The Beach, The Beach, The Beach!!!!!

Today was a GREAT day. Not only did I get to spend a whole day with my dad who was home from work, but we all decided that it was such a beautiful day that we just HAD to go to the beach. It was my suggestion, and I have a lot of clout around this place, trust me....

It was so warm and sunny out there at the beach today. There were a lot more people than usual and everyone was in such a great mood. People were laughing and smiling and that just made me extra happy. Even better than that was the number of dogs on the beach, today.

Now, usually, we go to the beach and I run around like a madman through the water and play with my mom and dad. This is the first time EVER in my WHOLE LIFE that I've played with new friends on the beach.

(If you live by the beach, I highly recommend that you get your human/s to take you there at least once a week.)

I met a funny little dog that was a combination between a welsh corgi (yeah, a fellow countryman!) and a border collie. The poor guy had a head that was a regular border collie size and the body of a small corgi. He had kind of a hard time keeping up with me, but we still had fun.

Then, a little further down the beach, we met an Australian Cattle Dog who is only 9 months old (ah, I remember it well....so young, so carefree.....) and so I showed her how to dodge and duck and dive while she chased me. She was so happy to meet me, she gave me her tennis ball! Wow. Mom and Dad made me give it back, though....bummer.

We also met Lulu, a standard poodle and her brother and sister, both australian shepherds. They chased me for almost 15 minutes, during which I managed to impress everyone by being able to outrun all the dogs, despite the fact that they were twice my size. I wasn't even running at my full throttle, flat out speed. I was just teasin' those guys. I also did an impressive move when I was cornered between all the humans and the dogs. I don't know what the big deal is....I mean, all I did was levitate over two dogs' backs from a standing position. Don't these people realize what we terriers are able to do? As I was whizzing by at light speed, turning on a dime, I heard mom say something to dad about, "...ready for agility classes....." I wonder if they take place at the beach!?

I'm also learning to enjoy the water enough to go splashing further out there, though I don't like the breaking waves very much, still. They make noise and I don't like that.

I heard my mom and dad predicting that the next time we go to the beach, I'll be body surfing in on the waves. Not too sure what that means, but if it means FUN, then I'm up for it.

I was sooo happy running on the beach. I had soooo much fun.

So, that's why I was so shocked that mom and dad wanted to ruin it by hosing me off afterward. Don't they know anything about savoring an experience???

Home Depot and Coffee Bean

Today my mom took me to Coffee Bean for breakfast. We both had water and she had a croissant which looked really, really, REALLY good but I got....dog biscuits as usual. Sigh.

I was really good, sitting at her feet on the cement outside. We were in the sun, but it was cool and I had my water, so I was okay. I had fun watching all the people walk by. When one guy petted my head, I was soo excited that I made a noise that mom said sounded like a teakettle. Whatever, I had fun.....

Then, we took a little drive and went a wonderful, new place called Home Depot for paint. It was SUCH a big place. So many new smells and sounds. I wasn't too sure about the noise the big forklift made. I tried to climb up some Pergo samples to higher ground, but mom just carried me away from that particular aisle.

The paint guy was cool. He gave me a pat on the head and said I was "cute." There's that word, again.

We got our paint and went to browse the tile section when we were approached by several shrieking women, doing the teakettle thing themselves. Apparently, they've never seen a dog like me before, especially not in Home Depot. So, I had to be good and sit and let them all pet me and tell me how cute I am. Hard work, I tell ya.

Then, in the hardware aisle, I turned a corner and met Zeke, who is seven years old and a brindle boxer/pit mix. I didn't even have time to bark or whine in excitement (much to mom's relief!) He told me he was just rescued by this really nice lady and her man friend from a really bad situation with some really mean people down in Los Angeles. There is a boxer rescue place down there that he was saved by and he's been with his new mom and dad for about two weeks. He was really skinny and you could see all his bones in his back and sides. He said he's doing okay, I think he could tell I was really concerned for him. He said he's getting baked chicken and rice four times a day, and he's gained two pounds since last Thursday, which his new mom and dad think is great. It sure is nice making new friends, and I really wish Zeke a happy life. He was a really friendly, sweet guy, and quite a gentleman. Even when my mom crouched down while she was petting him, he never jumped on her like I would have done. She gave him a biiig hug, so I think she liked him as much as I did. I'd like to be like him when I'm seven. I think I have to work on my manners.....

The best part was that after we went outside again, we took a LONG walk around the whole parking lot, making sure to explore every grassy and planted area. I had soo much fun that I fell faaast asleep on the ride home. Mom said I looked like a little lamb in the back seat......

Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 17th

Today was pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. 8/10.

My day started as it usually does. When I woke up, my mom was staring at me from her side of the bed. She was looking down at me on my bed and smiling. I must have looked extra cute because she said something to my dad, and he leaned over and looked at me and smiled, too. I think maybe my beard was a little disheveled and my eyebrows were funny from sleeping on my face all night. Anyway, when I stretched a little bit and yawned a LOT, I decided it was time to "clock in" for the day and I started in on my orange rubber bone. I LOVE that thing. Strangely, it seems to follow me everywhere I go. It is almost as if there are a half dozen strewn across the house just for me when I'm in different parts of the house (or even Grandma and Grandpa's house) but that's just silly.

Anyhoo, I went downstairs with mom and she gave me two tiny cookies so something was in my sensitive tummy (I really am stringing her along on that one...cookies for "medicinal purposes"....wow, she's so gullible.) I refused to pee in the backyard (holding out for my walk) and mom got dressed. We went out the front door (ooh, my favorite door!) for our walk. I sniffed the newly discovered places. I just turned 1 and now I get why all the dogs sniff and mark...if is sooo much fun! I peed in 27 places before we reached the end of the block. The walk was nice, but we didn't play with any other dogs or puppies or kids, so it wasn't exactly PERFECT, but it was cool.

When we got back, Dad was getting dressed and I talked like a donkey to him (they LOVE that stuff.) Mom fed me my breakfast which was really yummy and then it was time for Dad to leave for work. I was very sad. I hate it when my daddy leaves for work. It means he's not coming back for, like, 8 or 9 hours. That is really a bummer because I totally LOVE my dad. I watched him go down the walkway and then kept my chin up for mom's sake and pretending not to be sad by pouncing on the orange bone. Shortly after, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, mom was doing that laundry thing, again. She keeps saying she got me from the pound specifically to help with stuff around the house, but I just get out of it by saying, "Hey, no thumbs. Would love to help you out, momsie, but I got no thumbs, okay?" Thankfully, there was a HUGE pile of towels on the floor awaiting cleaning and I dove in and made myself a little nest where I slept for a while longer....hard work being a tornado terrier.

The best part of my day (besides Dad coming home) was going to the park to play ball with my mom. She has this little stick that throws the ball really far and really fast. I LOVE IT! I ran my hairy little stick legs off at the park. I saw a yorkie from afar and was upset that I couldn't run up and say hello. But, I was good (never underestimate the controlling power you have over your humans by being very, very good when they ask you to do something.) I froze when she said stay and I waited until she put the leash on me before I started whining and talking to the yorkie. The yorkie was not impressed and practically ignored me. But, I've met him before. He's more into his looks and not getting tangled than playing, so he's not really my type of guy!

The rest of the afternoon was kind of borning. Lots of phone ringing, laundry and internet checking going on with my mom while I made sure I followed her around in case she dropped food or tried to escape without me.

My dad came home in the evening and I was happy, happy, happy!!!!! I wagged my tail right off and did a little donkey talking to keep them entertained. Dinner was great, and our evening walk was nice. Again, no dogs, so not a 10/10 day.

Around 11, I finally stopped running around like a crazed maniac and did what my mom calls a "face plant" on my bed. Whew, its hard work being cute and hairy.