A Trip to the River - Twig

Hello fans, my name is Twig and I'm adorable.

Bet has explained that some of my expected duties here in my new home is to "blog" my adventures.  Seems a bit strange to me, but she says it's important, so here I am.

I must say that I'm enjoying my time here at North Wapiti Kennels.  My mom told me that is was a great position, and that I would lead a very exciting life.  I was expecting a full time position where there actually were some sheep, but apparently my job is to help herd "Pretty Curly Tails", which are actually Siberian Huskies that pull sleds for fun and sport.

My owner is called "The Musher" although I'm pretty sure she has never in her life said "mush", she actually does this high pitched "lululululululululu" thing, and since her cooking is actually very tasty, I'm pretty sure it's not a nickname for her culinary skills.  This confuses me, as I like things to be pretty cut and dried.  I've managed to glean from conversations that her real call name is Karen, but I'll stick to her nickname for continuity sake.

One of the good things about being a puppy apparently is the small size of my head.  This allows me to reach the good parts of the leftover peanut butter in the jar.

I wholeheartedly approve of peanut butter, although the fat content could lead to weight issues.  I don't expect this kind of a treat every day, just when the jar has been used up, so I don't see a problem with the calorie content.

Seeing how I'm expected to grow quite a bit until I reach adulthood, I don't expect another jar to be emptied before my head is too large, so I'll just enjoy this little treat while I can, and feel fortunate that I arrived at the ritual empty peanut butter jar time.  Bet says she usually gets the jar, but seeing how I'm new, she let me have the honors.  That was very nice of her.

Bet has also been very gracious to let me share her dog bed.  She says it's officially called a "clouch" because it's a cross between a cloud (one type of foamy dog bed) and a couch (although this one doesn't have legs, but it does resemble a couch).  Not wanting to appear as though I don't appreciate her generosity, I too shall call it a "clouch".  I had no idea that I would also need to learn a whole new language in my new home.

I don't want to appear as though I'm just taking over the place, so I find it easier and more polite to sleep up here.  It's pretty comfortable.  Yes, I realize that there is yet another of these "clouches" right behind me, but this is the one that Bet "gave" me, and I don't want to overstep my bounds until I can figure out the whole routine, and pecking order of this new home.  Plus, it's just not nice to come in and take over.  I know I wouldn't appreciate a young pup like me just glomming on to my things, so I try to be gracious about boundaries and rules.

Although this may not appear to be a comfortable position, it actually is, as I don't have to worry about rolling over and landing on Bet (who tends to be a bit flighty about some things... I'm curious to experience these horrible creatures she calls "pointy pointy beady eyed birds").

The other day the "Musher" told us that we were going to the lake for an adventure.  I'm very keen to experience new things, and I haven't seen a lake yet, so I was raring to go.  Of course we had to wait until Bet had picked out an appropriate "ensemble" and then decide that she wouldn't wear one because it might get muddy, and that was a whole process that took forever, but eventually we got to the lake and it was wonderful!

There was squishy mud that feels really funny between your toes, and it smells slightly gross, but a wonderful gross, and there was this rock!  What a great rock that was!

The water was a bit warm and muddy, but tasty.

I saw another rock and I told Bet that it would be fun to splash through the water and get on that rock, and she was like all "watch out, there's creatures in the water and muck and the Musher will give you a bath", but I was all like "watch me run out there and be queen of the rock!"

So I did, I got on the rock!

I looked really close to the water and didn't see any creatures.  Sure there was muck, but muck is fun!

I tried to get Bet to come in and play in the water and play queen of the rock, but she said something about mussing her furs or something.

When I got out Bet gave me a lesson on water safety.  Something about stretching, and then not getting into the water until an hour after I ate, something about cramps, and the proper way to give CPR.

Thankfully she lost her train of thought when we heard a sound in the woods.  She's worried about bears, but not the bodyguard variety Bear.  I heard her chastising the "Musher" about not bringing the Homeland Security crew with us, but the "Musher" said we'd be fine, so I figured she knows what she's talking about.

I went and played in the long grass, because it was fun and there's cool bugs and things in there to chase and eat.  The grass wasn't that tasty, but I chomped a path through it.

I have to admit it got a bit dense in there, and then Bet had a conniption about not being able to see me, so she made me come back.

WHAT???

I tried to get her to go wading in the water with me and chasing these creatures she keeps talking about, but she said she was muddy enough.

So I'm like "fine, I'll go hunt for creatures by myself or something", and that got me a lecture on creatures and how they'd eat my face.  I'm beginning to wonder if Bet needs to be on some meds or something.

So I stalked an evil lake monster into the water

It was huge and ferocious, but I caught it and subdued it!

It nearly pulled me into the water, but I was able to capture it and kill it!

Then I found some delicious smells and followed their trail to the water again

I was pretty sure I captured it, but it turned out to be a blade of grass and not a giant worm set on destroying the world.

I heard some splashing, so I went to investigate the noise

I discovered that you can't smell things in the water because that muck goes right up your nose, but that didn't stop me

Where is that splashing thing, I shall capture you too!

I think it was a fish!!

Here fishy fishy, I will capture you!

Fish apparently swim very fast, but I was hot on its trail!

Come out, come out little fish

Hey!  Was that the fish?

Since I was getting pretty wet and muddy, Bet wanted me to come back to shore

Hey!  Come back on the shore, you'll be eaten alive!!

Helloooooo, did you hear me little missy????

It was pretty fun out at the lake, even with worry wart Bet around.  Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have someone looking out for you and all, but eeesh, I'm a growing puppy and I don't need a nanny!

-Twig