I ATE the Easter Bunny, BOL!!

Yesterday Mom left me home alone. This has been happening quite a bit lately and I decided to do some exploring instead of just sit in the watch chair, watching out the window for Mom to come home.
The logical place to explore was Mom's desk. She has a HUGE desk and it is just a simple step over from my watch chair. So, I headed on over.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered a HUGE, 12 Ounce SOLID chocolate Easter bunny sitting right there on her desk. It was still all sealed up in the wrapper, even. Hmmmmmm, must be for ME!
I got it down onto the floor, I even got the wrapper open and man oh man, was it yummy!!! It was so yummy I ate the WHOLE BUNNY. Well, I did feel a single pang of regret for eating Mom's bunny so I left her a tiny, tiny piece, BOL!
Pretty soon Mom came along home from work. I forgot she got out early today! She immediately noticed my belly was HUGE...she said I looked like I was pregnant! She started looking around and sure enough, she found the wrapper lying on the floor.
Mom looked a bit closer at me...hmm, I admit, I wasn't feeling very good. My stomach HURT, my head hurt and I was all dehydrated. Mom called the vets!
Of course they said to bring me right up. I am seven pounds and that is a whole lot of chocolate for me to have eaten. They kept me there and gave me some drugs to make me puke, then gave me an iv and some other drugs AND made me eat some charcoal.
They told Mom I would have to stay there for TWO or THREE DAYS!!! Imagine that????
But, fortunately, I did puke most of the chocolate cuz Mom found me so soon, and I was feeling MUCH better that night so they said I could go home and Mom could watch me here. Besides that, my catheter was no good anymore so I couldn't get anymore fluids unless they gave me a new one.
I was SOOO happy to get home!!! Mom said I was pretty restless all night, and she took me to work today and I slept all day over there. But, I certainly welcomed my dinner tonight!!!
I suspect I will NOT be staying home alone anymore. I suspect I will be joining everyone else in my crate in the dog room, BOL!!
Happy Easter... sorry about the Easter Bunny!!!

A visit gone bad????

Today Mom's niece Susie, and her friend Chris came down to visit and to get Tanner groomed. You may remember my Christmas photos with Chris... he is my favorite male person. Actually, he is the ONLY male person I even let hold me.
Well, they came to Mom's work cuz she was working. Mom took Tanner to groom him and she told Susie she could go to the house and get Ali for a visit since Ali LOVES her the best! So, Susie and Chris came over to MY house.
Of course, NO ONE told me they were coming and I was on watch duty today! Naturally, I recognized Susie's voice so I let them in to MY house, but when I spied Chris, I wasn't sure he was supposed to be there!!! I barked and barked and barked to no avail. He came right inside with Susie and then he tried to pick me up.
Of course, I did what any smart, intelligent watch poodle would do... I ducked under Mom's desk and stayed there!!
Susie went into Mom's bedroom and got Ali and they both went back to the kennel.
I did a good job. (I think???) Hey, they left, that's the important thing, right?

My New Groomer!!!

There is no school at Julia's school this week so she came to work with her Mom on Monday and she stayed with us ALL WEEK. Well, there wasn't too much going on at work so Mom decided to teach her how to groom us poodles.
I guess I am special cuz I got to wait until today when she was all trained, BOL!! It was okay, but she bathed us first and since Tonya was bathing the "real" clients, we had to get bathed in that big, utility sink. I swear, I think I am going right down that big drain when I get bathed in there!!!
Of course she can't use that super duper force dryer in the utility sink so I thought I was in luck this morning. Would you believe Mom offered Julia her table so she could dry me on that. Of course, there was a force dryer hanging right there, so....
Next, she shaved down my face. She decided that she likes my mousietache so she had Mom draw RIGHT ON MY FACE with a marker so she would know where to cut and what to leave. After the face came the feet and Julia discovered I do not like my feet shaved, BOL! Then, Mom cut my nails. (whew, I WAS worried about Julia doing that!!!)
Next, she cut down my body, trimmed me all up with the scissors and Mom put a line on my topknot for her to follow, too.
Finally, she PAINTED my nails, put a scarf on me, and took some photos.
Mom was amazed at how good she did. Riley (yesterday) was the only one who had a few problems. First of all, a scary one for Riley...you see, he still has those things between his back legs and he was very worried Julia wouldn't see them. Ahh, Riley, I'm surprised you said that, I would have thought you would think yours were super big, or something, hehehe!
Anyway, Riley didn't get neutered, BOL, but there was an issue when Julia forgot to check what blade was on her clipper BEFORE she started down the middle of his back. Who knew Mom had used that clipper and took off the long blade and put a short, short blade on it!!! Mom said two things...first, at least he wasn't a paying client and second, she knows from experience that is how you learn to check the blade EVERY TIME you start in a new area!
Julia took photos of all of us AFTER our groom but Mom forgot and left the camera at work. She said she would put them on our pages tomorrow, if she remembers.
Mom said Julia really shocked her by doing a really super good job on each one of us!! She said we all look pretty professionally groomed and she will give Julia a job when she gets older!!!
I dunno, it was the very first time ANYONE different groomed me and, since I can't see myself cuz the mirrors are too high, I will reserve judgment. Mom said once Tonya groomed Toto while she was away and she was shocked when she saw him, too, but not the same kind of shocked as she was when Julia did us. Now she locks up the clippers when she leaves, BOL. At least hair grows back, but it sure took a L O N G T I M E for poor Toto!!!

MY Birthday is TOMORROW!!!

Hey, I just glanced at the calendar and noticed a photo of ME on Mom's calendar for tomorrow!!!! You see, Mom makes her own calendars and she usually puts a photo of each one of us on our birthday so we can tell when it's coming.
I am encouraged by the fact that she DID go shopping today and she left us ALL home. I suspect she must have gotten something GREAT for me, don't ya think??
Meanwhile, I have been on my best behavior, just in case. Mom cleaned the whole house today so I made sure I didn't leave any tootsie rolls on the bathroom rugs, nor did I dig thru the whole toy box tonight when it was time to play. I just selected any old toy right off the top. I haven't growled at Jethro yet tonight, either.
Tomorrow morning when Mom says it's time to get up I surely will jump right out of bed instead of burying myself under the covers. I wouldn't want to miss ANYTHING about the whole day, hehehe!
Oh, by the way, I am gonna be SIX years old. Don't you think that means I should get SIX pressies?????

Diary Pick!!!!

Yahoo, finally I was a dog diary pick again today. Mom has been sooo slow helping me write diaries lately... I wasn't sure I would EVER be a pick again!!
We've been bored and cold and sick of being stuck inside lately. It was a bit warmer today, and Mom was home so she did put us outside more BUT... that foot or more of snow which somehow, someway ended up on our dog porch, in spite of a full roof over it, is now all slush. Come to think of it, it is now YELLOW slush, which is, I guess, better than brown slush, BOL!
Well, when there is two feet of snow in your dog yard and you are forced by a mean Mom to go outside to relieve yourself, it is sometimes much easier to go in the snow ON the porch instead of the deeper snow off the porch. Snow is snow, right??? Last I knew, we were supposed to pee in the snow, NOT in the house so now she's complaining??? Doesn't seem right to me.
Besides, a good Mother would have instantly gone out there and shoveled the snow, at least shoveled it off the porch, if not the whole yard.
I did notice the chickies aren't liking it, either. They have a spot about four feet by four feet that they are standing in. One or two were brave and tried to make it down into the lab pen when the snow first came. I watched them, they actually had to use their wings to move along since the snow was soo deep.
Ahh, if Winter is here can Spring be far behind??? Who knows around here, BOL!

A SURPRISE visit to the OCEAN!!!

Monday Mom was tired and cranky and cold so she decided she was going to the ocean on Wednesday. She didn't tell ANY of us, but she did ask Julia's Mom if she could miss school and go with us.
Tuesday the forecast for Wednesday said SNOW in the morning and cold and windy all day. Also, Mom was getting a cold so she wasn't even sure we were going. Julia DID come to spend the night, though.
This morning we all woke up and there was only a bit of snow on the ground. Mom said we are GOING!! We loaded up the car, grabbed our jackets and off we went. (Me and Toto!)
We got there around 11am and the sun was shining brightly and there was NO WIND!!! We met our old friends, Jenny and Piper and their owner, Pam, who also now has a new rescue dog, a shih Tzu named Zeb.
We raced down to the beach. It was the nicest, warmest, bestest, greatest, most wonderful day EVER at the beach. We had sooo much fun!
Unfortunately, Dogster is still broken and only a few of my new photos will show up. Think that's bad??? NONE of Toto's will show up at all, BOL!

I've lost my mousietache!

Three times in the last week Mom has dragged me over to work for a haircut. Well, for some reason or another, mostly because Mom was too tired, I think, I never got my haircut!!! Finally, yesterday, she actually gave me MY haircut FIRST before any of the paying clients!!
Well, there were a few problems. First of all, I usually get a haircut when Momsie thinks I look too fat! (I must admit, it usually works to make me thinner, at least LOOK thinner!) This time, Mom wasn't impressed... she clipped and clipped and, while obviously keeping me in enough hair to keep me warm (especially if she forgets and leaves me outside again, BOL) she was totally unable to make me look thin!!!
Next was the issue of my mousietache. During the Winter when it is dark and dreary, I don't get enough sun on my face to keep my mousietache looking its best. The hair near my mouth gets all dark and stained and my skin gets pink from the lack of sun.
Well, after much thought, Momsie decided, in her infinite wisdom, to shave off my mousietache completely. WHAT!!! I have had that mousietache for over FOUR years!! (Hey, that reminds me, I will be SIX YEARS old this month, in fact, in just three weeks from today!!!)
After my shave down, while I still had the mousietache, Tonya gave me a bath. Momsie dried me with that FORCE dryer, and then finished my groom, carefully trimming my topknot, clipping my nails, and rounding out my poof tail.
Next, she and Tonya went off to the break room with me and Jethro. Momsie asked her if she liked my new look... Tonya didn't even NOTICE I was missing my mousietache and Mom had to tell her it was gone!!! I could only assume it would be alright when I got home.
IT WASN'T... all the other dogs ganged up on me and were calling me names and bullying me. I thought bullying was illegal???? Anyway, they all called me a sissy and laughed and laughed about my short nose.
I have told Mom that she will be allowing my mousietache to grow back, no matter what. As for letting my ears grow long again, no thank you! With no mousietache and with long ears I will definitely look like a girl, just like Riley looks like a girl, and, for that matter, Toto looks like a girl, too. I prefer the more MANLY look, thank you very much!!!
(This was to be accompanied by a photo, but Dogster didn't allow us to post it, darn it all!!!)

OMD, Mom tries to kill me!!!

As you probably know, we are having a record cold wave. It was FIFTEEN BELOW ZERO when Mom got us up at 5:30 this morning. We had to get up early because Mom discovered the emergency furnace light was on at work so she had to go check it out.
She put us outside for only about two minutes, then let everyone else back inside, EXCEPT ME!!!!
Out of fairness to Mom, I have to admit I often do hide under her desk so she won't find me to put me in my crate. It usually works, so I guess she assumed I was under the desk. And, I am usually the first one back inside.
So...I waited at the door,teeth chattering. I heard Mom come back from checking the kennel furnace, it was fine. I heard her make her coffee and turn on the TV. I assumed she would let me in but, nope, she didn't.
I heard her go off to work, not even knowing I was outside at below zero temperatures. OMD....she doesn't know I am out here!
Mom got home from work at 5pm. She opened the door to let everyone out and...I raced in the door. Mom looked down at me, screamed and grabbed me and started feeling me all over. Frankly, the sun had been shining all afternoon and the house was blocking the terrible wind, and I found some nice, warm dead leaves to lie down on, so I was actually quite warm. My feet were chilled from the morning part, but, I survived, no thanks to Mom.
Mom gave me extra supper...she even heated it up, and I am now buried under the comforters in her warm waterbed. Wonder how long I can milk this one for, BOL!!

Double BRRRRRR BRRRRRRRRRR

Well, fortunately the furnace is still working fine. Fortunately because someone turned DOWN the furnace outdoors. It isn't even 8 pm yet and it's already MINUS 5F. That is Fahrenheit, not Celsius, BRRRRRR. To make it even worse, the wind is blowing like crazy.
Although the furnace is working well, there isn't any heat vent or heater in our bathroom. Our bathroom is tiny, so it's not usually an issue but tonight when Momsie took her shower and Toto and I ran in there to keep her company, it was actually raining from all the steam condensing when it hit the cold air in the room. My hair all got curly, BOL!
Our dog room is heated, but not very much. And, this house was built in 1879, so there isn't much insulation, BOL. Well, last night Mom got into her head that it would be much too cold for the other dogs in there. Not for me, I ALWAYS sleep in Mom's bed! Anyway, she decided that everyone could sleep in her heated waterbed with us. Now, there are TEN of us dogs, plus Mom. OH yeah, and the three cats.
We all headed to bed around 8:30 before the furnace turns down at 9. Everyone piled on Mom and she was trying to get comfy. I was comfy, I have a little snuggle bed right up at the top of the bed where I sleep every night. Ali was comfy, she sleeps on the extra pillow. Toto was curled up next to Mom. The problem was those two silly hairless wonders, Harvey and Barney. They did have their warm fleece pajamas on, but I guess they though the warm fleece blankies on Mom's bed were better cuz they kept burrowing down under the covers. Everytime they burrowed they managed to wipe the blankies off of Mom and she would yell and wake me up. Meanwhile Cryssie and Riley were perched on Mom's body and Zena was trying to squeeze me out of MY snuggle bed. Annie was being okay, she was sleeping on the extra blanket on the futon.
Finally, at 9:15 I had put up with it as long as I could and I stood over Mom and stared at her. She got the idea quite quickly...all the extra dogs headed off to the dog room, BOL! She did give them all extra blankies in there, BOL!
And I heard Riley exclaim as I headed back to the bedroom..."Whew, I was way too hot in that room, good thing Mom put us back in our own room!"
Riley, my boy, it was because of all you guy's HOT AIR!!!

BRRRRRR.....

This morning when Mom's alarm went off she TURNED IT OFF and reset it to later. Oh, I forgot today is a holiday, hehehe. Anyway, it was toasty warm in our house cuz the furnace goes up from 56 degrees at 6:45 am, so we all went back to sleep.
When the second alarm went off at 7:30 I noticed something particular. It was no longer toasty warm when I climbed out from under the covers. Mom noticed it, too! Before she could go down into the dungeon she calls a cellar, she had to get dressed cuz it was FREEZING. I snuck a glance at the temperature...42 degrees and that was INSIDE the house, so I snuck back under the covers!
Mom managed to make the journey down to the cellar. At least there was plenty of fuel in the oil tank, BOL. But, in spite of her pushing the reset button, nothing happened with the furnace. Mom wants EVERYONE to know, she only pushed it ONCE because that is what ALL the service people have drummed into her head, just in case any furnace service people are reading this! When she came back upstairs it was only 39 in the house...double brrrrrrr!
Mom had bought a cute little space heater with fake flames. It's electric so she won't run it ($$$$$$), but this morning she had to. It went all the way back up to 42 degrees in the living room BESIDE the heater! We were all still in bed except for poor Jethro so Mom let him go over to work with Julie cuz he was freezing!
Next, she had a problem...It seems years ago, in fact, before my time here, the local furnace people told her the fire box was cracked and they couldn't work on that furnace anymore, it had to be replaced. Well, it IS about 60 years old (almost as old as Mom, don't tell!) But, there is no way Mom could afford a new furnace so she called a friend who happened to be a furnace fixer. He came and cleaned it and said it was not dangerous and HE would work on it for her. Fine for the last four years, but....
Last year he moved away so it wasn't cleaned at all. Because it was a warm Winter, there was more carbon built up on the igniter and the nozzle so Mom was assuming that was the problem this morning.
She bravely called the local company. Almost immediately they came and the guy replaced the igniter and the nozzle. (yay Mom!!!) Ahhh, warmth, again. Fortunately, he never even saw the crack, WHEW!!!!
Now Mom has us all wearing sweaters cuz she is afraid we are gonna be cold cuz it is even colder tonight.
Momsie, the furnace is FIXED... don't worry!!!! We will just sleep UNDER the covers in your warm waterbed, BOL!