Snow day!

Wow--we woke up on Monday morning to six inches of snow on the ground and boy, did we have a good time! Mom and Dad took us for a long walk to the park. It was all white and beautiful. We sniffed and sniffed (stuff sure smells different in the snow--we had to sniff extra hard for all the critters and stuff underneath). Anyway, we returned home very tired and snoozed away the rest of the day.

Here we are in the park with Dad.



And me in my sweater and coat (can't wait for spring!).



We promised video will follow soon--Mom is a bit inept when it comes to getting the video off the camera and into the blog. Sigh...

Marmie's Gotcha-Day

Hi everyone. Marmie's Mom here. I just wanted to let everyone know that February 21st was the second anniversary of Marmalade's adoption. It's safe to say our lives have not been the same since we brought her home. We now have the cleanest counters anywhere (with everything out of hound reach); we have a weekly wall washing ritual; I'm adept at spotting dead and decomposing stuff on the trail before she can get it; and Marm's Dad and I can actually identify the many melodies in her houndly "songs". Her hound brother Bernie agrees that life would not be the same without her. We almost lost her to bloat last November and the good outcome makes us sure that she will howl, drool, and eat her way through our lives for many more years to come.

She was eight when we adopted her and it's been so wonderful seeing an older dog discover the good life. We don't think she'd ever lived in a house before--she had to learn to go up and down stairs and the day she discovered upholstery, she didn't leave the sofa for ten hours. She's happy and on her way to getting healthy. The highlight of our morning is going downstairs and seeing her lounging on her arm chair. Her enthusiastic songs greet us whenever we walk in the door and she is more than happy to remind us when we're a little late with her meals. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics of our beautiful girl and her latest masterpiece--rope drool (flavored with duck and sweet potato dog food) on my piano sheet music.

Valentine's weekend walk

Hello everyone--hope you had a nice weekend. Gus, our bloodhound of the frozen North, is probably still frozen, but I'm happy to report that we have started to thaw out a bit on the East Coast. We had a great time today--Mom and Dad took us to our favorite trail in Rock Creek Park and I towed Mom all the way down the hill. Her feet barely touched the ground! It was a nice day to be out and about, and it seems, like Wimsey has chronicled in his blog, that love is indeed in the air. Mom said she hasn't seen so much sniffing of dog behinds in ages. A young yellow lab got a bit fresh at one point--I was not amused.



Indeed, love was indeed in the air and poor Bernie was on the receiving end of several amorous advances. I just sniffed and took the air like Wimsey's Phoebe. I was indeed the perfect lady, except when I tried to eat some decomposing stuff that Mom quickly managed to get out of my mouth. Anyway, I digress. We met an amazing dog today. Not a hound, but a Newfie. His name is Moose and he really lived up to his name. He towered over me and Bernie and I was afraid that one swipe of his paw would send Mom off the edge of the trail and down the hill.



He was a friendly and sweet fellow and has an artistic bent just like me--he does drool art on the walls of his home--something that, just like at Casa Hound, is not appreciated to its fullest extent. I could hear Mom complaining again about having to wash the walls. She's destroying my art... Perhaps Wimsey will include drool art in his studies of houndish art...

Anyway, we saw lots of dogs swimming today and I was so impressed to read about Bentley's adventures in the swimming pool. This hound woman definitely does NOT do H2O!!! Hope you all enjoy the pics.

Ice hounds!

Wow--has it EVER been cold and icy this past week. This hound woman is ready for spring. We got snow, then freezing rain, and it all froze on Tuesday night, turning our much-loved yard into an ice rink. Bernie and I both had a few wipeouts and quickly figured out that we had to slow down. Walks were only attempted during the middle of the day--Mom, like Wimsey's guardians, had visions of broken bones as a result of hound-towing and ice so she played it safe. Today was beautiful and we got some shots of the ice before things started to melt. Gus, I don't know how you survive the frozen north... this girl is definitely a southern hound!

By the way, I counter-surfed this weekend and took off with a bunch of garlic cloves. Mom caught me and made me spit them out. I didn't want to give them up, but at least I had a memento for my efforts--garlic breath!

Play date!

Hi everyone. Sorry it took me a while to write. I've been hibernating because of the unusually cold winter we've had this year. This southern gal does NOT like the cold--Mom and Dad have to drag me along on our walks. The weather was nice on Sunday, though, so I got my coat on and we met a new dog friend for a play date at the park. Her name is Remi and she's a Boston terrier. She moved here from Indiana with her Mom, so I guess these temperatures are pretty balmy compared to home. Neither Bernie and I had met a Boston before and even though I think our large houndliness was a bit overwhelming for her, she came around and went for a walk with us. I think Bernie thought she was really cute--he LOVES the ladies. Anyway, some photos of our walk and the snooze that followed.



To my friends who have been discussing the stuffy issue, I am sad to say that Mom decided not to let me have any more. After reading Gus' description about pooping white fuzz for a week, Mom decided that my sensitive tummy would not like to digest stuffing. So I await my indestructible kong.

Marmageddon II--Inaugural Chew Fest

Hey everyone. It's been an exciting few days with the inauguration of our new president. Mom and Dad decided to watch the activities from the comfort of the sofa. I agree--it's way too cold to be outdoors for more than a quick pee. Anyway, I'm trying to petition our new president to consider a bloodhound puppy... although perhaps the first lady would not be happy about drool on her outfits. Oh well, one can dream. Anyway, I had my own inaugural weekend. I finished off a project I had started while Mom and Dad were away--Mom's cat slippers! I was bound and determined to gut them, but didn't get very far since Mom took them away.




She was mad--they were really warm apparently--I don't have a problem with slippers, per se, just the ones shaped like C-A-T-S! Once the offending slippers were disposed of (note the impressive teeth marks in the photos) Mom decided to give me something appropriate to chew on--my old hedgehog squeaky toy she'd found in the basement. It went well, except I destroyed it in less than ten minutes. Next on the menu--when Mom has time to go to the store--indestructable kongs. No more toys with stuffing for little old me.

A Happy, Houndly 2009

Hi everyone,
Sorry for the long hiatus. Mom and Dad were somewhere called Vancouver and Bernie and I got to hang out with our favorite uncle. We were really spoiled--lots of walks and treats. Bernie even talked him into three meals a day, which resulted in Mom and Dad calling him Bacon Boy again due to some extra poundage.
Speaking of poundage, Mom and the v-e-t had lots of discussions about little old me before the holidays and the Dr. E decided to put me on an enzyme supplement to help me absorb nutrients (which seems to be the reason I'm losing weight). Anyway, no complaints about the enzyme stuff, except that it has to sit on my food for 15 minutes, meaning 15 minutes of pacing and howling for my dinner! I am NOT amused. I am starting to get my energy back, though, and feel a lot better. I was so impressed by the Christmas videos of Gus, Dimond, and Molly. Bernie and I don't really unwrap anything unless it contains food. Bentley and Wimsey's puppy pictures were adorable as well. Happy New Year and a howling 2009 to all my hound friends and guardians! A-roooo!