Happy New Year to Everyone!!!

Hi Pals. We're back!!! Now all I have to do is persuade my secretary to transcibe my trip notes and download the gazillion photos she took of our awesome, pawsome 14-day road trip. She promised. She promised. But right now she is recovering from having a 25-pound wire fox terrier on her lap for hundreds of miles at a time (could that be me???) to keep me from panting my way through Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

New Year's Day is the day I was born seven years ago in Joplin, Missouri. So the trip back to my home state on my Mom's lap was a nice kind of antidote for my trip out from a puppy mill to a pet store in a crate marked Live Animal. Yep!!!

More soon -- with pictures. She promised. But in the meantime, all my heartfelt wirey wishes for peace and love throughout the world in 2009 and and warm caring homes for every dog on the planet.

Jake

Certifiably Insane?????

Well, we're getting ready for our road trip -- Christmas gifts have been shipped to St. Louis, early Chanukah gifts have been exchanged, human and dogs cards have been written and mailed, our travel stuff is laying out on the bed in the guest room, we have been newly furminated, the pet- friendly stops have been reserved, and Dogdad has a list of Sonic drive-ins along the way... BUT, folks, we want to know, are our Mom and Dogdad certifiably insane to want to leave our lows in the 60s highs in the mid-seventies weather to travel to what you see on the map below???
















Does any one know of a good lawyer -- Scruffy, are you there???

Anyway, despite the promise of shivery pit stops, we are very excited at our adventure, which will start on Wednesday, and we'll be blogging whenever we can.

Before we go, however, we want to thank everyone for the fun, creative, wonderful Christmas cards. So far the tally, as expected, is Mom's business - 5, Mom and Dogdad's personal cards - 3, dogs - 47. Are they pathetic (and, as we mentioned, certifiably insane) or what???????

Lots of holiday love!!! Stay tuned!!!


Jake and Just Harry

Sweater Boyz

OK, folks, what follows may cause the ladies to avert their eyes -- but in anticipation of our trip to St. Loulis where it is currently in the 20s -- our thoughtful Mom and Dogdad, after much reflection, purchased sweaters for us. They arrived yesterday and of course we had to try them on.













The whole process was hysterical -- at least Mom thought it was. We dutifully submitted, but upon being sweaterized, Just Harry immediately retreated to my otherwise unutilized crate (his favorite hideaway) and had to be coaxed out with a treat lest he be subjected to further humiliation.














I, as is my habit when something bizarre happens, just stood immobile for an eternity until I was undressed.















So we anticipate lots of fun in the dressing and undressing. Has anybody seen The Christmas Story and watched Ralphie's little brother get ready to go out in the snow?
Our only question at this point: how are we supposed to do you know what wearing these things that almost cover our you know what's?????
Mom, or better yet, Dogdad, you figure that one out!!!
Jake and Just Harry

Jake the Weatherdog Says: Hooray!! Hurricane Season is Over

As some of you know, one of my tasks in this household is to report on extreme weather phenomena, particularly those events occurring between June 1 and November 30, a six-month period known as "the hurricane season."

Today, I can happily report that this year's season was officially OVER yesterday. And though other parts of the country and the region did not escape the ravages of storms such as Faye, Gustav, and Ike, we here in South Florida were comparatively fortunate as storms that looked like they might hit us decided not to.

Huge sighs of relief all around -- but lots of lingering compassion for those in places like Galveston and elsewhere on the Gulf Coast as well as in the Caribbean that were not so lucky.

On another topic, I can report that our Thanksgiving was swell. Although we didn't get as many treats as we were hoping, we did get to enjoy the pre-party fun outside.And, when everyone moved inside for dinner, they treated us like stars and I even had a few moments at the table.On Friday morning, my bowls were restored to their proper location, as promised, accompanied by effusive apologies from the human-in-charge.
I can also report that, on Saturday, Mom and Dogdad visited Madison's (see with love, Madison) humans at their art gallery in downtown Fort Lauderdale and discussed a play date for us sometime after the holidays.

And finally, yesterday, Just Harry and I went on a practice road trip to visit Mom's aunt in Boca Raton -- a 25-mile trip -- and the humans were very very impressed with how good we were in the car and at her apartment. It was a tiring experience, as you can see what happened when we got back -- but we had a great time, with lots of pets and even a few treats!! And, the most important part, Mom and Dogdad were reassured that we do well on a longer car ride and can be trusted in someone else's home.

Woof!!!

Jake the Weatherdog (temporarily out of a job, thank dOG!)