A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Presenting my pups at 2 1/2 weeks.

For Whom is That Little Fur Cap?

Now you are going to think I'm crazy but I really want a little knit cap and I need one for Angus and Roxie too. You see, yesterday Grammy Jill (that's Grammy who sent me the sprayer thingy) told me about this book that she thinks has a Tibetan Terrier on the cover. I also think it may be a TT because he/she is shaggy and so very cute. But the subject of the book is what really caught my attention. It's called Pet Projects, The Animal Knits Bible and it has all these cool things that you can knit for me. Does anyone out there knit? I asked Dara and she told me that she is still traumatized from when as a child an unnamed right-handed person tried to teach her to knit right handed. You see she's left handed. She says she still stutters from it a bit. Anyway she said she's busy making teeny tiny silk bags for her Yoga teacher to put seeds from India in or something like that. I wonder what kind of seeds. I don't like seeds much. Are they edible seeds Dara? Or seeds to plant or seeds to smoke? I once got a seed caught in my throat and I didn't like it. Dara says the wee bags are really cute but that they are making her crazier than usual. But, in any case, she doesn't knit.

So what I am really coveting are the knit caps with the knobby ears. They are so darn cute. And you may say that I don't need a hat. That I am furry enough. But when has that ever been a good reason. A girl wants what a girl wants. Plus it gets darn cold here in the Happy Valley. And I know I told you us moms blow our coats after we deliver our pups. I'm afraid that I AM beginning to look like one of those hairless Mexican dogs or this friend of MeeMaw's whose eyebrows fell out. I can be quite single minded when I find something I like. And I like these hats. Toby you would look quite handsome in one too. According to this book, there are lots of wonderful things to knit for a gal like me. I could really use this puppy pouch right about now. You don't know how may times I have trudged up and down these stairs.

The doggy collar is quite fetching too. I think they call things like that that you wear around your neck a ruff. Don't they? Or maybe it's just a collar. It kinda reminds me of these necklaces that Grammy bought when she came to visit us in Harbor Springs last summer. They were made of pounded felt and they had these really cool felt flowers on them. Definitely cool weather necklaces. Did I mention that my daughter Sadie lives with Grammy? Sadie came up to Harbor Springs with Grammy. I hardly recognized her because the groomer gave her a buzzcut. Grammy was so mad about that haircut. I think it bothered Grammy that Angus wasn't as interested in Sadie as he usually is. I don't think it was the haircut. I think it was because Roxie was in season. Men are dogs. And dogs are men.

When I was cruising around the internet looking at knits for dogs, I found this other book called Knitting with Dog Hair. You might know that most everyone says that us Tibetan Terriers are non-shedding, but we lose our hair just like you do. And when you groom us (and you better groom us) you will find lots of hair in that brush. If my parents were just a bit more industrious they could have outfitted a small village in knitwear. This a real book with 4 1/2 stars (out of five) on Amazon. One reviewer was mad though cause there's a Basset Hound on the cover of the book and she bought the book for that reason only to learn that you can't spin basset fur. I guess that is a bit misleading but what was she thinking? I mean a Basset Hound's coat is quite short. But what do I know? Another woman indicated that she just pulls the book out when she needs to get her dogs to mind. As in "You quiet down or I'll make a sweater out of you." Harsh! The whole thing seems a bit nutty to me, but, then again,why wouldn't you humans want to be outfitted in a lovely coat like mine. I scouted around and found some pics of some of my furry friends with their dog-hair-wearing parents. If you ask me it looks better on the dogs. But did you know back in the old days there was something called a hairshirt that was made out of course animal hair? I hear tell that hairshirts were used by some religions to induce some degree of pain or discomfort as a sign of repentance or atonement for some evil deed. Doesn't sound like something my friend the Dalai Lama would go in for. But I digress. These dog hair sweaters do look quite comfy, but the dogs and their owners are a bit too "matchy matchy" for my taste. But who am I to judge? You probably don't think I need a hat.

Grandma's Balls

Do you remember the other day when it was rumored that Roxie and Angus were going to get baths? Well they did. Roxie had her bath that day. I think it was Monday. Angus had his turn on Tuesday. A bath creates a kind of adrenaline rush in all of us. By the time the bath is over we are just aching to get out of that tub. We really don't even want to be toweled off. All we want is to tear around the house shaking the water out as we go. Rubbing up against couches and rolling around like crazy in every bed in the house. I don't know why but it feels amazing. And as soon as we get outside, we are going to try to flip over on our backs and roll around in a big pile of leaves or, better yet, some deer poop or bear poop if we can find some. I don't really see many deer around these parts and I have never seen a bear. But one of our neighbors, Wink, had a mama bear and 3 cubs right in his backyard. Now Wink is a one-eyed Chihuahua and I don't think he sees all that well out of the one eye that he does have, but I do believe that he saw the bears. We sometimes go up to Wink and Martha's (that's his mom) and run around together. They have about 3 fenced-in acres and we love to run on the lawn and through the woods and especially to muck around in the seasonal creek. Last Christmas my dad made Martha a loaf of challah and some of my favorite treats (Dara's recipe). I don't know why but my parents seem to think Martha might have eaten the dog treats by mistake. They seem to chuckle about that a lot.

You may recall that I thought that I had a reprieve from taking a bath due to my busy schedule with the pups and all. You may or may not know that a reprieve is a TEMPORARY relief from harm or discomfort. That's why I used that word. I knew my day was coming soon. I think the last straw was when I got organic chicken juice all over my face during breakfast this morning. You see my parents have been feeding me organic chicken patties from Nature's Variety ever since I got pregnant. They are delicious. One patty is the normal daily meal for a gal my size, but ever since the last few weeks of my pregnancy I have been eating at least two a day along with lots of other highly nutritious stuff. They are delicious, but they are more than a little bit messy. I think my folks just couldn't bear the thought of me nuzzling up to the pups all covered in organic chicken juice. I guess they're right. It was good timing too cause just yesterday Grandma sent us a spray thingy that attaches to the bathtub faucet. Well it's supposed to attach to the bathtub faucet. We have this old-fashioned clawfoot tub and I think the faucet must be old-fashioned too cause after dad got it all attached and turned on the water the force of the water sent the sprayer flying halfway across the room and shot water everywhere. It actually kinda scared me. I may like water but I don't like water shooting at me from all directions. The problem seems to be that the faucet itself is quite small so the sprayer thingy just slips right off. I bet you don't have these sorts of problems Toby.

Grandma also sent some really cute puppy-sized balls for the kids. My parents have been laughing and calling them Grandma's balls. I don't see what's so funny about that. Grandma thank you for the sprayer attachment. I am sure we will figure out a way to use it. It does look a bit like it came right out of the 1950's or 40's or 30's doesn't it? When I first saw it I was afraid I might be in for a high colonic.

Wet and Wild

So I got a note from Dara.

Dara wrote:

Dear Suddie,

Your blog is wonderful. You are quite the writer.

I'm glad you're enjoying the treats. I only shared them with you and Pumpkin, a dear pit bull mix down the hall, this time . She's very sweet and has a "soft" mouth. She never nips at my fingers when I sneak her a treat in the hallway. You're my FAVORITE canine though.

Which brings me to your question: yes dogs are allowed in my building. Monkeys, not sure. I would love a monkey, but I hear they can be VERY naughty. Like throwing pooh naughty.

Not like YOU! Hey, your really bad hair on the blog didn't bother me a bit. It would have shocked me if I hadn't seen you guzzling from a Central Park water fountain the last time I saw you in New York. Remember? You were wet and wild girl!

Not that I'm dissing you, girlfriend. I was pretty wild in my day too. I like that in a woman. It's just that the first time I met you you were doing the Upper East Side ladies-who-lunch thing. You were all prim and proper. Every hair in place. I'm glad I finally got to see you get down. Your paws were a sight child.

The puppies are adorable, as usual. They have to be that way to survive, right momma? What was it with the soft core shots of Angus and Roxie? They were kinda hot!

Well, gotta run to Pilates. Hope to see you in Central Park soon, but I know you have responsibilities right now. Kiss every one of them for me.

Dara

Now if you are lucky enough to ever meet Dara (or me for that matter), wild child is probably not the first thing that will come to mind. I wouldn't think it myself if I hadn't gotten a wiff of her couch. You see we inherited a couch that Dara had lived with for years. We used if for many more years out on our summer house in Michigan. By the way, this is a picture of the summer house. You can just glimpse the arm of the couch on the right. Well, anyway, as you might imagine, I'm pretty darn good at sniffing things out. And that couch, that couch had a history. I smelled things in that couch that I had never smelled before and many that I have not smelled since. But let me tell you, that couch got my heart pumping and my tail to wagging (very similar, in fact, to the reaction I had when I first saw Toby). So I knew, even then, that Dara and I were birds of a randy feather. Of course that couch has been deep cleaned many a time so it's nothing that you would have noticed. But you can't fool me, I'm a dog.

And...since Dara called out my adventures in Central Park, I thought I would share a few pics from the time I visited Central Park with some of the pups from my first litter. I don't know about you but it makes me a bit dizzy to watch it. Just like a ride on the merry-go-round.

Your Mailbox is Full

Well. I guess that's a bit of an overstatement. My mailbox is not actually full. But I did get a small flurry of messages over the last couple of days. Finally one from Toby. Finally! I'm not the kind of girl who sits by the telephone, but I must admit I was beginning to wonder. It wasn't quite as mushy as I was hoping, but it was sweet and mildly encouraging.

Toby wrote:

Hi Suddie.

Here we are again in Palm Springs in the house where we first played around the pool. Now I don't have anyone to play with here except my Dads and they don't want to play with me as long as I want. But, they say soon I may have some one to play with, I think it is going to be one of our puppies. Sounds like the puppies are growing fast and that you are taking good care of them. I can't imagine how difficult it is, with 7 of them, to keep in line and well fed.

Glad to know how you got your name, very interesting. I think your dad told us where the name Deep Acres Farm came from but we forgot. To tell you the truth, I don't much like the water. Oh, I forgot the time I had a good time on the beach in Mexico. We were walkin on the beach and Dad let me off the leash and then all these birds were around and flying over the waves. I decided I wanted to chase them. So I had a great time! Got in the water and the waves were very strong. Both my Dads got all worried that I would get carried out to sea and they would never see me again. But, I managed to survive and I did have a great time. Guess I was a mess after that, with the salt water and all the sand. But the truth is I don't much like the water. Well keep up the good work.

Lots of Love.

Toby

First of all, I want you to know that we did not "play around" by the pool. Not that I wouldn't have. It was warm and sunny. I was wearing my SPF. But, anyway, all of that nonsense came later. And then it wasn't exactly what I would call romantic. It rarely is when a FedEx delivery is required. If you know what I mean. So the moral of this story is? Live in the present? Don't sit around waiting for a special delivery that may or may not arrive? No one ever told me that a long distance relationship would be easy. On the contrary. You know how folks are. Always trying to make you just as miserable as they are. Well I will have you know that my plate is full. I don't need a man to be happy! But Toby is a good boy and oh so handsome and it makes me feel good to know that he is sometimes thinking of me just like I often think of him.

But, you know, men are such a big bag of contradictions. I mean there is Toby going on about how he doesn't like that water when he knows darn well that I have this photo of him floating around the pool. It's not like I hired a private eye or anything. He sent me the pic himself. It's like men just want to get caught. And women? Well you know I'm no expert. But we have our own set of complications.

And it's true, one of our girls is going to California to live with her daddy. That definitely makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. And not because I think strapping him with a kid will keep the other women away. It doesn't work like that. Women like men with kids. It's like a sign of virility or something. But, oh no, when guys see me coming with Roxie and Angus in tow it's like I'm the unibomber or something. And to make matters worse, they usually go after my young daughter. Well no one ever said that life is fair. That's why I'm really so glad that I found a good man like Toby. But, perhaps, I shoulda made him put a ring on it. Toby, if you like it you shoulda put a ring on it. Wha-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.

Back to the Future

I dug up this cool two volume book my parents have titled The Tibetan Terrier by Angela Mulliner. From what I hear it's kinda hard to find. It talks all about the origins of my breed in Tibet, our introduction to England, and the first US TTs. It is mainly a history book and what I like best is that it has a lot of cool old pics of my ancestors in Tibet, England, and even a few from here in the good ol' USA. I wanted to share some of the pics with you so I scratched around a bit and figured out how to put this slideshow together.

So let me tell you who these folks are. The first dude is His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama with his Tibetan Terrier, Senge. The next photo was taken in 1974 and it features a refugee in Kathmandu with puppies for sale. Following that is one of the earliest breed photographs from 1926. It features Bunty (on the right) and her daughter Chota Tukra of Ladkok. The next handsome beau is Tashi in England, 1967. The happy threesome is Bunti, in the center, with her sons Ja-Haz (left) and Burrah Sahib. I understand that these three dogs were the basic foundation for the breed. The two little cuties are from the first official litter born in the US. This was in 1957. And the final photo is a vintage litter of pups with their lady friends. Pretty cool pics.

If you're looking for a more basic book about us TT's, I recommend Tibetan Terrier, A Complete and Reliable Handbook. The author is Anne Keleman and it is put out by T.F.H. Publications. It talks about living with a TT, grooming a TT, puppy's new home and a bunch of other things. My parents received it as a gift.

It's a beautiful day here. I got up early, fed the pups, and took a walk with Roxie and Angus. When we got back, my dad cleaned up the whelping box and refreshed the linens. To be honest, I keep it darn clean myself, but it makes them feel useful so I don't say anything. And who doesn't like fresh linens? I heard a rumor that Angus and Roxie are going to get baths today. I think I am getting a reprieve. Actually, I love the water and am a very good swimmer. I started as a baby in Lake Michigan. Angus likes it as well, but he's still working on his technique. And Roxie, well, let's just say that she has other interests.

I'm Not Lisa, My Name is Suddie

It's not Sookie or Susie. It's Suddie.

You see Suddie was my dad's nanny and I am named after her. He would tell you that the term nanny is a little too fancy and doesn't really capture their relationship. Because, you know, they liked to watch Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas and Match Game together after dad came home from school. Now as I understand it Suddie had a son, Nathaniel, who lost one of his legs. And he and his wife Lilly May lived on a dry old hill. Suddie would sometimes call my dad and say "come get me off of this dry old hill" and they would go together to a restaurant called Bill Knapp's and have chicken and biscuits and ice cream cake deluxe. Suddie also had a daughter named Verneeda and I think I heard tell that Verneeda stabbed someone or that she was stabbed herself. But, other than that, I understand she was a very nice person.

My dad loved Suddie and he loves me. I guess that's why I'm named Suddie. I think it's an honor. You might call it an endearment.

I have a reverse painting on glass that shows Suddie in heaven surrounded by angels looking down on me. I am in bed with my favorite frisbee tucked in next to me. We were passing through Tucson, on our way to the Rio Grande or some such place, when we met the artist, Janet K. Miller (www.janetkmiller.com). She specialized in the painting of dogs. Reverse paintings on glass of dogs. Imagine. We visited her house/studio (it was funky, I loved the cement floors they were so nice and cool on my belly) and she wanted to know all about me, my favorite toys and pastimes, and about my name. Some currency was exchanged and with this information she created my painting. It's my favorite work of art. I call it the Suddie Lisa.

It Ain't Always Pretty

I have been advised that I shouldn't put this out there. Just one rough pic posted to "the internets" and my cred will be crap. But you know what. Motherhood ain't always pretty. I watch enough Tyra to know that. So what if I sometimes use my stuffed mouse as a bite block to blunt the pain when the babes are nursing on my tender parts. Sometimes an out of body experience is just what the doctor ordered.

And please don't concern yourself with the crime that is my coiffure. You spend your day cleaning seven little hinies and then tell me that I should give a rip.

Don't even think about telling me that my adorable little pups bear even the slightest resemblance to that stuffed mouse. Don't go there.






It just so happens that even though it can be messy, I love being with my pups, taking care of them and having them rest in my arms. Nothing better for me right now.

For a while now, I've been stocking up on some of my favorite things like that little mouse from Ikea (it comes in a few different colors) to share with the pups. The Ikea mouse is really intended as a kids' toy. It costs like a dollar and I love to run around the house with it.









I have a whole bag full of stuffed toys that I am going to share with the pups when they are old enough. There is one of my red lobsters from Nantucket, a little duckie that actually quacks (they are going to love that). A mommy and baby carrot. Healthy snacks!

I also got them this little rubber jack thingy for them to chew on. That will keep them busy. I think I need to get a few more chewy things like that. I never eat and I would never give my pups anything like pigs ears, bully sticks, rawhides or other animal-based chew toys/treats. I think they are hard to digest and I also think they can make pups and dogs aggresive. I don't love them so much.

What I do LOVE so much are rope toys. I like the regular old knotted rope kind VERY MUCH.

But I ADORE one's made by a company called jax and bones (www.jaxandbones.com) that are fashioned into the cutest little animals. They are knit with small loops and that makes it really fun to pull them apart. Although they don't look like cute little animals for long after I tear into them, they last a long time and provide hours and hours of chewing enjoyment. My parents first picked some up for me at a store called Chateau Marmutt in Hollywood, but now I get them online. I just bought a menagerie of them for the pups. A veritable menagerie of rope toys with Larry the Lion, Lucky the Dog, and an elephant that I especially like cause he has some meat on him. Some people have their crossword puzzles. I have my rope toys.
I think Lucky looks a little bit like my pups. He is so cute. And, oh yeah, there is an octopus and a giraffe. I really like the lion's mane. Don't you?

Puppy Butts and Puppy Noses

So this morning I pulled out my iPhone and took a few shots. Mostly puppy butts and puppy noses. Puppies eating and puppies sleeping. The pups are just starting to push themselves up on their little wobbly legs and making attempts at walking. And I can see that they are getting ready to open their eyes soon. Little squints are happening. So not a lot of jibber jabber from me today. I'm bringing the goods. Lots of photos of week and a half old babes. Though I must digress and tell you that my dad shared a little of his roasted tomato pasta with me last night. PURE HEAVEN. I will smurf around the pantry and try and dig up the recipe. More later. I'm in desperate need of a nap.

Cookies in the Mailbox

You know how boys are. They like to pee on everything. Angus has a few trees that he is partial to and the street sign on the corner. And whenever he pees or Roxie pees it makes me want to pee too. I don't know what it is. It's sorta like my MeeMaw (that's what I call my granny). Everytime she gets in the car to go somewhere with us she has to go. Even if she just went. Not really that similar now that I think about it. PeePaw (that's Meemaw's 2nd husband) has taken to bringing along an empty half gallon milk carton just in case. Now my other grandma (we just call her grandma) needs complete silence and a completely empty house to even think about going #2. I hope she doesn't come back as a dog because her goose is going to be completely cooked. I once went right in the middle of Park Avenue while my parents were trying to hurry across. The street light changed and cars were honking, but I didn't give a hoot.

Anyway. On our walk today I thought Angus was going to pee on our mailbox post but he just sniffed it for what seemed like forever. It was like he was trying to smell all the way up the post and into the mailbox. To sniff out what was in there. All I know for sure is that he didn't pee. I just had to stand there and wait for him. I think I actually sat down and gave myself a good cleaning.

Well when we opened the mailbox there was a package in there. I didn't think much of it because my parents are always getting some silly geegaw in the mail. But this package was from New York City and it was addressed to me. It was filled with treats in the shapes of hearts and stars and just one bone. Dara had made her famous treats just for me and wrapped them up in a beautiful plaid fabric bag. There was a funny card too with a drawing of a cat trying to catch a goldfish. I could look at that drawing forever. It makes my tail wag really fast.

Dara wrote:

Congrats on the new babies. Glad you're done, right?

Share the treats with R & A, if you wish.

Dara

Dara has two cats. She told me that her building doesn't allow dogs (I think). I bet if it did she'd have her two cats and a few dogs and maybe even a monkey. It would have to be a clean monkey.

The treats are delicious. Thank you Dara.

You may have noticed that I haven't said a darn thing about the puppies today. You see this blog is my escape. An escape from the joys of motherhood. But I must tell you that the pups are doing great and their appetite for the best fresh milk north of the Mason-Dixon line is undiminished.

Little Dog Moon

Tonight I read the pups a story called Little Dog Moon. Most of them fell asleep before I turned the first page. It's my favorite story because Little Moon is a Tibetan Terrier. Little Dog Moon is about bravery and strength of spirit. It is also about family, sacrifice, and the wonderful things that love can bring about. At the end of the story the author explains that my breed is a very old one with an interesting past (and future I hope!). It is said that we were originally kept as companions in the isolated monasteries in what would one day be called the Lost Valley of Tibet. Set deep in the Himalayan mountains, the trek to and from such places was perilous. The author says my ancestors were intelligent, sure-footed, had an unfailing sense of direction, and were said to bring good luck. Like Moon, they learned the secret ways in and out of the mountains. We were never sold because doing so would "sell one's good luck." We were, however, given as gifts to people held in high esteem. One of these gifts was eventually brought to England and became the foundation of my breed in the west.

Wow. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I guess I am putting myself to sleep with all this history crap. I'm a live in the present kinda gal. I did spend a lot of time out in the fresh air this afternoon shoring up the fence to make sure the pups don't find any secret ways out of the yard once they are old enough to go outside. I am not confident they have developed their unfailing sense of direction yet. Maybe after their eyes open. And I sure did eat enough today. I have been starving. It takes a lot of energy to produce all this milk and the pups want more and more of it each day. So I have been shoveling in all the protein my parents will throw at me. And, yesterday, my dad made a batch of dog bones from the Four Seasons Boston. He said they were really easy to make and Roxie, Angus, and I are really enjoying them. I don't dare tell you what else I ate today or you might start to worry that I am part pig. Part monkey maybe, but not pig. I'm getting punchy. My eyelids are heavy. Good Night Moon.

Friends and Family

Gee whiz. The pups sure are growing and getting stronger each day. Today is their one week birthday and some have almost doubled in size. Right now, they are all lined up in a row sleeping, one next to the other some cuddling their heads on the other. They are so darn cute! Learning how to crawl around almost too well and they tackle me whenever they can for a little nourishment. I spend most of my day with them and must say that I am quite tender and sweet with them, licking their little faces and cleaning their hineys.

At first, I didn't want to go on even the shortest walks away from them. I would just quickly do my business and run back to them. Today I took two moderate walks in the rain and I kinda enjoyed it although I put on the brakes a couple of times when I felt we were getting too far away.

Now that I'm relatively housebound, it's always nice to hear from friends and family (are you reading this Toby?) I got the nicest note from Sage and Lucas' mom, Sophie. Sage and Lucas are the most handsome PBGVs you have ever seen. PBGV is short for Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. Quite Fancy sounding, but present company excluded they are the swellest dogs you will ever see. Sage and Lucas used to live in Newport, RI with Sophie and her husband, Mike. They are great folks and Sophie helped us out and showed Roxie at a dog show once. Anyway, Sage and Lucas and Sophie and Mike recently moved back to Stockholm, where Sophie is from originally (Mike is from England). I think either Sage or Lucas had to stay behind for a few months for some reason, but they are all reunited in Sweden now. I so enjoyed Sophie's update on Sage and Lucas, I nearly pooped.

Sophie wrote:

The dogs are loving it. We were a bit worried that Sage and Lucas might fight after having been apart for 4 months and being intact males both of them. After a couple of days with Sage prancing around on stiff legs and with the tail in the air everything was back to normal and now they play as if they never had been apart!

We have a big pen outside so they can run around a bit, we go for long walks in the forest. “Walks” so to speak….they all get so excited with all the smells and the wildlife they basically bounce around on their hind legs howling…very embarrassing actually.

Back in the days when we had REAL dogs( read Rottweilers). I used to see dog owners completely incapable of controlling their animals…running here and there…arms ripped out of their sockets, sweat pouring down their faces as they desperately tried to keep up with their dogs……and I used to huff and look at them arrogantly as I walked this very calm, obedient and well-mannered 160 pound REAL guy while they were totally top-ridden by some 30 pound little poop at the end of the leash…

Hrrrm…well….live and learn. Let’s just say that the evening walk is no longer a relaxing affair but rather on the level of a strenuous , high-intensity, SEAL- workout….which no doubt is the highlight of our neighbors day.

Just to sit and watch us racing by must be worth a lot more than the Cable fee.

The View From Here

I usually grab my little red lobster stuffed toy and jump on the bed when I need a wee break from the kids. The view is nice from here. I can watch over the pups, but I can also look out my little window to the world and daydream a bit. I got my lobster toy on Nantucket just a month ago on my last outing with the kids before the big event. I was feeling hot and big and uncomfortable and the cool ocean breezes were just what I needed. I especially loved sitting on the deck of the ferry on the way over and back. I threw caution to the wind and took a spot where I was sure to get wet from the waves hitting the front of the boat. Oh what a feeling! Take Your Passion. Make it happen. Make it Happen. What a Feeling!

There I go. Getting all Flashdancey on you. I guess that's what happens when you spend 24/7 with little or no adult contact.

Toby one of your inspirational messages would come in real handy right about now.

But seriously now, I must say that I am more than a bit dumbfounded by the fact that there are now 10 pooches under my roof. And I am responsible for all of them! Yes, I take responsibility for myself as well. Well! Truth be told I am happier than I have ever been. Although it is tiring, I love mothering the pups and I like that they depend on me. Not that I don't need my breaks. When I do, I just jump up on the bed and look out the window or, sometimes, I wander down to the back deck and watch Angus and Roxie float around the yard. In them I see me. Their independence, their joy, and, yes, their beauty. It makes me so proud, and a wee bit melancholy. As my mother before me (she was a hash-slinger from Arizona) always said, it's a veil of tears, this life is a veil of tears.

There go my hormones again. Let's talk about food. Food always makes me happy. I talked to Dara in New York so you can try both her recipe and the recipe from the Four Seasons Boston and have your own little taste test. By the way, Dara is like this smart banker trapped in a ballet dancer's body. And she is lots of fun. She once taught me street yoga in Times Square. Being from Tibet, it's something I need to know. When we were at the Peninsula in the spring, the kids and I met Dara outside of Yura & Company (their whoopie pies sure look good) on the Upper East Side and spent the entire day walking all over Central Park. Remind me later to share pics of when I took five of my first eight pups to Central Park. Now that was a TRIP! Lots of coordination involved.

Now Dara told me that she makes her dog treats with all organic ingredients and her biscuits (ahem!) are all the rage in NYC. She went on to tell me that the recipe is from a book by a very well known holistic vet, Dr. Pritcairn. They were called Ivy's Favorite Treats, but I've taken liberties. Dara warns they are messy (the dough is a lot like partially set, chunky cement), but great fun to make. She says dogs like most every food thing, but the homemade treats do seem to have a special allure. I agree and I ought to know, I'm a dog.

Suddie's Favorite Treats

2 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c rye or buckwheat flour

1/2 c brewer's yeast

1 c bulgar

1/2 c cornmeal

1/4 c dry parsley flakes

1/4 c dry milk

1 t dry yeast

1/4 c warm water

1 c chicken broth

1 egg beaten with 1 T milk - as glaze

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl

Combine dry yeast and warm water in a separate bowl. stir until dissolved. add chicken broth.

Stir liquid into dry ingredients. mix with hands.

Dough will be stiff. add a bit of water if needed, but NOT a lot.

Roll dough on parchment or a pastry cloth to thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Use small cookie tins to form shapes.

Glaze unbaked cookies with egg and milk mixture.

Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn off oven and leave biscuits in oven overnight.

Baths and Beds and Bones. Oh My!

Well, I finally got a bath today. I had to go roll around and tumble about in the garden and get really dirty to force the matter. And now I feel like a new girl. The things you have to do to get a little attention around here now that the dog population has exploded. I used this amazing Italian moisturizing shampoo from a company called Davines that my dad picked up for me in Brentwood, CA. I know, it doesn't sound Italian to me either. It contains arugula extract. Can you imagine? RIDICULOUS! That reminds me of the time that Toby (the pups' dad, remember) told me that I have a ridiculous little butt. I think it was a compliment. But, hey now, lets get back to the subject at hand: presents. My parents are always bringing me presents when they come back from trips. So the shampoo didn't really surprise me. But the yogurt conditioner, now that was a surprise.

I travel a lot with them too. All over. I have stayed at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood and even took a dip in the pool there. I love their lobby bar (not the Bar Marmont) and have met quite a few Hollywood types in my day. I think my parents take me along to attract them (they're a bit starstruck, I think). I met Rosie Perez. She was so nice. Even rolled around on the floor with me. She was there attending a party for some HBO show and she included me in everything. Of course, we saw Paris Hilton and her little dog, but they ignored me. Courtney Love was there too and boy was she a mess. And Robbie Williams. Do you know who he is? And, oh yeah, I almost forgot Greasy Bear. I liked the way he smelled.

One of my favorite hotels is the Peninsula in Chicago and the kids and I recently stayed at the Peninsula in New York. I also like the Ritz in DC. And if you go to Austin you have to stay at the Hotel San Jose. I'm a bit of a hotel snob you see. These places are so pup friendly that it makes me feel all warm inside. They always provide the cushiest of dog beds and, usually, bottled water. Just for me. All for me. And speaking of dog beds, my favorite dog bed (and I know the pups agree) is the puff from a company called Animals Matter. It's so soft and yummy and it has a little hollow area in the center for me to curl up in. It is DELICIOUS. We saw it in a store in Beverly Hills, but bought it online somewhere.

Closer to home, my hotel of choice is the Four Seasons Boston. They make their own dog biscuits just for their four-legged guests. I was able to get the recipe just for you.

DOG BONES from the Four Seasons Hotel Boston

3 cups WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

1 1/2 cups COURNMEAL

1 cup RICE FLOUR

1 cup CHICKEN STOCK

1/2 cup WHOLE MILK

2oz. MELTED BUTTER

1 WHOLE EGG

1 EGG YOLK

Preheat oven to 350 egrees. Blend together whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and rice flour. Stir together chicken stock, milk and butter. Stir liquids into dry ingredients and then add eggs. Knead dough well until it is very stiff. Roll out 3/8 - 1/2 inch thick and cut out into bone shapes (or other shape desired). Place on cookie sheet that has been lightly greased and bake 45 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container

Makes 24 -30 biscuits.

I hope that Toby reads this and decides to surprise me with a batch.

You can find little doggie cookie cutters online or you can just use a small drinking glass to cut out circle shapes. I like those because they remind me of my ball toys.

My friend Dara in New York also makes EXCELLENT dog treats. She sent us some during the holidays last year. I will see if I can get the recipe out of her. If I do I will be sure to share it here.

I know that I wasn't going to take any pics of the pups until their eyes open. But rules are made to be broken. And bones are made to be eaten. Right? And who can resist a ridiculous little puppy butt? You know what they say...like mother...like daughter.