Mr. Boombalatti Hides the Evidence

Dog dish half hidden under carpet

To Toby’s great dismay, I have had to put him on a diet for Lent. Geordie’s pickiness over food has given Toby ample opportunities to become roly-poly by eating his brother’s leftovers. The other day I found this going on in the kitchen. In the background, I was pretty sure I could hear Shaggy singing, “It wasn’t me…”

Dog photobombs picture with dish and toy in background

I’m telling you, it was Blue Puppy who ate all the food!

As you can see, Toby clearly blames his little blue puppy for getting into the dishes and then trying to hide the evidence under the rug.

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Speaking of blue, I bet there is a child in your life who would look very sharp in a blue, argyle cardigan. Great for chilly days no matter the season, your boy (or girl!) will be both stylish and warm in this sweater.

The Biscuit Battle

Happy smiling Cairn terrier sitting next to flowers.

Last year when my beautiful Geordie was diagnosed with cancer, I was devastated. The vet said my vibrant, active boy had only a few weeks to live so I made it my mission to make him the most spoiled, happiest terrier in all of history.

Geordie has surprised us all by continuing to live a full life despite his illness. I am thrilled to have my puppy with me for far longer than expected. What I hadn’t counted on was just how spoiled a little dog can be when he gets everything he wants.

For the past few weeks, he has been positively insufferable. I have had to cut back on treats and special attention and put him back on the schedule he had before that fateful vet visit. It has been a difficult decision for me because I realize that I may lose him at any moment. What kind of a pet parent am I if I deny my puppy his final wish of Marro Bones? Good or bad, I did it anyway.

Geordie hasn’t given up squawking for treats, but I have noticed that his eyes seem brighter and his tummy isn’t rumbling as much. He even decided to take me for a walk today. It seems like an obvious solution to keep a pet on a strict healthy diet, but it is difficult to do when the pet is getting ready to leave.

Geordie insisted that he have a say on today’s blog:

First, I have to tell on Toby. He went to sleep in my bed, and he didn’t get in trouble at all!!

This evening, Mom took me out to pee. After we came inside, Toby said he had to pee. (Never at the same time, right?) While they were outside, I very kindly helped Mommy open the jar of biscuits in the closet and eat them. You can tell she likes Toby best because I got yelled at and he didn’t even though he was the one who got caught with the lid in his mouth. Harrumph. Why even have biscuits if you are not going to give them to me?!?

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Start your St. Patrick’s Day celebration early by visiting my store.

Many items are on sale including this handmade olive green man’s cardigan.

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Kitty, Puppy or Fox?

Since Geordie’s cancer diagnosis, I have found it difficult to write about my boys or even draw and post silly pictures of them. Instead I write about Toby and me going to visit the fallen tree. It is my way of coping. We have had some really good days lately, though, and I want to hold onto them here.

On Saturday, Geordie surprised me by waking me up an hour early to tell me that it was sunny and cold out. He was so excited that he wanted to leave for a walk right away. When I told him I needed to get dressed first he stormed off in a huff and threw himself down on the kitchen floor.

After a few minutes for my morning routine, I got the boys dressed in their harnesses, and we headed out. I was totally stunned at how far my little boy was able to go. We wandered for over a mile together as my two marked everything they could reach. I could see a difference in Toby as well. He really loves walking with his brother. The two of them were calm and cooperative. It was a joy to be with them.

The day ended well with two pups who ate heartily and slept soundly. When you have a sick puppy, those simple things are so significant.

While Toby behaved with Geordie nearby on our Saturday walk, he did not do well when he and I were together. It is my fault. In most things he does so well that I don’t train him as often as I should. This evening I decided to try some training like I used to with Geordie.

To start, I grabbed three of Toby’s toys: a puppy, a kitty and a fox. I brought some treats, then I asked him to touch the animal I named. Geordie heard us having fun and came over to join in. Geordie always loved doing tricks like this. He knew so many words and instructions that it was spooky. He and Toby played this game until we ran out of snacks. It was the happiest and most engaged that I have seen Geordie in a long time.

I was so excited about what we’d accomplished that I wanted to play again, but I know you can only teach a pup for a few minutes at a time. I feel bad that I haven’t been doing this more with Geordie over the past year. His diagnosis was hard on me, and I treated him as a delicate little china dog instead of a guy who liked puzzles and games. I hope there is still time to make up for that. I want his memories of this lifetime to be happy ones. Two Cairn terriers sitting in the grass.

We got off to a rocky start, but we like walking together now.

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Sleeping in Stereo

Normally Toby likes sleeping in his kennel. He even has a performance he puts on when he wants to go in at night. For some reason, last night was an exception. He cried and whined as soon as the lights were turned out. I opened his door to see what he wanted. He didn’t go to his dish. He didn’t go to the door. Instead, he ran to the bedroom where Geordie was sleeping in the laundry.

Toby isn’t usually allowed in the bedroom because he is still young enough to be a destructive force of nature, but last night I made an exception. While Toby fussed and investigated all the corners, I decided to leave for a few minutes and let him figure things out on his own. When I came back, I found this:

Cairn terrier sleeping on bedroom floor. He had found some lap blankets and made a little bed for himself.

Geordie was less than thrilled to have The Usurper in his own private room. (Geordie and I have arguments over whose room it really is.) He huffed and puffed and made discontented noises all night to let me know he was not happy.

Life’s the same

We’re sleeping in stereo

Life’s the same

Except for the toots.

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Don’t forget, if you still have any Amazon gift cards from the holidays, a copy of Poopiter would make a great gift for yourself!

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And So It Begins

For the final act of 2018, Toby managed to get into the bathroom and grab not just the end of the toilet paper but the whole roll. “Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw” went the Toby.

And how did 2019 begin? With Toby throwing up in his bed at 4:00 a.m. “Yark, yark, yark,” went the Toby. But, dog puke is auspicious, isn’t it?

And so begins our new year….

Spitting Cottonballs

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Did you get an Amazon gift card for Christmas? Then consider ordering a copy of Poopiter for yourself!

Poopiter tells the illustrated tales of my boys during their first year together. Sure to bring a smile to your face!

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The Closet (The Coat)

I had though that the season change was off to an auspicious start when I was able to repair a purse for under $0.50. Surely this was a sign of good things to come! Not.

A quick perusal of other Winter gear showed a coat with definite cold spots. OK, it is at least 12 or 13 years old. Surely I could at least think about possibly finding a new one? Maybe one with a hood?

Thinking is about as far as you can go these days about new things. With all of the talk I hear about the flourishing economy and American-made pride, I thought I would be overwhelmed with great choices. Choices yes, but certainly not great ones.

Anyone who lives up north knows the value of a warm coat. Sadly now I do too. It is approximately a mortgage payment. I had always been lucky enough to find something at an outlet store, but there don’t seem to be any around here anymore.

A check online showed that not only are coats super expensive, but for some reason every manufacturer has decided that current coats must a) be very form-fitting and b) have a zippered turtleneck. Models demonstrate the coats’ attributes while wearing stilettos and nothing else. Really? Are we supposed to be wearing our down coats over cocktail dresses? What happened to dressing in layers? How are you supposed to fit a wool sweater under one of those? I find this level of stupidity very frustrating.

And then there’s zippered turtlenecks. That is all you can find. I loathe zippered turtlenecks. They catch on your hair. They catch on your earrings. They constantly poke you in the face. Seriously? No one could think to buck the trend and place a zipper to the collar bone then a snap-closed insulated collar? Even if I could afford a coat I would either have to hate it as-is or commit surgery and void its warranty.

So, my unfortunate puppies are closet orphans for another week as I try to once again fix what I have. Toby enjoys going through my fabric bin with me and pulling out different insulators trying to find something to help. If I can’t find anything, maybe I’ll just stuff him in there. After all, my boys are always bragging about how warm their fur is.

Cairn terrier pup standing in snow.

My fur is warm. N’yah, n’yah, n’yah!

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Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Poopiter!

Available at Amazon. Makes a great holiday gift!

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Not Cool, Mom!

Sketch of Cairn terrier dog.

Seriously, you chose this picture?!?

When Geordie saw the picture of Toby I posted on the blog, he insisted that I put a picture of him up next. For some reason he is unhappy about this one.

This is a draft of one of the pictures in his (and Toby’s. Don’t tell him Toby is in the book too) next book. Although I have been working on it for a year, it feels like I am never going to get done.

This book is filled with so many memories for me. It has also been a great opportunity for me to learn more about working with digital media. At the rate I am going, though, I will die of oldness long before I ever get done.

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To read some of Bitey and Toby’s already finished adventures, pick up a copy of Poopiter.

Poopiter is available at Amazon. It would make a great Christmas gift for the dog lover in your life!

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