The Spaz Life

Spaz -- October 17, 1994 - October 23, 2011

2011-10-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

We miss you, Spazzie. Thank you for being a part of our lives.
Have peace.

Happy Birthday, Spaz!

2009-10-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Fifteen years ago today (give or take a couple days) Spaz was born to a black lab and a border collie back in Hampton Roads. I'm not exactly sure which day he was born, but I know he was a month old when I got him for my 17th birthday.

Anyway, even though fifteen years translates to, like, 100 in dog years, Spaz still sometimes acts like the crazy little puppy who chases his tail for hours on end. Though he's mellowed out a lot these last few years, he's still kickin' it. Happy birthday, Spaz!

When Spaz Met Keina...

2007-07-12T12:36:00.001-07:00

So all this time, Nakko's big belly had nothing to do with too many strawberry smoothies or ice cream. Which is good because I was getting worried. Apparently, she was carrying a little tiny person inside her! Amazing, isn't it?

They named her Keina, but I call her Kiki. She is very sweet, but she's also very noisy. I haven't had a good night's sleep in a week and a half! But it's all good.

I actually met her before she ever met me. It all started on the morning of July 2. Just like any other morning, K took me for my morning walk. Then he and Nakko had breakfast and everything was hunky-dory. But they never actually went to work. They stayed at home and I was getting confused. I mean, I was happy I didn't have to stay home alone, but something was different. Every five minutes or so, Nakko would grab her belly and take deep breaths, like she had a tummy ache or something. Eventually, they left and I was alone for a long time.

Eventually, K came back... with a present, no less! He placed a blanket and a tiny little hat on the floor, and kept saying "This is Keina." Even though I was worried sick, I sniffed this blanket with a lot of curiosity. I hadn't smelled anything like it. I kept thinking, "Who was this Keina he keeps talking about?" Also, I was still worried since Nakko didn't come back with him. After only a few minutes, K left again. So it was just me and the blanket for the night.

And before anyone calls the SPCA, I wasn't really abandoned for three days, Mom came all the way from Virginia to take care of me. That was awfully nice of her. Thanks, Mom!

A few days later, everyone finally came home. Inside the carrier was little Kiki. I recognized her scent right away. So now I have a little sister. I know K&N are going to be great parents. They've done a great job raising me, so that counts for something. I also plan on helping out as much as I can. If they need me to watch her, I will. I am her big brother, after all. (Though, in dog years, I'm more like her Grandpa). It might take some adjusting, but we are going to be a big, happy family. One thing's for sure, this little baby barks louder than I do!

Happy Anniversary to Me!

2007-06-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's official. I've been a Maryland resident for exactly one year! And what a year it's been. Looking back over these last 365 days, a lot has changed. First and foremost, I've gotten another year older, and for dogs, that's really old. Also, I think I've given K&N a few scares over the past year. Luckily nothing was too serious, but emergency trips to the vet = not very fun.

But most of all, I've received a lot of love from K&N. They don't take me for walks as much anymore. And when we do, we don't walk very far. That's okay since I get tired pretty easily these days. Also, Nakko walks me very slowly... which I appreciate, being an old dog and all. Speaking of Nakko, her belly's even bigger nowadays! I don't know what it is she's eating, but her belly is as big as Dad's used to be!

Also, the house has been getting a little crowded lately. They've been buying all this strange looking furniture, and it's taking up all my space! My little bed was moved to the other side of the room a few weeks ago, so now I don't even bother sleeping in it. Plus, they're always in the other bedroom folding these tiny little clothes. I think they keep shrinking their laundry in the wash and hiding the shrunken clothes in the dresser. I tell ya, K&N can be really weird!

Anyway, I have to admit, after a rocky start, I'm really enjoying living with K&N. I still miss living in VA with Mom, Dad & Raymond, but they visit once in a while, so I can still see them. I even hear they're coming up this weekend! Hopefully, my second anniversary will be just as great! And maybe next year, K&N will actually give me something to celebrate the occassion. I think it's time for a new toy anyway. After all, I've been chewing on the same bone for a while now.

Still Trying to Catch Up

2007-05-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'm still behind in my blogging. So much is happening, I don't have time to sit in front of the computer and type!

Well, as you know, I've been on the case of Nakko's Ever-Expanding Belly! And I think I know the culprit: strawberry smoothies! I've been observing her these last few months, and I've witnessed her drinking these sometimes. Hmmmmm.....

Now that the weather's gotten nicer again, we've been going on our walks around the neighborhood. The pictures in this post actually represent a much cooler day (you can tell by the jackets K&N are wearing). In fact, these pictures were taken on a very special day. March 3 is Nakko's birthday. We celebrated by going out for a walk.

We don't walk as far or as long as we used to. I am getting old, after all. But they're still fun! But sometime around the 30 minute mark, I look up at Nakko to tell her I'm ready to go home! Fortunately, she and I have excellent communication!

This is How I Roll...

2007-03-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

One of my all-time favorite activities is rubbing my back frantically against my chewtoys. It always happens out of the blue. I'll be lying on the floor, gnawing away at my favorite bone, when -- all of a sudden -- I start rolling around on my back.

I can't do this for long periods of time anymore. (When I was younger, I could do this for hours. Seriously.) Only a couple minutes at a time for me now. I'm an old dog; what can I say?

With the weather acting all crazy (one day it's 75 degrees and we're going on a long walk. The next day, it's snowing and my feet ache!), I don't get to have consistent exercise. So rolling on my chewtoys is my activity for the day. Either way, I'm usually pretty exhauseted afterwards.

What I Got for Xmas

2007-03-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

Since Christmas was over three months ago, this is a little late. But like I said last post, I was busy taking care of Nakko. (Whose tummy, by the way, keeps getting bigger and bigger everyday!)

Speaking of tummies, K&N were nice enough to give me a rawhyde bone for the holidays. Unfortunately, I ate the whole thing in one sitting! Seriously. I just sat there, underneath the table and ate until my tummy hurt!

Needless to say, that was the last time I ate an entire bone in one sitting. Now, KC or Nakko will try to distract me while the other hides my bone somewhere. They're afraid I'll eat the whole thing again. But I know better.

So Where Have I Been?

2007-03-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a few months, I know. First things first, sorry it's been so long. You have to understand, though, I have been very busy. It seems that life is not quite the same ever since Nakko came back from Japan.

You see, I've been taking care of her for the last 5 1/2 months. When she first came back, she wasn't feeling so well. She had to even stay home for almost a month, and I was her primary caregiver.

She eventually went back to work in December, and now she's doing much better. One thing I've noticed over these last few months is that her belly's gotten a lot bigger. She must be eating a lot.

We Miss You, Nakko!

2006-11-13T05:18:00.000-08:00

Can't wait until Wednesday!

An Autumn Walk

2006-11-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while now.

A couple weeks ago, when the weather started to get a little chillier, K&N took me on a nice long walk around Towson. It was back in the beginning of October. This is my first fall in Maryland.

The day we went on our walk was a really nice one. Even though it was cool out, the sun was still shining and the skies were really blue. It was a pretty long walk too. We went around the circle where the traffic's pretty busy. Then we swung around by the big mall. I really enjoy these long walks we take on the weekends. I get to experience all these different smells and sounds. I also get a nice workout so I can nap for the rest of the day!

Plus there are all these nice places to visit. For example, the park near our house has a fountain that I enjoy everytime we go there. The water is really mesmerizing. Sometimes I can't stop staring at it! It is very peaceful at this park. There aren't that many visitors, so whenever we go there, it's like we have the whole place to ourselves.

Happy Birthday to Me

2006-10-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

This week marks my 12th birthday. KC claims it's on October 17 because I was one month old when I showed up at their house. So in honor of this day, K&N decided to get me the best birthday gift ever. (Actually, the week started off with a weekend stay at the local Dog & Cat Hotel).

Anyway, KC came home yesterday with a big Target bag, and somehow, I knew whatever was inside was for me. The second he walked in the door, I went straight to the bag, trying to grab it out of his hands.

And I was right! Inside the bag was this awesome new bed. The second they put it on the floor, I claimed it and slept there all night!

On top of that, K&N also fashioned the ottoman in the living room into my own personal couch. Now, for the chilly winter nights, I'll have somewhere besides the floor to curl up on and relax!

New Fashion Sense

2006-10-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

Since the weather's cooling down, I decided I need to bundle up for the coming winter.

This is my T-shirt look.

What do you think of my new wardrobe?

Season's Changing

2006-10-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

It's starting to get chilly.

Autumn is here, and K&N's hardwood floor is too cold to lay on. I gotta curl up on the rug.

Hmmm....

Maybe I should start wearing clothes...

For Halloween...

2006-10-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of being a Jawa from the Star Wars movies.

So what do you think?

Time to Hibernate?

2006-10-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

See the look on his face? Doesn't seem like he's going to move from the spot any time soon, so I decided to drop a few lines. If you were wondering about how he's been, as you can see he's been just fine. We still go for our daily walks in the evening, and he had his grooming done recently.

Other than this gray pillow, his new favorite ('secret' as he thinks) place is our guest bedroom. KC & I have been trying to catch him in action but no hard evidence yet - just wait and see!

Running as Fast as I Can!

2006-09-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

There is a schoolyard near Mom & Dad's new house. It's so big that once I start running.... I can't stop.

I haven't run this hard in years!

I think I wore myself out.

Walking the Lake

2006-09-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

This park means a lot to K&N. When they were married, they took their wedding pictures at this beautiful park. So the three of us, along with Mom & Dad, came here for a nice long walk. The weather was very nice, if a little hot. It had been a few weeks since I last saw Mom and Dad. And it was the first time I had been back to Chesapeake since I moved in with K&N. It was very nice being back home (even if I didn't recognize the house!)

The other fun part about the lake was that there were so many dogs there! I didn't get along with all of them, but it was interesting to see. Some were even swimming! Maybe next time...

The walk around the lake was so beautiful and so much fun, I can't wait to go back and do it again!

Rest Stop Tour 2006

2006-09-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been recuperating from a long trip. On Labor Day weekend, I spent the holiday back home in Chesapeake. But before I got there, we stopped at the rest stops of Maryland and Virginia!

Unfortunately, the day started off pretty dreary. I even had my morning walk in the pouring rain! But once we got in the car, it was actually pretty fun. We made our first stop at the Maryland Welcome Center on I-95. The weather stayed pretty bad for the entire first leg of the trip. By the time we reached the rest stop near Fredricksburg, VA, the weather started to clear up considerably.

Who knew we dogs had our own rest areas?

I think this is the first time KC or Nakko had ever been to a rest area, because they were snapping up photos left and right!

The best picture they took is of me and Natchan at the first rest stop on I-64 near Richmond. The weather was finally beautiful, and doesn't she look pretty? Plus, I was really thirsty, and she had a nice bowl of cold water ready for me to drink.

This was my first long car trip with K&N, and it was exhausting. I may have been on my best behavior, but that didn't keep me from being curious. I stood up for most of the five hours watching all the cars zoom by. By the time we reached our final destination, I was worn out!

Guess Who Finally Returned?

2006-08-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

No not Superman, silly. Mom, Dad & Raymond!

Over the weekend, we were visited by my old housemates. Mom & Dad just came back from a six-week trip to Hong Kong. It was the first time I'd seen them since they dropped me off here in Maryland. And as soon as they arrived, it was just like old times!

The only difference, though, is this time I was very well behaved (for the most part). The best part about their visit was that the house was so full. I haven't been around everybody at the same time for a long time. And it's so much nicer to appreciate everyone when I'm not going after my own tail for hours on end. This time, I was calm enough to watch everybody enjoying them selves. And I think Mom & Dad were tired from their long trip, too!

One way to show how much better I've become, Mom and Raymond joined KC, Nakko and me on a walk. Mom even got the chance to hold the leash. (Raymond, too!)

Mom was very surprised that I wasn't pulling on the leash anymore. In fact I walked beside her the entire time.

The other good thing about this weekend was that I didn't get yelled at. That's a big difference too. Even though I was very excited, I was able to keep cool enough that Mom and Dad actually complimented me a couple of times. One time, I was laying down beside them (chewing my bone, of course!) and Mom said, "I can't believe he's being so good!" That made me happy.

Even Dad got in on the walking business. He and KC took me back to that nice park across from the mall. Just like I did with Mom, I walked very nicely. Dad even commented on how I used to walk and how much I've improved since then!

All in all, I have to admit it was so nice to see everyone again! Even though I'm very happy here in Maryland, I really did miss everyone a lot. Hopefully they'll visit again really soon. And I'll be as happy as I am in this picture!

What are you looking at?

2006-08-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

Here's me trying to take a nap.

I'm so cool.

So Many Parks

2006-08-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyweek K&N find a new place to walk me. Yesterday was no exception.

Everyday, when they come home from work, we usually take a nice stroll around town. Lately, we started walking a different route and came upon a nice little park next to the mall.

Thankfully, it was a really nice day. Not too hot, with a nice breeze. Getting to the park was pretty fun since we walked underneath a huge sprinkler and got wet!

It was really a nice walk. When we got there, we admired all the pretty plants and flowers. There was even a really cool fountain with a running artificial waterfall. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it before in my life!

All in all, I have to say it was a good day.

Relaxing at Home

2006-08-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

It's nearing two months since I moved to Baltimore. All in all, I have to admit I like living here. One thing's for sure, they sure love taking pictures of me!

Everything I do is documented. If I'm taking a nap, they're snapping a photo. If I'm standing in the kitchen, they're grabbing the digital camera.

So much attention!

I need a nap.

Take a Hike...

2006-08-15T11:16:00.001-07:00

So over the weekend, some friends of K&N's came over to visit. They were the first overnight guests we've had since I moved in. I was also on my best behavior, believe it or not!

They came Friday night. The next morning, the five of us went to Oregon Ridge Park and walked along the "Loggers Red Trail." It's the trail in red. By the way, that trail was 1.6 miles long!

We were walking for a pretty long time too. And I think we might have gotten "off-track" a little bit as well. For a while, we were walking on some pretty rough terrain. Not very trail-like at all. Fortunately, I was able to use my natural canine tracking instincts to find a safe passage through the forest!

Using My Nose

2006-08-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

I have made a most ingenious discovery!

See, I have this leopard-print tennis ball. It was once attached to a rope (which I recently tore to shreds!), but now it rolls around all by itself. Anyway, I have found out that this ball actually contains food! My food to be exact. All I have to do is roll it around and voila! Instant snack!

It really is quite genius.

Going for a walk...

2006-08-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post a cool pic of me and KC.

Looking - Smelling - Feeling Goooood

2006-08-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Just got back from PetSmart.

Yep, I’m nice and clean now.

Wanna sniff?

...... w-wait a minute, what is this thing on my neck?

Oh that’s right - the PetSmart lady gave me the bandana for
being ‘super’ good today.

Don’t I look dazzling?

(I hope K&N won’t get carried away and dress me
as Krypto or something)

-----------------Here is a brief peep of my playtime!

First, I lick the bone...

Then I stare intently at the rope... before I DESTROY!!!!

Almost there Ugggggggh Grrrrrrrrh ....

Bee Sting!

2006-07-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

This is me holding onto my donut from the other day. Unfortunately, after this, I would get my back foot stung by a bee and end up limping for the rest of the night!

This is me eating dinner on three legs. See how my back left foot is in the air?
That's the one that got stung! I was walking on three legs all night because it hurt to put weight on it.

Don't you feel sorry for me?

Luckily, Nakko was there to baby me the whole time!

A close-up of the infected appendage.
Don't worry. I'm fine now!

We Had Visitors Over the Weekend

2006-07-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is KC's uncle Sam and his family. They came to visit us this past Sunday. When they first came in to the house, I was very excited. But I calmed down soon enough. See, when I used to live in Chesapeake, Sam, Amy & the girls visited quite often. However, I think this is the first time they actually took a picture with me.

I did my best to behave while they were here. As you can see, the youngest one, Lizzie, liked me very much! She was petting me and chasing after me the whole time. And to show how much I liked her, I let her pet me while I was chewing on my donut.

She's giving me a back massage.

Sofie, Lizzie's older sister also took a picture with me.

A Couple of My Favorite Chew Toys

2006-07-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

This first one is an oldie, but a goodie. I've had it for a long time and have enjoyed chewing on it for hours on end.

It's some sort of dental bone. The red gelly part in the middle -- which feels good on the gums, by the way -- is surrounded by your typical chewbone material (rawhyde?)

I generally prefer to hold it upright between my two front paws and chew on it as if it were a popsicle.

Chewing on stuff is relaxing. If I find myself getting too worked up over something, I'll go looking for a bone to chew on, and I'm cool. And unlike some dogs, I never chew on things I'm not supposed to, either! (Balled-up tissue paper notwithstanding, of course.) So K&N never have to worry about finding their shoes or socks chewed up!

The other chew toy that I've recently fallen in love with is one that I got only a few weeks ago. K&N call it a "donut." I've only been chewing on it for a couple days, but I'm almost finished with it! It's basically a typical chew toy all rolled up into a circle. What I like doing is trying to untangle the whole thing! It definitely keeps my mind occupied!

My Good Side

2006-07-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

K&N love taking my picture. And everytime I do, I start looking to the right. They think it's because I don't like taking pictures, when in actuality, I just like my profile.

That's my good side!

Here are some more examples below. If Tyra Banks is planning on making America's Next Top Dog Model, I'm available.

This is me being introspective.

I call this one: "Deep Thought."

Extreme Close-up!!!!

They Love Taking My Picture

2006-07-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

But I'm too fast for them!!

Life is Good

2006-07-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

These are two of my favorite things in the whole house: my bone and my pillow.

I've had this same bone for a long time. Who knows how long? One thing's for sure: I love chewing on it! It's calming and peaceful. I'll just gnaw at the ends for 20 minutes straight because it feels good on my teeth and gums.

The pillow I'm lying on is one Mom made for me three years ago. (She got it for me the first time I tried living at K&N's.) Even back then, I enjoyed rubbing my face in it and throwing it around.
Like so:
This is me having a good time! What I do is throw my chew toy onto the pillow. Then, I proceed to rub my face against it. Eventually, I'll roll over onto my back, kicking my feet in the air. I also like to grab the pillow with my front paws and throw it under my back legs. And again, and again and again...

It beats digging the carpet, right?

After a while, I'll situate myself onto the pillow again. Grab my bone, lay down and commence chewing again. It's really quite comfortable and I highly recommend it!

Riding in Cars with Humans

2006-07-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was another day at the park. Literally. We went back to Meadowood. This time there were many more people and many more dogs. I barked at my fair share of them too! But the highlight was riding in the car again!

I tend to get too excited in the beginning. Since I like the feel of the air rushing against my face, I get agitated whenever KC stops the car, and I start barking. Eventually I calm down. But I still prefer when the car is going really fast on the road and I can stick my head out the window!

As you can see, I'm not too pleased whenever the car's not moving.

Here's me and KC just cruisin'.

Welcome to Towson!

2006-07-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, I got to explore my new city in depth for the first time. K&N have taken me to the edge of the busy part of town a couple times; but this time, I really got to look around.

At first, I was pretty agitated. And being so close to all the speeding cars was pretty scary. Eventually, we made it to this place called Moxley's, where K&N had some ice cream. We sat at a table on the sidewalk, so lots of people walked by. That's when I started to calm down a little.

After ice cream, we walked through Towson's courthouse. There's a nice big fountain and a few walking paths through pretty gardens. There were lots of flowers, and we even got to see some baby rabbits. I scared most of them away. But there was one that didn't move. He liked to pose for pictures.

Even though Towson was a lot busier than Chesapeake, it was still a fun walk. The weather was nice and cool, and we all had a good time!
It probably took us a total of two hours walking around enjoying the evening. I like this weather a lot better than the really hot and humid days. (And especially better than the thunder storms!)

Here's me and KC on the steps of the Towson Court House.

This is me and Nakko in front of one of the courthouse's gardens.

Look! Our shadows!

Don't I look happy?

How about now?

Another Day at the Park

2006-07-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

Boy, K&N love taking me to the park!

We spent the Fourth of July running around this giant field. Needless to say, I got very tired.

Just look at all that open space!

Unfortunately, I reverted back to my old ways a little bit when some of K&N's friends came over to watch some World Cup soccer.

What can I say? I get excited easily!

When it's all said and done, I prefer sleeping above all else. That's what I do the most around here. Don't it look comfortable?

I Love Rope

2006-07-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

Or more precisely, I love tearing up rope into itty bitty pieces of string.

And it looks like, this time, I got caught!

What a weekend... Part II

2006-07-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

On the second day of the weekend (that would be Sunday), K&N took me to a really nice park. I believe it was called Meadowood, or something. Anyway, the park was really open and big, and there were lots of people and their dogs there too.

There is a small bridge overlooking a tiny stream before you enter. It's really quite cool, and I mean that literally. There was a nice breeze in that spot (and lots of shade). And boy did I need that!

I wouldn't be exaggerating to say that it was 100 degrees outside. I haven't felt heat like that in a long time. The worst part was that since the park was such a wide open space, shade was few and far between. Don't get me wrong, though. I was having fun.

Can't you tell?

There was a track that circled a field. That's the one we walked on. I think it's the same distance as walking a mile. There's even a "start" and "finish" line for people who want to race.

We may not have been racing, but I definitely crossed the finish line before KC! Loser!

There may not have been a lot of shade, but we did manage to find a pretty big tree to sit under for a while. Natchan even brushed me again! That woman sure loves to brush me. Not that I'm complaining. Getting brushed, she's able to reach places I can't with my paws. Don't we look good together?

All in all, it was a fun time. It was the first time I'd ever been to a park that big. If it weren't so hot, I could have run around even more. Maybe next time.

So after a few weeks, it isn't so bad living in Maryland. I get to do and see a lot of things. This past weekend was really an adventure, and I wonder what else K&N have in store for me. As for Fourth of July weekends, this was the best way to celebrate (minus fireworks, which I hate). I hope everyone else has a happy Fourth of July!

What a weekend...

2006-07-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

Boy did I have an exciting weekend!
First, it started off, as usual, with a delicious breakfast.

By the way, I really like these new food bowls. I don't have to bend down all the way to eat or drink. Whoever thought of that idea was a genius!

So anyway, this past weekend, I did a lot of things I'd never done before. One of those things was walking all the way to where Natchan works.

That's right! I walked all the way to Towson University. It was pretty far, but it was pretty cool. Since it was a Saturday, there weren't very many people on campus (except for lots and lots of squirrels and chipmunks). We walked around, but unfortunately, the field was closed for repair, so I didn't get the chance to run around off the leash. That's okay though, because we found a nice shaded spot where Natchan proceeded to give me a good brushing.

Afterwards, we walked back to the house. On the way, we stopped by a Starbucks. That's right. Can you picture me sitting outside a Starbucks? I even had my very own bowl of water (sadly, K&N wouldn't give me any coffee!)

I was exhausted, but happy. See?

Speaking of bad weather...

2006-06-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

It rains a lot in Maryland.
Seriously. Everyday, 24 hours a day, there's been constant downpours and... thunder!...

The last day the sun was out was last Wednesday. That day, K&N took me for a looooooong walk. I have never seen so many cars and people. When I used to go on walks around the neighborhood in Chesapeake, I would see one, maybe two cars drive by. And they'd only be going 20 miles an hour. Here, everybody zips by so fast!

The other difference between the walks here and the walks back home is that K&N keep making me walk beside them. Imagine that! I prefer being in front and pulling everybody along, but they won't let me. I resist in the beginning, but then I get so tired, I end up practically walking behind them.

It doesn't help that there are so many hills here! Back home, everything's nice and flat. But here, I get tired going up all these steep inclines!

The best part of walking with K&N is that I get a nice brush when we come back to the house. Nakko takes her time and brushes all the itchy hair out of my coat in the places I can't reach myself, and it feels really nice! I also like walking home because I know there's a big bowl of water and a giant pillow with my name on it!

Bad weather

2006-06-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's been raining all week, and I experienced my first thunderstorms since moving to Maryland.

Wednesday night was the first one. And I wasn't very happy. Luckily, K&N decided to stay up with me. Maybe my whimpering and constantly scratching the door woke them up? Anyway, they went down and slept in the basement with me. Well, they didn't sleep that much.

Both K&N took turns calming me down when the storm got too loud. Everytime the thunder struck, I had an urge to hide in a corner. Too bad there were a lot of boxes in these corners. But they didn't complain.

It's stormed a lot since then, but I haven't been as scared.

Getting more comfortable

2006-06-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

So I've been getting used to living in Maryland. It took me a couple days, but now I can say I'm starting to like it here.

K&N have this routine. First, KC gets up at 6:30 AM to take me outside.
BTW, There's a dog across the street that barks at me every morning! I think she likes me ;)
Anyway, after that, I eat a little breakfast and generally play around for an hour.
Then, after they get ready for work, KC takes me out again. After which, I go willingly (at least that's what they think) in the crate for the day.

I don't really like it, but it'll do. I tried escaping once (and it worked!) The second time, not so much. So, I'm getting used to it. At least the temperature's cooler downstairs.

Anyway, Natchan comes home first and lets me out. We had fun yesterday. She kept throwing this rope, and I kept fetching it. Doesn't she get tired?

When KC came home, they both took me for a looooong walk. We ended up at this park with a lot of beer cans lying around. It was interesting, lemme tell ya. Natchan brushed me. And it felt good. Then we went home. Ate dinner, watched some television and went to bed.

And boy, was I tired!

I think I'm forgetting how to chase my tail.

Anyway, I think I'm happy here.

See?

First day with KC & Nakko

2006-06-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the first day I spent with KC & Nakko, without Mom, Dad and Raymond. I was sad all day. Fortunately, they let me sit on the ottoman.

I didn't eat or drink much yesterday. I was too depressed.

I did finish my whole bowl of food this morning!

I feel a lot better and even played with my bone and rolled around on Nakko's pillow.

Maybe I'll like it here after all.