Poster Boy for Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Harry wants everyone to join in with wholehearted support of friends and loved ones who are survivors of this disease.

Harry has decided that he must do something to encourage women everywhere to FEEL YOUR BOOBIES. He has been elected by secret ballot as the official BOOBIE Poster Boy.

Stop breast cancer early by doing breast self exams monthly. Harry will be watching.

CALLING

A package arrived last week and I couldn't figure out what all the excitement and giggling was all about. Then Robert and Dena told me they had decided that I need my own calling card. Calling card? Once they showed me the card and explained its purpose, I loved the idea and can't wait to pass my cards out to my fans.

Everywhere we go people think I'm lovely and want to hear all about my adventures. Dena was tired of writing down my address so she ordered me my very own cards. A brilliant idea. I guess I'm a man about town now.

Oh thanks to Dena's friend Alicia for scanning my card.

Dena says its a bad sign...I beg to differ!

MUMS!!! MUMS!!! MUMS!!! I see them everywhere these days. As I walk in the neighborhood the porches and window boxes are filled with mums. I have heard that all the stores whether it be Home Depot or the grocery store mums are in abundance.

Dena said to Robert the other day, "Oh no this is a bad sign...I see mums." He laughed and asked, "Why is that bad?" She reminded him, "When you see mums in this neck of the woods... winter is right around the corner." Bad sign? So she says...she doesn't enjoy winter like I do, it fact she thinks it's dreadful and stupid.

Winter is the best! I can't wait to run in the snow, chew on ice, and walk in a windy snow storm. I love when the wind blows my ears back...it's quite refreshing to me. Maybe as time passes and we move to California I'll change my point of view but for now the MUMS are a sign of good things to come for me.

William is in Beantown

William came to visit last weekend. William is a dear friend of Robert and Dena's. They met when Dena worked at Macy's Herald Square in NYC. Dena and Robert say William will always be a part of their lives no matter where we live or what we do. Now that's friendship!!!

I love love love to have company and yes I do get a little excited. Actually I can hardly contain myself if the truth be told. I'm a Golden and I want to play. Mostly I love to play with balls. William is a fun guy; but isn't interested in touching my spit soaked balls, can't quite figure that out. My toys are my prized possessions, I wouldn't share them with just anyone. I tried really hard to lay my ball gently on his lap but he was really grossed out by it. Gram thought I was funny she always thinks everything I do is cute.

The other thing I tried to impress William with is my ability to jump up on beds. I love human beds and thought William would like me to keep him company at night. Robert caught me and told me to get down.( I saw him smiling though, he thinks I'm cute to) Seems I can't get things right. In the long run it was better for William because I do tend to crowd and snuggle during the night.

Saturday it rained really hard. Dena, Robert, William and Gram got cabin fever and decided to go to the Christmas Tree Store. The store has nothing really to do with Christmas, it's like Big Lots. A bunch of stuff no one really needs but they want it anywazzzz.

On Sunday Dena and Robert took William into Boston. They left me at home even though I tried to explain I would be a good doggie and try not to bark. They drove though Southie, Dorchester, Roxbury, Beacon Hill and finally parked at Dena's building in Boston. Then they walked over to the North End where they were having a fair. William treated us to Pizza Regina (our favorite), after which William had sausage and peppers, then canolli's from Mike's Pastry's . So many good things to eat in Boston.



William took the Peter Pan bus home on Sunday. I was sad to see him go but I know he will be back again soon.

Family Blessings

This summer we have had lots of activity at the house. I get so excited when I see Robert and Dena cleaning the house because I know something exciting is going to happen. Relatives on both sides have stopped in for a visit. Robert and Dena enjoy having company and appreciate that we have family that we love and enjoy. I've heard it said that life is too short to waste opportunities to make precious memories.
One weekend, Paul and Gladys came for a visit. They had never seen our new condo so it was really fun for me to show them around. They really liked our backyard and herb garden. They brought a big box that I mistook for a present for me. Once it was opened, I assumed it was a beautiful food dish for me but later I was informed it is a serving dish for the humans. Heavy sigh.
Paul, Gladys, Robert and Dena went into Boston for a few hours and I got to stay home with Gram. The tall ships were in town and they were all excited to see them. They stopped by the Old North Church, walked past Paul Revere's house, happened upon a festival/parade for a Saint. They came home with stories to tell Gram and me.

We were sad that Paul and Gladys couldn't stay longer and missed them when they left.










Then we made a trip to upstate NY to take my Gram up to see my Great Granny. She is 91 years old and gets around pretty well. She lives with her old doggie; they are alot alike. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of Granny and the doggie - next time.

I did get a picture of the covered bridge my Uncles Dick and Ditty built.


We stayed with Chata my cousin. She lives on a pond in the woods. It is such a beautiful place, quiet and calm with lots of beautiful birds and flowers. I loved just lazing around with Chata.















The morning we left Robert and Dena went to breakfast with Janice's family at an old diner. I was pretty bored waiting in the car for everyone, smelling all of the yummy breakfast foods being cooked nearly drove me nuts. We were all sad to leave but we will spend more time another day.
The following weekend my Aunt Janet and Uncle Dick brought Gram home. God I missed her. I thought she was never coming back. Uncle Dick gave Gram a haircut and we tried on some wigs...he's a fun loving guy!














When Uncle Dick and Aunt Janet had to go back home we wished they could have stayed longer.

Dena had an opportunity to take a trip to SoCal last week. She'd been looking for airfare for weeks and complained daily about the prices. Saturday AM she found what she was looking for at 11AM and was on a flight at 5PM. Touched down in San Diego at 8:30PM and was driving though Del Taco by 10PM. What a great time she had. Hit the beach twice - O.B.(See Givanni boogie boarding) and Doheny. She loved spending lots of time with loved ones.

Next weekend Big Dave is coming for a visit. We are hoping our friend William is able to arrange his schedule to come up for a visit also.

I've heard Dena talk about taking time to appreciate the little things, but now I'm starting to understand her words. She often tells me how important family and friends are to have in our lives, and how wonderful it is to love and be loved without conditions or conflict. I noticed that everyone who walks though our door makes all three of us happy and content. Time passes by quickly, gosh I'm 3 1/2 already. As time passes we should all make the most of every moment and appreciate that having each other is a blessing beyond compare.

Midsummer Night's Dream

I know I have been very reticent these past few weeks, but I think it's mostly attributable to the "dog days of summer." That's a pretty good excuse if I say so myself. Besides coping with plain old procrastination and writer's block, I've actually been a pretty busy fellow.

Just before the 4th of July, Mom and Dad took me to my veterinarian, Dr. Wember, for my annual check up. As you can see from my picture, I can think of a lot of things more fun to do than visiting with your doctor. I can even take the needles and the blood tests, but the indignities of having your temperature taken are by far the worst. Dad said I was very brave this year, and he was proud of me. Happily, Dr. Wember gave me a clean bill of health and now I'm good for another year. I'm fortunate that I have a great vet, and better health care coverage than 47 million Americans. I'll save my bark on the health care debate for another posting, although you can probably guess that I'm siding with Paul Krugman on this subject.

In between helping dad paint the doors in the house, and he still hasn't finished, I was visited by a turtle. Mom saw the turtle near our house and rescued him from the road, so he wouldn't get hit by a car. We later found out that he was a Red Eared Slider, so we gave him to a nearby shelter for someone to adopt. Apparently, Red Eared Sliders are domestic pets and shouldn't be let loose in the wild because they will destroy the natural habitat. Domestic or not, this turtle wasn't very friendly, and I certainly won't invite him back anytime soon. He didn't even say thank you when he left with Dad for the shelter. I thought that was very rude behavior.

As if this weren't enough to keep me busy, I went on a three and a half hour car ride with Mom, Dad and Gram to upstate NY, and you won't believe this, but I actually visited my great granny. I didn't even know I had a great granny! She's 91 years old: that's pretty old, even in dog years. It was fun because I got to stay with my cousin Chata again and take a swim in the pond in front of her home. My mom thought it was quite funny, while Dad just sort of stood there apoplectic, knowing that he would have to dry me off for the ride back home. That's a picture of me during my time out after my swim in the pond.

So you can see I haven't just been lying back this summer sipping drinks with little umbrellas in them. It's been a fairly busy few weeks for me so far, which brings me to perhaps the more important news of the day. I'm actually a little embarrassed to share this information, but I sort of have a girlfriend and we've been dating off and on. Her name is Roxie and she is a Leonberger. As you can see from these pictures, she is quite the head turner. She's a big-boned girl, since her lineage is a cross of St. Bernard, Great Pyrenees and Newfoundland. I think you humans would refer to her as a BBW (Big Beautiful Woman). I think Roxie is more serious about the relationship than me, but we're having a good time together. I already told her that I'm not ready to settle down right now, but I'm willing to take my time and see what the future brings. I try to play it cool, but I really like it when she makes eyes at me. Sometimes we just spend the time laying in the grass, chewing on my tennis ball, and staring into each other's eyes. I never would have thought that a girl like Roxie would want to go out with a ball-obsessed Golden Retriever like me. The laws of attraction are just too complex for me to ponder.

I think that just about covers my activities for the summer so far, and I will definitely make a conscious effort to post some more thoughts and comments before long. In the meantime, I'm going to try to get Dad to take me to the beach one of these days, and spend my midsummer nights dreaming of playing catch, chasing squirrels and just hanging out with my girlfriend, Roxie.

P.S.

If you are interested in some fun on-line summer reading, check out Bo Obama's Op-Ed article in the NYT, and I've also been following the series in the NYT called the Puppy Diaries. It's a series about the trials and tribulations of training a Golden Retriever puppy written by a Times staff writer. Check out my picture on the reader's dog photos link while you're there too.

COOL Dog Site of the Day Award

From the folks at Pet Supplies Place. The Award is was chosen by our webmasters, to honor your hard work and dedication in providing a quality website.

Requirements:
1)Excellent Quality Content.
2)Website Ease of use.
3)Great blog that all shall read.
Thanks a bunch to Pet Supplies Place.

Californication

It's the edge of the world
And all of western civilization
The sun may rise in the East
At least it settles in the final location
It's understood that Hollywood
sells Californication
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Mom and Dad spent last week visiting Mom's kids in California. They came home on Sunday morning after a bumpy red eye flight. I came bolting out of the door and charged up to my dad, but I could tell right away he didn't have quite as much fun as I had while they were away. In fact, even though I almost knocked him over on the sidewalk when I saw him, he still said to me, "Harry, I really missed you."

Mom really loves going back to California to visit with her kids and fill up on Mexican food and In n Out Burgers, but poor Dad can only take so much of that stuff before he just wants to give up and eat my dog food or just go on a starvation diet. Dad thinks that most Southern Californians define haute cuisine as Del Taco, In-n-Out Burger and Claim Jumper, another chain restaurant. The only difference being that Claim Jumper serves booze and doesn't have a drive through window.

I, on the other hand, had an amazing time while they were away. I almost feel a little guilty letting my dad know that I had so much fun and excitement, while he was slogging through a steady diet of tacos and burritos. Foremost, I got to spend the entire week with my Gram. I have to admit, she spoils me rotten as most grams do. Not only does she save her last bites for me after every meal, but she also lets me sleep with her on her bed - and she has one very comfy bed. I have a very nice bed that my mom and dad bought me, and which I like very much, but there is something luxurious about sleeping on a human's bed, while they're sleeping next to you. It's the next best thing to a spa treatment.

The other fun thing I got to do, which I haven't done in quite a while, was to spend time with my other favorite human, Karen, my dog walker and sitter. You won't believe this, but I actually was invited to a birthday party for Karen's son, Cole, who turned 3 years old. Cole and I are actually the same age, and we've grown up together, so the birthday party was especially poignant to me - about as poignant as any party can be for a Golden Retriever. Needless to say, I had the time of my life playing in the dirt with Cole, his older brother RJ, and their dogs Oden and Trixie. Trixie is an old dachshund, who doesn't have very much patience with us kids, so she sometimes yells at us when we get too rambunctious. We just let her yell, and we go on our merry way. Karen is the coolest person I know, and while I love my parents and Gram to bits, I always have a wicked pissah when I'm with Karen.

Oh, by the way, my mom and dad told me that my cousin, Joe the Cat, says hi to everyone, and was wondering when we were going to move out to Southern California to hang out with him and learn to surf, but judging from my dad's reaction when he got home, he's not too excited about Californication.

AWARD from Lexi

I receieved an award over the weekend from my new friend Lexi. Thanks Lexi! Stop by her blog she is a really cute puppy, it will be fun to watch her grow.

Hola Chata

I met my cousin Chata this weekend for the 1st time, she is a traveling dog and lives an exciting life. She is what they call a Snowbird. I never heard this term before and of course Chata looked at me like I was so uneducated when I said, " I see birds in the snow all winter long." Then patiently explained that she and her people drive a big truck with a house attached to the back from New York to the Rio Grand Valley of Texas every winter. They are called Snowbirds because they fly away from the dreadful winter weather and go to a warm climate. They live very close to the Mexican border in Texas which means lots of yummy Mexican food...beans, rice, tacos, flautas...



After Chata realized that I'm a welcoming and lovable host she warmed right up to me. She was a good backup when I barked at the squirrels and birds. She pulled up the rear so to speak. I loved that we worked together to chase away those little buggers.


I took her on a walk around my backyard and showed her my favorite spots to pee. I even showed her the prime locations to find rabbits poop to eat. I figure there is enough for everydog. Later in the day we walked over to a specially designed poop park in my neighborhood. Both of us poo'ed but Chata's was different from mine, it looked like a mini licorice jelly bean. Unfortunately, for Robert big dogs make big poos.

I enjoyed meeting and visiting with my cousin Chata and can't wait for her to come back again hopefully she won't wait to long. Chata and I talked about her wanting to stay longer but Uncle Ditty and Aunt Janice had lots of things to do back home...Chata said somethings about a car race in New Hampshire maybe I'll get to drive up there and she can show me around.

Long Walks

You must be thinking I'm posting for one of those personal ads for a date, the ones where the lonely heart writes that he enjoys long walks on a quiet beach, nights at home spent watching Casablanca, etc. You don't have to worry, I'm not looking for my special someone. Certainly, not yet. After all, I only just turned three a month ago, and I think there is still plenty of time for me to settle down. Besides, the only long walks I like to take are with my dad, and he and I mostly watch either The Colbert Report, or baseball now that the season is well under way. I have to watch out for him too because he is a Yankees fan who lives in the heart of Red Sox Nation, but that's a story for another time.

I like having my dad around, even though he isn't too keen on spending countless days at home. I know he will find a job one of these days, so that's why I encourage him to take long walks with me, like this morning at around 7:30. I heard the birds chirping away outside, and thought it would be a great morning for a walk. So I walked over to dad's side of the bed and laid my head down next to him and gave him my best stare. He got my message in a few minutes and off we went. I know it helps dad clear his head when we walk, and besides, it's the least I can do to help. I also think dad doesn't mind staying out with me longer, especially now that the weather is much warmer.

Truthfully, I don't do this solely for dad's benefit. I happen to like that he lets me take my football with me when we go for our walks, and eventually I get him to throw the ball a few times. My mom thinks this encourages my obsession with my ball, even though I don't think I'm overly obsessed, well maybe just a little. Case in point, this morning on our walk I kind of got a little distracted with all of the different smells I was investigating. There was goose poop, rabbit poop and everything was still wet from the night's rain. As you can imagine, the combination of all of these smells send my retriever olfactories into overdrive. Before I could even say "rut roh," dad said to me, "Harry, where's your ball? Get your ball, go find it!" Boy, did I snap out of it fast, but then I had no idea where I left my ball. I was running around, looking back at dad for help, and all he could do was laugh. I eventually found it, without any assistance from the supposedly more evolved one of the species. In the end, I did my good deed because dad got a really good chuckle out of the whole experience, and that's what our purpose in life is when you stop and think about it. You create these little moments of happiness seemingly out of the mundane, and it's those little moments of happiness that help lift our heads up from the ordinary and let us glimpse at our horizon.

How does my garden grow?

The last few weeks have been a challenge for me, lots of excitement over getting an herb garden planted. Robert and Dena talked about plants, soil, sunshine and fertilizer for what seemed like forever. I was bored to tears. Then finally my favorite part came, I knew I could be of assistance when I saw the shovel and bag of garden soil come out. Besides being a retriever, I'm an expert at digging. But do you think they asked for my help? No freakin' way. Robert dug and mixed the soil and the worst part of it all was he didn't get dirty. I was sitting there thinking, "You took all of the fun out of gardening, dirt is to roll around in and get between your toes, in your ears and on your tummy." Then the topper was when he watered the freshly prepared soil, he had his chance but he blew it. All I could think was,
"Lay down in the mud, roll around Robert, it will feel so lush." Do you think he did? No way...he watered and then rinsed his hands off..as if they had dirt on them. Heavy sigh. They need my help desperately.

The next day plants went in. I do have to say they are lovely. Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Chives, Parsley, Sage, Cilantro, Rosemary, and one tomato for balance and beauty.

I learned that planting even a small garden is tons of work and that at first the plants are fragile. Which means that it's not a good idea to step on them ever ever ever! I've recently been told that I am a big ox and need to stay out of the garden...I didn't mean to step on the basil, how would I know it would kill it? It sure made my foot taste and smell good. I'm trying hard to be supportive of Robert and Dena's garden adventure by watching from the sidelines.

All I can think of now is the delicious chicken that Robert will make using all these fresh and fragrant herbs. My mouth is watering just envisioning what we'd be eating in the days to come. Gardening is fun after all.

GRAM'S in BEANTOWN

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while but my Gram has been here since April 17th. She is a ton of fun like all Gram's. She lets me do things I'm not suppose to, which makes me feel a tiny, little, bitty tinge of guilt...then it goes away; I go for it with gusto, for example: I get to go out back almost everytime the back door opens, she gives me the last bite of everything she eats, she lets me up on her bed day or night, she sneaks me my favorite Polka Dog treats and she thinks everything I do is funny and cute. By the end of the day I'm exhausted from all the fun we have.

I'll try to write in a few days about my Spa Day...it was glorious.

Special Thoughts for Honey

Mom and Dad read the very sad news this morning about Honey. There isn't a whole lot to say except that our thoughts and very best wishes are with Honey, and especially her parents right now. We hope the medicine your vet gave you helps to ease any pain. We also hope your mom and dad find peace and comfort from their family and friends. You have given them wonderful memories and unconditional love, and in return, they have given you a fantastic home that many humans would envy, along with that same unconditional love. I know how much my mom and dad care for me, but you reminded them of how short our time together is, and how important it is to take advantage of every day. Thanks so much for sharing a little piece of your life with us through your blog.

Love,
Harry

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday, Dad and I celebrated my birthday in a subdued way - no cakes or candles. Since I turned three, and am now a mature adult, we sampled a couple of nice cigars and some single malt scotch. I'm really just kidding, although I have sniffed my dad's scotch from time to time and I think I would much rather sniff another dog's butt. That stuff is truly nasty; I don't know what he sees in it. Now red wine, on the other hand, is a completely different story. I do enjoy that a lot. I particularly love the subtle aromas, and the earthy textures and tanins that massage the palate and dance across the tongue. Dad and I are big fans of Dorothy Gaiter's and John Brecher's Tastings column in the WSJ. We especially like that they take the snobbery out of wine, but also provide a nice education every week about different varietals, vintages, regions, etc. Dad is a closet oenophile; I just like to drink it.

I think Dad and I will have a little post birthday celebration over a couple of glasses of Pinot Noir this evening, and talk about what a great choice President Obama made for his new first dog, Bo. Congratulations to Bo and the Obama's, and Happy Birthday to me.

TODAY I AM THREE

Today is my birthday! I'm three...I've learn a lot in the last few years mostly that I'm one lucky Golden Retriever to be living with Robert and Dena. I think they have something special brewing because Gram is coming on Friday and I heard them talking about my favorite store Polka Dog in the South End.

Random Easter Ramblings

As nice as the weather was on our walk around Beacon Hill the other day, the weather today is pretty miserable, especially if you are a human. It doesn't bother me so much, and I actually think the rain is kind of fun, but dad always gyps me on my walks when it rains. I try to encourage him to stay out longer and just shake a few times like I do, but he hasn't gotten the hang of it even after all this time. You would be amazed at how much water you can get off your body just by shaking.

Spring time is rainy season in New England, and this year is no exception. Dad says it's all part of the changing seasons, but mom doesn't buy his argument for a minute. She says the weather in this part of the country sucks, and we should move to California, where it's sunny most of the time. My cousin Joe the Cat is always bragging about how great the weather is in CA, and how he gets to go surfing all the time. He sends me emails and tells me how "totally rad" the waves are out there. Sometimes I have a hard time understanding what he says with that surfer-speak. Now if he would just say he went to the beach and had a "wicked pissah" I would know exactly what he meant.

I noticed a lot of my online friends are sporting silly rabbit ears and other assorted head gear for Easter. I'm so relieved my packies didn't make me do that, but I have complete confidence that they will think up something else with which to embarrass me in front of the world in due time. Packies do those things because they think it's so cute and entertaining. I find it neither amusing nor endearing, and I just wish that sometimes they would get a life. As for all my friends out there, I'm really sorry for you guys, and I feel your pain. Unfortunately, we all know that a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do. We earned the title, "Man's Best Friend," after all; it wasn't just handed to us on a silver platter.

The other thing that has been on my mind lately is when is President Obama ever going to fulfill his campaign promise to his daughters, Malia and Sasha, and get them their puppy. I know he's been a very busy man, with trying to fix the economy and his recent trip to Europe, but Vice President Biden was able to get his own puppy, Champ, several months ago. If the president needs a special adviser on canine affairs to get this job done, I'm perfectly willing to submit my candidacy for the vetting process. I don't have any problem with delinquent tax issues, or undocumented domestic help. Every year when I go to the vet for my check up, he takes my temperature the hard way, so how difficult can the vetting process be. I think this has waited long enough now, and it's time for President Obama to move this up on his agenda.

Well, that's all for now. I'll be scouring the news, and listening to the Sunday talk shows with dad tomorrow, and post you next week. To all my Jewish friends, belated Happy Passover, and to all my Christian friends, Happy Easter. As for my atheist and agnostic friends, just keep wagging your tails.

Beacon Hill

I'm recuperating today from my walk all over Beacon Hill yesterday. Dena thought it was such a lovely day that we should go to see how many flowers have popped up in The Public Garden. I kept trying to tell her that we need a few more days of sunshine before The Garden will look like a paradise....did she listen...hummm! We did spot the unusual beauty above hiding behind some bushes.






They took a couple of shots of me, one you'll see I'm on the bridge trying not to think about the tasty ducks in the pond behind me. The other is in front of our favorite breakfast spot The Paramount.

Tagged by Brind'Amour

Five random things about me, Harry the Wonderdog!
1) I LOVE wine especially when it is red and expensive.
2) I burp like a sailor.
3) I love lotion and licking lotion off feet and hands.
4) I love to swim in the ocean but I get diarrhea afterwards.
5) When my tummy gurgles at night it scares me so I get in bed with Robert and Dena. They say I crowd but Dena is the biggest crowder in the world.

Now may I tag my buddies Homer, Tucker,Daisy and Leo and Wembley

My Cousin in NJ

I have quite a few cousins but one of my favorite canine cousins lives in Middletown, NJ. She is quite the dog and as you see has royal blood coursing though her veins. Check out the picture we found, it has a striking resemblance to her don't you think? Chelsea is a West Highland Terrier. As you may know they are spunky, alert and full of energy. Chelsea has a lot to say, which is not unlike human women. I often hear her trying to get her two cents in when Robert and Dena are talking to Paul and Gladys. Paul usually says some really bad swear words to Chelsea, which I think makes her bark even more just to annoy him (Paul loves her more than he likes to let on)...Gladys on the other hand realizes she is doing her job (there are motorcycles, birds and bunnies she has to sound warning) and moves to another room to talk. I follow Dena and Robert where ever they go because usually there are some funny stories exchanged in these conversations. My humans and Chelsea's humans love each other and wish distance didn't separate them.

One thing I am looking forward to doing with Chelsea is taking a nice long walk in her neighborhood; then we can go to this place called Dogs on the Farm. It would be fun to stay overnight, it'd be like summer camp for us. I understand they have all kinds of activities like digging, going into puddles, swimming and laying in the mud. Since it is a farm I can only hope they have some nice fresh horse poop to eat and some dried poop to roll around in. Robert thinks this activity is gross (sometimes I sneak some horse poo when we are walking in The Garden or The Common when he isn't looking). This is one of my all time favorite things to do. Chelsea and I won't tell Paul cause he will think it is the most disgusting thing ever.

G-20 Summit

Well, I've been here with my dad, desperately trying to get his attention, but for the past couple of days, he has had his nose pressed against his monitor reading the online NY Times, when it hasn't been buried in the WSJ. He's kind of a news hound you know. He chews up the news the way I chew up tennis balls.

I'm still trying to understand what all the fuss is about with this G-20 Summit Meeting that was just wrapped up in London. Dogs have summit meetings too, but we just call them meet ups, and they're usually held in a park somewhere. Our summit meetings look much more fun than the one in London. I would have thought President Obama would have thrown a ball to Gordon Brown at least when they were outside 10 Downing Street. I can understand not playing ball in the house because I'm pretty sure there are lots of expensive things that could break if Mr. Brown went chasing after the ball.

Judging from the appearances of most of the attendees, the G-20 Summit was not a walk in the park, or a day at the beach, both of which I think should be tried the next time. Everyone looked pretty serious and somber, especially Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel. I'm pretty glad that President Obama didn't try to play catch with them because they both looked like they would turn on him and bite him on the hand. In fact, I swear I could see Mr. Sarkozy's lip go up on one occasion when they were talking about expanding financial regulations, and seeking to blame the United States for the global recession.

It seems to me like pointing blame at the U.S. for the recession right now is like blaming a fire for destroying a house. All the while, President Obama, while admitting the failures of the American financial and regulatory structures, has tried to muster every fire department in his command to put out the flames. Tom Friedman is right. We live in an interconnected world - what originates in the U.S. has repercussions in Europe and Asia - and vice versa. Erecting barriers and enforcing restrictions are not solutions, and in fact will only cause greater problems and prolong the current pain every nation is feeling. What is needed instead is improved coordination and better oversight. Free markets work best when the playing field is level, when there are clear rules for participation, as opposed to no rules at all, and strong punishment for those who would try to break the rules.

Clearly, we need to rethink and reset the way our financial markets work, but right now the most important response is to put out the damn fire before it causes more destruction. Once the fire is extinguished we can search for the bogey man, and beat him with sticks when he is caught. And then we can get to work on finding workable solutions to prevent a similar series of events from happening again. Personally, if they ever get around to finding the bogey man that caused this, I would like to take a big bite out of his derriere.

My neighbor Rusty

Allow me to introduce you to Rusty, my neighbor. He is a Brittany and quite talented. Sometimes I feel a tinge of jealousy when I see Rusty; I understand we all have inborn talents...I retrieve...no matter what you toss, I will go get it and bring it to you.... I may not give it to you but I will without fail bring it.

Rusty oh Rusty. He points! I have seen him do this on a number of occasions, humans react as if he was a parting the Red Sea. They say, "Look at Rusty..OMG look at how cute that is." I roll my eyes and think to myself no one cheers and laughs when I go get a ball it's expected of me. I AM HARRY the RETRIEVER! He is Rusty the Brittney, that's what he does.

The last time Rusty pulled this *act* was at MY house. So freakin' embarrassing. Dena gets all mushy and tells Rusty how smart and beautiful he is. Heavy sigh. He pointed...big deal he POINTED! I do have to admit when no one is around I have tried to point and it's like doing a Yoga pose, I got a cramp in my paw and limped around for days.

The other thing about Rusty that I have been dealing with is his hairdo. Granted we both have delicious red tresses but Rusty's coiffure is amazing. Again the humans think it's adoreable. Words really can't describe the power of Rusty's tuft of head hair. I've pulled Rusty aside and asked he confirms he uses, "No special shampoo, no sprays, gells or waxes." Just his natural Rusty-ness. Dena and Robert think it is sooo cute. After hearing about this for weeks I was feeling rather insecure about my appearance I walked into the bathroom while Dena was fixing her red tresses.
I mustered all of my energy on focusing on the hair wax...it worked! She reached down and said,"Let's see if we can make you look like your friend Rusty." She brightened up and looked at me saying, "Harry you are beautiful but your hair won't do what Rusty's does, I'm sorry sweetie." Another heavy sign. But she did say I was beautiful. I love her.

In conclusion: I'm jealous of Rusty but it is another issue I'm working on along with FIRE in the HOLE. My focus is going to be on my fabulous traits and being proud to have a friend and playmate like Rusty right next door.

Squirrels

I've been thinking about squirrels lately, and the misconceptions that many humans have about them. I would finally like to set the record straight - squirrels are not the cute little furry creatures you think they are. This perception is actually a well orchestrated public relations campaign that squirrels have been able to exploit because many in the main stream media lack the editorial courage and independence to investigate the rampant deception and corruption that is pervasive throughout the squirrel community.

Squirrels are in fact merely furry tailed insurgents who ingratiate themselves among humans in an attempt to foster divisions within the natural alliance between humans and canines. I know what you're probably thinking, "Harry don't you think you're taking this conspiracy theory a little too far?" And my answer is an emphatic, "No!" Let me give you a specific example. You probably all think it's so cute when you see me and my fellow dogs chase squirrels up trees, and invariably watch us barking at the smirking squirrel above our heads. I know that I speak for all dogs when I tell you we don't find this remotely funny. This is precisely what the squirrel is trying to accomplish - getting a cheap laugh out of our packies by making us dogs look foolish. Their actions continue to perpetuate the stereotype that we dogs are just like the cartoon character, Wyle E. Coyote, who hopelessly pursues the Road Runner despite his long history of incompetence and failure.

I'm here to tell you that I am not Wyle E. Coyote, and squirrels are arrogant, self-indulgent manipulators, who will do anything to advance their agenda of securing positions of authority and influence among humans. So I would like to remind you that the next time you see me, or one of my friends, chasing a squirrel up a tree don't think that this is some kind of playful game. Think of it instead as the blatant exposure of abusive behavior that it is.

Enough is Enough

The Monday news cycle started out with a bang this morning with the unveiling of the Treasury’s long awaited plan to clear out the “legacy assets” that are rotting away at the balance sheets of many of our largest financial institutions, which in turn has caused credit markets to spasm and to deepen the current economic death spiral. I grabbed the WSJ from my dad this morning, so I could get a first look at Treasury Secretary Geithner’s Op-Ed article.

Now I’m not an economist, though I may play one on this blog from time to time, but I think the Treasury Secretary deserves a pat on the head for his efforts, and maybe even a juicy steak bone. Lately, he has been bashed by just about everyone, while practically doing all of the heavy lifting himself in Washington to put our economy back on the rails. I was beginning to feel like Secretary Geithner was some abused dog who was getting kicked by just about everyone except President Obama. Enough is enough people! That kind of treatment is not healthy, and Cesar Milan is already a very busy guy.

My dad is just as angry and frustrated with the current situation as everyone else, so it’s been my job to calm him down and give him some encouragement when he needs it. That’s why he has me in the first place. He, along with millions of other people who have been thrown out of work through no fault of their own, has every right to rage against these faceless institutions who made reckless bets on questionable assets, and now require mind boggling sums of government assistance to keep them and our sinking economy barely afloat.

Being the well read Golden Retriever that I am I showed dad Tom Friedman’s article in the Sunday NYT. He liked the point Mr. Friedman made and said he would help me type this post. We both agree that the time for venting our populist outrage is over, and now is the time to start demonstrating leadership and making constructive efforts to get us out of this mess. Judging from the market’s reaction today, it would seem as if the Secretary’s plan is a good start, and will hopefully redirect the public’s attention away from the AIG distractions. This may also mute some of the criticism from pundits on both the right and left who seem to favor either a laissez-faire solution or complete nationalization, respectively. I think this problem is too large, too interconnected and too complex to be solved by an all or nothing approach. This plan is a hybrid solution that provides incentives for participation, and is worth trying.

Now is the time for President Obama to seize on this opportunity and provide the leadership needed to squelch this wave of populist outrage that is sweeping the nation. He needs to spend all his political capital on this plan, or else risk losing it the same way our financial institutions did on subprime mortgages. Personally, I also think he should take Secretary Geithner to the park and throw a ball to him a few times. For those who are interested, you can read my dad's post in the Dealbook section of the NY Times.

FIRE in the hole!

Lately I have been having an issue, I'm trying very hard to work on it, it's difficult to talk about but today was the topper. I must vent.

Robert is a great, no fabulous cook. He makes meals fit for the King of Golden Retrievers. But in the last few months he has set the fire alarm off several times. Do you know how crazy loud that things is? I want out of here when it happens so I head for the front door, only trouble is I can't open it. Once the excitement dies down, Dena coaxes me to come down and I feel safe again. Nervous but safe.

Here's where the head trip comes in...because I don't want to hurt Robert's feelings or make him insecure when I hear him start to cook I sit on the third stair just in case. I try to act nonchalant but Dena usually catches me and tells me, "Be brave Harry Ho, some sit down with me." She massages me and tells me how beautiful I am (which is pure truth) it's a nice distraction from the potential disaster brewing in the kitchen.

Fast forward to today. They decide to have Nachos for dinner. Robert pops them in oven, not more than 2 minutes passed and you guessed it; there was FIRE IN THE HOLE and all hell breaks loose. FIRE real fire with flames kinda fire!!! I was doing good, peacefully on my rug resting doing my breathing exercises. I'm thinking this is the real thing not a fire drill. Holy guacamole!!! Thankfully they get the fire out just as I am heading up the stairs. There she is again she catches me and said, "No, Harry this way, let's go outback." Thank God my ears are killing me.

I'm not upset with either of them but come on this is what I have been thinking is going to happen! Granted I'm a little OCD, I work on it everyday. But from now on banging around in the kitchen means FIRE IN THE HOLE...whew thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Truely, Man's Best Friend

So here I am watching the NCAA basketball tournament with my dad. I'm much more a participant than an observer, so I would rather be playing football than watching sports on TV. B-O-R-I-N-G! But the loyal companion that I am, I just have to grin and bear it for a few evenings. I can do that.

I'm not very fond of watching guys bounce a ball up and down a court. Sometimes my dad bounces one of my tennis balls in front of me and it drives me crazy. I just want to grab the ball and not give it back. As I settled down on the rug to accept my fate, I actually started to get into the Villanova vs. American U game. The Villanova Wildcats were the heavy favorites in this one, but American at one point had a 14 point lead. I was getting excited thinking that a team of cats was going to get their tails handed to them by an underdog. Unfortunately, those sneaky cats found their mojo late in the game and beat American. That's okay though because my Huskies will show them what real dogs can do. They're going to be scrambling to find the closest trees.

I don't find all cats distasteful. I just find the vast majority of them to be aloof and condecending. In some ways, they remind me a lot of the Adams family. They tense up and get all nervous when all I want to do is sniff them and say hello. I know that not all cats are that way because I am actually related to one. I have a cousin named Joe who lives in Southern CA. We've never really met, but we exchange the typical birthday and Christmas greetings, along with some email correspondence from time to time. Joe is your pretty typical laid back CA surfer dude type as you can tell from his picture.

I figured that after the Villanova game, dad would be ready for bed, but much to my chagrin there were more games to play. We ended up watching a team called Gonzaga. You can imagine my surprise because I thought Gonzaga was an Italian blue cheese. I've had it before because it's one of my packies favorite cheeses. It's actually quite delicious, which I suppose is why you have to go to school to learn how to make it. By that time, I had had my fill of basketfull for one night, so I decided to spend some quality time with one of my chew toys. There is only so much loyalty a dog can tolerate. Most people don't have a clue of the responsibilities that go along with being man's best friend.

AIG Furor

Since it seems as though everyone from here to Timbuktu has something to decry about the latest situation with AIG over bonus payments, I thought I would share my views on the subject today. I watch the news and, as you can see from my picture, read my dad's WSJ, so I feel just as qualified as the next dog to weigh in on the latest populist outrage.

I think the whole situation stinks, and I know a thing or two about stinky stuff. There aren't very many things that get past this nose, especially if it smells food, or occasionally other dogs' butts. The fact is I have smelled a lot of butts in my day, human and canine for that matter, but AIG makes them all smell like a rose bush.

The idea that somehow these people deserve to be paid bonuses just to unravel the mess they created in the first place is beyond absurd. And the one that really gets the fur up on my back is the comment made by AIG's CEO, that they needed to pay the bonuses to attract and retain the "the best and brightest talent." This was apparently the same talent that generated the largest quarterly loss in U.S. corporate history. That's not a performance based compensation system, that's wrecklessness bordering on financial fraud. If you ask me, these guys don't even deserve to be given Milk Bone dog biscuits. My packies give me a treat when I do something good, not when I do something bad.

The reason I am so familiar with this subject is because lately I have gotten to spend endless hours with my dad every day. He used to go to work Monday through Friday, and sometimes on the weekend, and I would be picked up by my sitter, Karen. She would take me to play with my friends, Oden and Louie, most days. My dad worked for one of those banks that took money from the governement last year, and as a show of their undying gratitude they laid him off along with 1,800 other people. My dad didn't trade CDS's, or even remotely cause the bank to lose a single penny. In fact, he worked his tail off to complete two very important projects for the company just in time to be handed a pink slip. I really love being able to hang out with dad all day and help him with his search for new employment. Now my job is to make dad happy every day and give him encouragement. I think if I'm successful he will give me lots of special treats. That's the real definition of performance based pay.

For those who are interested, you can read my dad's post on this in the Deal Book section of the NY Times.

Final Four Picks

March madness is here, and the fun starts this Thursday. Personally, I don't understand what all the excitement is about. It's not like you're out at the park chasing squirrels up trees. You're sitting in front of a TV for hours on end drinking beer, when you could be doing something constructive like taking me for a walk. Dad seems to enjoy it, so I'll just go along with the program. He's pretty good to me after all.

Being the good canine companion that I am, I helped dad with his picks last night. There are a lot of teams to choose from before you get down to four, and it's not as easy as it looks. I kept smudging up the screen on Dad's laptop, trying to convince him to go with Connecticut (the Huskies of course) all the way. Do you think he took my advice? Of course not! Mr. College Basketball Fan has my Huskies losing to Memphis in the Elite 8 round. He has Kansas, Memphis, Pittsburgh and North Carolina in the Final Four, with Memphis taking the championship from Pitt in the finals. It looks like his losing streak in picking Final Four teams is going to continue uncontested. The only way Memphis is going to beat Connecticut is if they field a team of hungry Pit Bulls.

I think I'll make my dad a bet that if my Huskies go all the way, he'll have to play football with me in the rain and mud. Now that sounds like fun.

P.S.

To all my Irish Setter and Irish Wolfhound friends out there, Happy St. Paddy's Day! Enjoy a Guinness on me (but please drink responsibly). Slante!

Seems simple to me

With this being the year the US gets a new President, I've been thinking about world peace. Mostly trying to figure out what is wrong with humans. Life would be easy if they would...just Obey the Golden. The world would be filled, actually overflowing with peace.

Goldens love everybody...well we try. Humans can learn from us...sniff, wag and sniff again...how hard can it be?

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Well, it's that time again friends. Later today I'm going to help my dad with his picks for the Final Four. I'm not too familiar with all the teams and how good they are, but I do enjoy putting my nose prints all over the brackets. My dad doesn't often take my advice, which is probably why he rarely gets a team into the Final Four selection. I'm liking the Huskies this year, although I guess I like the Huskies every year, come to think of it. If they play basketball the way I play catch, then there's no way they can lose because once they have possession of the ball, they'll never give it back. If I were the coach, I would tell the team just to grab the ball at the first chance, puncture a hole in it, and let the other guys try to tear it out of your jaws. That's the way I would do it.

College basketball is more my dad's thing than mine. Truthfully, my favorite sport is football. My favorite position is wide retriever because I love going out for passes when my dad throws the ball. He's pretty patient with me, especially because I'll catch the ball, but won't give it back too easily. Besides, I usually tire out his arm and shoulder long before I ever get tired. My mom thinks I'm obsessed with my football. I don't know where she came up with that idea. I wouldn't call it an obsession as much as an acute attraction. What does a human know about balls anyway? They will never experience the shear pleasure of gnawing on a saliva soaked ball covered with dirt. It doesn't get any better than that.
Thanks for visiting. I'll let you know my dad's picks for the Final Four as soon as we figure it out.

A lush day in Boston

I think the snowy days are almost over; as much as I love the snow it's nice to get out in the sunshine. On Saturday we had to go into mommy's office to do some work, I can't believe all the stuff she does for Shaun. Filling out applications, copying, scheduling and the filing was stacking up (she says it's not her favorite thing to do). I was going to offer to help but couldn't remember my ABC song.

Then we walked all over Beacon Hill; John Kerry must have been having lunch with Teddy cause he wasn't home. Then when we turned on Charles Street, my backpack was starting to get heavy...do you think that my humans asked if I needed a hand??? No...but I trekked on cheerfully tail wagging and smiling at all of the tourists. Finally we got to rest in The Common. As you see Robert got tired and I let him cuddle up on the bench with me. He has such a comfy lap.

The Adams Family

As you probably could tell from my previous postings, I am a pretty low key individual who is cool with everyone and everything. My motto would be: "Hey, if it doesn't hurt you, or the person next to you, go for it." My personal and political philosophy tends to lean toward the left. I am not prejudice when it comes to religious or political affiliation, sexual orientation or breed for that matter, although I'm still a little weary around Chihuahuas.

This brings me to my animus toward my neighbors. My packies call them the Adams Family. I don't think that is their actual name, and in fact, I believe this is a term of ridicule to which my packies refer. I did a search on Google and found that the Adams Family was actually a 1960's situation comedy of a macabre and dysfunctional TV family, but I think that probably suits my neighbors well, maybe minus the macabre part. The thing that really gets my knickers in a twist (can someone please tell me what knickers are? And what the sensation would be when they are twisted up?) is that these people react to me like I'm some kind of rabid wolf. These people literally tense up in my presence, and it really freaks me out to no end. Their reaction to me makes me so agitated that I actually want to bark and snarl at them just to see them quiver! I've never met a bunch of cowering twits like these people. And please don't even get me started with that little snot Wednesday. I don't think that's her real name, but that's what dad calls her. She's one of these little brats who likes to tease the hell out of me when no one is looking, and then plays "Little Red Riding Hood" in front of Morticia and Gomez.

As you can tell, just thinking about these people gets me frothing at the mouth. Don't these morons know I'm a Golden Retriever - I just want everyone to be my friend. I guess my packies are right, you can only be yourself and some people will be drawn to you, while others won't. You just need to be true to the canine inside you. Thanks for putting up with my rant, but I needed to get this off my chest.

A Brief History of Time

So you may be wondering what I have been doing for the past 3 years. Basically, I can sum it all up in two words: growing up.

As you can see from the first picture I was a little furry bundle of joy who weighed about 8 pounds. In those days, my dad would have to pick me up and carry me down the stairs. Then, the world seemed so big and everything felt like it was my very own chew toy. Sometimes I would sneak a nibble on the dresser drawer knobs when my packies weren't looking, but mostly they gave me lots of my own toys to play with, so I didn't have to chew on many household items.

When I turned one year old, I noticed that my bark changed, I got much taller and heavier, and started to get more hair down around where my privates used to be. I think humans call that puberty. By the way, I wasn't very happy about being made a eunuch without my consent.


In between, I've been to doggy training, where I learned how to sit, stay, heal (when I feel like it, which isn't very often) and leave it (providing my packies see it before I grab it first). I've also taken a few road trips with my packies. I thought NYC was a really cool place. Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village is awesome. They have lots of dogs there. My dad said he went to graduate school there. I'm not sure what graduate school is though; my guess is it's something like doggy training, but more expensive. When I'm home, which is most of the time, I get to play in the snow, which this year has been the best ever, and in the summer I go swimming at a place called Stoddard's Neck. I love to swim almost as much as Michael Phelps.





I hope this gives my readers a little better indication of who I am and how I got to this point. I'll keep you apprised of my thoughts and comments as long as my packies are willing to type them for me on this blog. It's difficult trying to use a keyboard when you only have paws and a big wet nose.

My first hours in Boston

I came from Ohio so I guess that makes me a Buckeye. This was my first day in MA and I was a little tired from the long drive. I was surprised that Robert and Dena were so happy to see me. They had gone out and bought me all sorts of toys and treats and it made me feel like I belonged. I'll tell you a secret...I still have some of my baby toys and I take them out only every so often because they remind me of my puppy~hood.