A Year in the Life of Noodles - 2020 Version

So it happens that I AM still around but many many many of my BLOGVILLE furiends are not.  I thought I was remiss for not blogging in 5 months and then I see most of my LONG TIME Furiends stopped blogging 5 Years OR MORE! What Tha? I get it - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok are all more immediate and accessible. The times are changing and the face of Blogville with it. I am considering whether or not I will continue A BOWL OF NOODLES. But for now, well you can still find me here.

It is so hard to find the time for Ms Thumbs to sit down and write for me. 

This has been a hard year for all of us, hasn't it. And yet a lot has happened in a not-happening way. Here's what I mean -

1. My Mommys planned a 5 week trip to EUROPE to celebrate Mommy #1 turning 21 and graduating from university. But the best laid plans fell apart when the whole WORLD went on COVID-19 lockdown

2. Instead, Mommy #1 brought home a new family member - Rigatone. I love the guy, to be perfectly honest. He has such a sweet personality and he is snuggly and funny. BUT THAT PUPPY energy coupled with him being more than TWICE my size . . . well sometimes it is like a war zone around here. Molly can't tolerate him invading her space (and by her space she means the whole house) so she is usually yelling at him. Then I chime in telling her "Stop yelling. . . Stop yelling . . . Stop yelling!" And before you know it, everpuggy is yelling.

Rigatone THEN  

Rigatone NOW

/

3. Mommys planned a Trip to Disneyland as a consolation for not going to Europe

4. Mommys canceled a Trip to Disneyland when the Happiest Place on Earth shutdown 

5. Cousin E and her Bf J postponed their planned wedding

6. Cousin C and Mommy #1 had virtual graduation ceremonies which were NOTHING like in person celebrations would be. But we got cake

7. I turned 11 years old and Molly turned 8. I think we wear it well

8. Teddy the Doodle happened. Remember I mentioned Rigatone's PUPPY energy? Double that. Thank goodness she does NOT live in this house. Three PUPS are enough.

9. Mommys canceled ANOTHER trip to Disneyland because the park remains CLOSED!!!! In November they canceled the holiday in CORONADO which would have also been another Disneyland trip. Alas the base was not allowing non-military personnel onsite and THE PARK REMAINS CLOSED!!!

10. Cousin E and he Bf J canceled their wedding. They had a civil ceremony so its all good. I am happy because I really like J. He ALWAYS makes sure to show each pup attention.

11. We got a new PRESIDENT. Change is a good thing - I am hopeful

12. No Christmas Eve party (so no Tiffy and Fezzik visits). No Auntie D on Christmas Day, either. But Sandy Paws did show up and I got lots of presents.

And so here we are - a NEW YEAR with the same old PANDEMIC. I hope and pray it ends soon and we can get back to PUG MEET UPs and PAWTIES and all social things. I am happy, in the meantime, that my family is safe and healthy but SICK AND TIRED of each other's company day in and day out.

Me? I am happy to have constant access to my Mommy #2's lap!

It's Teddy

 

Hi EveryPUGGY! It's been a long time, huh? I am doing quite well for an 11 year old PUG PRINCESS! I am not quite a sprightly as I was as a pup, but I can still get around. And bath day zoomies are still a thing.

I want to introduce you all to a new family member - only this one does not live in our house, whew! This is Teddy, my new cousin. She is the new furbaby of my Cousin E and her husband Cousin J. They have their own house now. Teddy was born in July and arrived in her forever home 2 weeks ago. She is a DOODLE. 

 

 

I went over to their house on Sunday to meet Teddy for the first time. I was chosen because I am pretty mellow about meeting new pups. My only hesitation was - the last two times I met puppies, they came home with us. It worried me, I will not lie. BUT. . .

It was fine. It was pretty evident that in no way was Teddy coming to Casa de Noodles to live.

 

 

So we circled each other and she challenged me to a zoomie contest (I let her win). Then she got up in my grill so I had to LET HER KNOW I WAS ALPHA. After that she was a little scared. Before too long, she discovered she could GET MY GOAT by cuddling up to MY MOMMY. I tried not to get jealous. Really I did. 

My SMART Mommy was wise to her manipulations, though and put me on her lap to stay. Eventually Teddy tired out and all was well.

How’d We GET to August SO Soon?

 

Hi Peeps and FURiends. It has been a long time since I have graced these pages. It isn't for lack of trying. I truly miss you ALL when I am not on Blogger.

So I want to get this out of the way before any of you FREAK! Yes, that is Rigatone. He is 7 months old now and about 30 pounds. BUT he is more of a small Beagle size and NOT Great Dane, as he looks in this photo. AND no, Molly and I are NOT teacup pups. We are still the same average size pups in the Toy Breed. Now, it is true that Rigatone is 3 times heavier than Molly and 2 times heavier than me. But he is not gargantuan.

This photo was taken last Friday when we went to Cousin E's new house for dinner. She let us ride in her Garden Wagon and it was so much fun!!! Lotsa fun. Well, I thought so, anyhow. Molly whined the whole time. And Rigatone could NOT exit the wagon fast enough. Pictures can be deceptive, you see. Me?? I loved it and chilled in the wagon most of the evening.

 

 

 

 

The humans had homemade PIZZA! It smelled so yummy and I wanted some so bad. But I wisely stuck to kibble. It keeps my weight in check and is made of all the flavors I love. But it didn't make me any less inclined to beg.

This coming weekend is a special one for Mommy and Aunt B.

HINT: They are Twins.

Guess Who’s Visiting!!!

Hello FURiends
I know. It has been a long long time. But remember - I am ALWAYS thinking of you all.

It’s summer and you know what that means. . . Lulu is here! She is just spending the night this time - a test because she has never met Rigatone. In a couple of weeks, she will probably stay a week while my Aunt T and Lulu’s peeps are out of town.

The first meeting, a couple of hours ago, was crazy. Lots of barking and excitement and running. But now it’s all good. I think she and Rigatone will be fine. And you know Molly and I loves loves loves Ms Lulu.

Work From Home Means a Blog Day

Here I AM!!!! I have NOT disappeared nor gone AWAY. I AM HERE!

Whew! I am glad I got that off my chest. Ever since Mommy went to work in an office, I have been stuck in LIMBOland with this blog. She just doesn't have the bandwidth (her term, not mine) to get my posts published in a reasonable time. She hopes she can find that magical rhythm again soon.

So life is NOT really normal but we keep plugging away at being happy, healthy and hole. Yeah, that should be whole. . . I played with the language because I couldn't think of a reasonable word with an H. We have Mommy #1 and Cousin C home ALL THE TIME. Aunt T is home most of the week - goes into her office 1 MAYBE 2 days. Mommy and Aunt B go to work because they are essential workers (they work government finance and property taxes. Money is essential to keep the government running. As Mommy puts it - there is no government money or services without taxes - and it is her (and Aunt B's ) job to collect it. So they strap on their masks and arm themselves with hand sanitizer and go to work. It is the new. . . can I really say NORMAL? I sure hope this is not normal and that someday soon we can return to life before PANDEMIC.

My Mommy #1 graduated from university with a Bachelors degree in Finance and minors in Math and Urban Studies (teaching). She was hoping for a job or AT LEAST a paid internship in finance but with companies shut down, those opportunities also shut down. BUT she was offered a paid teaching job through Teach for America. It is a two year commitment but she is okay with that. Teaching is actually her dream so it works out. Sadly her college career ended with the beginning of Shelter in Place (SIP). There was no ceremony. . . no saying goodbye to her friends . . . no senior outings . . . nothing normally associated with the end of 4 years at university. There will be a graduation ceremony at some time but it may be a year down the line. She is handling all of that well, though. She is a SUPERSTAR in my mind,

So all I gotta say is I am healthy and in a month will be 11 years old. Can you believe it? I feel like a puppy, though. Until THAT puppy starts to jump around and run in circles.  .  . then I realize I am NOT a puppy at all.

Love you my FURiends

What the H Happened to Twenty-twenty?

Hi Peeps and PUPS! It’s been a long long long time - I KNOW. It all started at Midnight December 31 when it became 2020. Life has NOT been the same, I tell you! It’s just gotten weirder and weirder in some awful and not so awful ways.
First of all - well . . . This happened

You all know about my new BRO, Rigatone. I like him and all but man oh MAN! The boy energy coupled with the puppy energy! Sometimes I just don’t know which way is up. Molly’s having NONE of it and spends a lot of time upstairs DARING him to cross her path. Which he does so then she chases him and yells at him. And he’s so good natured he just gallops away - and the does it again. I like him most of the time but he will get my goat when he sidles over and purposely LICKS MY BOWL!

Then there is Mommy #2’a work. She is an essential worker and goes to the office every day. Her hours are weirder, tho, so she leaves very early in the am. She does cone home earlier in the day but it is not really compensating. She is gone and for me that is a hardship. I was so used to her office being HOME! It’s good to have Mommy #1 home and Aunt T and Cousin C, tho.

Mommy’s hours are also why MY BLOG never gets written. I can’t do it myself and she’s not home to do it. Eventually we will figure it out.

I worry about her a lot being out among OTHER people. The virus is everywhere and you just can’t be certain where it is safe. She says her office takes extreme measures to make sure she is safe. And she has to wear a mask when she is at work as well. She says it’s not so bad but she does miss the potlucks and camaraderie in the office. Nowadays they just do their thing and go home. All “socializing” is via Skype.

Mommy and Mommy also participated in a birthday celebration via ZOOM. It seemed pretty fun only they weren’t people I know or care about. I was hoping one of the peeps would be Princess Leah’s folks so I could chat with her at the same time. But they weren’t on the Zoomabration.

On the one hand I love having the family around all the time - but on the other hand, I can tell they are stressed and trying hard to make everything seem normal - but it’s not.

Remember when everyPUGGY said “Have a Nice Day!” whenever they left or ended a phone call. Do you every hear anyone say THAT anymore? No - you don’t huh? It’s been REPLACED just like normal has been. I am on the fence about it - it seems sincere but sad:

Be Safe and Stay Well

It’s just not doing it for me. . .

Happy 17th Sunshine

We’re all so HAPPY that we have another BIRTHDAY to celebrate for Sunshine! She has been struggling this year (haven’t we ALL?) and looks every bit her many years. But she still feisty and mouthy and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happy

Birthday

Sunshine