Out and About in Minneapolis

I had a great time in Minneapolis!  Momma took me with her Wednesday when she went to lunch with her cousin.  They picked an outdoor cafe so that I could join them but unfortunately I didn't get to have any food.  I sat on Momma's lap while she ate and surprisingly or not, I was a good girl, only barking occasionally when dogs and people walked by.

After lunch we walked around and even into some shops.  There were several shops that had the "Dogs Welcome" sign so in I walked, accepting the welcome and looking for treats.

This nice shop owner gave me several treats.  I had to sit to get them but I was happy to do so.

I didn't get any of these dog bone treats at the bakery I got kicked out of but that was okay because I had a great time hanging out with Momma and her cousin.

Soon it was time to say goodbye to Momma's cousin who rode away on her cool trike.  I asked for a ride on it but Momma said maybe another time.  I thinks that means I will be going back to Minneapolis!

I was so tired from lunching and shopping that I fell asleep in the strangest position.  It didn't matter because I can sleep anytime and anywhere.

I needed to take a nap when we got back to the hotel because Momma told me I was going to dinner with her and Daddy.  This was where I did my daytime sleeping while at the hotel.  I slept with my head on Momma's dirty t-shirt on the arm of the chair because it helped me calmed down.  

This is my sleepy face.  Nap time!

Momma woke me up a couple of hours later and soon we were all in the car on our way to dinner.  The original plan was to eat at an Italian restaurant but then Momma's cousin called to say she wanted to go to a restaurant with an outdoor patio so I could join them.  Yay!

I was kind of a spaz at the restaurant so Momma put me in my own chair.  It didn't really help so Daddy pulled out the big guns.

This was the first time I'd ever had tater tots but it won't be the last.  I loved these things!  Momma thought they were a little greasy (right!) but that was okay with me.  

Yummy!  Feed me more!

Thursday was very uneventful for me except that I got to go in a grocery store.  I also went into a CVS on Wednesday.  Momma said that I am becoming like Puglet, going into stores until told to leave.  Luckily, I didn't get kicked out of the grocery store because we were there to buy lunch.  Did I mention I got lots of pets in the stores?  The people of Minneapolis loved me!

I couldn't go to the Twins baseball game Thursday night so Momma turned on the tv and left me at the hotel to watch whatever I wanted.  I didn't really have a great time but I did catch up on my sleep.

As much as I loved Minneapolis I was happy to go home.  I slept almost the whole 6 hour car ride home which made Momma happy because she was tired.

I am looking forward to my next road trip.  I wonder where I will go.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

There I was taking my mid morning nap yesterday when Momma came into the room and woke me up.  Hello?  I'm sleeping, Momma!  What's that?  Pack my bags?  Why?

I couldn't believe my ears when Momma told me we were going on a road trip.  Yay!  My first real road trip since arriving from Texas.  

I quickly packed my bag and was whisked away into Daddy's car.  I didn't have to sit in my car seat because Momma sat in the back seat with me.

It took me quite some time to calm down in the car.  I cried for about 50 or 60 miles despite having a brand new bully stick.  Even a potty break didn't help so Momma just talked to me to calm me down.

I wanted my window down but it was too hot so I had to look at the passing scenery through a dirty pug smeared window.

All that crying tired me out.  Momma said we would be in the car for at least 6 hours so I decided to take a little nap.

I tossed and turned until I finally got comfortable.  Momma took my harness off and I quickly fell asleep.

I slept for a few hours until my tummy started to growl.  Daddy didn't want to stop so I got to eat dinner while cruising down the highway.  Yippee!

I had no problem eating in motion.  Luckily, I don't get car sick and nothing, no nothing, keeps me from eating.  Nom, nom, nom!

Oops!  I forgot to tell you where we were headed.  Our destination was Minneapolis!  Daddy has business up here and Momma has friends and family up here.  Me?  I tagged along because I've never been to the land of 10,000 lakes.

I wish there were pictures of today's activities but it was so hot that Momma didn't take any pictures.  We attempted to walk around Lake Calhoun but we walked for only about 20 minutes before turning around.  It was about 95 degrees and I was panting like an overheated pug.  

We ended up back at the hotel where we relaxed in the air conditioning.  Ahhhhh!  By the time we left to pick up Daddy from his appointment the temperature was 106.  Yikes!  This is not pug weather at all.

I asked Momma to fan me but she said no.  What the?  Please Momma.

My head is getting crooked from the heat!  I'm melting!

The weather is suppose to be cooler tomorrow so hopefully I can get out and enjoy the day.  Momma is going to lunch with her cousin and I'm hoping I can go with.  Keep your paws crossed that the lunch place is pug friendly.

Uninvited Guest

This was the scene when Daddy open up the grill yesterday.  Some little critter made a nest in our grill - yuk!

The nest did not make me happy because it meant that dinner was delayed.  Waaaaaahhhh! 

Daddy thinks it was a mouse nest.  I think it was a pretty sophisticated nest.  It even had insulation!

Momma decided to open the nest up to see if there was anything living in it.  I stayed close by in case I had to catch the perpetrator.  

What a mess!  Who in their right mind lived here?  Maybe I can get the Smilingpug to investigate.

Daddy had to clean out the whole grill after finding the nest.  This delayed dinner even more. 

The critter even chewed through the grill cover.   It's ruined now and buying a new one is going to cut into my treat fund.  What the heck, mouse?

The drip catch was chewed through, too.  Ugh!

I was so disgusted by the whole mess that I almost lost my appetite.  Not!  I love a good BBQ and this one didn't disappoint.  

I am on the hunt to find the critter that almost ruined my grill.  If you think you know who did it please leave me a comment.  This animal needs to be stopped!

Helping Momma in the Garden

Some days Momma lets me lounge around and some days not.  The truth is that I love to be outside except when it's raining.  Lately, we have been spending lots of time in the yard because there is so much work to do.

I spend lots of time in this corner guarding the tomato plants.  Daddy got them planted a couple of weeks ago and they are going strong.  The herbs on top of the planters are slowly growing, too and could probably benefit from a little Tiffy watering if you know what I mean.  Too bad they are way up high.  

I can only do what I can do.  The rest is up to Mother Nature and Momma.

Stubbys' garden needs a lot of work.  Some of the plants are growing good but there are bare spots everywhere.  The ground in this garden is so hard and Momma got a huge blister digging in here the other day.

Some plants are going to be moved around and some new plants are being added.  With the exception of the tree, all the plants in this garden are part shade.  Momma has decided to only plant natives from now on so she has been struggling with what to put here.  What you don't see are all the chotskies Momma has yet to put out in the gardens.  She is a little behind this year so I will have to take more pictures once everything is in place.

Half of the spots in the bird house have activity this year.   We haven't seen any babies yet but I'm sure they will make their appearance soon.

This garden by the gate really needs work, too.  Momma has no idea what to do here but she wants to liven it up.

This is the rest of the garden by the gate.   And that's Stubby's rain barrel.  It's one of my favorite places to pee.  It smells just like him.

More work is needed here, too.  I don't know how Momma is going to get all this done this summer but I have a feeling I will be assisting.  The spring was so short that we are under the gun to get things looking good for the summer.

This garden is a train wreck!  The bench that Daddy built years ago needs to be repainted and there are so many weeds that it is going to take days to pull them all.  The bed edge needs to be cut, too.  

It's hard to see in this picture but there are two butterfly bushes that are slowly coming back to life.  Chasing butterflies was one of Stubby's hobbies in his younger days.  The rest of the plants here arrived by birds and some are wanted while others aren't.

Momma got the veggie garden planted last Saturday.  It may look like only half the garden is planted but the left half was planted with seeds.  My carrots were planted along with Momma's beans.  She's a bean freak and says that she would like an entire garden filled with bean plants.  I have no idea what she's going to do with all the beans but I sure hope she doesn't plan on feeding them to me.

This may just be the only garden that doesn't need any work.  Even though some of the plants could benefit from being split, Momma is going to leave things be here because she needs to concentrate on the other gardens.  The little stepping stone says "Dog Crossing" because that's where I cut through to the patio.

Momma bought a native shade plant, wood poppy, to go in this corner.  The shepherd's hook will eventually hold a hanging basket and a bird house.

Ugh!  Momma says that every time she walks by here.  The daylilies need to be split because they grow but don't bloom.   The splitting may have to wait until later this summer because Momma and I already have lots to do.

Trimming this tree and cleaning up this bed are on our list, too. 

Too bad I can't just sit and enjoy the day. 

I might as well go back to bed because all this work stuff is making me tired.  I think it's time to call the landscapers.