Coco the Chocolate Lab

RIP Coco

 This is my cousin Coco. She is a chocolate lab. I didn't really know her because she and her peeps live in a faraway place called New Mexico. Sounds like it would be down the street from me but that is another story. Anyhow, I have heard about Coco my whole life because my Mommys knew her and loved her like all their other nieces and nephews fur or otherwise. Anyhow, we heard she was not feeling too well last week and that her humans were struggling to get her to eat. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday afternoon.

It was hard to hear this since she was so full of life last time the Mommys visited her. But she was kinda old for a chocolate lab - 11, almost 12 years old - and I guess old age just got the better of her.

In her youth she was quite the active dog - always playing and jumping around. She could put a smile on even a non-dog person everytime she walked in the room. She had that kind of affect on others.

So run free Coco, the cousin I didn't really know but wish I did. You can keep an eye on Koda, Kirby, and Raven from up on high.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Remembering those who have passed on keeps them forever in your heart.

Hello Out There? I am Looking For Intelligent Life. . .

Hello! Anyone out there??

Do you ever look out at the stars and wonder about life elsewhere? I know I do all the time. And last night Saturn was looking HUGE in the sky as it made one of its closest passes EVER to Earth. It actually LOOKED what I, Noodles the Pug, imagined a planet would look like.

If there was life on another planet, would there be dogs? Pets?

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Being Alive and Cared for is the ultimate High.

Payton's Garden

So I hemmed and hawed a lot about where I would put a garden for Payton. I do NOT have control over the landscaping, as much as I would like to. Mommy helped me pick out seeds LAST YEAR and we were determined to plant SOMETHING out there. But Auntie T had such a great plan already in place for the garden that our little plot just never got going.

Then the most wonderful thing happened. Last week at Zoey's birthday party her mommy let us take one of the table decorations - a little garden in a tea cup! I was so surprised and happy because nestled in the middle of the tea cup were the most perfect pink flowers ever!!! I decided then and there that this was to be Payton's Garden.

After living on the kitchen table a couple of days the flowers started looking unhappy. Mommy #2 decided to put them on the front step where they would get morning sunshine and an occasional watering from the sprinklers on the lawn. Guess what? The flower totally got happy and perked up completely.

Now every time I come in the front door I can say a little hi to Payton through her little garden. She was a good FURiend and I an glad I finally found just the right memorial for her.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Spring flowers are so bright and colorful that they make the grayest day cheerful.

Happiness is . . .

Using your sister as a pillow

Wordless Wednesday

Running to that Happy Thought

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Having enough food to eat is Wonderful . . . only what pug knows the word ENOUGH?

Forgot Myself

I don't know if you noticed, but I forgot to post a single photo of myself enjoying Zoey's party! I thought I had SOME!!!! So I looked through all the photo files and found the FEW overlooked files. Mommy #1 apparently had so much fun taking pictures of OTHER pugs that she completely overlooked me.

When I got warm I sat under Mommy #2's chair.

This apres party. . . I was pooped!

Most importantly there is the matter of the missing ReneArt portrait. Mommys had it all along - they just forgot to take a picture of it to post with the rest. So DRUM ROLL PLEASE . . . .

Captures my Whimsy

I am pretty proud of this portrait. It will go on the wall next to my Affordable Pets Portrait that I won from Bunk's Easter Egg Hunt.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Pictures help you remember the GOOD times with your FURiends.

A Very Merry UN-Birthday To YOU - Zoey

The party decorations

This weekend was my FURiend Zoey's TENTH birthday. Her mommy threw her a party to beat all parties and I was honored to be included in the festivities. It was a beautiful day in the park and all of my FAVORITE peeps and pups were there. Best of all - my Mommys let me wander OFF-leash so I could visit whomever and whatever I wanted - as long as I stayed withing ear shot and an eyeball glance of them.

The theme is the party was The Mad Hatter Tea Party and I tell you - I felt like I had fallen down that rabbit hole myself and into the Mad Hatter's tea party myself! There to celebrate and wander with me were Zoey and Phoebe (the birthday girl and her daughter), Bellatrix (who needs NO introduction), Tiffy (ditto), Noodle and Mochi (ditto, ditto), Spencer B (so HANDsome!), Miss Ellie, Olive, Baloo and Hanna, Marty (he is deaf but you'd never know it), Honor (not a pug but super cool Dalmation), and a few other dogs I never caught the names of.

Don't we LOOK like we are having fun?

So a lot of time was spent chatting and chatting and chatting some more. I love all my PUG and NON-PUG pals so much. I only got a little snippy a couple of times. Sorry guys. It doesn't mean I don't love you! Mostly I wandered around talking to the humans and scrounging under the table for missed morsals. Honor took that one step FURTHER by helping herself to a cupcake (or two?) But she is much much taller than I am so it was easy for her to reach the table. In her defense, the food was just about nose level for her. Had it been ME, there would have been nothing left for the humans to eat! I am being honest here. . . Honor restrained herself admirably.

Zoey's Mommy also hired an ARTIST to do our portraits! He was so good and managed to capture all of our personalities on paper. For some reason I do not have my portrait or Olive's. If I find the pictures, though, I will post them at a later time.

Missing Me and Olive

Aren't they fantastic portraits??? What a great idea, too. There was also a raffle for really cool prizes and pizza for lunch and cupcakes for dessert. NONE OF WHICH MADE IT TO A PUG MOUTH!!!! I am a little puzzled by this since this was a PUG birthday party. But my mommy brought some carrots and bananas for me (and snuck in a couple of Wet Noses Peanut Butter treats).

Finally it was time to open presents. The main present was super important for Zoey. She is getting a little slow nowadays and her Mommy just couldn't take her on hikes anymore. So some of the gang got her a brand new all terrain doggy stroller! Isn't it da bomb? I can tell Zoey loved it and, pugsonally, I kinda wish I could have taken a ride in it as well.

Zoey riding in style

I had the best time and I cannot wait to see all of my FURiends really really soon. Thanks Susie, Zoey and Phoebe for the funnest time EVER!

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: When I think back on the weekend and time spend with my friends, I cannot help but smile

Ready For The Weekend

I am ready for the WEEKEND

Having WORKED and played

Each DAY blending to the next

Keeping TODOs at bay

Have a great weekend EVERYpuggy! I will be going to a birthday for my FURiend Zoey! She is turning (or just turned) 10 YEARS OLD!!! I think that is amazing. She is a good gal who I met through BELLATRIX.

Her daughter, Phoebe, is always by her side.

So Party ON Pups and Peeps! I will catch you up on MONDAY!

HAPPY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Fun in the Sun with good FURiends is the best way I can think of to spend the Weekend

Walk This Way . . . Talk This Way

I am not much for walking on two legs. But ever since MOLLY joined this family, the trick bar has been raised VERY very high. Cousin E has been working with Molly and walking on two legs. The little show-off had NO TROUBLE learning that one. Now she is working on dancing and jumping into Cousin E's arms.

I say NO FAIR!

She is so much lighter than I am and has this sleeker more agile physique. I am quite fit, mind you, for a PUG. But that is what I am - and proud of what I am - a P.U.G.

Auntie T spent some time working with me the other evening. That is where yesterday's photo came from. I am simply standing in that photo but I held it for a LONG TIME. I think it was hours but Cousin E said it was many seconds. After a couple of rough starts, though, I think I almost got the walk thing going. Cousin E captured the moment on video. It wasn't perfect but it was a good start. As a contrast I have included a video of that SHOW-OFF Molly's walk-on-two-legs.

First ME

Now MOLLY

HAPPY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Doing a good job is as much for yourself as it is for someone else.

Sunny Side Up

I have been working on this trick for a while. Despite the poor quality photo, I think you can see I NAILED it.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Trying something new is both challenging and satisfying




T hanks to all my FURiends who commented on yesterday's post. Your comments went a long way toward making me feel better about the world. And most of you hit the nail on the head - the positives that have come out of that awful tragedy FAR outweigh the negatives. I saw (on the news footage) people running TO HELP rather than running AWAY from danger. I heard of people opening their homes to runners in need of a place to stay. It is something I always marvel at - in the face of extreme danger and tragedy humans and PETS band together and help each other out.

Normally I take it all with a smile on my face . . .

Sad, sad, sad. . .

PRAYERS for Boston and the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombings and their families. Normally something like this makes me sad for a moment and glad that I am fine. But this morning I could not - CAN NOT - shake the feeling of sadness this bombing has settled on me.

My cousin E has a track coach who was running the marathon yesterday. She is safe and home again. She was already over the finish line when the bomb went off.
My Mommy #2 has a dear dear friend whose daughter attends college near the bombing site. She is also fine but what a scary few hours until she could leave the building she was in!

I am so grateful they are both safe and healthy. But oh. . . . so much tragedy.

SOAPBOX Alert

So I wonder. What goes on in the mind of someone who would do this? If it is for a cause - why target innocent people? If it is for notoriety - why not target yourself? As a pug, I guess I am prone to look for the happy solution - the Utopian ideal.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: This is hard because of what happened. I think the happiest thought I have today is this - I am happy being safely in the loving arms of my family.

Noodles, the Lucky Pug

I have been EXCEPTIONALLY lucky these past few months or so. Really! And I am not sure why; but I DO NOT want it to change - EVER.

I enter as many contests and drawings as I can find here in Blogville. My Mommys are also keen on entering drawings and raffles when they see them or can afford them. They don't play the lotteries, though. One dollar may not SEEM like much but the return on those dollars are pretty low.

But I am off track here. Lemme see . . . Oh yeah! I have been lucky.

I recently won a couple of pretty FANTASTIC prizes. From Corbin at Oh Corbin! I won a TWO coupons for that DELICIOUS and cool treat Frosty Paws! Oh! And a little stuffie of the Frosty Paws mascot was included. I danced a FOR REAL jig of joy when my package arrived.

Of course I have to share with Molly as she is my sister-of-another-litter.

That and Mommy says so.

I also gave one coupon to my FURiend Pablo. He shares with me all the time because his Mamon will buy him fancy foods and treats and he won't like them. Rather than waste the expensive fancy food, she gives it to me. IT IS FOOD! I would never turn my nose up at it!

Over the Easter week, I entered several times to Bunk's Blog Easter Egg Hunt. That was the funnest of FUN contests. Every day there was a prize and you had to look through Bunk's past posts to find the "Easter Eggs" associated with the prize. Bunk left hints so it wasn't too much work.Then he picked a random winner from the entries for the day's prize.  I tried and tried and near the LAST DAY I WON!!!! This time I won an Affordable Pet Portrait package.

This was ONE GREAT PRIZE because it meant my Mommys were gonna get a fancy portrait of ME!
Mommy #2 had a lot of fun working with the owner of The Affordable Pet Portrait, Miss Lynda. We chose a few pictures of ME acting like a SUPERMODEL and sent them off the her. She then told us the best options and asked what we had in mind. In just a few days we got a package from her.

I cannot begin to express how excited I was. I hopped and chased my back foot. One would almost think I was expecting a FOODABLE or something.

Then Mommy opened the package and looked at what we had won. It took my breath away - I tell you that.

You can tell how PROUD I am of my new AFFORDABLE PET PORTRAIT!!!!!

Thank you Miss Lynda for a great job!


Thank you Bunk for a great Contest!






Here's a close up of the main portrait.

The portrait is NOT CROOKED! Mommy took
a crooked picture of it.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Supermodeling lets me be the best me ever.

It Smells Like SPRING

What wonderful weather we have had this week. It was a pleasure to step outside and do my bidness - no matter what time of day. I even lollygagged a but more than usual just to enjoy the sunshine and the sweet smells of the trees, grass, flowers, and so on.

It looks like it will change a bit next week - a little cooler and cloudier. 

April is so fickle.

Around our house there is also a lot of sneezing and snuffling going on as Spring allergies kick in. Me too. My eyes have been so itchy lately; and I admit I rub them whenever I get the chance. Mom has threatened to put my cone on my head - but that won't help. I have figured out how to rub my eyes WITH the stupid cone of Shame. HAH!!!

Nonetheless, this is the time of year I feel more hopeful and energetic. I see a lot of dog parks and extra walkies in my future.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: The sweet smell of grass is like a SMILE for your nose

Straighter Than Spaghetti

FIRST OF ALL - I know I did NOT post a Happy Thought on Wednesday because I just WAS NOT happy about Dutch's emergency. As I am writing this I have no more news than I did yesterday. I just know with all the JUJU and POTP going around Blogville that he will be okay.

DUTCH UPDATE: Dutch's cousin Sophie reported today that Dutch is doing a lot better and the doctors are confident that he will pull through. Thank you all for joining JUJU Forces and activating the POTP! 
There is a FaceBook auction to help with the emergency vet bills. Check it out here: Auction for Dutch

So I am sorry about the missing Happy Thought but I will get back on track today. I am almost half way done with my 100 days of Happy Thoughts. Hard to believe.

So this is what my CURLY TAIL looked like when my 'rents came back from their Date with THE MOUSE aka M-I-C-K-E-Y  M-O-U-S-E. I was not at all happy with them bailing on me like they did and I let them know in no uncertain terms. As a rule, my tail NEVER loses its curl. It is my THING. . . my SIGNATURE. . . my joie de vivre.

My other special feature is my POUT. I do this very very well - and if there was a contest for best pout I would totally win it. Take a gander for yourself. . . Great, huh?

I love that I have things that are UNIQUE to me. It is what distinguishes me from the sea of PUGS at every Pug Meet. Molly has her own special features like her curvy behind (it makes me giggle cuz she is SO LEAN everywhere else) and the way she bobs up and down when she walks.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Revel in your Uniqueness. It is what makes you YOU.

Double Dutch

I KNOW this is Wordless Wednesday and I usually fill my post with frivolous stuff. But something serious has happened and I need to IMPLORE all of you to join in a MAJOR JUJU dance for Dutch, Puglet's brother. Dutch is accompanying his (and Puglet's) human Amanda to the East Coast to take care of some 1000Pugs stuff. When the plane landed, Amanda noticed signs of BLOAT (a serious problem mostly large dogs get) and immediately took him to the emergency vet. Dutch is out of surgery and happily, he survived. BUT the next 24 hours are critical. Please put on your JUJU TUTUs and lets send a cloud of energy so big it will make him well again. I love Dutch (like a brother - who likes pink) and just want him well again.

Hurricane Molly

I am a neat and ordered pug. I keep my pen picked up and all my toys in their proper place. Granted, I am almost 4 years old and that makes me a little wiser. BUT if truth be told, I was not messy as a puppy, either! The most one can say is I left an occasional toy or bully stick on the ground where someone would step on it. BUT my pen - my sanctuary - that stays neat and inviting.

Maybe I should put that in the past tense because since Molly came to our house my pen is no longer my sanctuary. I have to share MY SPACE with Molly while the family is away at school and work. This worked fine when she was very small and my pen was divided so we each had a very small area. Now we share the space as well.

Look at the above picture at what Molly did yesterday. It WAS NOT me as I was asleep in my crate and unaware of the chaos that ensued. ALL of the toys are pulled out of the toy box; a peepee pad is shredded into microscopic pieces (I don't know what that was in the pen since neither of us use them anymore); the water bowl is moved to the middle of the pen; the pillow from HER bed is thrown OVER the pen side; and the blankey covering my sanctuary is pulled off and haphazardly thrown on the floor.

What's a PUG to do? Do you think she will get neater as she gets older? I don't know if I can wait that long.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

Make the best of any situation and you can always smile

Bless the Mouse - I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 'rents returned from their MEETING WITH THE MOUSE. They were all tired and smiley cuz they had FUN for four whole days. I can't say I had ZERO fun, though. As you can tell by the above photo, the Aunts and Cousins took very good care of me and gave me lots of treats.

I did, however, display my displeasure at my Mommys leaving. I looked up at them with tears brimming over my big brown eyes. . . . I walked slowly and forlornly toward them . . . and HORROR of HORRORS I lowered my tail OUT of the tight curl it is ALWAYS kept in. That sent them on a HUGE guilt trip and they couldn't give me enough hugs, kisses and treats.

I repeat, treats.

I might not mind them going away more often . . . well, maybe just a little.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A loved ones homecoming is so sweet.

Abandoned

This is a hidden Mickey

I am being abandoned for a MOUSE! Yes, it is true. For the next 4 days I am going to be SANS 'rents because THEY are going to Disneyland without ME!!! That means no Mommy cuddles. . . no Mommy snuggles. . . NO Mommy time AT ALL! That also means no blogging. NO BLOG?????

Oh, oh, oh, oh! I am so sad! NO BLOG for 3 whole days!!!

EveryPUGGY please! Please take care of Blogville while I am gone.

Oh woe is me.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Time spent with loved ones is never wasted time.

Easter Loot

Me and all my Easter Loot

Easter rolled came by for a visit yesterday. I knew something was up from all the cleaning, cooking and whispering going on among all of the adults in the house. I was pretty sure it wasn't Christmas again because I have not yet had my BIRTHDAY - the other main celebration in my year. So I couldn't figure out what was up.

Sunday morning I got up, as usual; and did my bidness while chatting with my minions in the 'hood, as usual. Then I came inside and ate my breakfast - again, as usual. It wasn't until I was walking around scratching my noggin in an effort to wake up more that I noticed a lot of colorful EGGS all over the floor and up the stairs. What is the Wild Wild World of Sports is goin' on here, I thought.

Well, it appears the Easter Bunny had visited while we all slept and littered the whole house with these PLASTIC eggs. They were EVERYWHERE. I kept pawing at them and sniffing them in order to figure out what was up. It was then that I decided to ACCIDENTALLY knock one off a low stair in hopes of cracking this CASE wide open.

It worked - but as soon as the plastic EGG opened the yelling began - "No! No! No!" and "Don't you DARE touch that!" and so on. Somewhere along the way I heard the dreaded word CHOCOLATE and I knew I had tiptoed into dangerous territory. So I stepped away from the scene, head down, sorrowful look in my eyes. 

Sometime later the kids in the family - cat, dogs and birds excepted - gathered all of the plastic eggs and excitedly cracked them all open. It is a ritual that usually happens outside and that is where I was confused! Much later Mommy explained to me that due to the rain the Easter Egg Hunt had to be moved indoors.

There was an extra Easter Egg basket loaded with all kinds of goodies of the canine variety. There were Pugs in the Kitchen treats, Hedgie chewies, a Pugs in the Kitchen Stuffie and collar charm. . . so much stuff. . . It was MINE! ALL MINE!!!! Mine! Mine! Mine!

Except for one little thing

MOLLY!

Me and Molly with OUR Easter basket full of goodies.

I hope you all had as much Easter Fun as I did.

HAPPY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: When life brings rain, there is always a rainbow somewhere.