It Was a Big Day Out for My People

My people, including my Auntie Marlynn, were very busy this past Saturday. Do not feel sorry for me that they left me alone in the house. It was a big day for me also because they let me have the full run of the house while they were gone. You see, while they are at work, I spend my days in my own bedroom with a full bath, cable TV (Animal Planet is my favorite), Wi-Fi (except I cannot type…no thumbs), breakfast, water, my own bed, toys and a Dingo bone. Come to think of it, this is not too bad of a gig either. Anyways, I cannot share with you what it was like to have the run of the house because they will probably never leave me loose again. My friends, Lokie, Dakota, Neo, Betty, Yoda, Divot and Homey have all been sworn to secrecy. So since I cannot share my adventures, I let Mommy share hers.

Our day started out visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors Exhibit at the National Geographic in Washington, DC. China’s first Emperor Qin Shihuangdi needed an army of terra cotta figures to go with him into the afterlife. This army included armor, chariots and horses. Initially, 1,000 terra cotta figures were found. But, it is believed the number could actually be around 7,000. The detail in the figures is absolutely amazing and hard to believe these pieces were created more than 2,000 years ago. I am still trying to figure out how big the kiln was they used to fire a 400 pound terra cotta horse figure and how did they heat it?

Afterward, we hopped on the Metro and headed over to Ben’s Chili Bowl for a half-smoke. Well, Marlynn and Phil had the half-smokes and I tried the chili dog. If you are ever in the DC Metro area, Ben’s is local landmark you should not miss.

Finally, Auntie Marlynn and I met some of the girls at Scrapbooks Plus for a “A Crop to Die For” murder mystery theatre (and crop). The mystery theatre featured scrapbooker extraordinaire “Kiki Lowenstein.” Kiki is the amateur sleuth who stars in Paper, Scissors, Death and Cut, Crop & Die. We had the pleasure to meet, Joanna Campbell Slan, the author of these two fun books. Joanna is absolutely one of the sweetest folks you will ever meet. I use the word “folks” because I found Joanna and I have two things in common. One, she was born in Jacksonville, FL (automatically I must love her) and two, she loves the South.
After we solved the murder mystery, which I won the grand prize (well, eight others and I solved the murder), Joanna spent some time autographing books and visiting with each guest. Southern ladies know how to work a room!

King of the Snow Mountain!

Blizzard 2010

My people took me outside today for a little run in the snow. Dad carved me a little path in the backyard.



My friend, Dakota, made his own path and came over to play.

Space - The Final Frontier

Mr. Spock called and he wants his ears back.

Martha Who?

So yesterday, I (by the way, this is not Oliver) am in one of the big box stores (not the one with red bulls eye). This store recently renovated to include meat, produce, etc. and has rearranged everything. I am in the crafts section and do not see the Martha Stewart products. I ask one of the employees who is stocking the shelves near the craft stuff to find out if they still carry the Martha Stewart products. Guess what? She has no earthly idea who Martha Stewart is. Serious? (Yes, I am.) So, I walk through the store and for giggles, I ask another employee where the Martha stuff is? Are you sitting down? She does not know who Martha Stewart is either! (Are you gasping?) I have the feeling if Martha got word of this, she would not be very happy. Am I just taking it for granted that everyone knows who Martha Stewart is? You know, even Oliver has sat with me and watched her show.

This reminds me of another story from some time ago, I am at Border's and I hear a teenage girl say to her friend "oh, that AUTHOR is still up there speaking." That AUTHOR just happened to be Madeleine Albright, then Secretary of State (that would be of the United States). Okay, to give the high school girls the benefit of the doubt, I probably could not have told you who the Secretary of State was when I was a teenager either. But Martha Stewart? Seriously!

Dear Santa

Let The Decorating Begin

Here is a door decoration Mommie made to hang on our front door. I think it is pretty!



I think the little snow over the weekend helped us all feel like Santa(Paws) is coming!

No Virginia, Santa IS NOT A Drag Queen

Mommie has been watching for a vintage, pink, Harold Gale Santa on eBay. Finally, she brought one home. I think it is helping get her in the holiday spirit. Auntie M thinks he looks like a drag queen. Personally, he looks like a chew toy to me.



Okay, so he is standing next to a pink tree with a string of flamingo lights. That still does not make him a drag queen.

Love the Snow!

My people took me out in the snow today. I think I like it much more than I did when I was a little pup. This is me and one of my best buddies, Dakota.

By 4:30 this afternoon, we had about 4 1/2" of snow and it is not done yet!

She's Been Crafty - Part Two

Mommie has been working on another idea from Cindy's blog. Her friend gave her all the pieces for her birthday to make this beautiful tray. The project uses a picture frame (preferably vintage), paint, Rub 'n Buff to distress the edges, drawer knobs for the feet and then pretty much anything you want to use to decorate the inside.

Well, that is all for now. Mommie has got to quit playing around and get back to homework.

She's Been Crafty

Mommie made this sweet little sign for Auntie Marlynn to welcome her guests to Thanksgiving dinner.

Originially, she saw the idea on Cindy's blog. It turned out to be pretty easy. First, she used painters tape to cover the areas where she did not want paint. Second, sprayed it with primer (Krylon). So let me as you this question "does primer paint only come in grey"? Then, she sprayed it with chalkboard paint (also by Krylon). It took four coats of the caulkboard paint to cover the tray. If you have never used caulkboard paint, you paint one coat in one direction and the second in the other. Beautiful!

Since we're on the subject of caulkboard paint, hop on over to our friend Korie's blog and she what she did with a $2 mirror. Lovie!

What Happens at Auntie's, Stays at Auntie's

So, Mom and Dad where in Philadelphia for a couple of days and I stayed at my Auntie Marlynn's. If you are interested in what I have been up to, at least the published version of our story, hop over to Auntie's blog.

In Philadelphia, Mom and Dad came across a couple of great doggie/kitty stores. Doggie Style and BONeJour. From Doggie Style, they brought back for me a t-shirt shaped cookie, Tator-the dog loving gator and a pink piggy. I first thought Mom was going to keep piggy for herself.

But, she gave him up and within the first five minutes, he was missing an eye. Hey, he has two.

(Check it out, I think his ears are bigger than mine! Whatcha think?)

Fortunately, Mom found her own pink piggy.

New Doo!

My people took me today for a little hair cut, nail clipping (normally, Auntie M clips my nails, but it is part of the package) and tooth brushing. Here is my before picture:

Lookie, my name is on the board welcoming me! They know I am a VIP (Very Important Puppy)!

Yes, I know I look good!

Shabby Chic Silvia Blog Candy Give-A-Way

Check this out:

Shabby Chic Silvia

News Flash – Oliver Kicked Out of Rio Grande Café (Reston Town Center)

Yes, my friends, this is a true story. The first time we dined at the Café with Oliver, we specifically asked if their patio was pet friendly and they said “yes”. Subsequently, we have dined there several times with him. Well, all that changed last night. We are about three quarters of the way through dinner (after waiting a half an hour for a table-I might add), when a manager-type comes over and tells us that Oliver cannot be on the patio and we’ll have to put him on the other side of the fence. We told the guy, that we have dined there several times and this has never been an issue and we even asked the first time, if they were “pet friendly”. The guy was very polite about it and said he was sorry and it was basically per his boss. (By the way, where was his “boss”?) At that point, we just decided to leave and asked for our check.

Phil had me take Oliver to the “other side of the fence” and towards the front door while he settled up the check. Long story short, Phil had an additional discussion with our server (who also never told us that Oliver could not be there) and yet another discussion with the “manager”. You can imagine how the discussion went and Phil said the manager was still very polite with him and ultimately comp’d our meal. Not to sound ungrateful, but taking care of our meal didn’t make us feel any better nor was what we were trying to accomplish.

So my friends, when you are visiting the Reston Town Center with your four-legged friend keep walking by Rio Grande Café, you are not welcome.

Oliver Goes S.O.B.

On our way to Florida, we must make our traditional stop at South of the Border. Since we are allowed to carry Oliver into the Myrtle Beach gift shop, it’s his favorite. I’m not sure why they actually call it the Myrtle Beach gift shop, other than they have few items with “Myrtle Beach” printed on them.

Probably my favorite shop is the El Drug Store. On our first stop a year ago, Phil came out and told me go in and said “tell me what you notice on the wall”. Well, there were two shelves about seven feet high and about four feet wide loaded with (close your ears guys)…lets just say “some products for the ladies”. I took great comfort in knowing that if CVS, Target, Safeway, etc. ever ran out…I could always find them at South of the Border. This trip, they are stocked with the world’s largest fly swatter…

Florida or BUST!

See you in a couple of weeks...this doggie's going on vacation.

Christmas In July

Bulletin Board

Sometime ago, I saw a fun idea for a bulletin board on Melissa Priest's blog. Her husband used chicken wire and scrap wood to make a bulletin board. How cleaver is that? So here’s my version…

I found the frame at thrift store for $2 and some change. Borrowed Marlynn’s staple gun (and staples). And, my dear friend, Pam…she’s my “what can WE make as a shower gift” friend (see May 26, 2009) happened to have chicken wire (or poultry wire as it’s called) in her garage. She’s not sure why, but she did. I’ll bet if she looked hard enough in that garage, she could have found me a frame, staple gun and staples.

Also, I picked up a pack of the Bistro Chalk Markers at the Paper Source. Do I have a chalk board? Of course not! Off to the thrift store again. $3 later and I have a chalk board. I plan to paint the frame, pink of course, but since it’s been sitting in my living room for weeks and I was finally motivated to hang the chicken wire bulletin board…up it went.

Blog Award

MWAH! From Oliver's Auntie Marlynn! Puppy kisses to you!