stay away, but I'm a dog and that's what we dogs do. I had to "read" and interpret just who had been there and when.

It was REALLY, REALLY windy and so we turned back, Mom clipped me to the retractable leash and we crossed under the bridge and then scampered around on the rocks and boulders placed there to create a better whitewater experience. Mom was hoping I'd get my feet wet to get the cinders cleaned off, but no go. The Lab part says "maybe," but the beagle says "swimming is not for me."

THEN, we were standing on a big rock and the water was swirling below and I must have stood too close to the edge 'cause IN I WENT. SURPRISE. I was totally immersed and not happy. I paddled and flailed the water to find a way out; Mom just stood there chuckling - what aperverse sense of humor. I found a purchase and pulled myself out. Mom explained that she had not pushed me in and that now maybe I would like swimming since I can obviously do it!S I think not.

We looked up only to discover my antics and distress had been observed by visitors who appreciated (?) it immensely. They asked after my welfare and Mom explained that I was only sevenmonths old and that was my first total immersion in water. HOW EMBARASSING!

Dad's not happy with me........

I enjoyed chewing on his glassses. Just because he has to drive a couple hours one way to get new ones today - hey, that's life with a pup. I'm six months old now and isn't that kind of thing expected? Mom took my side................bless her heart!

I can't believe she did this to me....

Zoe: The other day she wouldn't let me bring home the smelly things I found along the road. Today she graphically "dresses" me like a goofy looking Irish leprechaun! She needs more to do, me thinks. Like taking me for more walks for starters.

Mom's reply: For ONCE you lay down to nap and I could actually "play" with some new programs. We've been out four times already and it's not even lunch time! And you didn't mention that I gave you a new chicken-flavored bone to chew on last night, Zoe.

I'm in trouble..................AGAIN

Ok, ok, so I chewed off Jesse's plastic ID tag. He's microchipped, so what's the deal? Mom said she'll put the chewed off tag in a scrapbook for Jess, but doesn't understand why Jess allows me to continually chew on his dangling tags. She ordered a stronger stainless steel one right away and vows to get me to quit doing that, but it's fun and the tags are just there and Jess doesn't mind. I wouldn't ever try it with the Dusty Dog though.

But the good news is we went for that walk I love down by the river - Mom's smiling 'cause it reminds her of Neil Young's song and she plays his stuff a LOT. When we pass the lake and those honking birds that hang out there, we descend to the river and she lets me off leash to run in the soggy places near the springs. I won't venture into the river past my "knees." Yet.

Then Whitey and Nancy showed up and we got to repeat the walk and run through the marshy places again. Whitey is a big shepherd and doesn't really PLAY, but I can run after him and he shows me new places! I like Whitey.

Then that part was over and back on the leash to walk around the lake and those strange honking birds again and meet some new dogs - all girls like me. We didn't exchange names, but maybe next time. A GOOD day and I was tired. Mom was happy because she was tired, too. So we all took naps.

I'll tell you about the Loop de Loop game I learned later.

Zoe