The Grand Halloween Costume Reveal

Hi my fellow Blogvillians. . . as you know, TODAY I am sharing with the world my Halloween Costume.

 HERE IT IS 

But Captain, it is not LOGICAL

It all began with Melissa from Pugnotes. She created some STAR TREK sweater vests and Bummlies. Well. . . my Mommy is a HUGE Star Trek fan and she simply could not resist the opportunity to buy one of Ms. Melissa's lovely sweater vests.

Thank you Melissa and Archie

It was a tough decision, but Mommy decided to HONOR the late Leonard Nimoy and chose the SPOCK one. I gotta tell you, I was so excited about it when it came AND more so because she also got the SPOCK BUMMLIE. I love my Hammish Bummlie and now I have more to love.

While all this was going on, I was pondering away at what my HALLOWEEN COSTUME should be. It is tough to come up with something clever all the time and I was just on the verge of just wearing my costume from 2010 (Karate Kid) when it came to me. Mommy crocheted the hat for me and added the ears from a costume shop.

BEAM ME UP SCOTTIE

BTW, I am SPOCKETTE because I am a GIRL

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYPUGGY

Tell Me A Story

It's one of those days when I am having a tough time getting up and at 'em. Could be the late nights finishing my HALLOWEEN COSTUME. . . I don't rightly know.

So while I sit here HOVERING over my cuppa JAVA, perhaps you can indulge me by telling me a HALLOWEEN story?



Here, I will get you started. . .


Once Upon a Time. . .






* There is a distinct chance of a prize for the best story

A Bit like Captain America, Black Widow, and . . .?

So I was thinking about Halloween the other day - you know, plotting my costume. It occurred to me that the costumes I like BEST are generally considered BOY costumes. Take for example my Storm Trooper costume. It is an awesome costume which I totally rock. But when I wore it for a costume contest, the judges could not get over the fact that I was a GIRL! Where is it written that Storm Troopers are all boys? We have women in armed services and that is technically what a Storm Trooper is, right?

I think this applies to SuperHeroes as well. Why does Captain America HAVE to be a boy? Although I think Chris Evans TOTALLY ROCKS as Cap'n, I can see myself in the roll bringing a certain girlish charm along with my FIERCENESS. Don't you think?

Don't I look real mean? So then I got to thinking about dressing as the other Avengers. I KNOW I could absolutely pull off the Black Widow thing. I am BEAUTIFUL in all my PUGNESS, fast like she is. . . and determined like she is. . . and clever as she is. PLUS I look really FINE in Black Leather.

Look how poised I am - how confident. Now THAT'S how a woman should be. But this is copping out on my original position of why should SuperHeroes generally be BOYS. So I puzzled and Puzzled and PUZZLED over which boy SuperHero to dress as.

I was getting no where - nothing SANG to me.

So I asked my Mommy which Avenger or SuperHero she thought I should be for Halloween. She looked at me. . . looked at Molly. . .looked at me. . .  How about this?

Tongue Out Tuesday

Molly Rockin' the Tongue Out

You gotta be real QUICK to catch me with my TONGUE out

Like this

UNprepared

Me at Three

My assistant was unprepared to help ME with my blog post this morning. Here is is - 10:23 and not a word has found its way onto the PAGE.
Isn't it enough that I WORK hard for a living (doing what, Mommy asks)? That I spend unTOLD hours prepping for a long series of appearances (Where? All you ever go is the Big Room, Mommy inquires)?

But no, it looks like I need to WRITE a post as well.And FRANKLY - I have nothing much to say today.

Were you able to see the MOON last night? It was so incredibly. It was NOT QUITE full, the tiniest sliver was still unlit. . . but it filled the sky. I heard something about it being another SUPERMOON. But to be honest, the MOON is always super to me.

See how it is not quite round?

My weekend was pretty cool. Yesterday, I went with Mommy to visit some friends of her who just returned from 7 years in India. Mommy missed them a lot. It turns out they have a PUG - but he had to stay behind in India due to health reasons. He is living with Mommy's friends Mommy BUT his family here misses him very much. I think I mentioned him before  a while back. His name is Cheerio and he is a couple of years older than me. ANYHOO - we spent the afternoon at their house and I got to know them some. I immediately liked them all very much and made myself at home exploring the house and jumping on the furniture. Mommy said she was mortified when I did that but her friends said it was okay. When we got ready to leave I got lots of hugs and pets - and a promise that I can stay with them when my WHOLE FAMILY goes out of town at Thanksgiving. I can hardly wait! 

Then when we got home, I curled up on Mommy's legs and we watched "The Avengers - The Age of Ultron." It was an awesome movie that I hope I get to see again soon. It was the best way to spend the evening.

Monday came too quickly. I am not a fan at all. What is it about Monday that makes it so hard to deal with? I mean, I basically keep the same schedule all week, including the weekends; so why is it so hard? Could it be that I get so used to having everyone around that come Monday I wake up missing them already?

What about you? How was your weekend?

BTW - my Halloween Costume is nearly complete. I will be doing the Big Reveal on Friday.

PUBLIC SERVICE ADDRESS - Patricia

Hi FURiends. I didn't really have much to say today but a bit of silliness. So I decided to throw something out there and hope you CATCH it.

Right now HURRICANE PATRICIA is bearing down on Puerto Vallarta. It is a Category Five storm (and considered the strongest in recorded history) which means it is stronger than the one that hit the Philippines last year, stronger than Sandy which hit the East Coast a couple of years ago, and stronger than Katrina that devastated New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, etc. This is scary scary stuff. Once it hits Puerto Vallarta, it will sweep over a large portion of Mexico before it weakens.

I know a couple of our PUG PALS have relatives stuck down in Puerto Vallarta because they were vacationing there. Now with airplanes grounded and flights canceled, they cannot return home until the storm blows through. The resort has been evacuated. I am sure they will be okay but it will not be fun for them. And it will be scary, too.

So PLEASE send out some prayers, thoughts, juju, GOOD VIBRATIONS - anything at all that might help them out down there. It is going to be a long time before that area fully recovers from this MONSTER storm.

This sure has been a year of some CRAZY WEATHER.

Ever Try to Stand On Your Head For a Treat?

Oh Chewy.com - you are SO GOOD to me. . .

I have - and it is not easy, I tell you. But I WILL try anything for some treats - like Nature's Variety Prairie Pumpkin and Cranberry TREATS. I admit, I was a little unsure if I should pick these when Chewy.com offered these as part of their October Pumpkin extravaganza newsletter. I mean, they SOUNDED yummy and all. But they also advertised these treats as a healthy choice. SINCE WHEN is a treat. . . a GOOD treat. . . ever a healthy choice?

EVERYTHING had pumpkin in some form. It was so hard to choose just one! But I had to do just that (plus SOMEONE would NOT let me choose TWO kinds of treats to try). I decided to stick with the company that makes my favorite food in the whole wide world -  (Instinct Raw Boost) Nature's Variety. I knew they wouldn't disappoint me. BUT. . . I was totally unprepared for how much I would love these treats.

First, some business re the Natures Variety Prairie treats -

1) They are OVEN BAKED and not fried
2) They contain ALL NATURAL ingredients like Oatmeal, barley, tapioca, pumpkin, cranberries, canola oil, turkey meal, montmorillonite clay, ground flaxseed, natural flavor, cinnamon, cloves, mixed tocopherols (preservative), citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract
3) They have no wheat, corn or soy and NO artificial preservatives (which they totally don't need because they won't hang around that long)
4)They TASTE GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRReat!

They arrived at Casa de Noodles like all Chewy.com stuff - FAST! I knew the instant the doorbell rang that it was Mr. Delivery Man bringing me something from Chewy.com. So I welcomed him - loud and clear. And for a long time. FINALLY, Mommy brought the package inside and opened it for us. Molly was going positively bonkers - so much so that Mommy could not get her to pose nicely with me (she kept trying the nip at my paws).

This was the best picture Mommy could take. Molly is
practically across town!

So then Mommy put them away. She said we were being too wild to deserve a treat and we'd have to wait until we calmed down. How could she do that to ME of all pugs?! All because of THAT MOLLY, too. So I nipped at Molly's paws like she had done to me. Mommy said a few HBO words and before I knew it, WE were on TIME-OUT in the big room.

TIME-OUT!!!

When she finally decided we had REPENTED enough, she let us out and asked us into the kitchen. DOGGONE. . . it was bad. . . real bad. . . I knew at a glance that this was where the REAL TORTURE was gonna happen!!! There, at DOG LEVEL was the bag of treats and TWO biscuits, one at Molly's eating spot and one at mine. I started to trot over to what was CLEARLY my reward for being a good dog when Mommy GROWLED real loud -"NO!!!"

I almost had to excuse myself because she scared me so much! I stopped IN MY TRACKS and immediately sat down. "I'm a good girl, I'm a good girl, I'm a good girl" I kept chanting to myself. Molly, in the meantime, skulked back to the big room. Mommy smiled about then and cajoled Molly to come out of the big room and get a treat. I looked from Mommy to my treat to Mommy to my treat. . . I was so confused.

When Molly finally tiptoed out of the big room and over to her treat, Mommy intercepted her and made her sit IN FRONT of her TREAT. She also could not eat it.

Molly trying to look nonchalant

Mommy said we had to wait until she commanded it and then we could eat the treat. She does that sometimes - some sadistic pleasure for her, I am sure. Well, we stared at those treats for what seemed like a really really long time and I couldn't help it - I DROOLED. Those treats were smelling so good with all the pumpkin smell and the cinnamon. . .

EAT IT!!!!!

When Mommy told Molly she could eat hers, Molly got all weird again and SNIFFED it. And SNIFFED it. AND SNIFFED it before she ever set her teeth or tongue on it. Meanwhile, I'm DYING over on my side of the kitchen and was screaming "Molly Eat It Already" like a wild DINGO! I was desperate because I wanted to EAT THAT TREAT and Mommy wasn't letting me.

So I did the only thing I could think of that would definitely win me the command to EAT THAT TREAT - I tried a HEADSTAND.

Whew! I'm not sure how long I can HOLD this HEADSTAND!

Nature's Variety Prairie Pumpkin and Cranberry treats are so yummy. You gotta try them yourself. It is so easy to do - you just click this link and it will take you right to CHEWY.COM and the exact page for the Nature's Variety Prairie treats. Put them in your virtual cart, click PAY, borrow your 'rents' credit card, and VOILA - you will have treats before you know it. Almost as fast as a treat dispenser in your kitchen!

We give them EIGHT. . . no TEN appendages up because EIGHT is not enough. Since we only have EIGHT PAWS between us, we added our HEADS to the count. So, to sum up, they're a TEN on a scale of EIGHT. Succinctly put, they ROCK!!!!

*Disclaimer - I was not paid for this post not for the opinions in this post. All observations and opinions expressed in this post, and indeed in this blog, are all mine and offered free of charge. I did receive a bag of treats to try so that I can offer an informed opinion.

_ _ _ _less Wednesday

WORD

It's Blogpaws Blog Hop Here

So Sew Here I Go

This is where I sit when Mommy #2 is sewing. See the machine case to my left? I would prefer to be a little closer but the machine peddle gets in the way, PLUS Mommy has to get up A LOT when she sews and so I get in her way. But I really like this spot. See? I have my fleecy cushion there, a ray of sunshine is generally there, and Mommy is in full view. What a perfect place.

Mommy has been sewing a lot lately. She has made a number of things for Mommy #1 like a thing called a SCRUNCHIE and a TOGA. Once she finishes the shirt and skirt sitting on the machine right now, she is going to make me a special dog bed. It is something she has in mind and not something from a pattern. Should be interesting. She has bought several kinds of materials to make me beds or costumes - but they sit on a shelf as she never got around to making them.

Here's pics of a few of the costumes she has made for me in the past

My first Halloween - A Bowl of Noodles
The inspiration for my blog title

Flying Pig - the head was too large and blinded me

Puckhead - Ultimate SJ Sharks fan

Mommy #2 has an unhealthy obsession
with Storm Troopers.

One of my favorites. Mommy knitted the hat as well.

Pitter Patter

Contrary to what you may think, we are still experiencing warm weather in NorCal. It is supposed to be in the mid seventies today which is the coolest it has been in a while - and by Friday we will be back in the eighties. I still HOPE to wear my little coat and awesome sweaters, though. Maybe for Thanksgiving.

All of that aside, something happened this morning which caught me totally off-guard. At first I was not sure what I was hearing. It sounded like a clock - the old fashioned kind that you wind up. The only think is, we don't have a single one of those kind of clocks around. None. But there it was, an undeniable "Tick, tick, tick." As I was still half asleep, I was very puzzled. 

Then a car went by and it didn't sound like it normally does - you know like tires on asphalt. This time it made a WHOOSH!!!! sound. Then I heard it. "Pitter. . . patter. . .pitter. . . patter. . ." NO! Could it be???? I ran to the door as if I desperately needed to do my bidness and Mommy, angel that she is, promptly let me out.

There was no mistaking that sound NOW! And the smell. . . . .! Sweet ozone - it was raining! All of the plants in the yard stood at attention happily letting the cool water drip down their leaves. I have not seen our yard look that happy in a long long time.

Rain!!! RAIN! RAIN!!

It didn't last long. By 10 am it was all but a memory. What a sweet memory it is, though. 

Check back at this blog post in, say, March once El Nino has hit. I am sure I will be singing a very different tune.

About THAT Time

Please ignore my terrible soon to be replaced floor

My Auntie Sharon ( see her ad in my sidebar) made me this jacket for when the weather turns cool. Of course, this arrived when the weather turned warm and I am still waiting to wear it.

It is ABOUT THAT TIME that I can wear sweaters and jackets again. We only have a small window of cool weather here in NorCal so I best take advantage of it.

According to Ms Weatherperson, we should be cooling down ANY DAY NOW. It is middle OCTOBER, after all, and Starbucks is selling a zillion PUMPKIN flavored things. 

I keep pulling this out of my closet, gazing upon it with fondness.

Someday. . . some day. . .

Flora for My GAS?

PFFT!

Pugs are gassy. Everyone says so and I guess it is true. Check out any place online with information about pug and you will see the dreaded word - GAS.

I'ma PUG but I haven't noticed MY being particularly gassy. It's just that when I am I let EVERYPUGGY know! No sneak attacks from me like Molly's silent bombs or Sunshine's innocent yet deadly "pffts" you can barely hear but definitely smell
. NO!

When I FART, the WHOLE world knows it!

So when Ms. Sydney emailed and asked if we'd be interested in doing a TEST for Purina Pro-Plan Veterinary Diet Fortiflora, we considered it. So Mommy read the product info and it said Fortiflora was mostly for DOGS with DIARRHEA to restore balance in their system. Well, I may HAVE a lot of things, but diarrhea is not ONE of them. Mommy was just about to say NO to Ms. Sydney when she spotted something in the literature . . . Fortiflora was also useful in reducing GASsiness. Well, that sold it - YES, she told Ms. Sydney, we will most definitely try it and really really hope it works!

Quick as a FLASH, I got MY package from Chewy.com. It had no smell so I knew it was not food. That confused me a little. And Molly was VERY confused because she was not included in the plan. She would NOT be testing Fortiflora along with me.

Fortiflora comes in a small packet - basically a serving size depending on the dog. I got one packet a day. It is a powder that smells good to me but Mommy detected nothing. How insidious, huh? The first day I tried it I kind of choked on it because the powder got in my windpipe and up my nose. That is because I am basically like a vacuum cleaner when I eat - I SUCK everything UP! Over the course of these 14 days, I have mastered eating FORTIFLORA to the point I do not cough or gag at all. And it is yummy - I look forward to it with my daily BREAKFAST.

Mommy sees no side affects at all. My (ahem) poops are normal and solid. . . my coat and skin look amazing if I do say so myself. . . and my eyes are bright, my breath no worse than before. As for the GAS. . . Mommy THINKS it is less as are my belches. That could be due to the good food we have been eating (see our last two trials, Weruva Chunky Chicken and Solid Gold veal). But she says although I still FART, the smell is not nearly as noticeable or STINKY! 

Huh......... that is something......... less stinky farts!

This is a 30 day trial so I will keep CONSUMING the Fortiflora and see what happens. Maybe less GAS, maybe not. . . the fun is in the TESTING.

I received a 30 day supply of Fortiflora for the sole purpose of trying it and then reporting my findings. All opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone. I am not paid for that. . . at all. . .I know. . . I asked. . .

We ALL Know Someone Like BEA - Book Review

Plan Bea

written by Hilary Grossman

published by Booktrope, 2015

Where can you find it? Check out - Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Goodreads
(Ms. Grossman’s first book, Dangled Carat, is on sale for $0.99 for Kindle! www.amazon.com)

My FURiend Lucy (www.feelingbeachie.com) has a very clever Mom. Seriously! She writes this really good blog about life at the beach AND she works full time as a CFO in Manhattan, and now she has published her SECOND book!

In her spare time I think she buys a lot of shoes. She's really cool, huh?

So Lucy's Mom asked my Mommy if she would be interested in reading her new book "Plan Bea" and writing a review. My Mommy said SURE. We read it together - she on her iPad and me cuddled up on her legs. It was a good time.

So without further ado, here is our review (in Mommy's words) of "Plan Bea" by Hilary Grossman.

********************************************************************************

Right off the top, I want to say this is absolutely NOT my kind of book. I read very little "Chicklit" and almost no romance books at all. The closest I get to this kind of book is Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series - and I think I really read them for the knitting patterns. I bring this up because this is absolutely NOT a book I would choose to read on the train ride home. Well, I thought this until Hilary asked me to review her book and I felt compelled to read it. I hate to say it, but I guess I am a liar. I loved this book - everything about it, as a matter of fact. I couldn't put it down and almost missed my train stop a couple of times over the course of reading it.

What is so compelling about "Plan Bea"?  Well, a lot of things. It's a good story about relate-able characters. There is drama and resolution wrapped up with a lot of humor. The characters are well rounded and believable even while being eccentric. I truly believe we all know someone like Beatrice, too. She is that friend who is more concerned about appearances than substance. Who does a good deed because it will make her look good. Who commands all of our time listening to her problems while we also need that sympathetic ear and shoulder to cry on. Yet, we love her and on some level all we want is for her to love us back.

I am not going give a synopsis of the book here - you can get that from any website or even the book cover - but I will tell you that Hilary has artfully crafted a book about Mothers and Daughters, about Family, about Life choices, and about Communication (or lack thereof). I can relate to that. I have lived that. I have learned from that. It all works and what the reader gets is an entertaining book about life's lessons.

I highly recommend that you buy "Plan Bea" and as you read it, enjoy your journey toward self-realization.



Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange  for an honest review.

Feeling Superhero-y

Woke up this morning feeling ON TOP of the WORLD! Really - it must be something new in my diet. . . (more about that Thursday) - or maybe I had a super good night's sleep. I am not sure. Let me just say . . .

I am FEELING FINE.

So I think I will go outside and do something - oh, I don't know. . . SUPERHERO-y. You know, Save the World, and stuff.

I think first, though, I need to sit in the SUN and PONDER what I can do and where I should go.

THEN I better take a NAP so I will be refreshed and ready to SAVE.

By then it will be time for an afternoon SNACK, so I better take time for that. . .

Well, hmmm. That brings us back to my AFTERNOON NAP. Can't go without that or I will just be cranky.

That will bring us to CUDDLE TIME because Mommy will be home . . . and that also means DINNER TIME, can't miss that.

By this time the sun will be going down and it will be TV and Cuddle with Mommys time. And that is followed by NITE NITE time.

I guess TOMORROW I will be able to jump into SUPERHERO-ing because I will already have a plan in place (remember, I pondered it earlier). Hope I wake up feeling SUPERHERO-y again.

Gee! It sure is hard to be a SUPERHERO!

Concentration

Note the intense concentration.

Note the readiness of our poses.

Note the extreme interest on something out of the frame.

Note. . . there is more to the story than this.

Aunt B. had a snack.

And she wasn't really sharing.

What did we learn from this experience?

Beg Harder amd LONGER!!!

Pug With Moon and Star

Did you see the predawn sky this morning? It was so marvelous and since the sky was cloudless at that time, it was breathtakingly bright and vivid as well.

ARTIST'S RENDITION OF THE PREDAWN SKY

You see, today was when Jupiter (lowest in the eastern sky) aligned with the crescent moon and Venus (the biggest and brightest of the visible planets). I was just mind-blown as I looked at it. This is similar to it EXCEPT the Moon a bigger crescent and was in the middle and it was all very very much a lot bigger!!! Like I could reach up and touch it CLOSE! Seriously!!!

This was a most unusual occurrence, after all; and not only that, but it was so BRILLIANT and AMAZING and any other superlative you wish to put in here. It was MIND-BLOWING, in a word. So, what could it mean, I thought? . . . I am pretty sure there is something deeper going on here because the site was just so AWESOME in every sense of the word. 

I immediately thought of Cat Stevens's (now Yusuf Islam) song, "Boy With Moon and Star on His Head." Maybe Cat was onto something there. Maybe the alignment today is the beginning of a time of LOVE in the World? I mean, there has been so much hate lately. . . so much killing and misunderstanding. I think everypuggy is walking on eggshells 90% of the time. Am I right?

Until the gift that someone left, a basket by my door.

And in there lay the fairest little baby crying to be fed,

I got down on my knees and kissed the moon and star on his head.

As years went by the boy grew high and the village looked on in awe

They'd never seen anything like the boy with the moon and star before.

And people would ride from far and wide just to seek the word he spread

I'll tell you everything I've learned, and Love is all...he said.

So if this is the gateway to the time of LOVE them maybe we need to acknowledge it and usher it in with great joy. Then we need to nurture it to make it grow and Grow and GROW!

Throwback Thursday

My FIRST Gotcha Day - October 19, 2009

I Don't Know Your NAME Stranger. . .

But Your SMELL Is Familiar

Blog Hop Time

October 6 and It's National Noodle Day

Hey EveryPUGGY!!! It's National Noodle Day. I think that applies to NOODLES as well (snicker. . . snicker). I am pretty excited about having ANOTHER day when the whole country celebrates

ME!

My first Halloween Costume - a Bowl of Noodles

There is just so much GOOD when it comes to Noodles. Did you know the word noodle is derived from the German work nudel which means.  . . . . . . um. . . . noodles. So, moving on, noodles are generally small pieces of dough that are pressed or stretched oftentimes into long thin strips. Then they are boiled, fried, steamed, and so on, covered with a variety of sauces and foods, and served as a main meal. Yummy.

However this NOODLES is characterized by fawn colored fur, a black mask, velvety rectangular ears, a curly-like-a-cinnamon-roll tail, and large brown liquidy eyes.

Noodles have been recorded as being a food staple for 1600 years; however, a 4000 year old noodle was supposedly found preserved in SOMETHING along the Yangtze River in China. That is truly amazing.

This Noodle(s), though has only been around for 6 years and I originate from Sunny Northern California.

So grab a bowl of your favorite noodles and Celebrate in honor of this humble food and this NOT SO humble PUG.

I Walked. . . I Wagged. . . AND I Raised Money For Pet Adoptions!!!

Saturday was THE DAY - the day of the Humane Society of Silicon Valley's Walk N' Wag. We had worked hard to raise money and now we needed to MAKE GOOD on our promise to walk.

I was ready at the CRACK OF DAWN - here I am dressed in my HSSV bandana and Power Paws socks to protect my front paws.

Saturday was the epitome of a perfect CALIFORNIA day. It was cool in the morning - sweatshirt cool, as my Mommy would say - but beautifully sunny with no clouds at all. As the morning warmed up, there would be a breeze which kept the temps tolerable even for a PUG. Perfect day for a 3.5 mile walk.

We all piled into the CAR and drove to Hellyer Park in S. San Jose where the event was held. We pass this park all the time on our way to Auntie D's house; but this was the first time we ever stopped. It is a very nice park nestled in the hills around Hwy 101. Like everywhere in NorCal it is very dry right now and the little lake and Coyote Creek are all dried up. Nonetheless, it is still a pretty place.

We parked and headed over to the CHECK IN booth. We were a little early so we roamed around and chatted up the volunteers (many of who would remember my name wave to me as they saw me throughout the morning). I didn't see any PUGS, I have to say, but there were a lot of BIG DOGS and then smaller ones like Molly.

We checked in here. NOTE my muddy socks.

Mommy said she couldn't tell it was muddy but look at my socks!

This was at 8 am. By the time the race started there were
easily triple this number of people.

Note: I no longer have my socks on as they were so wet.

I don't know your name stranger but HI. . . or should I say
BUTT hi?

I am SOOOO ready for this.

Since my socks were embarrassingly muddy and falling off (which Power Paws normally do NOT do), we decided to go visit Ms. Lorraine from Woodrow Wear (the makers of Power Paws) about a new pair of socks for the walk.

 We loves loves loves visiting Ms. Lorraine because she is so nice. She knows how to pet me and talks nice to me.

And she ALWAYS has the BEST treats. And she ALWAYS makes sure I have one, two, three of them!!!

She and Mommy talked a bit about the business and the Walk N' Wag event. Ms. Lorraine does a lot of pet related things.

So then we GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS of new socks. I wasn't sure what to choose as she has so
 many styles to choose from. Since this is October and BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, I chose some wonderful PINK POWER PAWS to power my walk. I think it was the perfect choice. Don't you?

It was PHOTO OP time so I did my best posing and smiling.

It was time to let Ms. Lorraine get back to BUSINESS so we gave huggies and bid farewell. We visited some other vendors all of whom had TREATS for dogs AND humans. It was one of the few times Mommy let me eat more than ONE TREAT. I guess she figured I would be walking the calories off. Mommy spinned a wheel and won a shopping bag (she is a regular BAG LADY cuz she LOVES to get shopping bags). Aunt B won movie tickets!!! Lucky them. It was a small vendor area but plenty to keep us busy.

We still had a lot of time before the RACE was to begin. The RACE was a 5K RUN and Cousin E and her BF were running in it. They came in FIRST PLACE for their age group! That is awesome. Cousin E runs very very fast. She used to be on the crosscountry team at her high school.


We worked the crowd a bit more and LO AND BEHOLD. . . there was ANOTHER PUG! Her name is Emma and she is 10 years old. She was going to walk too, apparently. I was elated as up until then we had seen five or six Bulldogs, about 3 Frenchies, one or two Shih Tzus, and maybe 2 Bostons. That was it for the FLAT FACED group. There were so many HUGE DOGS, even a Great Dane that stood almost as tall as Mommy who isn't THAT tall but tall enough for me to know that DOG was BIG!

Anyhow, it was nice that Emma's folks came across the yard to greet us because, like us, they had not seen another PUG anywhere.

It was now about 5 minutes to the start of the 5K walk so we headed over to the START LINE.

ON YOUR MARK (yes, my beautiful pink

socks got muddy as well BUT they stayed 

on.)

The walk began!!! I was determined to do the whole 5K even though walking that much is not my thing. Lucky for me I have lost the TWO POUNDS the dogter wanted me to lose so walking is a lot less difficult for me. I managed the first mile with hardly any hard breathing at all.

From there though it got tough! It was a little UP HILL and the asphalt path was heating up some. I was able to stay in the shade a lot of time time . . . but I was getting winded and slowing down. It was okay, though, as Mommy knew we'd have to take it slow for HER sake as well as MINE. And her FRIEND Auntie N was with us to keep us going.

This is the 2.5K marker. See those big dogs panting? I was
not the only one struggling at this point.

 Aunt B and Aunt T had PASSED us up way at the beginning and we saw them on their RETURN walk as we headed up to the turn-around. They finished a full 40 minutes before we did. It was not a race, though, so we did not get mad or anything. And let's face it - that kind of natural beauty should be savored a little along the way.

Look at the bush in the back with reddish leaves. That is
Poison Oak. Mommy made sure to point that out so neither
I nor Lil One would accidently wander into it.

 Before I knew it, we were at the TWO MILE marker!!!! I could not believe it! You can see me grinning from ear to ear - and they thought I would need the WAGON to complete the course! Although, realistically we probably should have had it, in case. BUT I did manage to make it to the TWO MILE marker, nonetheless.

I was really enjoying myself and Mommy let me walk BEAR FOOTED. . . no, no, no. . . she meant BARE FOOTED, for a little while as my pink socks were pretty gross by then. She had a spare pair of POWER PAWS and a little ways down the hill she replaced them. I am happy to report that I did not get a single scraped toe or bloody toenail as the POWER PAWS protected my paws.

Mile Three meant we were almost to the finish line. Look at
the background. That is normally a small lake.

I DID IT!!! I walked a 5K and finished the race! It was definitely a glorious moment for me. The HSSV Volunteers and my FAMILY cheered us on, too! We weren't the last ones to finish the race, but we were close to the end.

I want to take this moment to thank EVERYPUGGY who contributed to Team Pug 'N' Mop! We exceeded our goal which was a real RUSH for us. It all goes to a good cause, to. We love you all for supporting us in this project.

After the race was over and the awards handed out, Mommy and I took off to get Mommy #1. She had to take a TEST for COLLEGE. I am pretty sure we had a lot more fun than she did.

Mommy took this picture while waiting in traffic leaving the park. I didn't make it too far, huh?