The Best Christmas Cookie Ever!!

What!??? Frank is a Christmas Cookie?

 

OH MY! As tasty as I bet this is, I think we can safely say that it is going to be saved through the Christmas season!

Thank you Daphne for the incredibly artistic and thoughtful holiday cheer!

Oh Frank! Delicious!

Frank and Bean are Moving!

Please excuse our absence! We have been so busy packing! We will be back soon from our new home!!!

We hope you aren't alarmed....

... by the changes to the template of the blog! We changed them accidentally earlier and now I have just had time to actually make some choices! No more changes for a bit - at least let's all hope. Whew what a year!

Hoarder

I fear that Frank, as he has reached middle age, has perhaps, as so many folks do, become a hoarder...

Of pigs, in particular!

He has been collecting these two and bringing them to his, well, Bean's actually, bed every night.
Frank, such a clever and quirky fellow.

Stay tuned for Frank's big move! It will be his first time since puppy hood going to a new house! Oh Frank (and Bean) such big times!

Happy Halloween!

Or a rather UNhappy Hallowbean as the case may be...

Poor little fella just couldn't seem to get in the moooooooooood!

Wow, please don't stop reading the blog based on the last 2 sentences.

Photographic Word of the Day: Proper!

Proper:

adj

Conforming to established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous.

 For example:

Frank was most proper while in the presence of his grandparents until the moment when he was presented with a steak bone and lost all sense of propriety while whirling in a ball of yapping exhilaration...

Photographic Word of the Day: Rutilant!

Rutilant:

adj.

 Glowing or glittering with ruddy or golden light.

Oh Bean! So fancy! I wonder if that is actually a light bulb going on over his brain as he figured out fetching?!

(sorry the post was so late!)

Photographic Word of the Day: Somnolent

 Somnolent: 

adj.

1) sleepy, drowsy

2) tending to cause sleep

Now, what you might want to know is that not only does this photo fit definition #1, but also #2, as when Frank looks like this and is also snuggled in, it causes ME to snuggle in and sleep!

A WEEK of Words of the Day: Perch!

This week, with the help of Frank and Bean, we will be defining one word a day! 

Today's word is PERCH.

Perch: a pole or rod, usually horizontal, serving as a roost for birds...

Well, Bean, close enough....

Morning Face

A while back there was a very popular website that encouraged ladies to take their photo first thing in the morning to revel their "true" beauty (a popular photo blogged by her then husband of Katy Perry was, I do believe, the start of this fad.) Frank finds this to be a rather dumb website, especially because he suspects that most of these ladies have in fact done quite a bit of primping pre-photo or else just woke up after a night at the club with their make-up still on... cast your own judgements here:

Morning Faces?

Never the less, Frank does like to keep up with the times, so...




 Oh Frank!

I sent this along to the website. It was rejected, which I understand; why would you want to make all of those ladies feel so badly by showing them someone who looks so very naturally handsome in the morning?

Caution!

Pear season has arrived.
Now, I am a fan of a pear, especially with a bit of Stilton cheese and a side of port. However, the pears that we have BOUNTIFULLY growing in our back yard are not the delicious kind. They are the hard kind. Very hard. Like a large green rock.

 

Only these large green rocks fall out of the sky. The good news is that the pears falling from a greater height crash through several yards of branches before descending to the ground, with a shocking velocity, so you have a few brief moments with which you can flee to the door.
If a pear falls from a low branch you are out of luck, but at least it has not dropped from as high.

The result of either of these pears falling and thunking a human squarely on the head is a headache and a rather large lump. However, what about a pug?! The pears are just about the size of their heads AND they have even farther to fall to hit a small pug close to the ground...
 What to DO?! I feel that Bean, since his eyes are basically on the top of his head and they work and he is ever so small and quick, has a relatively good chance of escaping damage.
Frank on the other hand, well, Frank = not so hardy. 

The solution?

Oh FRANK!!! You look so handsome in your old bicycle helmet!!!

Safety first! No one likes a concussed pug, no matter how handsome!

I am sad to say that it took several times for Frank to re-acquaint himself fondly with his helmet. Perhaps it is because, due to the rather round shape his head, it tends to slip down over his eyes. We have secured it safely to his new Outdoor in Pear Season Collar, and readers may now rest assured that all is well.

Super Stylin'

Woah!!! Frank!!! What IS that brilliant new accessory that you have about your neck?!

Oh my! So sleek and stylish! And what, your readers might be thinking, could be more perfect for a one eyed pug (who is also a Johnny Depp fan, or so I would like to think...)!

Now, readers, don't be worried. I could understand how you might be thinking that Frank's new taste for high fashion might have gone to his head. Please let me assure you that he has, thus far, remained rather unimpressed with his new uptown style status...

Oh Frank. 

Thank you Auntie Lauren for keeping us so fashionable!

Oh Bean! I'm sorry, did you have something you would like to add to today's post?

Oh, indeed! Happy Birthday Grandpa Railey!!

Vacation!!!

Once upon a time, there were two small black pugs who were feeling rather restricted and worn down by the daily grind of city life....

So, not wanting for there to be ANY discontent in the little pug's hearts, we packed up the bags and headed out of town for a mini vacation!

Oh Frank!! Where are we headed?

The answer is that we were headed to the charming and delightful Sunset Marine Resort (yes, that is a pug on their website, no that is not why we decided to go. Well, it is not the only reason we decided to go, and I believe that the charming model is actually a bug! Half Boston half Pug!) This was a charming resort with separate cabins, several of which allow and even encourage canine guests!

BEAN!!! Don't jump!!! You aren't even wearing your life preserver!

Oh my! Weren't Frank and Bean delighted when we pulled up to their very own cabin with their own LAWN and steps to a private beach for frolicking!!!???

And frolic they did...

They frolicked with a new friend....

They frolicked with a ball (oh BEAN! how picturesque!)....

They frolicked on the beach...

Oh Frank! Where are you going???!

Why Frank and Bean, whatever are you looking for?

 OH! A seal friend! (um, that is its head).

And at the end of a full day of frisking and frolicking, the boys relaxed with some chewies on the dock...

All in all, a delightful and relaxing time was had by all, and upon returning home the pugs appeared much more content just to be! 

(And yes, for those of you wondering, of course Gentle Pig did come along on the vacation.)

Happy Birthday Frank!

Now, it is important to note, for all of those who may want to add Frank's birthday to their calendar, that Frank's birthday is NOT in fact today, but was rather on the 14th of August! August turned out to be a bit packed, which is why we have so many delightful stories saved up! 

We shall begin with a tour of Frank's birthday, which started out with a package of gifts sent from his Grandma!

Oh Frank! Who is such a lucky pug? There is even an extra toy for Bean!

We then proceeded to Frank's favorite dog park, where there was much frolicking to be had by all...

followed by a bath and drying in the sun (everyone should be fresh and clean for their birthday!!)...

Oh? What's that Frank? This is not quite pampered enough for your birthday? How about a chewie in the sun as well?

Much better!

And finally, at the end of a big day, rather than a birthday cake, someone got their favorite dinner of all: some fresh grilled salmon and skin.

Oh Frank! Delightful! Welcome to your seventh year!!! 

(don't worry, Bean got some salmon too...)

Smile Bean!

I tried to take a still of the way Bean smiles when he gets a scratcharoo... but it didn't do it justice, so... here you go for your viewing pleasure...

Bean!

How is it possible...

... that something with such a large personality can curl up into something smaller than my book? (The Sisters Brothers for those who might be curious... pretty good... a short Western with a heart... I bet we see the movie getting put together soon...)

Bean! You are so very tiny!

Frank's Vacation Home :(

 Oh Frank! What's that? Just two weeks ago you had a delightful visit to your vacation home in Colorado Springs?

 Where you frolicked in your own fully fenced yard?

And sought some delicious refreshments?

And visited your very best friend in the world, Snackler?!

Oh Frank! 

Such big times were had, and then the day after we left there was such a fire...

Frank is sending his love and good wishes to all of those affected (animals and humans alike) by the Waldo Canyon Fire.
(Frank's Grandma and Grandpa and their home are all safe so far.)

Hawaii! (not really)

What's that Frank and Bean? You're helping to send me to vacation in Hawaii!! Oh you are so thoughtful! If only you would think of a different way... Sneaking my 3 year old niece's raisins so that I can put the emergency vet bill on my Alaska Airlines credit card is really less than ideal I must say...

1000 "miles" later we all seem to be safe. 

Raisin count from induced vomiting:

Frank: 17

Bean: 10

Sigh. Frank and Bean, pugs aren't even allowed into Hawaii without strict quarantine, so STOP helping!

Over-Stretching?

Oh. Dear. Frank, you forgot to put your tongue away before falling asleep!

I do hope that this is not a result of your exemplary stretching routine! 

(please see previous post for a pictorial example...)

A Healthy Morning Routine

Part of every healthy morning routine should include some stretching to waken and lengthen!

Frank agrees with this whole heartedly and enjoys a full length stretch each morning!

Of utmost importance for a pug, you may like to take note of the exceptional tongue stretch here included.

(You know the tongue IS the strongest muscle in the body!)

(Also, Bean, not so ready to be up and at 'em here.)

Good job Frank!

OOOOO! A Dandelion!

Um. Really Bean?

Would anyone like to rent out this remarkable creature for their own lawn care? He consumed approximately 10 in shockingly quick succession....

Beach Day!

Well folks, sometimes the internet machine is NOT our friend. I have been trying to write this post for DAYS and it took FOREVER to download the videos!

I am delighted to announce that an unseasonably warm and sunny May has arrived! In celebration, I decided to take the boys to their first salt water beach day of the year - a whole month earlier than we usually go! 

I have a small dream in my heart that pugs are waterdogs. This is a relatively futile dream, however there are cases of pugs becoming quite the aquatic creatures:

Bugsy

Bean has become quite the retriever, so I found a floaty toy (with limbs, because let's face it, it is downright challenging for a dog with barely any lower jaw to get a ball out of the water...) and tossed it in!

It did not go well for the first 10 attempts...

But then! Success!!!!

BEAN! You are so sporty!!!

Here is a video of Bean the Water Dog (and also, at the end, I decided to look around for Frank.)

Turn down your volume because there is a train going by when I shot this - NOT delightful....

Frank! 

NO! 

That was my coffee and you are very naughty!!!

To be fair, Frank did try to chase the toy into the water, but with all of the rocks at the bottom and the waves and the reflection it is rather hard for a one-eyed pug to find the floaty toy...

Let's have a look at those pictures again...

Bean! 

The Water Pug Wonder!

and... Frank! 

The Remarkable Forager? 

(you know, our dog walker told us that a pug she watches got lost in the woods for 8 days and survived - yep, more resourceful than one thinks! Well, and they will eat most anything.)

After a long fun filled day, baths were had by all followed by some lounging in the sun. 

Oh Frank and Bean. What fine fellows you are.

Don't try this at home...

Oh. I hope none of you Frank fans are police officers. I'm pretty sure that this is not advised for while driving with a pug in your lap. But oh. The joy in Frank's heart.

 

Sadly, I had left his doggles at home, but he seemed to be keeping his eye nicely closed anyhow!

Welcome springtime!

Frolic!

Sent from my iPhone

A New Series! "OOOOO, a ________!"

Welcome to Frank's fun new series that will be periodically appearing, "OOOOO, a ________!"

On today's post, we will be featuring:

"OOOOOO, a pickle!" by Frank and Bean

MMM... salty.

(don't worry pug lovers, they didn't actually get to eat much, just a few licks of salt.)