200th Post!

Hi all you Pups and Kitties! Today is my 200th Post! So I am taking Ludo's advice and
arranging my stuffees into the number 200. Is this fun or what? I did OK with the two zeros
but the number 2 was a little harder.


But it looks OK, don't you think? I might leave this up the rest of the week. We are going to give some special prizes away in honor of 200 so all you have to do is make a comment and we will write your name down. Then when everybody has done that, we will draw two names for the prizes and maybe one consolation! But here is the part we don't know about. We are not pawsitive when we will be able to mail them because of my Mom, possible surgery and that. So we just know the winners will get a good prize in August sometime and we hope it is sooner than later. So everyone make a comment!

I am giving up the Tricky stuff since it just doesn't seem to work good for me. My Mom says we will be working on some behaviors with the clicker and that is fun because you get treatz when you do it right. I still don't know what happened to my cards, but I just don't care anyway. It was bugging my Mom, and Ali Z was getting a little crazy because I made her pick cards all the time. So our family will be happier if I just stick with arranging my stuffees for a while, and get my walking time in. There was sure some funny comments about it though, like what The Thundering Herd said, and a few other wise guys (you know who you are.)

I had a couple of really nice things said about me in the last week or so. Ludo, for one, said some things that made me feel really good, and tonight Hamish also said some very nice things too.
I just love all my dog pals and it makes me feel so happy when I think of them and their families.

So, don't forget to make a comment and you will be included in our prize drawing for our 200th blog post. And this was it!

Kisses,

Stella

My Cards Are Gone!

Hello Pups and Kitties: Today is an angry day for me. I got up this morning, had breakfast, went outside and came back in only to find my Tricks Cards are GONE. I left them in the livingroom on the floor, where I always put them. This picture is me, asking my Mom where they went to.

She says she doesn't have any idea, and that she didn't take them. So, that means that Ali Z, that evil little cat, took them off and hidded them. Oh, she is so bad. She hasn't turned up yet this morning, but when she does, she is in bad trouble with me. Of course, she is so sneaky, she could hide out for two weeks and I would never find her. She knows how to jump on high things, like cupboards and bookcases and she can sit there silently, not moving and you would never even know she was there. I would save up every nickel I could ever find to send her to Huffle in Australia, or that sawing in half thing doesn't sound bad either. No, Huffle would be better and not nearly so messy. My Mom doesn't like messes.

So maybe I asked her one too many times to help me learn the tricks. It wouldn't hurt her to do that and anybody knows she doesn't have one other thing to do in this world, except eat and poop and sleep.

You haven't heard the end of this! I'm gonna get her and get my cards back. She has probably poked holes in them with her sharp little fangs, but I'm gonna get them!

Kisses,
Stella the Angry

Its Me! Ali Z

Hi all you Kitties, Goats, and Pups!

The weather is so perfect today, sunny and 68 degrees, a little breeze blowing, whooo, I like it!

You won't believe what I have had to do this week, just to get along here. Stella has taken it into her head to play card tricks, and she just keeps after me to pick a card, any card at all. So I did, I put my paw on one three different times, then Stella turned it over, and pushed another card on top, and said, Now I will tell you the name of your card! And she said, it is the Doose of Clubs. I wouldn't know what it was, I don't know the names of cards and you know what, I don't thing she does either.

Princess Eva and Brice wrote and said she will start out with card tricks and next thing she will saw the cat in half and that I can believe!

I gotta get outta here, I wisht I could find my way to Oztrailia and I would go visit Huffle. There is another cat with good sense.

So this is enough for today. Take good care of yourselfs and watch out for goofy dogs doing Tricks!

Meow, meow,

Ali Zophia

A Note from Mom and a different kind of trick.

Hi all you pups, kitties and peoples:

I am writing this because I wanted to let you know that I was going to have a knee replacement on August 3, but it was postponed today because of an infection . I expect it will be resumed in two or three weeks, so things will be fine with that. We will have a little absent time when it is rescheduled.

However, Stella has become quite disturbed about this trick business. She saw someone on TV doing card tricks, and found a deck of cards, and now that is all that she does. She tries to get Ali Zophia to play with her, but of course she won't! She has just had too many tricks from Stella to want to help her out. All I hear all day long from Stella is "Pick a card, any card at all, but don't tell me what it is and put it back in the deck." This is most disturbing to me because this is no life for a dog, but she won't quit. She won't allow me to take pictures of her because she says it ruins her concentration. I will continue to watch her and let you know how this unfortunate game ends up.

All good wishes to everyone out there!

Jo, Stella's Mom

Semi Tricky Friday

Hi all you Pups and Kitties, All you dogs who are good at tricks are making my life very difficult.
Ludo, Honey, even Khyra with her catching, and now Dave and Zim are doing a Tails trick. That last one just did it for my Mom. She keeps thinking of a lab/golden she had many years ago, whom she taught to do a cookie on the nose trick. You just lay the cookie on the dogs nose, say leave it, and then when you are ready say, Flip it, and the dog throws it up into the air and catches it and eats it.

So we got the cookies . . . . which she then places on my nose, telling me to be still . . .

Then I drop the cookie to the porch and eat it, eliminating that frustrating business of holding it on my nose, leaving it, flipping it up and then eating it. Much easier and much less anxiety making. (For me, not her!)

So we try it again, and again, until I get disgusted or full of cookies, and go in under the porch where its cool and quiet.

How do you Tricky Guys put up with this stuff. I can't even imagine it.

Happy Weekend to you all!

Kisses,

Stella

A Furry Nice Day!

Its a specially nice day today! I love to sit on my porch and sniff the smells that come to me! Sometimes we get windy days and its almost too much sniffs coming through the air!

My Mom found the blog of a guy named Thomas Peterson of Minnesota http://thomaspetersonformayor.blogspot.com/ and I wonder if any of you know him. I think its good for a French Bulldog like Thomas to run for public office, even though he didn't win. Have any of you ever run for public office? It seems to me like Mayor would be a good place to start a political career! Maybe especially good if you live in a furry small town where the mayor isn't just highly regarded, your chances of winning might be better! Ha!

Mr. Author, of Life With Dogs, has published a list of 10 Favorite blogs on Blog.com. We were so exited to see Dennis, Khyra, The Thundering Herd, Chester, Mango, The Charlie Project, plus Luna, House of Spots and Thoughts for Paws. We read almost all of these but we've missed a couple which we are going to take care of that right away. Congrats to all of you!

I think I am going back outside now, I hope it is nice where you are today!

Kisses,

Stella

Out walkin' around

Hi Pups and Kitties! Yesterday we didn't get to go anywhere because it started storming and I was so bad scared! My Mom put me in one of Mike's tee shirts and it didn't help much at all! Today it is beautiful outside , 70 F and breezy, and we took a long, long, walk, it was so much fun. After I tell you about this cute little dog name Molly, I will tell you about another dog I met today.

This is Molly and she lives in Masterchewsits and she also gets very scared of storms and boomies. So her Mom bought her this Thunder shirt. She said its amazing how well it works

and Molly sleeps right through the bad weather snuggled in her new Shirt. My Mom decided after yesterday, that she is going to buy one for me, too. My Mom has tried Tee shirts but she doesn't think she can make them snug enough to help me. There is a money back guarantee on this shirt, too. You can Google for it as Thunder Shirt, if you have any interest at all in it. I wish I could look as cute as Molly in it, but I don't think there is a chance of that!

I met a neighbor dog named Pearl. She is a very little Labrador but very cute. I will get her picture next time I see her. She is very exhuberant, like Beckett is!

All for now, evfurry buddy! I was sad to see Phantom's appointment wasn't so good yesterday, but he will just have to wait a little longer! I am sure it will turn out good.

Kisses,

Stella

Monday, Monday!

Hi Pups and Kitties:

See the scarf I am wearing in this picture? It was a present that came in the mail from Kylie, my sis, and she and her Mom made this for me. Thanks to you both!

Today we are walkies to the hardware store for light bubs. My Mom says we have too many burn outs and we gotta get some new bubs. So that is coming up.

We do have something important today to tell you. On July 29th, if we post every day, we will have our 200th blog posted. Whoooeee, who would have thought we could do all those. Right from my Slammer days to my Happy Home days! So we have been thinking about doing something special for that and starting pretty soon, we will tell you all about it. In other words, we don't know what we are gonna do, but it will be a good thing. We have got so many nice things from being in blogland; Happy Hearts Cookies from Huffel, Prizes from Princess Eva, a prize from uhhh Nigel at Life with Dogs, presents from Khyra, Kylie, Addie and the gang, we just want to do a little giving around this special day for us. (I hope I didn't miss anybody here!) So stay tuned!

Today is Phantoms big day at the Vets, so lets be thinking good thoughts for him all day long!

I think thats all for today, so have a good week, evfurry buddy!

Kisses,
Stella

Dogs for Phantom!

Hi Pups and Kitties:

Pups are wearing tee shirts in support of Phantom who has to wear one for his operation. We want so much for Phantom to get well and we want him to know how much we care about him.

Princess Eva and Brice, The NY Bullies, and Norwood are all wearing shirts for Phantom today and I wanted to as well. My Mom found a shirt that belonged to my brother Mike who went to this college, Belmont Abbey in North Carolina. The Herd's hu-Dad knows where it is! So I am happy to say to Phantom, we want you to get well and soon!

Did you know that Princess Eva and I won prizes from Life with Dog's drawing today? Princess Eva wins a snazzy new collar and I win a clay dog ornament sculpted just for me! Wow, I never had anything that nifty before and I am excited to get it. Thanks very much, Mr. Author and uuuh, Nigel. hmmm.

I hope that evfurry buddy gets a good weekend and an especially good one for Phantom and his family. Thunder is worried about his buddy too.

Go dig out a shirt for Phantom!

Kisses,

Stella

An Award from Hoover!

Hi Pups and Kitties:

Today Hoover gave me a nice award and it looks like this! Its pretty isn't it?

You are supposed to thank the person who gave it to you. Thank you very much, Hoover!

Then you are supposed to tell seven things about yourself that people might not know. Then pass it on to seven others!

1. Dogs are supposed to be thrilled to get any piece of food anyone gives them, but I am not. Often when they hold it out, I won't take it, and if they look hurt, I take it and leave it someplace. I will take a piece of meat in a minute, but bakery and stuff like that I don't.

2. I know my Mom is deaf so when there is someone at the door or outside, I go get her.

3. I have every stuffee I have ever had and they are in good shape. No ripping for me. Some times I will bite a button eye off, because I don't like them, but I just leave it on the floor and don't swallow it.

4. I am crazy for hotdogs!

5. I love to go walking in the town, because people stop and talk to me. The smells are good there too.

6. When my Mom is busy, I go in and lay on her bed and take a snooze. I love her pillows, she has a pile of them and I get real snuggy in them. I am gonna ask her for my own pile of pillows for my Birthday.

7. I found a good place to go when it storms. Its in our utility room and its a kind of hidey place where no one can see me. Now my Mom knows she looks for me there, but nobody else does.

Ahhhh! I just told you!

I am just going to tell all of you, if you would like this award, please take it, and especially you new guys who can tell us new stuff about you. Say you got it from Stella!

Kisses,

Stella

Its Fixed!

The furry smart Mom of Princess Eva and her consort, Brice, gave my Mom the info she needed for her pictures! Is that wonderful or what?

Here i s the picture of the goodies that nice guy Hoover sent me yesterday. I will barely put the heart down because I am kind of sweet on Hoover, and Mom is enjoying reading this book.

This is written in the style that Ari's book is, some pages about this special dog, Merle, and then some pages about canine history which is furry much fun for us to know.

So we are back in the photo business! By the way, if you think our curtains look grungy, its because a certain cat sits in that window all the time and sheds her coat all over them. What to do?

By the way, I am also sweet on Hamish Westie, and Dannan, so I can like a few boys, my Mom says its OK.

Kisses,

Stella

Wednesday #2

Semi Wordless Wednesday

Here is a picture of me that you see a whole lot of, it was taken just after I came here with a new bunny I got from my friend Mary R.

We are having a problem getting pictures to go from the viewer page to the mail. My Mom looked up Help for this problem and it was a whole page of very small printing to tell you what to do. So she has lots to do today and said she is going to wait for the weekend when things are quieter to print this page off and follow the directions. My Mom is not too technically minded. In fact, she is not technically minded AT ALL. Anyone of you out there who have ideas for her about this are welcome to give them to her at letoile@arvig.net .

Ludo asked me when my Gotcha Day was and it is October 4th. We are counting that as my birthday too, since we don't know when it really was. I will be 3 years old! Thats 21 in people years. . .old enough to be out on my own . . .NoThanks!

I am thinking about Phantom this morning, and Thunder too, who must be very puzzled about what is going on. We just don't want to lose anymore of our good furiends!

I am also thinking about all of you and hope your Wednesday is a good one!

Kisses,

Stella

A Present from Hoover!

Hi Pups and Kitties:

Here is a picture of the very handsome Hoover BPD and his mini-me (we are not sure if mini-me is BPD or not!)

Today the mailman brought me a present from Hoover. A while ago, Hoover was sad because his Duckie got run over by the lawnmower, so I sent him a Duckie I wasn't using very often. (Khyra sent him one also) Now the problem here is there is something wrong with our picture mailing thing and so I can't send you the pics I took of the goodies he sent. But I will tell you about them.

Hoover sent me a furry nice letter, a beautiful plush heart with a squeaker, and a box of special treats. Hoover's Mom sent my Mom a wonderful book called Merle's Door-Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote. My Mom already started it and she says she thinks it is going to be an excellent read! Maybe she will read me some of it when it is bedtime!

Hoover you are a most generous guy to send us all this furry nice stuff and we hardly know where to begin to say Thank you. But thats it, just a big Thank You!

Kisses,

Stella

My Mom's Next Dog!

This is what they should teach in Doggie School!

Happy Monday, with kisses,

Stella

Some Things are Just too Good . ..not to share

This is from Icanhascheezeburger.com and makes us laugh. Now we are going to go work in the yard and that doesn't make us laugh.

Happy Weekend to every pup and kitty!

Kisses,

Stella

A Present in the Mail!

Hi all you Pups and Kitties!

The mailman left me a package in the mailbox and its from Addie, Lucie and Hailey! What in the world did they send to me?

Its a TOY! and its got legs and it squeaks! The letter said it was for playing in the Biggest Loser-Pet Edition although I was definitely NOT the biggest loser! I smelled and smelled the package before I opened it and I knew it was from SomeDog! And here it was from Addie, Lucie and that little cutie, Hailey!

And just take a look at it, will you? A cow with horns and four legs to dance it around on. Also it has a furry good squeaker in it. You know I am a student of squeakology and this is certainly one of the better squeaks for a soft plastic toy, quite subtle but charming.

So Thanks very much to the Texas pups, Addie, Lucie and Hailey for a furry nice surprise on a dark and rainy day!

I hope you are all getting better weather than we are, but I guess a rainy day now and then is good for growing things.

We have Phantom in our thoughts and prayers this morning, that he is not making it too hard on his Mom to help him get his surgery well and that he recovers fast and completely with no more baddies inside him.

Thinking about all you pups and kitties today,

Kisses,

Stella

Walking Fun!

When me and Mom go walking, and we start to head for home, on the corner of the next street to where we live is a little daycare. Usually eight cute little kids are there and if they are outside, they come running to me! They just l-o-v-e me! First comes this pretty little blonde girl. Then the rest see me and then I am surrounded with all these sweet little guys giving me a rub!

Then there is a few more that come to the sidewalk, and they rub me and they talk to me and they giggle. I just stand still and enjoy them, they make me so happy!

What I want to know is where do you get these little peoples? I wish we had one or two of our very own, either them or a puppy. Either is very much fun.

Two of the little guys wouldn't come near to me because they were scared of me. SCARED of ME! Can you imagine that? I just can't but my Mom said maybe after a few more times they will see nobody gets hurt and they will come over.

Aren't they the darlingest things?

Kisses,

Stella

Its Me, Ali Zophia!

Hi all you Kitties and Pups: It was very nice that so many of you asked how I managed during the Big Boomie time. I am an indoor cat, I never go outside, so I feel quite safe all of the time.

I went upstairs, to my special hiding places, and I just slept the time away. I came down to eat and take care of my needs, and went right back up. I let my Mom hold me for a while, and brush me (she likes to do that) and then I went back. She has her hands full with Stella. Stella told me once she was out on the road and got scared, so she has to try to get over it sometime. I suppose it will take a while.

One of the best ideas was offered by Hamish Westie from Aberdeen, Scotland. He said we should all come to Scotland and visit our friends on the 4th, and there is no boomies going on there at that time, but on November 5th its Guy Fawkes day over there with lots of Boomies and they could come here and visit us! It can be pretty snowy then, so you would have to wear your jacket, Hamish, but I think that is a very Bonnie idea and Stella says the same.

Stella is mostly catching up on her ZZZZs that she missed out on, but we are all fine now. Fireworks are not only bad for pets, but children are often allowed to set them off and our hospital emergency room is often full of youngsters and adults who have been burned or otherwise injured making the boomies happen. Terribly wrong thing, these fireworks are.

So, thank you all again, for asking about me. I am mostly always OK and take good care of myself! I hope you all do the same!

Meows and purrs,

Ali Z

Is it over?

Let me tell you something, Pups and Kitties, this weekend was a real bummer for me. Fireworks are legal here in Minniesnowda and it started on Friday the 3rd, with the pop,pop,popping and then on Saturday it went all day and much of the night. We even got lots of noise on Sunday.

My Mom thinks I was out on the road last year at this time, so maybe thats why I am so scared of it all, but I don't know what the days were when I was running. I do know I found a nice new hiding place in the utility room. Its got boxes in it, and I just get behind them and that helps me.

My Mom trys to calm me by talking to me, but about the time I start feeling better, BOOM, and I am scared all over.

BUT ITS OVER! And I am very happy for that! I know lots of you other Pups and Kitties, were real scared too, and I am happy for you that it is over.

My Mom says not too long ago, fireworks were illegal in our state and people could get in trouble for shooting them off. I wisht it was still that way.

I am happy for all of you who had a good time on the 4th and enjoyed the celebration. But I know lots of dogs, like me, who really suffered through it.

My Mom says tomorrow will be even better and I am glad of that.

Kisses,

Stella

Happy Independence Day!

Hi Pups and Kitties!

Look at the nice new collar my Mom bought me for a present! Oh, man, I just love getting presents! Its got bones and heartz on it and I think its bewootiful.

The Fourth of July is noted for fireworks and splosions and that is something that really makes me feel scared. So we are not going anywhere today or tonight, just stay home and feel safe. I feel so sorry for dogs that are out on the road alone when the splosions start going off. I hope they all find a safe place to be and not be so scared.

The trouble is that the splosions keep on going tomorrow, too. But by Monday everybuddy will go home and it will be quiet again. Not everybuddy goes home, because we live in a tourist town and our population gets doubled in the summer, but at least most of the Boomers go!

We hope that all of you get to do what you want to do on this Holiday. If you like the Boomies, go enjoy them, and the rest of us will stay home!

Kisses,

Stella

Workin' Wednesday!

After getting two solid months of rain, the grass grows faster, its greener, the trees grow faster and the leaves are greener. The weeds are unbelievable! It is all just a lot to manage!

Here am I under the lilac bushes looking for tennis balls on Mom's orders. She says it would be nice if I could learn to run the mower, but unfortunately, its that thumb deal again.

After we finished mowing Mom went out to Wally World with a friend and I took a nap.

We hope that you are having a nice day!

Kisses,

Stella