Reilly's Happy New Year...

Well, here we are, about to ring in the new year and once again I couldn't be happier. Not that I had anything against 08, it was as good a year as I could have hoped for, but it's over now and I'm all about the future. The way I see it, if 08 was a good year, then 09, being one number higher should be all that much better! -- Yes, yes, that makes perfect sense.

I must say I learned a great deal about the world this year, most of it just from listening to Mom & Dad and watching TV. One thing in particular thats become obvious is how different dogs and humans see the world. I used to believe that humans were superior to dogs in every way, but now I'm not too sure. If there's one thing I've learned about humans it's this: Even though humans are considered the master species, they don't alway make the smartest decisions. I know that may be hard to believe, but it's true, I've seen it with my own eyes. When it comes to the simplest things in life, it's surprising how often Humans get it wrong.

For one thing they insist on over complicating everything. For humans it seems life is a never ending chain of events that begins the moment they wake up and ends only when they go to sleep. Almost from the moment they get up it's as though they're on a mission. They alway have a million things to do and never enough time to do them. They're always trying to stay on a schedule and always running late. They use clocks to tell them what time to wake up, what time to go to sleep, what time to eat, when to start work and when to take a break. It's amazing to see but those clocks rule their world.

Dogs on the other hand have flexible schedules, which is just the way we like it. We get up whenever we like, we eat whenever food is available, and from the moment we step outside, we're free to poop wherever we please. It doesn't get any simpler then that. Dogs don't need clocks to tell us when to have fun or when to take a nap, these things come natural to a dog. To a humans almost nothing comes natural, --- and when it does, its general looked down upon as being either immoral, unhealthy or illegal.

Like I said, almost everything about the human species is hopelessly over complicated. Even they way they ring in the new year is dictated by a clock. In New York City for instance, humans gather by the thousands, standing for hours in the frigid cold, waiting and watching a giant steel ball covered in light bulbs. I have no idea what it all means but for some inexplicable reason humans think this is all very exciting. Then, just before midnight the giant ball begins its slow descent down a big metal pole and everyone begins to scream. At the moment the ball reaches the bottom everyone yells "Happy New Year" at the top of their lungs and begins to celebrate. It's the strangest thing I've ever seen, it doesn't make a lick of sense to me, but then again, what do I know, I'm just a dog.

Anyway, this is just one of a thousand examples of how humans always have to make a big deal out of everything. Dogs would never think to stand out in the cold for hours waiting for a ball to drop unless it was something to play with afterwards. What would be the point?

Oh well, what can I say, humans live complicated lives; dogs are simple. We don't need clocks and flashing lights to know when to have a good time. To dogs it's only natural. There's no question Humans are smarter, but as far as I can see being smart has nothing to do with happiness. If only humans could be a little more like dogs and just learn to accept the world as it is, rather then spending all their time trying to control it, they'd have more time to enjoy themselves, the way dogs do. There would surely be a lot less fighting and a lot more playing. And even if everything that needed to get done didn't, it probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I may not be an expert in such matters but to me it's all very clear: If humans were truly smart the first thing they would do is throw away all the clocks and just take a good long nap.

Wouldn't that just be a nice way to start the new year.

Happy New Year
Reilly and friends..

Reilly's Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas & Merry New New Year
to all blog peeps!
****

Reilly's Thanksgiving Message...

Thanksgiving is almost here and I couldn't be happier. Next to my birthday and Christmas it's my favorite holiday. Even without getting gifts it still has a lot going for it because it's all about the three things I love and value most: family, food and fun. As any dog will tell you, those are the the most important things in life.

This of course will be my third and I'm looking forward to enjoying myself. Every year the whole family comes to our house for the big feast and this year is no exception. Thanksgiving day is a beautiful thing for people and dogs alike. From morning to night the house is filled with all sorts of wonderful smells that would make any dogs' mouth water, and the kitchen is always buzzing with activity. Later when the guests arrive there's always a lot of talking and happy barking going on, and sometimes it gets so noisy you can barely stand it, but that's all right, it's all just part of the fun, so long as I don't get stepped on.

This year my new cousin Mandy will be coming to joining us, so there's sure to be a lot of excitement in the back yard. Of course when dogs get together it doesn't take much to keep us amused. We play loud and fast for a few hours and then lay down and take a little nap; but I notice when people get together they never stop talking. Talk-talk-talk, that's all they like to do. Sometimes they get so loud I can barely hear myself bark. I don't know how they can possibly have so much to talk about. It gets on my nerves sometimes but what can I do, it's not like I own the place.

Anyway, all this has got me thinking. God knows they can always find something to talk about at any given time, but this year there's even more going on in the news then usual. ----And from what I hear, it's not all good. And seeing that we're going to have a big crowd here on Thanksgiving, with everyone voicing their opinions and trying to get their point across, things could get out of hand.

So it occurred to me that maybe this year we should make a few rules regarding dinner conversation. I discussed this with Dad and he agreed it might be a good idea if we came up with a little list of subjects we should try to avoid, to help keep peace in the family. As a matter of fact, Dad thought it was such a good idea he put me in charge of making just such a list. . . . . So, here's what I came up with.

I think it's a pretty good list, hopefully I didn't forget anything, but if anyone can think of something I missed, feel free to email me with your suggestions and I'll be sure to include in my next list, which I will call: What not to talk about on Christmas

So lets all have ourselves a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving, and lets try to keep the conversation light this year.

What not to talk about on Thanksgiving.
By Reilly


George Bush
Barack Obama
John McCain
Sarah Palin.
Al Gore
The Clintons ( Especially Hillary)
The recent election.
ACORN.
Anything dealing with religion

The sagging economy
The problems with the auto industry
The airline industry
The housing markets
The falling stock market
The rising deficit
The national debt

Why banks are going bust
Why the unemployment rate is going up
Why the job market is going down

Who's to blame for the sub-prime mortgage meltdown?
Who's really paying for the government bailouts?
Why are Wall Street fat cats still getting bonuses?
Why is it so hard to get customer service on the phone?

The out-sourcing of American jobs
The fact that everything is made in China
Who pays more taxes then who
Socialism Vs. Capitalism
Is Racism still that big a problem?
Should the US pull out of the UN

Should we repeal The patriot act
Bringing back the Fairness doctrine
Get rid of the Bush tax cuts
End Affirmative Action
Lift the embargo on Cuba
Reinstate the draft

Is Flag burning really a constitutional right?
Should we allow gay marriage?
Should we have national health care?
What's wrong with red meat?
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Is going organic really better
Is professional wrestling real?

What to do about Islamic terrorism
Corrupt politicians
Greedy oil companies
The Israelis and the Palestinians
The North Korean menace

Entitlement programs for minorities
Mandates for low income housing
Reparations for slavery
Should we bomb Iran
Who's fairer -Fox News or CNN
Why haven't we caught Osama Bin Laden yet
Globalization--- good or bad?
Are flying saucers real
Is this a good time to pull out of Iraq
Should English be our official language?
Is Keith Olberman crazy?

The liberal media
Environmentalist-wackos
Guantanamo Bay
Racial profiling
Political correctness
The doomsday clock
Home schooling
Haliburton

Gay rights
Abortion rights
Animal rights
Woman's rights
Smoker's rights

The rights of the Handicapped
The rights of the homeless
The rights of the unborn
The right to bear arms.
The far right

Global warming
Off shore drilling
Drilling in the Arctic
The melting ice caps
Stem Cell research
Immigration reform
Welfare reform
Gun control
The death penalty
Warrantless wiretaps
The Mexican border fence
The use of pesticides
Illegal aliens
National ID cards
Medical Marijuana
The Church of Scientology

Paper or plastic
Blu-Ray Vs. HD-DVD,
Mac Vs. PC
Red state Vs. Blue state
The naked cowboy
Reality shows
Talk radio
Wal-Mart
*

Have a great holiday....

Hope your feeling better real soon
Aunt Diane!

Happy Birthday Reilly !!!

Yes--Yes it's my Birthday, November 17th, and now I'm three!
Can you believe it. Wow, I feel so grown up. I spent all of Sunday partying with my peeps and now I'm ready for some cake.

Here's Marley having a great time!

As you can see, Zoe can barely contain herself.



I know I'll probably pay a price for this tomorrow ,
but a dog only turns three once, so tonight I'm just going to party hardy.
***
It just doesn't get any better then this!

Behold the chosen one !!!

All hail President-elect
Barack Hussein Obama
*
CHANGE HAS ARRIVED
__________________________

"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one
percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine."
Thomas Jefferson


"Obala di Obala da life goes on bra, LaLa how the life goes on."
The Beatles

It's time to vote!!!!

Finally the time has come to cast our votes. I of course, being a dog, can not, but you can, and should! It's the right thing to do.

Anyone who's read my blog probably knows how I feel about this election and the candidates, so pardon me for being a pest, but since this will be my last posting before the election I'd just like to take a few moments and sum up the candidates as I see them, one last time.

I know there are millions of people who, for whatever reason are just crazy about Barack Obama. And yes, I do get it. I can perfectly understand why people are attracted to him. By all accounts he appears to be a very smart guy with a lot of youthful energy. He's an eloquent speaker, a fearless fighter, a tireless campaigner and compared his Democratic rival, Hillary, he seems downright likable. All good qualities which makes him an appealing candidate.

And, unlike many of his colleagues in the Senate, he was not as they say, born with a silver spoon in his mouth; he's had to work hard to get where he is, and despite his humble beginnings he has, in a relatively short time managed to build a stunning political career against all odds. That in itself should be enough to win him the respect of his peers and bring in the votes, but, what makes Barack Obama even more remarkable is that of all the obstacles he's had to overcome to get where he is, there is probably none more conspicuous then race itself.

For the first time in our history we're actually voting to elect an African American. That in itself is remarkable, and something I think all Americans should be rather proud of, because it shows just how very far we've come from a time, not so long ago, when blacks were not even allowed to use the same public restrooms or drink from the same water fountains as whites. And although the problem of racism in America is still very real, this election is nonetheless an enormous step in the right direction, and one which will have lasting significance. And, even if Mr. Obama were to lose tonight (which I doubt) he will to some extent have fulfilled part of his promise to bring about real change.

Okay, good for him.

That being said, let me now touch briefly on a few things I don't like about Obama. While it may be good for Americans to feel as though they've turned a corner in the long struggle for civil rights, the real importance of this election has little to do with the issue. While most might agree it's wrong to use race as a reason for voting against someone, it's also equally wrong to vote for someone because of it. Anyone who goes around saying a vote for John McCain is in some ways racist is an idiot.

Putting race aside, there are still many good reasons to question Obama's qualifications to lead, not the least of which is his lack of real world experience. For one thing he has never served in any position of real authority, nor has he ever held a job in which he's been held personally accountable for the success or failure of any institution. His political viewpoints show him to be one of the most, if not the most liberal member of the US Senate. Even more so then Nancy Polosi or Harry Reid. And let's not over look the fact that he has a long history of choosing to surround himself with people who's political views are considered radical to say the least, if not outright dangerous. All these things make me question is judgment.

Electing a president is certainly not a black and white issue, and should never be chosen based on even the slightest suggestion of being an entitlement. Electing a President is, and always has been a leap of faith, and with that there's no guarantee we're going to end up getting what we want or need.


As for McCain, I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of his politics. He's always been just a tad too liberal on certain issues for me. But I can honestly say, I have never felt the slightest reason to question his sense of leadership, or his judgment. I think he has what it takes to make the kind of hard decisions a president must make under pressure. And I have never had a reason to question his commitment to his country. I wish I could say the same about Barack Obama, but I can't. If the poles are right, it looks as though he is sure to be our next president, whether I like him or not. If he's elected he will of course make history, and while that may be enough for some, there's a lot more at stake then just his legacy. After all is said and done, it will all be up to him to prove to a skeptical world that he's more then just a lot pretty talk. This time he's going to have to lead.

While some of his fans in the the Democratic party may choose to view Obama as their new JFK, I for one would be more then willing, (at least for now) to give him the benefit of the doubt, and just Hope to God he doesn't turn out to be the next Jimmy Carter.

But hey, what do I know, I'm just a dog.

Obama Rising...

Well here we are, already well into the third week of October and heading into the scariest season of the all, . . . Election season.

In just two weeks Mom & Dad will be going to the polls to cast their vote for our next president. It seems like I've spent half my life hearing about this election and now thank goodness it's finally here. All this talk of politics has really got me fired up, so you can imagine how disappointed I was when Dad told me that the constitution doesn't yet allow dogs the right to vote. A real bummer for sure but from what I hear there may be a way of getting around all that. It seems there's this organization called ACORN which happens to be run by a nice group of liberal minded people who they say they can get just about anybody registered to vote, so long as they promise to vote for Obama. They specialize in helping the disenfranchised. You know like poor people, people who are sick, people in comas, people in prison, people who are no longer living. If they can help all of them they can surely sneak in a dog or two. I figure once I'm in the booth they won't be able to tell what I'm doing in there, then I can vote for whoever I want, providing I can reach the lever. And if Zoë wants to vote, maybe I can sneak her in as well.

I must admit there are many things about this election process I just don't get. While some might say a dog just can't be expected to understand such things it scares a little me to know there are so many people out there who are just as confused.

Like for one thing, in a country of over 300 million does anyone really believe these men are the two most qualified human beings that can do this job, --- and if so, how does one know.
What kind of experience must a person have to prepare for this kind of responsibility?

McCain as we all know has a distinguished record of military service and has spent the past 25 years serving in both the House and the Senate. Obama being much younger has less experience. He's never served in the military and even when you add in the few years he spent as a state legislator to his one term in the US senate he still comes up short compared to McCain. That's not to say he's a slouch, he's certainly not. Obama to his credit has an impressive resume all his own and has accomplished a great deal in terms of his own career. And while it may be true that both men have a broad history of public service between them, the question remains: What do either of these men know that qualifies them for the most powerful job in the world?

It seems to me there should be at least a few more requirements to be President then just being 35 and a natural born citizen, that might of been enough 200 years ago but the worlds gotten a lot more complicated since then.

Shouldn't there at least be some kind of test we can give them just to make sure they're both smart enough to be President---- before we elect them. What would be the harm in that? A test like that might have saved us all a lot of grief over the past eight years. People are asked to take tests all the time before getting hired to do difficult jobs.

I doubt anyone would be willingly to climb into a plane with a pilot who learned to fly without ever taking a test; just as no one would ever think to undergo surgery if they knew their doctor had obtained his medical license by winning it in an election. Heck, even seeing-eye dogs need to pass a few tests before they're allowed to drag a blind person across a busy street.

Okay maybe I'm thinking a little outside the box here or maybe it's just me being a dog, but hasn't anyone ever thought about these things. We're talking about the job of President of the United States, leader of the free world and the commander and chief of the most powerful military force in the history of the world. It's not like we're getting ready to elect the homecoming king.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems to me this business of choosing a president based solely on how he or she looks and sounds and how well they deliver a speech seems silly, and looks like nothing more then a popularity contest---- a very long and expensive one at that?

Would it be so unreasonable to expect a person running for president to have a job history, which shows they’ve been successful at something outside of the world of politics? . . . . . . As in actually running something.


How can we expect someone to be President of the United States without ever knowing what it’s like to run a city, state or local government? Is it smart to put someone in charge of the world's biggest economy with little or no experience in the world of business or finance? And how can a person who's never served a single day in the military be expected to handle the job of Commander and Chief?

Yes, yes I know the constitution doesn't require these things, but shouldn't the voters expect more then someone who meets only the minimum requirements.

Just two years ago scarcely anyone had ever heard such a name as Barack Obama, but now with the election less then two weeks away he's leading McCain in almost every poll and suddenly he's the world's biggest celebrity. Everywhere he goes people turn out by the thousands just to hear him speak. His signs and bumper stickers are everywhere, and his slogan is being recited by school children like a religious mantra.

"CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN- CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN. "

I think even dogs are starting to say it.

I must admit it makes for a good slogan. It has a nice ring to it and it’s easy to remember, but what exactly does it mean? What kind of change are we talking about? It's easy to say we need change, but as everyone knows change isn’t always good. In fact, sometimes it can be very-very bad. And how can change be something we can believe in?

People say Barack Obama has a vision for America and we need to follow him. Obama himself has said he wants to save the world, but what is it he's saving us from? I understand why people feel a need for change, when things aren't going well it's only natural to want change. I suppose it's also natural for people to want to believe in something--- anything, so long as they have something to look up to. And for many, especially those in the media, Obama has emerged as a kind of Messiah of change; by portraying himself as the polar opposite of George W Bush, the symbol of all things bad, he has become to some, the symbol of all things good, a new beginning; someone who will solve our problems. Someone who will restore America's reputation, end the war, fix our economy, create jobs, break our dependence on foreign oil, reverse the affects of global warming, elevate the poor and bring peace and harmony to the world as he leads us to a bright and happy future.

And they say all we need to do is to have faith, hope and patience and most importantly, we must believe.

I really don't know what to make of all this. It seems to me Mr. Obama has a lot on his plate and whether or not he can do any these things is yet to be seen. But one thing I do know is that there are many people in this country who are all too willing to put their faith in the hands of this man, not because of anything he's done, but more so because of what he represents--- “Change.”

What kind of change is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure, regardless of who wins this election, change will happen, good or bad, it always does, regardless of who brings it.

So in the end, it may just be the only real truth, we can believe in.

I’m Reilly and I approve this message...
.
__________________________________________
FOOT NOTE:

On the subject of Mr. Obama's slogan, I just want to mention that sometime during the past few weeks his old slogan: "CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN," has been quietly replaced with a new, upgraded version which now reads: "CHANGE WE NEED. "
Why they did this is unclear but the central theme: CHANGE, is still there.
I suppose they feel the word "Need" carries more weight then the word "Believe."
To believe in change simply means they were hoping for change, now we are being told that change is required.

There's something about Sarah...

Wow, I think I'm in love! The presidential race got a lot more exciting in recent weeks now that Sarah Palin has joined with John McCain to be his running mate. I think she's just great. She's the governor of the great state of Alaska and she's really cool.

She knows how to hunt and fish and shoot guns, and she looks great in heels. Everyone was taken by surprise when Senator McCain announced she was going to be his running mate. . . . Especially the Democrats.

They've been telling us for months that America is ready to put a woman in the White House, unfortunately for them Mrs. Bill Clinton was the closest thing they could find; although when it came right down to it, it turns out even they couldn't stand her. And even though Mrs. Palin is running only for vice president it's still a big deal and just the kind of thing John McCain needed to help jump start his campaign, and maybe even his heart.

Of course not everyone thinks Mrs. Palin is cool, like I do. Some people have criticized Senator McCain for choosing her. Especially the Democrats.

Some have suggested she's too young, but that's just plain silly, both Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were even younger when they took office.

Some people say she lacks experience because she didn't come out of Washington, but that's just not so. I think being a governor (one of only 50) is a job of great responsibility.

As governor her job is to manage the day to day business of running of an entire state. This includes managing billion dollar budgets, overseeing hundreds of state agencies which provide all kinds of services, while employing thousands of state workers. As governor she is both CEO of her state's economy and commander and chief of the national guard.

By contrast members of congress bare none of these responsibilities and presides over no one but their own staff. Even Senator McCain has never had the burden of running an entire state.

I thought the speech she gave at the Republican Convention was just great. It was watched by almost 39 million people, which had to make the Obamacrats a little nervous. It seems that suddenly everyone wants to know a little more about Sarah Palin, . . . . especially the Democrats, who, according to an article in this week's Wall Street Journal, allegedly sent a group of about 30 lawyers, investigators and opposition researchers all the way to Alaska in search of any information they can use against her and her family in an effort to destroy this woman's political career and get Mr. Obama elected.
I don't know about you, but that's not what I would call "Fair and balanced."

For the past two weeks Governor Palin has had to put up with a lot of personal criticism, some of it quite nasty. The other day Mr. Obama himself said during a speech
"You can put lipstick on a pig. . . but it's still a pig."
He said later he was referring to Senator McCain's political ideas, but considering the outburst of laughter he got from his audience, it was quite obvious who he was referring to.

Just like the Democrats, there are many people in the media who support Mr. Obama and want to see John McCain and Sarah Palin go away. They like to pretend they're unbiased, but it's pretty obvious they're not, especially considering some of the mean things they've been writing about her and her family.

I know they're not perfect, and they have their problems like a lot of other hard working American families, but at least we know who they are. As far as we know, none of them are living in poverty and sleeping in a tin-roof shack,
like Mr Obama's half brother, George Obama.
Oops-!!. . . . How did that slip out?


I know it's normal for two political rivals to go at it on the campaign trail, but when so many people in the main stream media seem to be cheering for Mr. Obama, while at the same time openly taking potshots at McCain & Palin, it has to make you wonder, is this what they call fair and balanced treatment? . . . I don't think so!

Over the next seven weeks we're going to hear a lot about Sarah Palin and her family and some of it is sure to be ugly.

The main stream media will be working overtime, leaving no stone unturned, looking for anything they can find to convince us that Sarah Palin is unfit for office, all in a desperate push to get their candidate, Barack Obama elected.

But, as brutal as the news media can be, it's still nothing compared to flogging she and her family will have to endure from the other half of the Obama obsessed media. Even if the press fails to find fault with her, the entertainment elite will. She'll be mocked and ridiculed by everyone from Michael Moore to the pop-culture political know-it-all's of Hollywierd, not to mention every Bush hating, left-wing comedian with a blog and a cable show.

As if all that weren't enough, she'll also have to deal with the guerrilla tactics of of the left-wing bloggers, who seem to feel they have the right to make up their own facts and say whatever they please. From that group you can be sure she'll be called every nasty name in the book.

They'll call her a George Bush want-a-be, a warmonger, a religious zealot, a ideologue, a hypocrite, a liar, a redneck, a hick, a racist, a homophobe, an unfit mother and just plain stupid.

They'll say she's unsophisticated, uninformed, uneducated and corrupt.

By the time they're done dragging her through the mud her kids might have trouble recognizing their own mother.

And all this will come from the very same people who dare to lecture us on how we all need to be less judgmental, more tolerant, open-minded, and sensitive to the ideas of others.

Yeah . . Right!!

When you think about it, it makes you wonder why anyone would want this job in the first place. I sure hope Mrs. Palin knows what she's getting herself into, it's not a job you can easily walk away from. Senator McCain is a tough old bird who's been a fighter all of his life. My only hope is that Sarah Palin is up for the fight of her life.

If she and Senator McCain win, she'll make history, If they looses the Democrats and the main stream media will sweep her away like the trash they already think she is.

***

Hang in there Mrs. Palin, you still got my vote.
But hey, what do I know, I'm just a dog.

I think I'll go play with my frisbee now, or maybe just take a nap.
This politics stuff really tires me out.

Hey Mom, I miss you!!!
.

Good in bed ....

Wow.. Had a lot of great fun today. At first I was a little bummed out, seeing it's the end of the summer and all, but Zoe and I had a real good time playing with the bumpy ball on Mom & Dad's bed.

Here's a few of picture Dad took of us. As you can see, in the end I won. Just like I always do..
I'm such a BRAT!!!


















Here I am, just minding my own business, having a little fun when along comes Zoe.

As soon as she spotted me playing with her
Ball I knew it was going to be war.

At first I pretended I didn't know where it was.
But, she wasn't falling for that old line, besides she already saw me playing with it, so
there was nothing left to do but fight!!!


















She tried her hardest to pry it away from me but I refused to give it up.











She though she could ove power me but she was
wrong!!!












Then I guess she thought if she waited long enough I would get tired and just give up.
Wrong again!!!










In the end I showed her a thing or two..
I guess she didn't know I've been working out.

Afterwards we both just took a nap. Just like we always do.

It don't get any better then that.
Life is good...

*

Thing are looking up...

It's been hot as heck these past few weeks but I'm not complaining, I found a new way to beat the heat. Mom and I played a great game at the pool this afternoon. She splashes me with water and I jump up and try to bite it. Okay, maybe it's not the cleverest thing I've ever done, but it sure feels good on a hot summer day.
Maybe next weekend I'll try drinking a beer.





It doen't get any better than this...

How I'm spending my summer vacation...

I know it's been a while since my last posting, sorry about that, there just hasn't been much to write about lately. I hate to complain, but these past few weeks have left me feeling a little dull, and so far the summer has been a bit of a let down.

For starters I haven't spent much time in my own home this month. Just like last year, Mom & Dad decided to take the first two weeks in June all to themselves. This year they went off on vacation to some place they call Alaska. I have no idea where that is, but I know it's far away, and since their return it seems all Mom can talk about is the bears and the moose.
She made it all sound very interesting at first, but now it's starting to get on my nerves. If I have to hear that story one more time about how Mom got chased by the moose, I think I'm going to hurl.

What usually happens when Mom and Dad go away is that the three of us get shipped off to this place for dogs I like to call,
Camp Bark-A-Lot.

It's the same place we always go, but I still haven't gotten used to it yet. Mom and Dad like to joke about it being some kind of vacation resort for dogs; they think all we do all day is eat treats, chase balls and have oodles of fun. The truth is, it's nothing like that at all, in fact, it's anything but fun. It nothing but a big fat bore if you were to ask me.

I'll bet it they had to spend a little time there themselves they'd quickly see it for what it really is: "A Gulag for dogs!"

What, you think I'm exaggerating, try to picture this: While Mom and Dad are out having a grand old time, running all over Alaska getting chased by moose, the three of us are all cooped up together, having to share a pen day and night without so much as a sofa to lay on and not a lick of privacy to be had. Except for a couple of hours spent each day out in the recreation yard, most of the time we're confined to our cell, where we're forced to eat our meals from tin bowls!

Sleeping conditions aren't much better, it's almost impossible to get a good night sleep with the incessant barking that goes on half the night. Some of those mutts never know when to shut up.

Hey, does that sound like any vacation resort you'd like to visit?
. . . I didn't think so. After two weeks of that my nerves are about shot and all I want to do is come home, chill out in my own yard and play with my own frisbee. And that's just what I was planning on doing when I got home, but unfortunately the weather has not been good for Bearded Collies, since we arrived home it's been hot as heck everyday. For the past few days I've had to stay inside with the AC on because I can't take the heat.

And then, as if all that wasn't enough, Mom had to run off on another trip to China.
Oy vey!

I know it sounds like I'm doing an awful lot of complaining, but so far this whole month has been a bust. It's just that I wait all winter for summer to get here, just so I can have a little fun, and now all this.

Oh well, sorry about that. The last thing I want to do is bum anyone out. I'm usually very optimistic. Actually I think I'm starting to feel a little better now. I guess I just needed to get a few things off my chest. I think it's even starting to cool off a bit, maybe I'll just mosey on out and and see if I can get Dad to throw the frisbee for a while. That's always a lot of fun.

Next weekend is the 4th of July and Mom will be home so that should be a lot of fun as well.
Hopefully by then I'll have something a little more amusing to talk about and maybe a few more pictures.

Hang in there Mom, only a few more days and you'll be home!
Better days are ahead!

Splendid in the grass...

Now that spring is here I've been spending a lot of time outdoors. In case you didn't know, spring is every dog's favorite time of year, mainly because it has everything a dog could want: The air is warm, the sky is bright and the grass is fresh and green beneath our paws, what could be better then that? I love spring, it has a certain way of making everything old new again, and when the sun shines the world becomes a colorful place.

Every morning my back yard is like a wonderland of new sights and smells, and there's always something new to explore. Zoe and I have been spending a lot of time outdoors, checking things out and playing a few games. The one where she chases me around the pool with the bumpy ball has always been one of our faves, but lately my new game of choice is "Catch the Frisbee".
I practiced it in the house all winter but there's only so much you can do in the house before something gets broken. Outside it's a whole new game; nothing beats chasing a good long throw out on the wide open lawn. My catching skills have greatly improved since last summer, I'm at the point now where I'm able to leap up and catch it in mid-air almost every time it's thrown.

Not that I need to toot my own horn but I'm getting quite good at it, if I do say so myself.

Here are a few new pictures Dad took of me catching the frisbee in mid-air.. As you can see I'm quite athletic. If there was a special Olympics just for dogs I have no doubt I'd be taking home the gold. That would be totally awesome, imagine me, an Olympic gold-medalist frisbee catcher. Everyone would know my name and I would be treated like a prince everywhere I go, and I'd be the most famous Bearded Collie in the world. I'll bet something like that could be a
spring-board to even bigger things, like movie parts and dog food commercials!
Who knows where all this might lead to.

What? ... Hah.....Oh, okay,

Dad says I need to calm down and get a grip, I'm getting a little carried away with myself.

So anyway, like I said, here are a few new pics, take a look for yourself and let me know what you think.
Is this talent or what?

"Hey Aunt Diane, This last one is just for you.. I hope your feeling well real soon."

Love Reilly.

Dead in the water....

Holy Cow,

It looks like the end may be near for Mrs. Bill Clinton, after her big loss last night in North Carolina, and the fact that she only barely squeaked by in Indiana. Wow, how is this even possible, Ms. Hillary has been telling everyone for months she's going to be our next president, and now it looks like she might not be. Just last week she said she was going to SMASH OPEC, that sounds impressive, but how is it she thinks she can do that if she can't even beat Mr. Obama for the nomination of her own party.

Wow, this politics stuff sure is weird, even for a dog.
I think now is a good time to ask Mom to find me a brand-new Barack Obama chew-toy. Like I've said before, those old Hillary Clinton toys were just way too hard to chew, and they leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Hey, who needs that, I got plenty of stuff to play with.
And besides, I'm just a dog...

Oh, by the way, I've got a fun weekend coming up. Mandy is coming for her first visit and I can't wait.
Woof-Woof !!!

.

Spring is in the air !

Yes-yes I know, it's been weeks since my last posting and I do apologize, I've been rather lazy these past few weeks, but I'm feeling much better now that the weather has improved. It looks like the cold dark months of winter are finally behind us and everything is once again turning green. The days are getting longer and the air is getting warmer. I feel like spring has finally arrived and all is right with the world again.

Today was just a wonderful day, not just because it was warm and sunny, but also because Mom and Dad were home today, and got to spend a little quality time with us out in the yard throwing the Frisbee and the bumpy ball. Two of our favorite games. Marley, Zoe and I spent a couple of hours playing in the yard with our toys and running just as fast as we could. Marley's not too swift on her feet anymore, but she does well enough in a short sprint. Zoe on the other hand can run almost as fast as me, pretty impressive considering her old age. Speaking of which, tomorrow is her birthday, she'll be nine. Only one year short of the big "1-0." I've been kidding her about that all day.

Dad took a couple of nice pictures of us this morning so I thought I'd post a few. I'll try to do a better job keeping up with my posting over the next few weeks. Now that spring is here I'm sure I'll have a lot to talk about. Blogging is a lot of work and really cuts into my play-time so please try to understand if I happen to get a little behind.
After all, I'm just a dog....

Zoe and I off and running

Here's Mom throwing the Frisbee for me.









And here I am catching it!













Zoe and I playing with the Wubba..













It's hard to keep up with me .

Here we go again with the Frisbee !

I'm going long for this one..











I think it's about time for a rest.

This was the kind of day that can make even an
old dog like Marley feel like a pup again.