Rain -- Finally!

After what seems like months (really it's just been approximately 40 days and 40 nights), the rain clouds have finally decided to visit us again. We were awoken in the middle of the night by raindrops the size of baseballs literally slamming into our windows and skylights. The pugs protested. Due to the disuption in their beauty sleep, they were then almost unarousable for the following day.

Deedee is dreaming of silent nights

Cleo remains vigilant for additional terrestrial assaults

vigilant like a gargoyle

Sasha would like me to stop snapping photos

Holy MOLEE!

Upon our return from skiing this past weekend (sans pugs! quelle horreur!), we found the temperature to be a balmy 70 degrees. Time for yard work! Music to the ears of any warm-blooded man who's been dying to watch the recorded NFL playoffs for the past 72 hours.

While harvesting the lemons from our happily productive lemon tree, I came upon this behemoth.

I'm not even sure it's a lemon. Observe the normal-sized citrus right next to it.

I cut it open, thinking that maybe it had eaten another lemon in the middle of the night.

Using the stairs, Take Two

After studying the first video, the puglets' clever grampa deduced that Deedee needed even MORE carpet coverage to boost her self-confidence. Perhaps she was also nervous about the lack of paw friction at the beginning and the end of the stairs.

Or, maybe she's just not that bright with steps.

So it was with great trepidation that I placed more carpet stair liners. Would the puppy take to the stairs immediately? Would she be reunited with her freedom? Or would she be doomed to wander the stair landing until the end of time (or at least until her yarping forces someone in the house to go and rescue her)?

maybe I should be using larger treats

So then I thought, maybe going down the stairs poses more of a mental block for the block-head. We decided to change course, 180 degrees, and try getting Deedee to go up the stairs, instead. I was hopeful. For no good reason.

And apparently, the key is Pure Distraction! Pretend like the stairs aren't even there!

Weeeee... are the championssss.... my friend!

Yes, I realize that it's only 2 steps. The other 85 billion are for later this week. For the pug dada to teach. I need a drink.

One small step for Deedee...

... one giant leap for pug-kind!

Our littlest puglet has always had a problem with steps. We don't know why, although we think she may have had an un-witnessed spill or two. SO SURPRISING, since Deedee is such a well-trained, genius pug in every other aspect.

This minor problem with stairs affects us multiply on a daily basis, since she is unable to navigate the steps in our house, on her own. Which means that we have to carry her up and down floors, and she lets us know when she needs a lift by sharply yarping at multi-decibel levels.

The last time the pugs' grampa came to visit, he got so fed up, I mean, his heart just broke for the pathetic little animal. So he went online and generously bought these great carpeted stair covers.

They're actually quite plush underfoot. and they have these clever rubber backings, so that they don't slip when you walk on them.

We have several steps in our house, but we started with the one. Success! Kind of.

Christmas cookie treats

Just another day in the life of a Princess Puglet. Just wandering around the house, monitoring the temperature, inspecting the floorboards...

Pay attention, pugletinis! Your dada has -- dun dun DUN! Gingerbread Man Cookie Treats!

courtesy of a very generous auntie

NOW we have their attention.

eees that for us????!

The pugs waste no time in hoovering up the treats.

Sasha may have a little bit of a problem seeing the last crumb due to her, em, blindness.

What a great bed!

Remember that great bed the pugs got for Christmas? The one they jumped all over the first day, never to part? Well, this is how I found Sasha and Deedee sleeping the other day.

mama we are so sleepy. we must rest.

And did they choose to rest their little pug bodies on the posh bed we got for them? Ho, no. Little ungrateful furry beasts were sleeping NEXT to it.

all the better to keep an eye on Posh Bed, mama

Et, tu, Cleo?

BAD pug

As per usual, I ran some errands in the car, while toting around the pugs. Normally this is an enjoyable activity for all -- the puglets get all excited, the mama gets lots of love, and everyone is exhausted and happy at the end of the trip.

Well, never again is one of those stops going to involve any food shopping whatsoever. Because Cleopatra has these heretofore unseen retractable titanium opposable thumbs, a la Wolverine from X-Men, that she whips out as soon as I leave the car, in order to wreak maximum havoc.

source

I had placed a sesame bun in the (what I had apparently very stupidly thought) secure, latched, center console of the car. Lo and behold, upon my return to the car from one of my errands, I a) see Sasha licking her chops, b) smell a strong sesame scent in the air, c) find Deedee lapping up sesame seeds from the floormat, and d) cleverly deduce that Cleo has shredded my car in order to get at the sesame bun.

Cleo apparently extracted the bun, ate it, paper wrapping and all (who wants to see THAT when that comes back out), and shared a little with her sisters.

Oh, you didn't see the toothmarks, you say? Take another look.

They all had sesame breath.

Let it Snow

So, yes, we are in the heart of that time of year again -- Ski Season!! Already Tahoe has had record-breaking snowfall, the drought is officially over, and, yes, little Susan, there IS a snow fairy! We and the pugs have already had the chance to experience the joy of playing in the white stuff, earlier in the season.

Which I don't actually have pics of, because a) it was really REALLY snowing hard and demmit my fingers get cold when I have to hold the camera, and b) I was laughing too hard at the pugs running around like puppies, trying to eat the stuff.

What I DID manage to capture is all the lounging around that occurred pre- and apres ski.

The sofa is clearly not soft enough. Sasha's delicate behind must also be cushioned with an additional blanket.

Cleo is happy to have a place on which to rest her little grey chin.

Deedee, I assure you, is still breathing.

Nothing like warming up with a multitude of pug in front of the fire on a snowy night!

Beware!!

Oh, if only pugs could speak. What sorts of things would they say?

'i luv u, mama'

'ur the best thing that's ever happened to my pug self'

'i will luv you and obey u unconditionally 4ever'

Right. Also, in this fantasy of mine, I have perfect teeth, my metabolism is supercharged, and children worldwide adore me.

The puglets' very first vocalization would probably be something like this:

'EXTREME SHNERGLAGE! DANGER! RUN DAMMIT RUN RUN FOR UR LIFE!!'

Sasha, too

Before you mistakenly believe that the only pug around here who adores her grampa is Cleo, allow me to show you the soft side of Sasha, the normally private pug. Look at the love and adoration in that puglet's eyes.

She is a little alarmed that I have documented her weakness. She assumes, and rightly so, that any expression of love is an open invitation for shnerglage.

Happy New Year!

Another year, another set of resolutions. This year, the pugs will aspire to a reasonable set of goals. Or goal (singular), really, which is to obtain the maximum amount of treatage with whatever means necessary, be it excessive cuteness, excellent behavior, or sheer cunning and thievery.

A secondary goal will be to spread the word of pug love and good cheer, so that all in their immediate vicinity and beyond are aware of the Wonders of Pug.

Hm. This is not a good start to the New Year.

Does anyone cherish the image of Pug as a dissected frog?

At least Sasha is attempting to use her wiles -- suffer shnerglage for treats.

Deedee has already given up on her resolution (s).