You better be good...

Mommy has been telling us for weeks now, that we had better be good or Santa Claus won't bring us anything. I tried to be on my very best behavior, since I had asked Santa for a pretty big gift. I went to see Santa to tell him the truth, I sometimes was naughty, but mostly a goof. I really expected him to answer my wish and bring something much more than a ball or a stick. I wanted a brother you see, one who was smaller than me. Someone to teach all I had learned and help me bug Roxy and make daddy squirm. But Santa must have thought I was bad and this Christmas morning I was very sad.

I couldn't believe that Roxy and Duke got gifts too, they had been naughty the whole year through. In fact just last night, on Christmas Eve, I thought for sure they'd done their last deed. Mom and Dad had gone out and when they came home, Roxy was mad and she wasn't alone. Duke and She began to destroy every last hope of getting a toy. They tore at the carpet and chewed on the door, Mommy was screaming, she couldn't take it anymore. But all was forgiven quickly that night as she tucked us in bed and disappeared out of sight. At midnight I swear I heard bells on the roof, I wanted to peek, but didn't dare look.

This morning we found our gifts outside the door, there were treats and bones and balls and more, but there was no new faces to greet us, no brothers at all. I wondered, why Santa had bothered at all. Roxy and Duke were excited to eat their new gifts, so Mommy fed us and gave us some treats. I forgot all my sadness. But now as I sit with my belly so full, I wonder if next year I should ask for a pool? You see a brother might be fun for a day or two, but then they grow bigger and stinkier too. I'd rather keep Roxy and Duke to myself. I think Santa has my best interests at heart, so Santa thank you for my new squeaky squirrel and duck, and Roxy and Duke and my Mom and Dad too, this is the best Christmas ever all thanks to you.

Happy Halloween

I love halloween, well not the dressing up part. I could pass on all that, but the treats are great. Mommy and Daddy dressed me as a Lady Bug, and my cousin Tatum was a Hot Dog. Roxy and Duke didn't get to dress up cause they are too grown up. When I grow up I won't have to dress up either. But let me tell you about the treats, we went to the costume parade in La Quinta and I got a ribbon for being Spooktackular. The flyball people where there too. I got some treats and some new doggie foods to try. We didn't get to go trick or treating cause Mommy and Daddy had to work, but they both brought home treats, so we didn't miss out. Mommy said next year we will go trick or treating at Victoria Gardens.

Happy Birthday

Today was my first birthday, Mommy and Daddy went all out. I had a party and a birthday cake. It was so yummy, I ate it all in under 3 minutes and I didn't share with my brother or sister. I really think we should have cake more often. I got 2 new toys and some cookies too. I can't wait for my next birthday.

Graduation

I did it. After 8 weeks of hard work and about a million pounds of treats I finally graduated beginners class at PetSmart. I now and proud to announce I can sit and stay for 3o seconds (sometimes longer), I can lay down and stay too, I can leave things I really want behind at mommies command, I can play dead, and I can walk like a nice lady on my leash. I will begin intermediate class on the 10th of August. Mommy hopes before we start class I will master how to shake. Look out one studious doggie is on the loose and I got skills to prove it.

Proper vocabulary is so important

When we were in Yosemite I saw an animal and her cub doing something that had me completely hornswoggled. I watched and watched but couldn't make sense of it, so I asked mommy about it. She watched them too and became quite hornswoggled also. So we went to ask daddy, he watched and decided this behavior we saw was too hornswoggling for a human mind. I had to ask the animals themselves what they were doing. I went up to them and said "bark,bark bark?" You wouldn't believe the look of pure hornswoggle on their faces. It was like I was speaking gibberish or something, kind of like I feel now, using our vitamin vocabulary word on the month.
Anyway I never did find out what that bear and her cub were up too.

The Heist (as written by daddy)

I noticed that several of the newest toys were missing from the vault, and decided to do a little investigating. I rounded up the usual suspects, the Otter, the Monkey, and Mrs. Big. I noted earlier that the Monkey had gotten into my lap three times but then scampered away shortly after, I realized that that it was all just a diversion, I had been had, and they'd gotten away with the loot. The only sad part is that their stash wasn't hidden too well as it seems the fence got in their way.

Attack of the man in the white coat

I went to the vet. After my last encounter with the vet I was less than thrilled to be there again. It all began with the shot (antihistamine) to keep the allergic reaction from being too severe. (I am allergic to vaccines, mommy thinks it is the Leptospirosis vaccine, but who knows). Then I feel so sleepy, so I curl up in mommies lap, when I wake up I am on the shiny silver table and the man in the white coat is shoving the thermometer in places it shouldn't be. Where is my mommy? Nowhere to be found, how dare she let them do this to me. Next they give me the shots, in my rump on both sides, they hurt. I cried! I want my mommy. The man in the white coat pulls on my ears. They put some wet stuff in my ears, it smells like mommies shower. Then they give me a piece of cheese but I am smart and I know there is a pill in there. When they were not looking I spit it out. They take me back to mommy. My face is swollen from the vaccines. And my ears are itchy. Mommy says I got the ear infection and have to take medicine at home. I hate medicine. Also I got to go see the vet in 2 more weeks.

Tri-tip BBQ

The Tri-tip, which is well-regarded by most Californians but of small renown elsewhere, is exclusively an item of barbecue. Butchers call this Bottom Sirloin. The roast itself weighs somewhere in the vicinity of a kilogram. Presented in the supermarket butcher's tray, it looks vaguely triangular, and vaguely like the African continent. The Sahara is the thickest part (two to three inches) and it tapers down gently as we proceed south. It is usually packaged with a half-inch-thick slab of fat attached.

The history of tri-tip begins in Santa Maria, California when Larry Viegas a butcher, was a summer vacation replacement at the old Safeway store. He was cutting large beef loins into sections of preferred top block sirloin and filet; the triangular shaped tips of the sirloin were set aside. He would cut it up in chunks for stew meat, and sometimes it would be used for hamburger. But that day there was an overabundance of hamburger and stew meat, and the triangular cut was about to be wasted.

In the pinch, meat market manager experimented. He bought a piece of the unwanted meat, seasoned it with salt, pepper and garlic salt, and placed it on a rack in his department's rotissiere. He just let it go around... for 45 minutes or an hour. The cut was so tender and delicious, the corporate supervisor came to sample it himself. He was told it was a new cut with a texture of its own and a flavor all its own. And at the time its cost was significantly less than what was being charged for the traditional cuts of beef--about 90 cents a pound versus $1.90 - $1.95 a pound for top sirloin. They dubbed it "tri tip" and began giving samples to customers and occasionally selling a cooked piece. Word of mouth created the glory and popularity tri-tip has reached today.

Here is my favorite tri-tip recipe;
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tri-tip steak, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
Prepare a fire in a barbecue. When coals are hot, adjust rack so it is about 3 inches from the coals.
Combine the garlic salt, pepper, and salt and rub over the meat. Sear the meat over hot coals for about 6 minutes per side, turning once. Adjust the rack so the meat is farther from coals, about 6 or 8 inches, and continue to cook meat, turning once or twice, until done to your liking, 20 to 30 minutes. Slice meat across grain and serve.

Mommy found

Mommy went to grandma's house this whole weekend for a women's bible conference. I am not sure what that is but she came home very happy. I missed her all weekend, but it was nice to have daddy all to myself. Even though I was worried, we ate people food and play video games and had pals over. But Mommy wasn't home after work on Friday so I didn't get to go to the playground. I didn't get to see jack or barley or liberty at all this week. I hope Monday I can go to the playground. Duke says when mommy is gone and she comes back she always give lots of treats so I am waiting for that.

Missing Mommy

Missing Mommy, last seen Friday April 11th 2008 6:45am. Daddy and I dropped mommy off to work, she had her suitcases, she did not come home. Have any of you seen my mommy. I am getting worried about who will cuddle me and put me to bed on time. I hope she comes home soon, I love daddy and all but I miss my momma. If you see her please tell her to come home right away.