"I Want to Ride My Bicycle...

I want to ride my bike;
I want to ride my bicycle,
I want to ride it where I like!"

(Thank you to Queen for those brilliant and insightful lyrics.)

Last year I learned how to ride a bicycle, and it is now one of my favorite things to do! We ride out to the DP (Dog Park) or over to Grandma and Grandapa’s house. Sometimes we even ride along the ocean! Since basket riding (as I like to call it) is such a very fun thing to do, I will teach you all how to do it.

Step One: Make sure your Mommy has a bike. After you have made sure of that, put your basket right on the front where you can have the best view:

Step Two: When you get in your basket, make sure you are properly strapped in, because you do not want to fall out. See the red strap that goes through my harness?

When I am riding my bike I get so excited that sometimes I like to sit up very tall and put my paws over the front edge of the basket. This is okay, because remember, I am strapped in.

Step Three: Make sure you go to places where you can see all sorts of interesting things, like these geese:

Step Four: The Dismount: This picture was taken after a very windy bike ride along the ocean in Monterey (that's why I'm wearing a sweater). I was waiting very patiently to be taken out of my basket. Notice how I am being Very Good because I do not try to jump out before it is time. Do not ever jump out before it is time.

This completes our lesson in how to ride a bike. I hope you have enjoyed it. You are now ready to try it yourself!!! See you on the trails!

Bye for now,
Poppy

Pee-ess: if you are very large, like, say, Randi, you might need a much bigger basket. :)

Double Tagsies

I got tagged two times! Once by Dobby for the Scattergories game, and once by Tadpole for the middle name game. I’ll start with Scattergories:

(The Rules: Your answers have to begin with the same letter that begins your first name.)

What is your name? Poppy
4 letter word: Park!
Vehicle: Prius
TV Show: Pet Palaces (this is a show my Mommy saw once about people who renovate their houses to make them super pet-friendly)
City: Palo Alto (that’s where my grandparents live)
Boy Name: Pablo
Girl Name: Penelope
Alcoholic Drink: pina colada
Occupation: Paper shredder (this is my job and it is a very important job)

Something you wear: Party Coat! (I got this party coat last Christmas)

Celebrity: Pablo Picasso (does he count?)
Food: peanut butter (this is me eating some peanut butter while drying off after a bath back when I was on "crate rest" for my broken pelvis)

Something found in a bathroom: paper tube recycling bucket (I like to self-serve from this bucket)
Reason for being late: Poop (ate it, then threw up)
Cartoon Character: Popeye
Something You Shout: Poppy, come! (usually I don’t)

Hhm, I will tag...ChaChiLu and Jet!

And now for the Middle Name Game. This one is harder, because I don’t actually have a middle name! My last name is so long and hyphenated that my parents figured I didn’t need a middle name too. Oh, whatever shall I do? Maybe I will use one of my nicknames instead.

(The Rules: think of attributes that start with each letter of your middle name.)

P - poop in the box (when this happens I get a big treat and a celebration)
O - overjoyed (when my parents come home)
O - observant (I can spot a treat from a mile away)
P - playful
E - endearing
R - ready for action
S - speedy (I am always the fastest one at the little dog park)

For this game I will tag Deefor!

Bye for now!
Poppy the Little Blonde Chihuahua

pee-ess: stay tuned for a lesson in How to Ride a Bicycle...coming soon!

Frosty Hearts

It has been hot here the past few days (like in the 80s, oh poor us), so Mommy decided to make me some yummy cool treats. Kind of like Frosty Paws, but healthier! She got the idea from all of you dogs out there, so I thank you for that!

I am the official pre-taster of the house, so I got to lick the spoon. It was all soygurt-y peanut butter-y goodness!

Here are the treats all snug in their molds. Bye-bye treats! Time to go in the freezer!

I was very excited when the Frosty Hearts were ready. Mommy said to staaaaay, so I did.

And then she said “okay” so I knew it was my time to shine. But wait! The Frosty Heart seemed reluctant to get in my mouth. It was so big! And cold! And slippery! So I had to back away and bark at it for a minute. “Hey! Hey you! What is the big idea? Stop sliding around and get in my mouth!”

Eventually I discovered the proper technique. You have to carry the Frosty Heart onto the brand new carpet, where it will not slide around so much. Friction, you know.

I look forward to my next encounter with the Mighty Frosty Heart. AND Mommy and Daddy say they are going to try to make me some cubables like Wally’s. They think I need more whole foods in my diet and a little less brown crunchy foods. I’m okay with that.

Bye for now!

Poppy

pee ess: Mommy wishes she wasn't such a non-computer dork and knew how to post video because she made a movie of me barking at the Frosty Heart and it is so cute. But it's okay; her strengths lie in different areas! Do we need a YouTube account?

I've been tagged!

My pal Tadpole has tagged everyone (that’s me, right?) to play this game. I have to answer five challenging and important questions. I will do my best. Here they are:

1) Where is your favorite place to sleep?

My first choice would be in bed with Daddy until noon.

My green bed would be my next choice. I sometimes put myself to bed at night before Mommy and Daddy are ready for bed. When I do that, I always go to my special green bed, which is on top of the big family bed.

2) Is there a specific trick your humans make you do to get treats?

I know how to do several tricks. Here is my repertoire: sit, down, stay, come (when I feel like it), and spin. We have special hand signals that we use when we are doing tricks. Oh, I wish I knew how to post video so I could show you how I spin! I also know what to do when Mommy says, “where’s Daddy?” I run all around until I find him and then I am sooooo happy! One of the best things I know how to do (according to M & D) is go pee in my box. Look:

3) If you could spend an entire day doing anything at all with anyone, what would you do and with whom?

Well, first I would sleep in with Daddy until noon. It’s not that I’m trying to waste my day, it’s just one of my absolute favorite things to do. Next I would have Uncle Ben and Uncle DJ come visit. When Uncle Ben visits, I like to roll over and go pee pee on the couch because I’m so excited. Here is me with Uncle Ben on my birthday last year. Don't I look happy?

When Uncle DJ visits, he sits down and lets me climb up and lick his face. I won't show a picture of that because he might be embarrassed. Then I would go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house where I can pick and eat my very own tomatoes in their yard. That is just the best.

And finally, I would go to the beach with my Mommy and Daddy! My favorite place with my favorite people!

4) What is your favorite toy?

Purple Loofah Dog. Enough said. Here I am about to give him the bitey:

5) If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

Hhmm, that’s a tough one. My life is pretty good. Maybe I would go back and make it so I didn’t have a broken pelvis when I was a puppy. That was hurty. I was a lost little puppy with a broken pelvis before my parents adopted me. I’m all better now though, and I hardly think about it anymore, except when someone squeezes my hips too hard—then I scream loud right in their ear.

Tadpole already tagged everyone, so I guess I don't have to tag anyone!

Bye for now!
Poppy

Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

Today I did something super-fun: BASEBALL!!! It was my second time going to the San Francisco Giants Dog Days of Summer baseball game. I got to wear my special baseball outfit, which says, “San Francisco 25.” Lots of dogs had my same outfit, but I think I looked the cutest. At least that’s what Mommy and Daddy said.

The game was great, but it was a little hot. Dog games should always be night games, in my opinion. See, here I am trying to find some shade (if you embiggen this one, you can see what it says on my tag--I'm very safety conscious):

There were lots of other dogs there, and one of them tried to sniff my butt. I don’t like that. She was otherwise polite, so I forgave her. And you’ll never believe this, but another dog tried to step on me! Of all the nerve! I think it was an accident though, so I forgave him too. Nobody can say I’m not magnanimous.

Just like last year, I got to have some more veggie-dog. And also just like last year, I looked for the Giants, but I didn’t see them. Only normal-sized people. I think they need to change their name. It’s misleading.

After we got home I was soooooo tired! Normally I sleep during most of the day, so when I can’t take my nap I get very sleepy. So I lounged for a while when we got home, but I woke up in time for pee-burgers for dinner! Yes, you heard me, PEE-BURGERS! Although I suppose it could be pea-burgers. I tried my cutest to get some, but I couldn't. It’s okay though, because I got some asparagus to make up for it! (Have I mentioned how I love produce??)

Oh, oh, I almost forgot! I got on the big screen!!! But my parents forgot to TiVo the game, so I'll never be able to show anyone else. :(

Bye for now,
Poppy

NOMSSF Challenge

Hi! I read on Dobby’s blog about a special challenge to make a “Not Of My Species Special Friend.” I am a brave Pooper, so I will accept this challenge. I have a real-life NOMSSF: my sissy Clover! So this post is dedicated to her. I love her so much! Here is a pretty picture of her from a couple of years ago:

Clover lived with my parents before I came, so I have always appreciated her acceptance of me into her house--even after I stole her green clover bed that Mommy made special for her. Here she is trying it out for the first time way back in April of 2005:

And here I am just a couple of months ago:

This bed is a prized position in the household, so it really wasn't fair that I took it from her. But it is just so comfy! I could hear it calling my name: Poppyyyyy...Poppyyyyy! But we’re even now, because she has stolen my bunk basket!!! If you recall, Mommy just made a nice fluffy blue pillow for the top of my bunk basket so I could keep her company when she is in the study. I loved it—for about a day. Then Clover discovered it. We have had this bunk basket for over a year and she has only used it once or twice. It seems that all she was waiting for was a nice fluffy blue pillow! She now sleeps in it every night and all day long. Here is the photographic evidence:

I suppose it’s only fair, really.

And now for my not-in-real-life NOMSSF. His name is Fat Eric and he is an orange kitty, just like my sissy Clover. You should go check out his blog. He lives in England and has lots of fun adventures being the only cat in his household.

Bye for now!
Poppy the LBC

Beach Beach Beach!!!

This weekend was a doozy. After my run-in with the bee last week, Mommy has been a little stingy with the park walks. But this weekend made up for it. We went to the beach!!! My favorite!!! It took a long time to get there because we stopped for burritos (I didn’t get any) first in Santa Cruz and then drove up the coast to get to our favorite beach. Here's me scampering about on some rocks:

As soon as my feet touched the sand I ran and ran and ran and I smelled seaweed and I saw birds and I barked at a lady because she was on my beach and I almost got wet and then I did get wet and then I saw another bird and then...well, and then I was tired. I slept in the car all the way home. And then when we got home I slept some more, like this:

On Sunday I slept some more, but I also did yard work! Mommy and Daddy trimmed the trees while I patrolled the yard for cat poop. (Found some. Ate it. Barfed later.) I also dug a small hole near the front door. I’m sure they’ll be happy about that when they find it later.

Bye for now!

Poppy