Welcome to Puppies and Life! This blog is about my life as a teenage puppy raiser...enjoy!

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Puppy Party!!!


There's nothing better than a puppy party with some of your best puppy and human buddies to brighten up a weekend! It is Blossom's one year old birthday coming up and so we had a party at Missy's house.

In attendance were Petey's best friends- Fortune, Chloe, Cessna, Lotta, Echo, WINTER; godsiblings Patience, Calvin and Polaris and of course the birthday girl herself, Blossom! On the other end of their leashes were Dee, AmyB, Brooke and Huib, AmyG, Sam and Missy and Johnny.

Since my mom had to go somewhere at twelve, Petey and I showed up early. Patience (who was traded with Blossom for three days prior was with Missy) and Petey had a play though they didn't get along very well. Every toy Petey had, Patience would steal and then Petey would attack her. Patience also shoved Petey into a soggy poo and then they both rolled around in it. Yummy! Missy quickly put me to work blowing up balloons though some of them were extratough and we both probably blew a lung blowing up those balloons.

Then Sam came, but I didn't want to let her in so I stared at her through the door until she kicked her way in :P Just kidding. Anyway, then the Amy's and Dee showed up. All the puppies had a blast playing together, though everyone including the humans got dirty. Remind me to never wear light jeans to a puppy party ever again. Petey is now brown.

One of the highlights of the party was definitely when Fortune ate the "rat skin" (a stuffed rat that Blossom and Amigo had 'taken apart' to put it mildly) and Missy had to make her drink peroxide. And then everyone gathered around to watch her like some kind of sick show and also to watch Sam's reaction since she hates vomit. The topper to that was when Fortune decided to throw up right beside Sam. I don't think I've seen Sam run so fast before in my life.


















That's Sam in the lower left corner. We have this thing where we take bad pictures of each other and then use them as our MSN display pictures to annoy each other. I think we really stocked up on our ammo today! :P The lower right one is AmyG and me. Um....we look hot... And yes, I DID know that the camera was upside down. (I can take the credit for this picture....bring on the photography awards!)


Some semblance of a group picture

Thanks for the party, Missy! Petey enjoyed it very much and he slept a whole half hour earlier than usual tonight!! :D

p.s. Amy, your leg is so pale it's blinding me, but that's okay, since "Pale is the New Tan!" ;)

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Of Rabbits and Puppies with Kiwis

First of all, I'm sorry for not posting for so long- I know, I suck- but i have a good post tonight! I promise! :D If not, you can personally come to Toronto and hit me- I know Sam is planning on that on Sunday. (It's a miracle! I'll be posting in 3 days! You won't be left starving for more highly intellectual posts from your bestest bloggy friend for over a week again!)

So- we have had an eventful evening tonight!

My mom just came up to inform me there was a rabbit in our backyard! Which is really weird because while the ravine is only a few blocks away from us this has never happened before. I hear Hailey next door barking, maybe the rabbit is in her yard now! It was a VERY cute rabbit, medium sized with brown fur. I didn't get a really god picture of it, but if you squint, it's the brown blobby thing near the cherry tree (which, by the way, is due to blossom this year- i'll send some off to each of you since I love you all-except for maybe this person or this person)

Also, Petey has been having one of his crazy nights tonight-running around, biting things (like my ARM), stealing things, marking in his CRATE (please, let's not make this one a habit, kay Petey?)! While we were looking at the bunny, he managed to use a chair to get up on the table in the kitchen and then he....stole...a.........a.......(curious now?)...a.......... KIWI!!!!! I then proceeded to tell him to "dop it" but being a rebel puppy, he instead takes flight around the entire house! For such a little guy he sure can run fast. My sister and I followed him upstairs and I told him to "drop it" again, and he did this time. I must warn you though: the next part of the blog is not pretty.

This is Petey thinking he's being good and will get "his" kiwi back if he stays in a down-stay.


R.I.P. Kiwi. I hear life is good in the compost.

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Happy Easter(For Real)!!

Happy Easter everyone! Yippee, I can finally eat chocolate again!!! (I gave that up for Lent)

Today Petey and I participated in the Toronto Easter Beaches Parade! It was lots and lots of fun! We started off the day by going to Dee and Fortune's house for a play. Petey had so much fun with Fortune- he even enjoyed rolling around in the dirt. His entire head was brown when they stopped so Dee wiped him off.

Who wants a piece of this scruffy hunk?

Then it was time to head to the parade! The two puppies were pretty well behaved in the car-Petey's been having some carsickness issues lately, but thank goodness nothing happened. We passed by Neil McNeil, the school that is hosting the leadership weekend I'm attending in May.

There were a couple of dogs already at our float when we arrived- Norton, Ashton, Hamish (a Westie Petey's size!), Dallas and Athena. Dee ahd a surprise for us- she had made up Easter bags for us and the puppies! That was really nice of her- they contained a rawhide stick, a circle rawhide thingy (can you tell I'm going to major in English?), lots of treats for the dogs and even a baggie of chocolates for the humans! Dee also gave Petey a bone because he seemed to like it so much at her house- Thanks Dee! It's definitely the one thing that kepps him occupied for a whole blissful HOUR!!!!

Dee and I were getting worried about Sam, AmyB and Missy- the parade began at two and they didn't show up until 1:45. It turns out Sam, who is always saying I'm bad with directions, took two hours to get into Toronto from Oakville! True this was her first time driving in Toronto, but I'm going to take this chance to make fun of her.

Sam-me/Petey-AmyB/Winter

Dee and I switched puppies for the parade. Both Petey and Fortune are pullers so we were both working on that- Fortune was a very good girl though, she settled down-except she lvoes Dee so much, and couldn't help but keep looking back for her (I was walking at the front with Amy and Sam and for a while Olivia and I walked so close to the van we chanced being run over by the back wheels).

We even got on TV! My friend who was watching, did not call me because she assumed I knew it was being played. Well I didn't so I got very mad at her. But i caught the number during the end credits to call if you were interested in purchasing a copy of the tape, which I will call to find out how much it is.

At the end of the parade, Petey was very tired and both he and Fortune behaved very well on the bus and subway back to Dee's house. On our walk home we visited Fortune's friend, a beautiful Great dane named Justice. Also, Dee's friend came by with his dog Rhianna (sorry if that's spelled wrong Dee).

Petey is now asleep after having played with his new bone for well over an hour. Thanks again Dee for all the treats and having us over, and Missy for the homemade doggy cookies. (petey loves Blossom too)

p.s. Want an insight into the mature world of teenage foster parents? Here is a scene recorded word for word while we were sitting waiting for the parade to begin.

Sam: Hey, did you see the bagpipe players?

Me: No, are they hot?

Sam: Um...no...they have bagpipes!!

Meanwhile, Amy is cracking up beside me. Come one! We're sixteen year old girls!

Friday, April 14, 2006

Happy Easter!

Okay, fine, so that's not really correct- Happy Good Friday everyone!

It's the start of a four day weekend for us students! Hooray!! Today I'm pretty much doing nothing, Saturday I think I'm doing nothing as well. But Sunday is going to be SO MUCH FUN. After mass (yes I'm Catholic), I'm going to go to Dee's house so that Petey and Fortune can have a bit of a play. Then we are going to be in a parade! The Easter Beaches Parade! With Calvin, Patience, Polaris, Winter, Blossom, Amigo and other foster puppies. Petey will also have his own set of bunny ears on. Monday i'm doing nothing again but I have to work on a biology project, yuck!!

Also, two days ago Petey went through his first thunderstorm. I think he was really confused, he looked like he didn't know where the noise was coming from. After a while he started barking at "it" but stopped after a few seconds. Honestly, I dont think it really bothered him.

Another Petey story you say? Last night he knocked over the lamp on my bedside table and the lamp fell on the floor and the lightbulb shattered! Bad little boy!!

In a change of subject (sorry to all the English majors out there-I know that is a horrible transition phrase :D), I swear this is NOT a Lost blog, BUT- I have tried to not write about Wednesday night's episode, and I can't hold out any longer. Especially after Jenny commented about one of my favourite parts! That's not fair! It's practically like she forced me to write about it! Therefore this week Jenny gets the blame for the Lost section. But keep commenting! I love hearing about your's and Amy's theories.
Anyways, I agree that their capturing "Henry Gale" is one of the best parts of the show- I can't wait for the next episode when he traps Ana Lucia. He is SO freaky, especially when he was smiling as Locke tried to force information out of him. I cannot believe the new episode isn't for another two weeks! :( Plus I didn't think this week's episode was that great, even the Jack and Kate part- it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. The best part was definitely when Michael stumbled out, but again- have to wait TWO weeks to find out what happens with him. Oh wait! No, the best was was when Vincent returned! Did it not look like he had lost weight? And did you know "he" is really a she? I was reading stuff about Vincent, and it turns out his part is really played by a female lab! I'm glad he came back, (s)he's one of my very favourite characters as I'm sure Jenny and maybe even Julia and Sam and AmyB will agree.
Who doesn't love a show where the D-O-G is speculated to be G-O-D?

Vincent-whos' real name is Madison

Monday, April 10, 2006

I Remember!!

Remember in my last post, when I said I forgot to say something? Well, I remember!! (hence my title "I Remember!!")

The big news is, I have the same birthday as Dominic Monaghan!!!! Yes this deserves a post of its own because, really, how much more exciting can my lame day get? The same birthday as Dominic, a.k.a. Merry in all three movie installments of LOTR and Charlie in Lost!!This actually makes up for the time I thought I had the same birthday as my favourite female hockey player, Hayley Wickenheiser, but then I went on her official site and it turns out her birthday is August 12, while mine is December 8.

Also, me and Dom (I can call him that now, right? Since we share the same birthday and all...) share the same birthday as Ian Somerhalder, who played Boone, also on Lost.

For the record though, I was born in 1989 and Dom was born in 1976 and Ian was born in 1978.












By the way, when I was studiously researching for this post (i.e. googling pics of Dom and Ian), I came across the fact that Dom and Evangeline Lilly (who plays Kate) are going out! :D

Sunday, April 09, 2006

You know you won't be kicked out of the mall when....

The security guard stops by to give your puppy a high five.

Though the was a low point as well- a couple told me dogs were not allowed in the mall, and I said he was working. Then they said "What?" then I said "he's working", then they said "WHAT???" then I said "He's WORKING" and I think you get the idea. They pretty much glared at me and watched me til I left. Well, sucks for them because I didn't actually leave, I was just walking outside to drop something in the mailbox. I hung outside for a while though until I was sure they left. But then my mom apparently thought I got lost or something because she came outside and yelled "NATALIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!" really loud and that was a tad embarassing. I guess it's cool though 'cause now a couple of air cadets and Dominion employees can call me by name.

That was on Saturday. Today, we went to Vaughan Mills to buy me some new clothes, the newish ubermall that opened last summer! :D Petey was pretty well behaved- except for his ongoing problem-the jumping. My God, the jumping. I work on it every week, but still. I guess it's not as bad as if he were slated for Canine Vision, but it's still something we need to work much much much more on. In case you were wondering, I got two pairs of jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie!

Also, can I just tell you HOW EXCITED I am that Karla and Jenny and Jenny's roommate watches Lost? Jenny, you can post as many theories as you want, I don't care- I love finding out what other people's theories are, as I don't ahve any of my own. I just sit there and get headaches from all the extra thinking I do during that one hour. Also, I agree that Sawyer is HOT, but you're right, Jenny, I still wouldn't want to end up with him. Jack is a little mean as well- like when he yelled at Kate that time? But I would still rather her end up with Jack because they look so cute together! :D I read on ABC's site that in this week's episode, Jack and Kate rekindle their relationship! Yay! I'm so there!

Umm..I was gonna write something else but now I forgot :(

The End!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Lost!!!!!

Does anyone who reads this watch Lost? You know, the best show EVER, especially after the O.C. got sucky?

I really only started watching Lost this season, but now I'm addicted-this and America's Next Top Model are the only two shows I watch religiously. (I know, I'm just a sad sad TV addict. But not true! It's only two shows so it's really only two hours a week. Oh yeah, and the Ellen DeGeneres Show? Frickin hilarious! Okay, three hours)

Anyways, I love all the mysteries involved-I don't think the show will end anytime soon- there's always stuff being solved but for every one that's solved, it seems like five more pop up. Like this week's episode....i spent nearly the whole time wondering if Dave was for real or not- and his weird "heeheeheeheeheeeeeeeee" laugh scared the crap out of me. But then in the end it's solved- obviously Dave is not real and part of Hurley's subconcious..but then what's up with Libby? Did she like Hurley back in the mental institution days? How did they end up on the same flight? Is she using him for something?

The Jack-Kate-Sawyer triangle? I totally want Jack and Kate to be together- Jate, as the even more obsessed call them. First I think that's the ugliest word ever and second I don't like the whole Brangelina, TomKat thing. (By the way? Tom Cruise? PSYCHO!) Anyways, Sawyer may be hot, but so is Jack and I like Jack better anyways. So there.






Anyways, I'm going to stop this now before I get totally out of hand :P Just had to see if there's anyone else I can be Lost-crazy with since none of my friends watch it.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

Passouts and Revivals


Today we had a very full day filled with fun puppy-friendly activities! Petey passed out and revived many times, I swear he has a neverending battery inside him.

9:20 - We left the house for Oakville to the Lions Foundation's Spring Open House. Poor baby threw up twice right before we got to the school. He's never done taht before, but I just put it down to the long car ride-it was bumpier than usual today, even I felt it a little.

10:20-1:40- Play Play Play!!! This is what I imagine must have been going throught Petey's mind: "PUPPIES! HUMANS! Lots of FRIENDS!!! Must play with EVERYONE! Look! There's Lynn! There's Dee! There's Missy! There's Sam! There's Amy!Puppies!!! Fortune! Polaris! Charlotte! Blossom! CALVIN!! Hey look! Amy just arrived! Must.Attack.Echo!! Hang on! There's Corbin! And Dallas! Didn't I meet them at Sportsmen Show? I did! Let's play! PLAY!!!!!!"
Generally, he behaved pretty well but chose to behave badly around his puppy supervisor-terrific. He gave his girlfriend Blossom lots of kisses, and he moved in on Polaris's girlfriend Fortune and stole her too. We also had a nice surprise- Remember Penny? She was Petey's first girlfriend and she was there too so he kissed her as well. He also made out with Echo, a fellow male, but that's a hole other story.

1:40-2:30-Pass out! Sleep puppy on the way back to Toronto

3-4:30- Revival!! Guess who played with three labs and two golden retrievers at PetsMart? He behaved nicely in Chapters, though I think it was his new treats just purchased from PetsMart and his tiredness that did it. (Side note: The owner of one of the golden retrievers noted how calm Petey was for a Jack Russell. I replied "That's what happens after he plays with all his big lab friends for 3 hours" To which he replied "Ohhhh" which I took to mean "Well that makes more sense")

4:30-5- Pass out! Sleeping puppy on the way to Fairview Mall.

5:10-5:40- Revival!! Time to stroll through the mall as voices ring out behind us. "A Future Dogguide!" "Look Mommy/______(fill in name)! Look at the puppyyy!" Even the cashier at Cole's commented on how cute he was- I practically exploded with pride at my well behaved(for once!!) puppy.

After that, my family went out to dinner so we left him in his crate for a bit with a stuffed Kong. When we came back, my sister presented him with the bandanna she bought for him today at the Crafts Show she went to. (Guess she's good for some things) The story is, the bandanna was going for $8, but when the lady asked her what dog it was for, she told her about him being a foster puppy so she reduced the price to TWO dollars!!! Thank you kind lady at Crafts Show! :D

Here is a pic to end this very long post (Yeah I know what you're all thinking: "Thank God it's over now...God that Natalie can ramble on forever"):

Chewing on his new Nylabone wearing his new bandanna