Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween

Lucky is catching up on her beauty sleep before Mickey's wedding. That's where we'll be Saturday.

Mom and PlusOne are going to do the usual karate and cello, homework and whatnot.

In other news, mom finally saw the new Star Trek. It ROCKED! Mom thinks they did an absolute fabulous job on re-inventing and re-invigorated the franchise. She thinks that was a home run for sure. And she even liked Zachary Quinto as Spock. She wasn't sure she would, after seeing him as Syler and always loving Leonard Nimoy, but she did.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday Stuff

First off, both Lex & Manicdote asked if PlusOne has a new bed. The answer is no, it is the same bed, PlusOne just fills it our a little better now.


That is, if he's not all curled up into a ball.

He's almost as tall as mom!

Next, people around mom are getting the flu like crazy, but mom is (knock wood) still healthy.

And last, one of the first friends I made on the Blogosphere when I started blogging was Mickey, The Black Cat. In fact, I was his Not Of My Species Special Friend. That always made me feel warm and fuzzy. Anyway, he is getting married tomorrow, to the lovely Miss Peach, and I am her Official Wedding Dresser.


Now, before I hear any snickers out there from all you smart alecks, lets just remember that my mom is a SECOND DEGREE BLACK BELT and Mr. Karate is a THIRD DEGREE BLACK BELT and they will defend my honor against all slurs. My mom loves me. (Yeah, I know, amazing, huh, given everything I do.)

Now, I know I am not the most fashionable puggie, but I have been working very hard to make certain that Miss Peach is the most lovely bride possible for my dear friend Mickey!

If you want, you can go with the happy couple a most joyous life together, here.

Have a great day!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thursday Three

I like standing tall, and standing on things, can you tell?





Yup, I surely do.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Miss P

This is Miss P. She is the woman who bred me for mom. When we went for our nice walk Sunday, dad and PlusOne brought me to visit her.


I remember her very well, so I ran up the driveway and jumped into her lap. I barely sat still long enough for dad to get a photo.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Perfect Day For A Walk

This fearsome gladiator is PlusOne. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, perfect for the long walk I went on. And yes, I got treats!

Dad, PlusOne and Lucky. Notice I got cut our of the photo?

And that PlusOne is standing on a step?

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Seminar Fun

Everyone had a ball at the Seminar. Mom is totally wiped out. Everyone enjoyed the nunchaka form and the spear set was awesome.

Here is Sensei Carrie Chandler with PlusOne and Mr. Karate. She trains under Jimmy Pedro, a two time Olympic Bronze Medalist.

Sensei Chandler is a 5-Time Sr. National Champion, a 2-Time World Team Member and a 5-Time European Medalist and 4-Time U.S. Open Medalist. She taught arm bars (where you lock up the arm, hyper extend the elbow and basically ruin someone's arm) and some ground fighting. As you can tell by the smiles, it was awesome.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I think they're all nuts, but I'm just a dog, what do I know.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Seminar Saturday

Mom, PlusOne and Mr. Karate are going to an all day seminar today. There will be a nunchaka form, a spear set (this has never been taught before and everyone is looking forward to it) and

a whole bunch of other karate fun. It's the Karate Studio's 25th Birthday, and this is how everyone celebrates. By beating each other up. (I think they're all crazy but I'm just a dog.)

In other news, mom got invited to the second degree class FOUR WEEKS EARLY by the Studio Director. She was so excited. They did ground fighting, and boy, did mom have a ball. (I think she's crazy, but then again, I'm just a dog.)

Friday, October 23, 2009

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Thursday Three

Halloween in our city is on a Sunday, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. This year it is early, this Sunday. This is also the first year that Memere will not be going with PlusOne and dad.

Mom hands out the candy with our help.

She tells people we are cats in dog suits and some people believe her.

Sheesh.

PlusOne is a gladiator this year. Mom hasn't taken his picture yet. Silly mom.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tattle Tale Tuesday

Someone didn't get enough sleep Sunday night. And they're really, really tired.

I wonder who it could be?


I'll give you a hint. His nicknames are "bottomless pit boy", "always hungry boy" and "growing like a weed boy". Mom made sure he got into bed early last night.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Monday Moan

Mom spent a good portion of the day making chicken soup. I stood by her the whole time she boned the chicken, but she didn't give me ONE piece. Not one piece!

This is Mr. Karate showing his appreciation for all the hard work mom did.

And here he is digging in. He ate the whole bowl.

And this is the Patriot's game that dad was supposed to go to. Boy, was he happy that he got to stay home, where it was warm and dry and he had two pugs to cuddle. With home made chicken soup to boot.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Chicken Soup Sunday

Mr. Karate was complaining that he had a cold, was losing his voice and no one made him chicken soup. So mom went to the grocery store, got two roaster chickens, onions, carrots and potatoes and started making soup. Here is the makings of the broth.


It will be ready later today, when Mr. Karate comes home. It sure does smell good.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Snow!


It was spitting snow yesterday morning! Can you believe it? Snow, already? In October!

I'm going into hibernation. See you in the spring!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Phew, It's Friday



Thank goodness the weekend's coming.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Mom Passed!

Mom got home to an answering machine message from the Studio Director congratulating her on passing her test. Mom was so excited, she shrieked REALLY, REALLY LOUD. So if you wondered what that noise was around 4:45 pm est yesterday, that was it. My mom!


Apparently there were some failures, whether from the written exam or the physical test, mom doesn't know. But November 18th, mom will be getting her second degree black belt. Woo Hoo! Who's a ninja now?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Tattle Tale Tuesday

Ive abandoned mom. Well, not really, but.... sort of. You decide.


I've been going to bed with dad, lately, because mom stays up too late and it's getting cold. I like staying warm, snuggling with dad. When mom comes to bed, I climb under the blankets and settle myself on her left hip. That way we both stay warm.

Is that abandonment?

Monday, October 12, 2009

Monday Moan

We let mom sleep late yesterday morning. She didn't get out of bed til after 9:30am! We were good dogs.

Mom then climbed in the bathtub for a nice hot soak. Her knees and hips were sore. She was walking really slow. She felt much better after that. Of course, her arms are sore, from the push-ups, so no heavy lifting for her. It's a good thing Lucky and I don't weigh a lot. She sat in her chair in the sun and read a good portion of the day. (Fortune and Fate, by Sharon Shinn, one of her favorite authors. She was very happy to see Senneth and Tayse were in it.)

I sat on her lap during most of it and when I wasn't in her lap, Lucky was. Just call us the tag team duo!

Anyway, I wish I could tell you mom aced the test, but the studio director threw a curve. He asked for four techniques that people hadn't practiced (except you're supposed to be practicing all of your techniques.) Mom did three correctly and one incorrectly, but she did something (with confidence) as opposed to some of the students, who did nothing or froze. So we'll see what happens. Saturday isn't that far away.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Tired

Mom's tired.

And sore.

We're going to help her sleep real late today. Real late!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Last Test

40 push-ups, 60 sits-ups, run for 20 minutes, 2 forms (Short Form #3 and Long Form #3) 8 techniques (Backbreaker, Brushing the Storm, Capturing the Storm, Defying the Storm, Destructive Twins, Destructive Fans, Leap of Death and Dance of Death) basics, and spontaneous grabs and sparring. Mom's last test. It'll be over by 9:45 am. Yee haw!

Friday, October 9, 2009

NH Makes The News

NH has made the news in two ways this week. The second is in a celebrity sort of way. The first is much darker.



Ashley, from Center Sandwich, NH, was sent home from Top Chef this week. She wasn't one of mom's favorites, but she also wasn't someone mom couldn't wait to see get sent home, like Mike Isabella. (Mom can honestly say she would have a LOT of fun kicking his butt if he talked to her the way he does some of the women on the show.) Mom didn't think she would end up in the top four, but mom thought Ash and Laurine would go home before she did.


The first way NH made the news was a vicious, cold hearted attack on a mother and daughter in a town only 40 minutes away from here. Four teenage boys decided to break into a house, rob it, and kill whoever was inside just because. They killed the 42 year old mother and savagely injured the 11 year old daughter, who managed to call 911 and is recovering in a Boston hospital.

They attacked with a machete and a knife. A photo of the boys on ABC news shows them with shaved heads, and portrays them as skinheads. Nowhere have they been called such by any local media.

This girl received her black belt in May. Her teacher is one of mom's favorite guest speakers at the Kenpo seminars she goes to. He is mom's studio director's student. That makes the little girl karate family. Perhaps you could say a prayer for her emotional and physical recovery. The attackers left her for dead and she may be in the hospital up to a month.

Mom doesn't mean to be dark, but this tragedy is just that, a tragedy. And mom knows that if the blogosphere is good for anything, it is sending prayers and thoughts of hope to those who need it. This little girl and her father, the whole town, really, need all the prayers and hope they can get.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Thursday Three

Mom is fighting a cold. Since her last test is Saturday morning, she has to get better before then. So she is taking this:


eating this:


and trying to get lots of this:

We are, of course, helping her with the last, as best we can.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Tattle Tale Tuesday

I am a very good watchdog. Perhaps too good. Mr. Karate came home late Sunday night, and I barked at him. And barked at him. And barked at him until mom picked me up and told me to shush. But I knew she was pleased that I was protecting the house.


Mom says there are advantages to having a 3rd degree Black Belt living with you. I'm not so sure about that. He doesn't feed me any extra food, like dad. Or mom. Of course, when mom is having trouble with a technique, he is handy to have around.

Mr. Karate pities the poor partner mom is going to get Saturday when she does the technique "Capturing the Storm". It's an overhead club attack. After you block the attack, you capture their hands and put them in a wrist lock, cranking their arm up over your head and walking under their arm. Mr. Karate said mom did it VERY well. So well, in fact, that he said she could stop practicing it on him.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Mom Takes A Break

No, not really. Instead, she was working on her second Asian Lap Robe.



Saturday was cold and rainy, a day for snuggling. But yesterday was much nicer. Mom spent it in the sun on the back porch sewing.

She's getting there.