I like coffee

Christmas was fun in 2012. Siobhan came home from California and spent a long time with us. I like her and am not afraid to let her touch me, pick me up and even hold me on her lap. One time I even jumped right onto her lap all by myself. Once.

She went into the little bathroom and left her mug of coffee on the table...it smelled pretty good so I decided to try some. Apparently that is a no-no because she was very surprised to find me drinking it! What you can't see is me freaking out when she said "QT, what are you thinking?" That table is kinda slippery and I slid right off. I will think carefully before I get up there again.

Raining on my parade

JT is here this weekend. I thought we would spend most of the day outside while he and MaMala were swimming. But it was not really sunny and I guess the water was cold because they only stayed in the pool for a little bit then we all came in. But I did get a cookie so that was okay. I thought we might go outside again but then it rained. I do not like getting wet, but I really like to go outside and run around the yard. I hope it doesn't rain all night.

Things I have figured out

August 15, 2012: I have figured out that I don't like loud voices or sudden movements or loud noises or dropped books. I don't like to come into the house if I see or hear any such things and I sure won't stick around to see what happens next. I also prefer one person to more than one. It's too hard to keep your eyes on more than one person at a time. I don't care how many dogs there are; I am good with dogs.

Mischief

I don't know what got into me Friday night but I just did NOT want to come into the house. MaMala kept offering treats and goodies and I would get half way in and run away again. I made her cry...I didn't mean to but I know I did. For about an hour I was just sitting on the stone wall in the back yard and I got kinda lonely. Sid and Kaya came out a few times to check on me and try to get me to come in; Bridget came out once and told me to stop making MaMala cry and get in the house right away! But I just couldn't. Finally, MaMala came out with Sid, Kaya and Bridget on their leads and walked them up to the back of the yard, then back to the house. Well, it felt like a good idea to follow them so I did - all the way into the house. MaMala said "Finally" and shut the door. She gave us cookies and said, "Bed time!" I LOVE bed time - we go upstairs to our room (MaMala thinks it's her room but there are 4 dog beds and only 1 people bed so I think it's ours) and get in or on our cave beds...or under the people bed (Sid). I LOVE my bed - it's in a corner so no one can get behind me and I love to snuggle inside. So up we went and then the lights were out and we went to sleep.

Day 105 Good Bye to Toirin and Mibs

Today is a very sad day for me; my best buddy and playmate moved to California with his daddy. Toirin and Mibs are driving to Los Angeles to live with Sid's girl, Siobhan. I cried when MaMala left to take Toirin to Mibs' house to get ready for the trip. Bridget said I was making an awful lot of noise for such a little girl. I miss him so much already, he used to run and jump in the yard with me, roll down the hills with me, dig under the shed and bark at cats and squirrels and birds and bunnies and the neighbors. Who's going to do those things with me now? These other dogs are O-L-D, all they want to do is eat, nap, poop, sleep, eat, snack, sleep....you get the picture. Toirin was FUN.
Hmmm, maybe I'll get more treats now. Toirin was pretty good at snatching treats out of MaMala's hand, off the floor and even out of your mouth almost! Even if I do get more treats, I am going to miss him. He was my best friend. I am sad...Arooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 95 Dog Days of Summer

Things have been changing almost every day here. Toirin is here for a few days then gone for a couple...then he's back! I guess when Mibs is off work Toirin can go home but when Mibs goes back to work, Toirin has to come here. He says he and his GiGi cry when he has to leave her, but she forgot to close the gate once and Toirin got loose, so he can't stay there when Mibs is at work. Poor GiGi! I know how she feels, I am much happier and have lots more fun when Toirin is at my house. He is way more fun than all the old ladies and the old man that live here. I guess Toirin and Mibs are moving to California next week so who knows if I will ever see my buddy after that? I think California is a long way away from here.
Siobhan and another Matthew are here from out there and I let her sit on the chaise and pet me and even hug me. That was a little too close for comfort so then I jumped down but she gives good pets. I still have not surrendered to (so Bridget says) the ecstasy of a belly rub; that seems like a risky move to me. I mean, you're on your back and you can't make a quick escape if something scary happens. Just not sure anything is worth that.
It's been really hot outside but we still manage to find good smells and things to chase and bark at. Poor MaMala, sometimes we don't listen when she calls us to come in, even when it's really hot. Outside is so much more interesting than inside, even if it's 100 degrees out there. Of course Miss Bridget stays inside sometimes when it's hot; she says why be uncomfortable if you have no business to do? She's a little prissy sometimes. Or maybe lazy? She even gets treats delivered to her throne. I guess it IS good to be queen.

How I am Doing...straight from the beagle's mouth

Day 75: I just realized how different things are for me these days. I seem to be fully house trained - I know I am supposed to do all my potty business in the yard, not in the house. Unless MaMala is gone a really long time without Rachel coming to let us out in the yard (which pretty much never happens) I can wait for the next trip outside and I do.
I also eat with the other dogs now; I'm not sacred of every little noise or every time MaMala makes   a move so I can keep eating even with the other dogs bumping into me and MaMala doing stuff in the kitchen. So I clean my plate and even lick their dishes when they're done. Not that any of us leave much; we're all beagles after all!
Sometimes at night I sit at one end of the couch while MaMala sits at the other end. She usually leaves me alone, so sometimes I will sneak up and sniff her hand or lick it, if I am feeling especially bold. When Jimmy is here I like to curl up on his feet because they smell very interesting. And they are almost as big as me. I let him pet me too because he knows I like the pets but can't always make myself sit still when people get too close.
I let Rachel come up and pet me: she always goes slow and never puts her hand over the top of my head. For some reason that makes me really scared. Rachel always rubs me under the chin, which is pretty nice.
But my favorite new skill is taking treats from MaMala's hand (and Rachel's and Jimmy's and Siobhan's and Matt's) and... well if it's a salmon treat and we're in the house and they stay pretty calm, from all of them. I REALLY like salmon treats and kibble and canned food and...well, anything salmon. That is also a new skill: knowing what SALMON is!!!!!! I like that one a lot!