Mama's Home and Life Goes On

Aunt Vicky (l) and mama (r) on their cruise ship

Hi all; Lily the corgi here.  It seems like its been forever since I was able to be on here and chat with everyone.  As you may recall, my mama and Aunt Vicky ran off for two weeks of road tripping, cruising, and having fun.  I, however, was left at home to keep things under control since daddy was here without adult supervision.  I'm happy to report there were no major injuries, fires, or other disasters while mama was gone.

I've never been on a cruise; in fact, I've never seen the ocean.  I do enjoy the lake, but mama says in the ocean, the water moves on its own and comes after you so I don't know if I'd like that.  Mama says sometimes there are service dogs on the cruise ships.  I think if I got to go on a cruise ship, I'd prefer to be vacationing and not working.  Mama says on the cruises there is food everywhere, all the time.  If one is too tired to go to the dining room, people will just carry food to your room!  How wonderful is that!?!  Maybe next time they go on a cruise, I'll find some service I can perform so I can go along.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I'm much too necessary at home to go wandering off on vacations.  Sigh...a corgi's work is never done.

A doggy dream in Memphis TN--my beagle sister Lucy would never leave this place!

One day while mama was gone, it snowed a little.  This serves mama right for leaving us--she loves the snow and is sorry she missed it while she was way down south in a hot place.  The weatherman says it may snow, or at least ice, tonight.  We have a little Christmas tree in our window and that would look every pretty shining out on snow.  I love the snow, for a while.  As a corgi, I have my nice warm double coat so the cold doesn't bother me so much EXCEPT when the snow is high enough to reach my tummy.  Icy tummy is NOT a good thing.  At least I'm not a boy corgi--they have a completely different problem with the height of the snow/ice.  Not just corgis; my cousin Quincy the Ancient Wiener dog has trouble with the snow too.

By the way, today is Quincy's birthday!  I'm not sure how old he is, but Quincy has been around a long, long time.  He's as grouchy as my late brother Claude the Grouchy Husky, he has lost most of his teeth, and he has to take a ton of medicine each day.  My daddy said Quincy tried to bite him yesterday at a Thanksgiving celebration because daddy wouldn't share his chocolate pie.  Quincy is a mess, but he's a pretty sweet and fun old man.  Happy Birthday, Q!

The birthday boy, snoozing on his mama's lap.

Speaking of old men...this past week we were very sad to learn that our old friend Biggie Corgipants has passed on.  Biggie was old, like cousin Quincy, and only had 2 teeth left.  Biggie was the senior brother of internet corgi Benny Corgipants.  Several years ago, when mama and daddy decided they wanted to adopt another corgi, they were considering adopting Benny.  Since my grouchy husky brother Claude didn't like other male dogs in his world, my parents decided not to pursue adopting Benny and chose me instead.  I've always thought Benny and I share a special bond because of that whole adoption situation, and that makes me especially sad that Benny is missing his old grouchy brother now, as I'm missing mine.

Daddy put up our Christmas tree yesterday.  It has lights on it but mama hasn't decorated it yet.  The decorations are in a box on the book case, heckling my beagle mix sister Lucy.  Mama has a lot of decorations that look like handmade toys and Lucy is certain these are actually dog toys.  So, Lucy is sniffing around and trying to get in the ornament box so she can play with those toys.  It may be an interesting and destructive season up in here!

Well, daddy has just started the grill and I hear him say he's making pork chops.  I have to go position myself right under the grill in case anything gets dropped.  Last time he grilled, daddy dropped a little piece of steak; I grabbed for it but it was very hot and I wasn't able to hold on to it.  I think today may be my day!

Take care of yourselves, watch that wintry weather, and come read me again next time!

Love ya,

Lily the Corgi

Gratitude with Attitude...That's the Corgi Way!

The beauty of autumn in the River Valley

Hi, all, Lily the Corgi here.  I am loving this beautiful autumn.  I am staying outside in the yard for many hours each day: sniffing, patrolling, digging, and just soaking up the sun.  Here in the Arkansas River Valley, autumn is THE season for spending time outdoors.  The fall season has a couple of  real highlights--Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Halloween is past us now, so it is time to focus on Thanksgiving.  This lovely holiday is all about being grateful for the blessings in your life, and I have MUCH for which to be grateful.  Let me tell you about some of the things that enrich my life.

First of all, I'm thankful for my home.  As I've told you before, I've lived in several different homes in my lifetime and I'm glad that now I've settled down.  Don't get me wrong, I still like to travel and see new things, but I love having a place of my own to come back to.  I have a big back yard, filled with trees and squirrels; my mama and daddy let me play outside all I want, but I'm never required to stay outside.  If I want to stay indoors and be a little couch potato, then thats okay.  I know there are doggies out there in the world who don't get to come in the house; they have to live outside where it is wet and cold or scorching hot, and they don't have constant access to their humans.  Knowing this makes me realize what a lucky girl I really am!

(Yep, I do love to travel, especially with my head out the window.)

I love that I have a soft, warm bed to sleep in...and smooth, cool tiles to sleep on.  I can sleep in my parents' bed, I can choose to lay with my belly pressed to the floor, or I can decide to sleep on the couch.  Some nights I choose to sleep in several places (just have to be sure I sleep lightly enough that I don't get stepped on by a wandering human or fur sibling in the dark!)  Some good dogs have no beds at all; they have to sleep in the dirt or in the snow and rain, in places that are neither comfortable nor safe.  I am grateful for the ability to rest my head in peaceful slumber when I so desire.

(This is what our bed looks like at night.  See, there's a little spot reserved for mama 

there on the left--by Sadie's butt.)

I am blessed with lots and lots of good food...too much good food, I must admit.  Mama and daddy feed us twice a day, but I'm so darned cute, I am able to beg a few snacks out of them throughout the day.  That's why mama calls me "Chubster."  Mama and daddy are careful to make sure that we eat things that are safe (if not always healthy) and that we don't get into food items that are spoiled or dangerous.  There are dogs in this world who literally starve to death every day, yet I have far more food than I can possibly eat.  I'm so glad that I'm well-fed; I just wish I could share my fortune with all the hungry dogs out there.

(The bowl is empty right now, but it won't stay that way for long!)

I am immensely blessed by wonderful friends, both human and canine...I actually even sort of enjoy the company of those pesky squirrels out in the yard.  My city has a marvelous dog park where I can go to romp and play and meet new friends.  At the dog park, almost all the dogs recognize my inborn superiority and no one has ever challenged my authority.  These dogs always bring their humans along with them and most of the humans realize they have a great opportunity to pet and admire the greatness that is the corgi--Me!  Strangers are just friends we haven't met yet, that's my motto.

(A nice lady and her dog; met them at the dog park.)

The friends and family who already know us come to our house to visit.  Mama likes to cook big dinners and then people come to eat and talk and play games.  I absolutely love these gatherings; there is always someone at hand to rub and stroke me, or to play a few games my way.  Every once in a while, my neurotic sister Sadie will get too freaked out by the crowds in her home and all us dogs will get sent to our room.  Since I never cause this kind of trouble, I'm usually the first one back out to rejoin the festivities!

I have heard there are dogs who spend their lives attached to the end of a chain with no companionship at all.  Other dogs live in animal shelters where there are a zillion dogs all barking at once and just a few keepers to feed and water them; there is almost never enough time or energy to visit or play with these poor dogs.  Being such a social little beast, I certainly know that i am blessed to have my family, friends, and admirers out there!

(Life is good; thank you, God, for giving me this great gift.)

I'd love it if all of you could take some time this Thanksgiving season to stop and count your blessings.  Few of us are so bad off that we can't find something for which to be thankful.  It would be even better if you'd take the time to channel that gratitude into action:  volunteer to walk a few dogs at your local animal shelter, say "thank you" to the next police K9 you see out there risking life and limb, or take some supplies to a local rescue.  Let's move this holiday from just a thanks-giving to a thanks-doing!

________________________________________________________

A few weeks back, all my family members (the human ones) went on a cruise.  While they were on that cruise, my mama WON another cruise!  Daddy has to stay home to work and take care of us, so mama and my Aunt Vicky are leaving in a couple of days to take that free cruise.  So, I won't have mama around to do my typing for me (short corgi arms, remember?) for a couple of weeks.  While I'm off the computer, y'all have fun, eat lots, enjoy life, and I'll be back when mama comes home!!

Til next time,

Love ya,

Lily the Corgi

This is the Life!

Dogs, the Most Interesting Animals in the World

Okay, I allowed ONE Halloween hat picture...sometimes you have to humor the parentals.

Hi, all, Lily the Corgi here.  This week has been pretty uneventful except for the arrival of some true fall weather, which prompted mama to put a comforter on our bed.  My sister Lucy is a super excited girl about this since she loves to snuggle under covers.  I am not such a fan of covers, but I do like to snuggle up to my mama for a while each night--until I get hot.  Also, this past week brought Halloween and it wasn't as big a trial as in years past.  Daddy did his silly dress up thing and giving away candy out in the front yard so there wasn't any annoying doorbell ringing going on.  Mama said we were very good girls and that we'll get a treat as a reward (hello!  where is that treat, by the way?)  Here are a couple of pictures to show you what went on at our house for the haunted evening.

                            Ghoulish daddy             The cousin babies as Yoda and Princess Leia     

Anyway, I thought that today would be a good day to share some more weird and interesting and educational dog facts.  Of course, I must comment on the facts; you'll find my thoughts in red.  For instance, did you know...

             

Like human babies, Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot in their skull which closes with age?  (I could insert a chihuahua joke here, but I'm trying to be good.)


Teddy Roosevelt's dog, Pete, ripped a French ambassador's pants off at the White House.  (I'm thinking this should happen to politicians much more often.)


70% of pet owners sign their pet's name on greeting and holiday cards.  (Mama does!)


Puppies sleep ninety percent of the day for their first few weeks.  (Lucky puppies!  Adult dogs have work to do...like mole digging and squirrel patrol; we don't have time to sleep!)

   

(There he is...my nemesis.  See how I glare at him from my hiding spot!)

Rin Tin Tin really signed his movie contracts - all 22 of them - with a pawprint.  (Excuse me, Mr. Tin, could I have your autograph?)


Dalmatian puppies are born completely white.  (As they get older, they get dotty.)


Boxers are so named because of their manner of playing with their front paws.  (I personally like to stand up and paw as well.  Does that make me a boxer??)


Many foot disorders in dogs are simply an issue of long toenails.  (Pretty sure this is propaganda my mama thought up to get me to submit to the dreaded nail clipping.)


The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts both offer merit badges in dog care.  (Mama says back in her day, the 4H also gave dog care ribbons.  I think this should be taught in all schools and universities.)


 Dogs with little human contact in the first three months typically don't make good pets.  (You've read about my neurotic sister Sadie, who as a feral puppy had no human socialization.  I won't say she's a BAD pet, but she is surely weird.)

(Look at her, too scared to stick her head out the window.)

The Russians trained dogs during WWII to run suicide missions with mines strapped to their backs.  (I'm a big supporter of dogs who serve in the military and police departments, but this is going too far.  Someone find me a Russian I can bite!)


President Lyndon Johnson had two beagles named Him and Her.  (I also read he picked them up by their EARS!  My beagle sister Lucy would not have been a fan of this behavior!)

(Maybe if your ear is folded, the President can't grab it.)

Obesity is the #1 health problem among dogs.  (Another propaganda piece to convince us to stop eating snacks--not working here!)


Speaking of obesity, daddy has made good on that promise to give us a treat!  Yummm...okay, til next time, be good and I gotta go chew this snack.


Love ya,
Lily the Corgi

Info courtesy of RichStevens.com