THE REILLY REPORT

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2010-10-31T15:11:00.001-04:00

Reilly and Mom...

Reilly and Dad...

HAVE A GREAT DAY

.

Sad News. . .

2010-07-20T11:35:00.006-04:00

I'm very sorry to report that one of our good friends, Arthur passed away this week. Arthur was a good and gentle dog who lived a long, happy and dignified life, and brought much happiness to everyone he touched.
He will be greatly missed.

***

Thanksgiving leftovers...

2009-11-27T14:27:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and as always the whole family came to our house for the big meal. It was quite a day for both people and dogs alike and everyone has a very nice time. Mom made the big turkey and after all the humans were done stuffing their faces she treated us dogs to a taste of this delicious bird. It was my first time tasting turkey. I know it sounds like a cliche, but to me it really does taste chicken.

Dad took a bunch of pictures so I thought it might be nice to post a few so my readers can see how we spend our Thanksgiving holiday.

My day started with a little grooming. The weather was fair so Mom set up her grooming table out on the patio. It was really quite nice.

Then she groomed Zoe, who really needed a good brushing. She was a mess.

Afterwards we all posed for a cute family photo.

This year someone brought a little person to our house for dinner.
Her name was Autumn and she was just about my size.

Everyone took turns carrying the little person around

At one point she tried to climb on to my back, but I wouldn't let her.
I guess she thought I was a pony.

Zoe is just like me, a real party animal.

I notice whenever humans get together they like to hang out in the kitchen.
Especially when there's food.

Like most American families who celebrate Thanksgiving there was a little football.

Here's another game they seem to like. I don't know what it's called, but it's played when one fat, over stuffed human taunts hungry dogs with a small bag of food, and then refuses to give us any.

I don't know what the point of this game is, but if they insist on playing it again next year, I'm afraid somebody is going to lose a finger.

Like all good parties there was a fair amount of texting and drinking going on.

Later there was some more drinking, and a little smoking as well.

Eventually everyone lets their hair down and the real entertainment starts.

Of course in the end, Thanksgiving it all about turkeys, mash-potatoes and pumpkin pie.

I can't say it's as much fun for dogs as it is for humans, but at least we're not expected to help clean up the mess afterwards.
Sometimes it just feels good to be a dog.
I think now it's time to take a nap.
I'm already looking forward to next year.

*

Happy Birthday to Me !!!

2009-11-17T15:55:00.002-05:00

Yes that's right, it's my birthday, I'm four today and I couldn't be happier!

I'm back, and I'm going Rogue!

2009-11-14T23:11:00.001-05:00

Please forgive me, it's been a while since my last posting and I have a lot of catching up to do. I was starting to get a little burnt out so I decided to take a six month hiatus and clear my head, but now I'm back and Rogue as ever. Yes, that's my new favorite word, Rogue. Just like Sarah Palin. I'm one Rogue dude. I can't wait to read her new book which is due to be released next week on the 17th, MY BIRTHDAY, what a great birthday gift! I'll bet she planed it that way because she knows I'm her biggest fan. And from what I can see she must have a lot of fans because the book is already a best seller and it hasn't even been released yet.

Wow, this is going to be HUGE for Sarah! I only wish I could write a book like her and make millions of dollars. Come to think of it, I probably could, if she can pen a best seller why can't I? I mean, how hard can it be? I think Sarah and I have a lot in common: we both have great hair, we both like telling stories about our families, and God knows I can go Rogue with the best of them.

Yes, that's it! I need to write my own book and fill it up with all kinds of crazy stories about all kinds of stuff that probably never happened. I know that's a little dishonest but who cares if I lay it on a little thick, people love that kind of stuff. It's all good. I just have to make sure I have a great looking cover so people can find me in the book store. Yeah, that's a great idea, I'll make my book look just a teensy-weensy bit like Sarah's book but I'll change it around a little, and of course mine will have my picture on the cover so no body can say I copied hers, not that I think Sarah will mind, me being her biggest fan and all.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do, I'll write a book. I'd better get started right away, it could take me all night to write a book as good as Sarah's but I know if I put my mind to it I can get it done.

Hey Sarah, I'll send you an autographed copy of mine if you send me one of yours.

That would be totally Rogue! I just hope I can finish it by the end of the weekend. I got a lot to do next week to get ready for my birthday.

Did I mention I'm going to be four?

The fun times are back !!!

2009-05-25T19:09:00.014-04:00

It's been a long time coming but summer has officially arrived and I couldn't be happier. Had a great Memorial Day weekend with Zoe out on the lawn playing all my favorite games. Last week the men came and opened our pool and this afternoon Dad showed incredible bravery by taking the first swim of the season. I preferred to watch, the water is still way too cold for my taste.

I always have a good time dropping my Frisbee in the pool
and watching it float away.

Don't ask me why I think this game is so much fun,
I have no idea.

Mom had a great day as well.
Here she is modeling her new sunglasses.
I think she's cool.

Here's another picture of Mom loving -up sister Zoe.

And last but not least, I'd just like to mention that today was Marley's birthday.
She's eleven years old but still looks good for her age.
Kudos to Marley, you made it through another year.
Congratulations !

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

2009-05-20T10:07:00.028-04:00

I thought since today, May 20th was Mom & Dad's anniversary I'd do something nice for them, like posting a bunch of their favorite vacation pictures.
I sure hope you like them mom!!

Zoe's big day !!!

2009-04-20T11:02:00.004-04:00

I just want to say Happy Birthday to my sister Zoe who turned 9 today. I know people often say a dog ages seven times faster then humans which would make Zoe about 63 in human years but I don't buy it. I have yet to meet a human person who at 63 can has better looking hair, all their own teeth, doesn't need glasses and can run longer and faster then she can with a plastic ball in their mouth.

"Hang in there sister, your an inspiration to us all."

Love Reilly...

.

Our first real snow...

2009-03-02T16:12:00.026-05:00

Holy Cow, what a day! The moment I stepped out of my crate I knew today was going to be something special, but I wasn't expecting all this. It must have snowed all night, by the time I got up the whole yard was covered in a blanket of frosty white snow--- deeper than I've ever seen it.

Oh happy days!

Just the other day I was complaining to Zoe about how boring this winters been due to the lack of snow. So you can imagine how excited I was the moment I looked outside this morning.
What a lucky dog I am. My prayers have been answered!

The first thing I did was take a quick hop around the yard, just to get the feel of it.

Once I checked it all out Zoe came out and joined me.
She loves snow almost as much as I do.

Then Mom came out with a few toys and Zoe and I were off and running.

This snow was pretty deep, almost up to my chest.

Here's Mom measuring it.

I love playing frisbee in the snow. It's easy to see.

Zoe can barely keep up with me when it's this deep.

I think Mom was having a pretty good time as well...

This snow was almost too deep for Zoe, she's kind of small.

But is was no problem for me!
And yes, that is a stick hanging off me.

After about an hour I had to take a break and cool off.
Zoe and I had a great time today, even if we did make a mess of the kitchen floor. Hopefully the snow will stick around for a day or two. I sure wouldn't mind another romp in the snow before the rains come and wash it all way, but even if it all melts tomorrow, I'm still glad we at least had today.
It's days like this that make me appreciate how good it is to be just a dog.

Happy Valentine's Day from Reilly....

2009-02-13T17:32:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know it's been a while since my last posting, and I do apologize. I'll have plenty to say in the coming weeks, but for now I'd, just like to wish all my girlfriends out there a very Happy Valentine's day.

Reilly's Happy New Year...

2008-12-31T20:20:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-24T10:09:00.002-05:00

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

Reilly's Thanksgiving Message...

2008-11-20T15:17:00.008-05:00

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 !!!

2008-11-16T19:58:00.006-05:00

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 !!!

2008-11-07T16:44:00.006-05:00

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!!!!

2008-11-04T10:38:00.006-05:00

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...

2008-10-23T17:38:00.013-04:00

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...
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__________________________________________
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...

2008-09-11T17:45:00.019-04:00

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 ....

2008-08-31T21:05:00.032-04:00

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...

2008-07-20T21:54:00.009-04:00

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...

2008-06-29T19:27:00.010-04:00

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...

2008-05-17T18:46:00.015-04:00

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....

2008-05-07T10:56:00.004-04:00

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 !

2008-04-19T17:26:00.015-04:00

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.

May the green be with us..

2008-03-16T21:42:00.010-04:00

There's an old expression that say's: Everyone is a wee bit Irish
on St. Patrick's Day.
So quick, get your kids off the road! . . . . No, just kidding.

St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays because to me it means spring is just around the corner. Of course being part Irish myself I'm totally down with Saint Pat, since no one has yet declared a holiday called Bearded Collie Day.

So tomorrow while Dad's at work, crawling around on his hands and knees, trying to hang wallpaper behind somebody's filthy toilet, Marley, Zoe and I will be celebrating here at home, watching the the big
St. Patrick's Day parade on Mom & Dad's new 42" flat screen, while snacking on treats and wearing our best green bandanas. Later, after a short nap we'll probably spend a some time running around outside with the green Frisbee, while barking our heads off. Not that it has anything to do with the holiday, we would do that just for fun anyway.

Then hopefully tomorrow night, Dad will think to throw a little corned beef in with our dog food, just to be extra nice. Come to think of it, a little splash Guinness might be kind of nice as well, but I don't want to get my hopes up.

So today I'd Just like to wish my family, and my friends, wherever they may be, a happy, safe, and health St. Patrick's Day; especially my Mom, who's far, far away working in China this week.

Come home soon Mom, can't wait to see you!
Bring me home something that squeaks!

*
And so may I say:
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone,
and may the luck of the Irish be with us all.
*
Especially you Aunt Diane.

Hey, was this the New York Parade
or the one in San Francisco?

BACK FROM THE DEAD !

2008-03-05T12:38:00.005-05:00

Holy smoke! Just when you thought Mrs. Bill Clinton was down for good, her campaign was suddenly jolted back to life last night with two big wins in Ohio and Texas, and one tiny win in Rhode Island. Had she not won at least one of the big states she would have been dead meat this morning, but winning both was like getting a fresh transfusion of blood back into her veins.

For whatever it's worth, Mr. Obama also picked up the People's Republic of Vermont, which I guess is cool if you like maple syrup, but Ohio was the prize he was hoping for. Even though he's still leading in the primary count and has more delegates, he certainly not out of the woods. Now that Mrs. Bill Clinton has risen from the dead to break his winning streak, for the first time in weeks she probably looks a lot scarier in his rear view mirror. If Mr. Obama wants to stay alive in this race he's going to have to drive a spike through her heart in Pennsylvania next month or she'll end up haunting him all the way to the convention.

This morning there was a little rumor floating around of a possible Clinton- Obama ticket. Good God, what kind of unholy alliance are we talking about here?
This whole thing is starting to give me the creeps.

Mr. O, you better starting running for your life-- and don't look back,
Hill and Bill are right behind you!

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

Mandie has arrived !!!

2008-03-01T18:59:00.008-05:00

Hot Dang! I got a new cousin! Her name is Mandie. She's a three year old Golden Retriever. And based on what I see in this here picture, one fine looking bitch, if I do say so myself.

By the way, she's the one on the left.

Mandie is no doubt very smart because she's also a highly trained seeing eye dog, which is something I very much respect. She just recently came to live with my Mom's Mom in Philadelphia where her job will be to help around the house. I don't know what that means exactly, no one's explained to me what her actual job will be. I suppose she'll be doing most of the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry and stuff like that. This will be a big help because it will give Grandma more time to chew on toys, eat treats and take long walks in the park.

Wow, what a life, I could go for a little more of that myself.

I haven't officially met her yet, but I can tell just looking at her picture she and I are going to get along just fine.

Can't wait to meet you Mandie!

Obama is "Staying Alive- Staying Alive!"

2008-02-20T16:32:00.005-05:00

Holy Cow,

Can you believe it, he's done it again. Yesterday Barack Obama went on to beat Mrs. Bill Clinton in two more presidential primaries, adding Wisconsin and Hawaii to his long list of wins, which now stands at ten in a row. An impressive show of political strength anyway you spin it. I'll bet her friends at MSNBC are not happy about that.

A year ago who would of ever thought it was even possible that this young upstart, one-term Senator from Illinois, saddled with a Muslim name would do so well in the polls against Her Royal Highness (Mrs. Bill Clinton).

This is truly amazing in the world of politics because it was never supposed to happen this way. I guess Mr. Obama didn't get the memo in time; you know, the one that decrees Mrs. Bill Clinton as the rightful heir to the Democratic throne. Oh well, I guess that's what happens when they let the voters get involved.

Silly voters, I guess they didn't get the memo either.

I'll bet there was a whole lot of barking going on in the Clinton camp last night. She's been flashing teeth like a angry Chihuahua all week, so this loss couldn't have come at a worse time. Poor Mr. Bill, probably caught the worst of it. God knows somebody is going to pay a price for this. I'm sure glad I wasn't in her hotel room when lamps started flying. I wonder who's going to get fired this week as punishment for her poor performance.

Now, I should point out, that just because she's down doesn't mean she's out; she still has Ohio and Texas next week and who knows how that will go. At this point anything can still happen. Winning primaries and collecting delegates is one thing, but winning the Democratic nomination is quite another. If there's one sure thing that can be said about the Clintons, it's that they don't ever give up power without a fight. Even though Mr. Obama is way ahead in the popular vote and has won more states and collected more delegates, he's still not a sure thing.

There's still the issue of all those (so called) "Super Delegates," where it's rumored the Clinton's still wield a great deal of influence, which could affect the final outcome.--- But, be that as it may, people still expect their votes to count for something. If Mrs. Bill Clinton continues to lose primaries to Mr. Obama, but somehow still manages to win the nomination by means of some kind of back-room deal, you can rest assure that rank-and-file Democrats will not go quietly.
To quote a popular movie, "There will be blood."

So in the end, it may be that even the Clintons might not be able to pull that one off.

For now Mrs. Clinton is back at work on the campaign trail, bad mouthing Mr Obama at every stop, while she continues to "pimp-out" Chelsea and Bill for the votes of the little people. I have no doubt she will take this thing as far as it will go, or until she runs out of money. Which ever comes first.

Thankfully she still has the support of her family and friends as well as Hollywood Celebes like Barbra Streisand, who as far as I know, has not yet succumb to a case of this highly contagious and quickly spreading, Obama Fever. But after next week, who knows how long even she can hold out. Only time will tell.

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

Happy Valentine's Day to all ???

2008-02-13T21:33:00.005-05:00

Viva La Snow !!!

2008-02-12T17:53:00.000-05:00

Holy cow!

It snowed today for the first time this winter, and boy did we have a good time.
It started around 3:00, and within a hour almost everything was completely covered with a nice fresh layer of frosty white snow. It was really quite beautiful, and I couldn't wait to sink my paws into it.
When Dad came home he took out his camera and we all went outside to play while he snapped a few pictures, which I've posted below.

Zoe and I couldn't wait to get outside and start running all over the yard with the ball and the frisbee. Then we rolled around in it for a while, and got it all over our fur. We had a wonderful time. Even grumpy, old Marley came out to enjoyed it with us.

Mom's been away most of the week, so you can imagine how boring it's been around here, and how happy I was to see my yard filling with snow. What a gift. I was starting to worry that the whole week was going to be a bust, but this fresh fall of snow helped turn all that around. This afternoon was like a day at the park.
Thank you God, you've made my week.

I hope everyone enjoys my pictures. I also hope it snows all nigh, and all day tomorrow.
That would be great, but the first snow of the season is always the sweetest. So for now I'm just going to enjoy it.

PS.
If your out there Mom, we love you!
Come home soon!

Reilly..

Getting down to business.

"Look, I'm flying !!!"

Marley catching snow flakes on her tongue.

Zoe and I pulling on the frisbee.
Marley's still eating snow flakes.

"I love it out here !"

Zoe's playing with my Frisbee.

It doesn't get any better then this.

I think I love this game!!!

2008-02-03T22:28:00.001-05:00

I must say, I don't know a darn thing about this football stuff, but this Super Bowl game was most exciting.
I didn't even know what a Giant was until this week, but I'm a fan now.
I watched the whole game with Mom & Dad, who know only slightly more about the game then I do and even they seemed pleased.

I'm still looking forward to Super Tuesday, but after this, I doubt it will be anywhere near as exciting at this. I just can't imagine anyone jumping out of their chair, screaming for joy at the sight of old John McCain or Mrs. Bill Clinton.

Especially her!!!

It's Going to be a SUPER WEEK!!!

2008-02-02T10:23:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a week, Sunday is the Super Bowl and Tuesday is Super Tuesday. You just can't ask for anything more super than that. As you can see Zoe and I are ready for Sunday's big game. My Aunt Diane sent us these Super cool Giants bandanas which I think are real neat. We all tried them on last night and I haven't taken mine off since.

I have to say I don't know anything about football but I can tell you this: I know a good time when I see one and that's just what we plan to do, have ourselves a super good time.

Then on Tuesday it's the NJ presidential primary, which will also be very Super, although I'm still not sure who I'm going to vote for. We'll just have to see.

So anyway, here's a couple of pictures Mom & Dad took of us last night.

I'll have more to say next week, so check back with me.

GO GIANTS!!!

Marley chill-in

Me of course...

Sister Zoe.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!!!

2007-12-31T21:05:00.001-05:00

Yes, yes it's New years eve once more and I couldn't be happier. I can hardly believe another year has come and gone. 2007 went by in a flash. I notice that the older I get the faster they go. Next year I'll be turning three, which means I had better not blink or I'm liable to miss something.

Christmas was a lot of fun. I got a lot of cool stuff this year. Zoe and I each got our own new bumpy ball, and we all got really neat chew toys. I also got a few new stuffed toys as well, some of which I'm not quite sure how to describe, one of which looks like a baseball with legs, another looks like a pig with the body of a donut. Who knows what they were thinking when they made this stuff.

I didn't however get that Hillary Clinton chew toy I was hoping for because it was all sold out, but I'm not complaining, from what I hear, those rubber Hillarys are kind of bitter tasting, and a little hard to chew. Besides, I don't need to be biting into something that's going to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

As for New Years, like last year I won't be making any of those silly resolutions. I just decided there's nothing about me that really needed changing, so I'm just going to sit this one out this year and have a good time.

So let me just say: Happy New Year! to all my friends and family.
2007 was a very good year, and with any luck at all 2008 will be even better.
It's good being Reilly...

So.. Party On dudes.

Reilly's Happy Christmas...

2007-12-16T21:22:00.000-05:00

The following letter was sent to the editor of the New York Sun by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, regarding the existence of Santa Claus.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Dear Editor,
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

The editor, Francis P Church published his response on
September 21, 1897
This is what he wrote.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Marley's on the mend...

2007-12-07T19:19:00.001-05:00

Glad to report Marley is feeling much better. Today we got the results back from all her tests and thankfully it was all good news. Her blood work showed no sign of serious illness and her biopsies came back negative. It looks like old Marley will be just fine. She goes back to the doctors next week to have a couple of stitches removed and by then she should be done with all her medications. I would guess that by the end of next week, she should be good as new.
Good going Marley, you dodged another one!

Marley's not feeling well...

2007-12-01T19:32:00.001-05:00

Poor Marly had a bad week. Mom & Dad had to take her to the the dog hospital on Thursday to have a lump on her rump removed. She also had a boo-boo on her foot which the doctors thought might in some way be related, but as of now that doesn't appear to be the case. Thankfully.

They gave her a whole bunch of tests and made her spend two nights at the hospital where she was givin all kinds of special medicines made just for dogs. I'm sure it must have been terrible for her, I myself hate taking medicine, even when they try to hide it in a big hunk of liverwurst.

They brought her home this afternoon wearing some funny looking thing on her back leg; she also has to wear one of those crazy upside-down lamp shades on her head for about a week until she's all healed up. I know she's got to hate that, and I do feel sorry for her, but I must admit, she sure looks pretty funny.
Hopefully by the end of next week she'll be feeling a whole lot better and so will Mom & Dad.

For now Zoe and I have to try to be extra nice to Marley which means trying not to laugh, even when we see her trying to climb the stairs wearing that silly thing on her head.

I think I'm going to get Dad to take a picture of that..

It's Birthday time again...

2007-11-16T20:15:00.000-05:00

That's right, it's my birthday once again, this Saturday the 17th I'll be turing two. Yes I know what you're thinking, I can hardly believe it myself but it's true. Back when I was just a puppy I thought turning one was a big deal, but turning two is twice as good. In fact, I'm even twice as old and probably twice as smart as I was this time last year. I even got got my very first birthday card sent to me in the mail this week. It was from my Aunt Diane and boy was I ever happy to get it. No one has ever sent me a card before. Of course had she asked me I probably would have told her that I would of preferred cash, but a card is nice nonetheless, so I'm not complaining. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how she knew it was my birthday. I don't remember telling her, unless maybe it just slipped out in conversation one day when I was up visiting the office. Oh well, It's not important. I'm just happy someone thought enough of me to send a card. That was totally cool.
Thanks Aunt Diane!

Now as for Mom. I know everyone wants to know how she's been doing since her shoulder surgery. Well, I'm happy to report she's doing better. These past few weeks have been kind of rough on Mom. She's had to deal with a whole lot of pain and she hasn't been able to use her arm too much, although she can still throw my frisbee with her right arm pretty well. Mom's also had to sleep in a reclining chair for the past three weeks which which is kind of weird and she's still not able to drive a car, so Dad's been driving her back and forth to her physical therapy and has been doing all the the shopping. Then just when it looked like she was getting better her back starting giving her some problems this week which was also very painful and made it hard for her to get around. Fortunately that problem is also starting to go away so hopefully she'll soon be feeling a whole lot better soon so she can start playing with us like she used to.

As for Dad. He's cool. no problems there.

Next week is is Thanksgiving and we're having company. Last year was a lot of fun so I'm looking forward to a good time again this year.
Pretty soon it's going to be Christmas again. I love Christmas, it's my favorite. I guess you could say it's the prime rib of holidays. In fact, I'm already starting to get my list together. No sense waiting until the last moment. I'm not sure of everything I want but I've had my eye on one new toy in particular. It's brand new and just in time for for the holidays.

It called the Hillary Clinton Chew Toy and I can't wait to sink my teeth into one of these babies. I just hope Mom can find one before they're all sold out.

Although, I'll bet next year she'll probably be able to find this one much cheaper.

Bad week for Mom...

2007-10-24T12:50:00.000-04:00

Mom had to go to the hospital this week and have an operation on her shoulder.
Right now her arm is broken-busted-bad, and it hurts a lot too.
The doctors said it will be a couple of weeks before she can throw the Frisbee for me, so for now, it's up to Dad and me to take good care of her until she feels better.
Hopefully she'll be back to her old self in a couple of weeks.

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Move over Jesus, the world has a new savior....

2007-10-12T14:26:00.001-04:00

Wow, just when you thought he couldn't get any bigger, Mr. Gore has done it again.
First he he won an academy award for his wonderful acting in a movie where he played himself delivering a lecture about global warming, and now he's won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Not bad for a guy who only eight years ago couldn't even carry his own home state of Tennessee in the 2000 presidential race. Although, I must admit I haven't the slightest idea what global warming has to do with world peace, but I guess it really doesn't matter. They gave one to Yassar Arafat and he was anything but peaceful. Mr. Gore is far more deserving, and even though he didn't invent the problem of global warming, nor did he solve it, he sure knows how to talk about it.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised he wins the Congressional Medal of Honor next, or maybe even the lottery, who knows what else he's capable of.

We should all be very proud of Mr. Gore. He's a real American hero. If I had any say in the matter I would suggest we have his face carved into that mountain up there in South Dakota.
We could even change the name to Mount Rushgore.

That would be cool. A great, big, giant head made out of rock. That's you Mr. Gore.

congratulations !!

PLEASE CKICK ME
PLEASE CLICK ME

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Hey, where did my summer go!

2007-10-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

I must admit I'm feeling a little blue today. I've finally come to accept the fact that summer is really over, which I think is kind of sad. It's like I waited all year for it to get here and now it's gone already. How can that be?

I guess it's true what they say: The older you get, the faster time flies. That's about the only way I can think to explain it, after all I'm not exactly a puppy anymore; I'm only a month away from my second birthday and I'm not getting any younger.

This next year will probably fly by even quicker then the last, but I guess that's just the way it works.

The older we get, the faster it goes.

I suppose I'll just have to work harder this year to get in as much fun as possible, even if it means having to give up some of my nap time.

The other thing that's got me feeling blue is that Mom had to take another trip this week. She left last night on a flight to Hong Kong where she'll spend a day or two and then onto China.
So for the next two weeks Dad will be taking care of us by himself. Not that that's a bad thing, as I've said before, he does an OK job, it's just that it's always more fun when Mom is home and we're all together.
Sorry Dad...

Anyway, It's been a wile since I posted any recent pictures of myself, so I thought I'd show a few from my summer vacation.
Hope you all like them....

I spent a lot of time goofing off this summer.

Here I am cooling off on a hot day.

Here's a picture of me dancing by the pool.
I did a lot of that.

When Grandpa came to visit he told me he liked me the best.

Here's Zoe and I playing the Bed Game with Mom.
It's a great way to get Mom out of bed on a Saturday Morning.

I still haven't figured out a way to solve this problem on my own.
***

PS.
Hi Mom.
Love you. Get home safe.
Reilly...

Goodbye Michael Vick...

2007-08-28T20:47:00.001-04:00

The other day I was thinking I should write a little something about that dog killer Michael Vick, but I suppose there's hardly anything that I could say at this point that hasn't already been said.
I’ll give it a shot anyway.

I find this whole business of dog fighting very disturbing because it goes against everything I thought I knew about people. This has really given me something new to think about. Sorry to say it’s not one of my normal happy thoughts.

I've always loved being around people. I’ve spent everyday of my life in the company of people and I can’t say I’ve ever met one I didn’t like, or that didn’t like me. I was under the impression that everyone loves dogs. Now that I’ve heard this terrible story, I guess I was wrong. I was also under the impression all humans were highly civilized, but apparently some are less civilized then others.

They say that dogs are a man's best friend, if so, how could anyone do this to their best friends? What did any of those dogs do to deserve this kind of treatment?

None of this makes any sense to me at all.

Right now Michael Vick is in big trouble. He’s the bad guy everyone is looking at. Almost over night he went from being a Football super-star to become the ugly face of dog fighting in America.
Vick has found himself in the middle of a storm and suddenly people from all over the world know who he is.

Some have suggested there’s a racial component to all this. I don’t think so. Some say it’s a cultural thing. Really, what kind of culture would allow this to go on? Some have even suggested that dog fighting is a sport.
It’s not a sport. It’s a crime.

What seems inexplicable is why a man blessed with so much success would choose to involve himself in this dirty game to begin with.
Surely it wasn’t about the money, he has millions.

It’s been suggested that there may have been something in his childhood to blame for his behavior.

To that I have to say: Who cares?

There are no mitigating circumstances to consider. The bottom line is this:
He chose to engage in this barbaric form of entertainment because he wanted to. Why? Because he enjoyed it; and because he thought he could get away with it. It’s no more complicated then that. Some people want to put him under a microscope; I just want to see him in prison. I honestly don’t care what makes him tick.

Vick knew exactly what he was doing and he knew it was wrong, but that didn’t stop him. He put up the money; he owned the property, the kennel and many of the dogs. In other words: He made this happen, not once, but many times. A lot of dogs died a terrible death in the hands of Michael Vick, both in and out of the ring. Thankfully now that he’s been caught he’ll pay a heavy price for it.

But of course that’s not the end of the story. It should be noted that just because Vick is the only one under the spotlight he’s not the only one with blood on his hands. This was after all a spectator’s sport and anyone who came to watch and gamble on these death-matches is just a responsible.

I guess this is what I find most disturbing, just knowing there are so many people willing to witness this type of spectacle and that some actually enjoy it. You have to wonder what kind of person finds pleasure in watching dogs violently tearing each other apart? What is it they find so exciting? Do they consider this just another form of entertainment, to sit around in a circle watching two dogs fighting and dying a bloody and painful death on a filth dirt floor?

How dare anyone call this a sport! No dog should have to die this way.

It’s very sad that so many dogs are being mistreated like this. I know there are many poor dogs living in all kinds of miserable conditions because they have terrible owners. I feel sorry for each and every one of them.
I consider myself very lucky to have the life I have.
I still believe most people are basically good and would never intentionally hurt any dog, but I also know there is some bad out there beyond the back yard fence. And I’m not talking those deer that live in the woods.

But, be that as it may, I’m not going let any of this color my view of people. I’m still basically an optimist. I know that bad things sometimes happen to good dogs but I’m not going to let myself worry about the things I can’t control. Thankfully I know there are still far more good people in the world that know how to treat dogs well and it’s good to know I live with two of them.
And that’s about all any dog can hope for...

.

Save us Mr. Gore...

2007-07-13T17:34:00.000-04:00

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Gore for the wonderful event he put on last weekend to help save the world form global warming. A problem so serious that if we don’t do something to fix it right away, we might all end up dead someday.

I know some people don’t like Mr. Gore, but I think he’s nifty. Not only was he the Vice President for eight years, he’s also a self-taught, junior scientist, who knows everything there is to know about the earth. He spends all his time flying all over the world in his private jet, urging people to conserve energy.

As you may know Mr. Gore was the driving force behind this word wide event he called: LIVE EARTH. He inspired hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes, all over the world, and travel long distances by car, bus, trains planes and SUVs to get to these rock concerts, where they were then encouraged to save lots of energy.

I watched some of it on TV and I must admit, I didn't know much about this global warming stuff until I heard Ms. Cameron Diaz being interviewed back stage at one of the concerts. I think she's very smart; I wouldn’t be a bit surprised she’s a junior scientist herself, because she certainly seemed to know an awful lot about global warming and how to fix it. Somehow she was able to give a scientific explanation of this complicated problem in a way that even a dog like me could understand.

I know that real scientists all over the world are working hard to fix the earth, but there is only so much they can do on they’re own; thankfully now we have rock stars working on the problem as well. A little fact that sure helps me sleep a little better at night.

I know these are complex problems, requiring complex solutions, so I supposes we should consider it a blessing that, Madonna, Bon Jovi and
The Black eyed peas have all joined forces to save our planet from global destruction. I think it's nice that all those rock celebrities came together last Saturday to help spread the word: that we all have to learn to live our lives just a little bit greener to help our planet survive.

You know, just like they do.

Come to think of it, it must have been very difficult for Mr. Gore to get all those rock stars to and from all those concerts. I'll bet many of them had to travel thousands of miles just to get there. It probably took hundreds of tour buses, tractor trailers, limousines, vans, shuttle buses, helicopters and countless private jets to get all those important people together, so they could teach us how conserve energy. I wouldn't be surprised some of them even rode their bicycles so they could say they were carbon neutral. I’m not even sure what that means, but I think it would be a cool name for a band.

From what I’ve been told, this is not the first time rock stars and Hollywood celebrities have come to our rescue. Over the past thirty or forty years some of them have been very busy solving the world's biggest problems like: ending wars, saving whales, ridding the world of nuclear weapons, fixing Africa and eradicating poverty.
Every one of them worthy causes, I'm sure.

So I guess when Mr. Gore learned that the earth’s average global temperature was shown to have increased by nearly seven tenths of one degree Celsius over the past hundred years, it was only natural that he would think to pick up the phone and put in a call to the Red-hot chili peppers to ask for their help.

Come to think about it, I’m a little surprised I didn’t see U2 performing at any of the shows, it seems they’re always getting involved in these kinds of things. I guess Mr. Bono was too busy that day working on other problems, like finding a way to refinance the debt load on developing nations, or wiping out world hunger.

I’m glad to know that rock stars and Hollywood celebrities care enough to get involved in these important issues. It makes me wonder what we’d do without them. Maybe we should consider electing only entertainers to public office from now on. It seems to me they’re the ones with all the answers. Politicians never seem to be able to fix anything important anymore. This is probably due to the fact that the public seems to put more trust in celebrities these days then they do in public officials.

Take Mr. Gore for example: when he was just the Vice president nobody took him too seriously. Now that he’s out of politics, he’s suddenly a super-star.

And how about that Fred Thompson, everyone loved him when he was on Law & Order; now that it’s been suggested he might run for President as a Republican, some people are talking about him like he was Hitler. What’s that all about?

I guess it just goes to show that when politicians today need to get something done, or fix a big scary problem like global warming, the first thing they need to do get celebrities on their side.
It all sounds very strange to me, but I guess a dog can’t be expected to understand these things. I'm just glad to know that Mr. Gore has the backing of rock stars and Hollywood celebrities to help save the world from global warming. Hopefully they’ll find a solution to this problem in time to save the world from burning up, and the polar bears from drowning.

I kind of like that one they call: Knut. I think he and I could be good friends.

Now, as for me, I’m going to spend some time this weekend thinking of ways to lessen my own carbon footprints. I think that would help to save energy because then Dad won’t have to vacuum them up so often.

Oh, by the way, is this what they mean when they talk about those Hybrid Cars?

The dog days of summer...

2007-06-25T21:08:00.000-04:00

Just came off a great weekend, the first weekend of summer and the best one I've had in a while. The weather was good, no rain, sunny skies all the way, just the way I like it. I got to spent a lot of time out doors playing in the yard with Zoe and the bumpy ball, and I even learned how to chase and catch a frisbee. Something totally new to me. I liked it. It was awesome!

In case you're wondering why I've been so quiet lately, it's because I haven't had much time to write, or much to say. The past month and a half has been kind of weird. For one thing, Mom and Dad haven't been around much. Especially Mom. She's been doing a lot of traveling lately so we haven't spent much time together, but I think now that summers here she'll be traveling a little less, hopefully we'll be able to spend a little quality time together over the next few weeks.

Just to give you an idea, here's a little run down of what it's been like around here recently.

May came in with a bang. Very busy month right from the start. Mom had to spent the first couple of weeks flying around from place to place on account of her job, so she wasn't around much.

Then Mom and Dad both went away on vacation for two whole weeks, which meant that Marley, Zoe and I ended up getting shipped off to someplace with a bunch of other dogs we didn't even know. They call it a kennel. A place where dogs have to live in misery while their selfish owners are out having a good time. Mom and Dad like to refer to as doggy camp. Wink- Wink.
Oh yeah, it was a camp alright, a concentration camp. Calling that place a camp would be like calling Guantanamo Bay a religious retreat. I thought going to camp is suppose to be fun, like it is in that TV commercial (Ain't got no bugs on me).
This place was anything but fun. So while Mom and Dad are off playing in a tropical paradise, I'm stuck in a kennel run smelling Marley's bad breath day and night.
What's so fun about that?

Finally after two long weeks they suddenly show up one morning to take us home. What a relief. I was so happy to to get out of there I couldn't even stay mad at them. All I cared about was going home. Thankfully the ordeal was over and somehow we survived. Needless to say, after two weeks in the pens we arrived home in a state of filth. Usually getting dirty doesn't bother me all that much but this reached a new level, even for me. I couldn't wait to get a good hot bath. It took a heck of a good scrubbing and fierce amount of grooming to get the three of us back into shape. And even after all of that Marley still smells like she's been laying in something nasty.
Of course it could just be Marley. Yuck!

Then, no sooner are we home and Mom had to run off to Philadelphia to attend some swanky affair at her Mom's old school, which kept her away over night. Yeah great, hope you had a good time Mom. ...NOT.

The next day she came home and right away had to start packing because the following day she was leaving for a two week trip to China. You know, that place where all the dog toys are made.

So off she went and for the two weeks, leaving just Dad taking care of us. Not that I'm complaining, I love him dearly, he does the best job he can, but he can be, ....well, how do I say this..... a little boring.

Usually when Mom goes to China she's all business. She spends most of her time running around from place to place, meeting with lots of people and eating all kinds of strange food.

Hopefully she didn't eat at this place.

While in China she usually works seven days a week, but on this trip she did manage to sneak away of an hour or two and got to do something really cool, like spending a hour or so talking with a class of kindergarden children.

They wanted to hear a little bit about America, and what the kids here like to do to have fun. Mom doesn't speak very good Chinese and most of the children didn't know much English, but that didn't seem to matter because Mom had lots of pictures to show them, which they enjoyed.

But of all the things Mom told them, the thing they wanted to know about most was me. ...... Reilly.

Okay maybe a little about Marley and Zoe, but from what I hear, I was the one they found most interesting. Mom said the kids were fascinated with my pictures and wanted to know all about me. And who can blame them, it's not often they get to see a dog of my pedigree. Who knows what they're used to over there. Maybe the dogs they have in China are just not as interesting. It could be that they don't like kids, or maybe they bite, or maybe they're just plain weird. I really don't know. All I do know is that they seemed to like my pictures. A lot.
Mom says people in China sometimes read my blog when they can get it. I guess some of them will probably read this. I bet it will give them something else to talk about the next time Mom pays them a visit. Maybe someone will think to name a new dog toy after me. I suppose they could call it a REILLY BONE.

But then again, maybe not.
Now that I think of it the idea seems kind of creepy.

So anyway, that was last week. Mom is home once again and everything is getting back to normal. Like I said, I really enjoyed this past weekend playing in the yard chasing after my new frisbee. I'm looking forward to having a lot more fun this summer. I find the summer much more enjoyable then the winter, although I'm not crazy about the heat it's okay because we have air conditioning. That's something not too many dogs in China can say. Kind of sad actually, -but true. I guess that's just the way it is.

So here are a few more of my weekend pictures. I'm sure there will be plenty more to come soon. Maybe next week I 'll try to talk Mom into taking us to the park. That's always a lot of fun because it's full of great things to smell.

Sometime just can't believe how lucky I am.
LIFE IS GOOD.

Happy Father's Day..

2007-06-16T22:44:00.001-04:00

Goodbye Ilene...

2007-05-26T19:07:00.001-04:00

We had a little family tragedy this week. My cousin Ilene passed away in Philadelphia last Monday.

Ilene was a thirteen and a half year old Golden Retriever, who was a happy and spirited friend to everyone she met. She was also a trusted and loyal seeing-eye dog, and a loving companion to my Mom's Mom, Peggy Garrett.

We're all going to miss her very much....

*

Dogs just want to have fun...

2007-05-08T21:51:00.000-04:00

Okay, I know it's been a while since my last posting, and I do apologize. People keep asking me why my blog hasn't been updated in over three weeks. I wish I had a good excuse but I don't. The plain old, boring truth is: I've just been too lazy to write and too busy with other things lately, so I guess I got a little behind. I'll try to do better in the future to keep my postings up to date, but I can't make any promises.

First I have to tell you, I'm feeling pretty good about myself these days. I put on a little weight over the winter and grew about another inch. I'm also much stronger and faster then I was last summer, and probably a little more mature, although I don't feel very mature. This past winter was a real a drag. No snow, raining all the time, being cooped up in the house all day with grumpy Marley.
Yeah, it wasn't much fun. So I'm totally ready for summer. In fact, I'm so ready I can almost taste it.

The memories I have of last summer are a bit faded by now, but pleasant, nonetheless. They say one year to humans is equal to about seven in dog years. If this is true, that would put me somewhere around ten and a half in human years. I suppose you could say, at that rate, a single day of your life is equivalent to about a week in mine. So you can you imagine what it must be like for us dogs, having to endure something that resembles seven years of winter, waiting for your summer to arrive. It's no wonder so many mutts end up chasing their own tail. Truth be known: winters here in the northeast just plain suck. It's lucky I didn't pull a Cujo myself and bite somebody. I have to thank Zoe for that, if I didn't have her to play with day and night I
don't know how I would of spent my time.
But- enough said, I survived, it's over and I'm ready to shed my winter coat. For me it's all about the spring now and I'm just so there. I'm in love with the spring. If spring were a girl, I'd ask her to marry me. Everything about it is good. It's a time when everything old is new again. The days are getting warmer, the flowers are in bloom and the grass is once again green. What could be better then all that?

I know I should be inside writing my blog, but all I want to do right now is run around outside and have fun. Yes, that's right, I said fun, and I don't mean work. I mean real fun. The kind that makes you want to get up early to watch the sun rise over the trees while pooping on the front lawn, where the grass is still perfect.

The kind of fun that make you want to pull on a rope or chase a ball or run with a stick.

The kind of fun only a dog knows how to have. Like when you just happen to find something delicious lying outside in the dirt, and you just know it was meant for you to eat, even if no one even knows what it is, . . or what is was, . . .or where it came from.
Who cares. Eating stuff is fun. Yum-O!

The kind of fun you have barking at the brown guy that comes to your door and rings the bell. The one who always has a brown box under his arm, wears brown shorts, and drives the big brown truck with the squeaky breaks. Oh yeah, that guy is fun.

The kind of fun that makes you want to chase a herd of wild deer from the yard, even though they're ten times your size, just because you can.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. That's what make a dog's life happy and full. So forgive me dear readers of silly blogs. I'll be back to pecking on my keyboard very soon. I'm not going away. Life is for the living and I have some catching up to.
So for the next few weeks I'm going to take it easy, enjoy the spring weather, and do what a dog was made to do.

JUST HAVE FUN!!!

Reilly goes to work.

2007-04-12T11:36:00.000-04:00

Wow, I had a great day on Tuesday. I went to work with Mom and had lots of fun catching up with all my friends at the office. It's been a while since my last visit so naturally everyone was happy to see me. I got there early and made my usual rounds; up and down the halls, bouncing around from room to room, checking to make sure everyone knew I was there. I can tell it really makes their day. Everyone I meet just seems to smile when they see me.
I suppose they're very fortunate to have me around. It's makes me feel good to know they really appreciate me up there. It's like a party breaks out whenever I arrive. Mom says I even help reduce the stress level in the place. I guess that's a good thing, although I can't see why anyone there should be stressed about anything in the first place. It seems to me, all they to do in that place is sit around all day in their little rooms, waiting for little old me to arrive. What could be stressful about that? It's not like any of them need to worry about anything important, like fending off a herd of wild deer at a moment's notice, or having to deal with someone ringing the door bell every other minute. Those are the things I find stressful.

Come to think of it, it makes me wonder just what goes on up there on the days when I'm not around. My guess is: not too much. That's probably why they're always so happy to see me, they're all just bored. I suppose I should feel sorry for them, it must be a very lonely just sitting around all day in their little rooms, waiting for me to show up just so they can have a little fun.

I guess that's what I don't understand about people; if it's so much fun to have a dog around the office, and everyone is having fun, then why wouldn't they just have a dog there all the time?
I mean, if it's possible to have fun part of the time, why wouldn't they just choose to have fun all of the time? That would be the thing to do. It all makes perfect sense to me, I don't know why they don't see it. If they had a full time dog in the office everyone would be much happier and have less stress in their lives. It would even give them something else to talk about around the dinner table at night.

You know, sometimes it's so hard to figure people out.

So anyway, here's a few pictures Mom took of me at the office with some of my friends.

This is Diane. She didn't even like dogs until she met me.
Hey, what's not to like?

Here I am with my friend Aaron.
He's cool, he and I talk guy talk.

Here I am with visiting with Kim.
She probably would like it if I had a brother.

There was another dog visiting while I was there.
His name was Arthur and it was the first time we met.
At first I thought he was a little full of himself, being
French and all, but in the end we got along fine.
Even if he does have a funny hair cut.

Here I am with Lissette.
I think she was getting a little carried away.
I think I'm going to have a little talk with her.

This is Irma. As you can see, we really like each other.

Lastly, this is my good friend Theresa.
I like her a lot, but I think she's a little afraid of me.
Somebody needs to tell her I don't bite.

I can't wait until my next trip to the office with Mom.
Who knew a day at work could be so much fun.

Reilly The Deer Hunter ...

2007-04-01T22:00:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air and I'm having a lot of fun. I'm completely over the whole snow thing, that can wait until next year. Right now I'm all about playing outside, warm sunny days and the smell of fresh cut grass. If this is what they call spring fever, I don't want the cure.
I'm feeling great!

Something cool happened on Friday; I chased away a couple of deer all by myself. Marley and Zoe were nowhere to be found so it was totally up to me to defend the yard against the intruders. I was playing outside with my wubba when I first caught sight of them. As I recall, there were about five of them, but there could of been more. They were lurking in the woods just beyond the back yard fence. They didn't see me but I saw them and I knew just what to do. I sat perfectly still and waited to see how close they'd come before I made my move, but I didn't have to wait long. Before I knew it, two of the brazen creatures came strolling right out in the open like they owned the place. I couldn't believe the nerve of these things. I couldn't wait another minute, so I jumped up, and in my loudest, and most my authoritative voice. I let them know who was in charge.

"Hey you deer! Get the buck off my property" I said.

I'm only about 45 pounds but you wouldn't know it by my bark. To them I probably sounded like a mountain lion, or even a bear.

Needless to say they were stunned by what they heard. Even I was a little stunned. I didn't know I had it in me. Their reaction was immediate. It didn't seem to matter that I was 50 feet away and about a 100 pounds lighter then the smallest one. I could see they were scared shitless. They couldn't have been more afraid if I were in a Hummer full of drunken rednecks and armed to the teeth.

It didn't take but a second for those deer to turn tail and dissolve into the woods, faster then spit. It was great. My first solo encounter with the dreaded deer and I was fabulous. I only wish Marley and Zoe were there to have seen me in action. I can't wait until the next time, but I doubt we'll be seeing any of them around the yard anytime soon.

A little while later dad found me playing with a bumble bee and took it away from me because he was afraid I might get stung. I felt like saying "What are kidding, didn't you just see how I handled those deer, I was fabulous. You think I'm afraid of a fuzzy little bug?"

So that's my big story for the week. Next week is Easter so I'll have something to say about those rabbits and their silly eggs.

Oh, before I forget, I should mention that Monday is Mom's birthday and I'm very excited about that.I'm thinking about giving her that bumble bee I found as a gift. I don't think she has one of those yet. I'm not suppose to tell anyone how old she's going to be because she's a little sensitive about it, but she probably wouldn't mind if I gave you a little hint so here it is: If we were talking dog years, she'd be pushing 357.

Wow... that's old. I'd better not say anymore.
It's getting late, I need to go find that dead bee before I turn in.

May the green be with you...

2007-03-15T20:32:00.000-04:00

I would like to wish all my friends and blog readers a safe, happy and fun St. Patrick's Day.
As a dog who comes from a long line of good Irish stock, I will of course be celebrating my heritage by participating in the wearing of the green, (bandana that is).
Since I'm still young of age I won't be doing any heavy drinking or fighting this year, but I wouldn't mind sinking my snout into a nice hot plate of corned beef, if only I could get some.

Mom had to take a trip to China this week so unfortunately she'll miss spending the holiday with dad. From what I'm told, they don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day in China, but if they did, I'm sure their version would be inexplicably weird.
Just try to Imagine what a Chinese Leprechauns might look like.

The very thought of such a thing frightens me.

I must admit, I don't know much about this Saint Patrick fellow, except that he somehow managed to drive all the snakes out of Ireland. A formidable amount of work for an Irishman. Now if only someone could drive the snakes out of Washington we'd all have something to celebrate, but enough about Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.
Seriously though, this holiday is all about having a good time, and that's just what I intend to do, have a good time.

So dare I say: break out the green, pour yourself a pint, open a box of lucky charms, and let's all join in and singing ourselves a good Irish song about drinking and dying and let the good times roll.

And while you're having a good old time, remember to raise your glass and give a toast to all our troops serving in the middle east, where a pint of Guinness is still a rare and beautiful thing.

Now, just for fun I've included a few Irish jokes.
I didn't write any of these so spare me the scolding if they happen to offend you.

Please keep in mind, they're just jokes, .... And I am just a dog.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL !!!

Pat and Mick landed themselves a job at a sawmill. Just before morning tea Pat yelled:
"Mick! I lost me finger!"
"Have you now?" says Mick. "And how did you do that?"
"I just touched this big spinning thing here like thi...

Darn! There goes another one!"

Two Irishmen were walking home after a night at the pub when a severed head rolled along the ground. Mick picked up the head and held it to his face and said to Paddy
"Jez, that look like Sean" to which Paddy replied
"No Sean was taller than that."

The Doctor was puzzled "I'm very sorry but I can't diagnose your trouble, Mahoney.
I think it must be the drink. "
"Don't worry about it Dr. Kelley, I'll come back when you're sober."

A farmer named Muldoon lived alone in the Irish countryside except for a pet dog he for a long time.

The dog finally died and Muldoon went to the parish priest, saying
"Father, the dog is dead. Could you possibly say a Mass for the poor creature?"

Father Patrick told the farmer "No, we can't have services for an animal in the church, but I'll tell you what, there's a new denomination down the road apiece, and no telling what they believe in, but maybe they'll do something for the animal."

Muldoon said "I'll go right now. By the way, do you think $50,000 is enough to donate for the service?"

Father Patrick replied
"Oh for goodness sake, why didn't you tell me the dog was Catholic."

An Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman were without tickets for the opening ceremonies of the summer Olympics but hoped to be able to talk their way in at the gate. Security was very tight, however, and each of their attempts was met with a stern refusal.

While wandering around outside the stadium, the Englishman came upon construction site, which gave him an idea. Grabbing a length of scaffolding, he presented himself at the gate and said,
"Johnson, the pole vault," and was admitted.

The Scotsman, overhearing this, went at once to search the site. When he came up with a sledge hammer, he presented himself at the gate and said,
"McTavish, the hammer." He was also admitted.

The Irishman combed the site for an hour and was nearly ready to give up when he spotted his ticket in. Seizing a roll of barbed wire, he presented himself at the gate and announced,
"O'Sullivan, fencing."

Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and says to the first man he meets,
"Do you want to go to heaven?"
The man said, "I do Father."
The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall."
Then the priest asked the second man, "Do you want to got to heaven?"
"Certainly, Father," was the man's reply.
"Then stand over there against the wall," said the priest.
Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and said, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father."
The priest said, "I don't believe this.
You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole said, "Oh, when I die, yes.
I thought you were getting a group together to go right now."

An English man and an Irish man are driving head on , at night, on a twisty, dark road.
Both are driving to fast for the conditions and collide on a sharp bend in the road.
To the amazement of both, they are unscathed, though their cars are both destroyed.
In celebration of their luck, both agree to put aside their dislike for the other from that moment on. At this point, the Irish man goes to the boot and fetches a 12 year old bottle of Jameson whiskey. He hands the bottle to the English man, whom exclaims,
'' may the English and the Irish live together forever, in peace, and harmony.''
The English man then tips the bottle and lashes half of it down.
Still flabbergasted over the whole thing, he goes to hand the bottle to the Irish man, whom replies:
'' no tanks, I'll just wait till the police get here!''

Mom's away and all hell is breaking loose

2007-03-06T22:58:00.000-05:00

Mom had to go away for the night and as you can
probably tell from this picture, Dad's in charge.
Or so he thinks....

After the party I stunk
like a junkyard dog,
so I thought I'd grab
a quick shower and
freshen up a little.

Oh yeah, that did the trick;
I'm totally fresh now.

I think I'll have one more treat before I go to bed.
I hope I don't have a hangover in the morning.

I'm still waiting for the snow! ...

2007-02-26T12:09:00.000-05:00

I'm very disappointed.
When I went to bed last night I was expecting to wake up this morning to see four or five inches of nice, white, fluffy snow waiting for me in the back yard. What I got was about a half inch of wet snow, mixed with slush. What a letdown. This whole winter has been one big bust. It's almost March already and the snowy season is almost over. I'm very disappointed, I've been waiting almost half my life for a day of fun in the snow but so far all I've seen is a bunch of slush. Yuck!!!

Damn you Al Gore, and your Global Warming.

I've only had one opportunity this winter to play in snow, and even that was a disappointment. It happened about four weeks ago; I woke up one morning to find about two inches of light power had fallen during the night. Naturally I was very excited, being the first real snow I'd ever seen. I couldn't wait to get out there and sink my paws into that fluffy white stuff, but unfortunately my day of fun in the snow was short-lived. As the sun came up, so did the temperature, and by early afternoon most of the snow had melted away, leaving nothing but a slushy and muddy mess. I will say this: It was nice while it lasted, but it did little to quench my lust for snow. I love snow. I'm still hoping for a big one. About six or seven inches would be good. Maybe we'll get a nice big storm some time between now and St. Patrick's Day.
Yes... that would do me nicely. I guess all I can do is hope.

Here's a few pictures of me taken playing in the little snow I did have just before it melted.

The year of the Pig...

2007-02-19T20:11:00.000-05:00

In case you didn’t know, yesterday (Sunday) marked the beginning of Chinese New Year.

According to the Chinese zodiac, which is based on a cycle of twelve years; each of which is represented by a different animal; we are now in the year of the pig. I’m not sure what any of that means to the dogs of China, but I’ll bet those pigs are all partying like it’s 1999, if you know what I mean.

I recently learned that I was born in the year of the rooster, as was dad. This seems fitting considering we’re the only males of the house.

Mom was born in the year of the monkey, which sounds funny to me. Marley is from the year of the tiger and Zoe the year of the dragon. That’s probably the coolest one of all. Interestingly enough, none of us were born in the year of the dog. I would have liked that for myself.

From what I’m told, New Years is a big deal in China and the biggest holiday of the year. Unlike ours, which lasts only a day, theirs is a fifteen-day non-stop celebration, and from what I hear, everybody has a great time, including the dogs.

Here’s a brief description of some of what goes on. I might be a little off on some of the details, most of this stuff came from a couple of poorly worded Chinese web sites, both of which seemed a bit dubious.

Basically it goes like this:
The Chinese New Year starts on the day of the new moon, which marks the first day of the new year, and ends on the night of the full moon, fifteen days later. They spend the first day welcoming the Gods of heaven and earth and try to abstain from eating meat because they believe that will help them to live a long and happy life.
Personally that would be the hardest part for me because I love meat.
I’m a dog you-know.

On the second day, they pray to their ancestors as well as the Gods. They’re also extra nice to dogs and feed them well because they believe that the second day represents the birthday of all dogs. Imagine that. This would be my favorite day to celebrate.

The third and fourth days are for sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parent-in-law.
That would be the boring days.

The fifth day they call Po Woo. On that day they all stay home and welcome the God of wealth. No one goes out visiting on that day because it’s considered bad luck, besides, who wouldn’t want to be home when the God of wealth coming knocking on your door.

On the sixth to the tenth day everyone goes out and pays a visit to their friends and relatives, stop by a temple or two to pray for good fortune and good health. There’s also other stuff to do. On the seventh day farmers get to show off their produce. They also make a drink from seven types of vegetables as part of the celebration. It probably tastes something like V-8 juice, only with something missing.

The seventh day is considered the birthday of all human beings. What a party day that must be, considering China has well over a billion humans, the candles on the cake alone would be enough to trigger a global warming disaster.

Days eight through twelve are spent eating and drinking, visiting friends and having family reunions, basically just having a good time. There’s also a lot of praying to Gods and making offering and other such stuff when they’re not partying their asses off.

Finally by the time day thirteen and fourteen roll around it’s time to start cleansing the old system, if you know what I mean.
They probably go around saying things to each other like:
What happens in China stays in China.

The fifteenth day and the last night of Chinese New Year ends with something they call the Lantern Festival. By that time everybody's about had it and ready for sleep-sleep.

After the mess is all cleaned up and everything is all put away, everyone goes back to work making dog toys and stuff for Wal-Mart.

Overall I think this Chinese New Years thing sounds like great fun but I wish there was more fun stuff for the dogs. I do like that part about feeding dogs well and being extra nice to them on the second day, but I think there’s still room for improvement. Maybe when the year of the dog rolls around I’ll talk Mom into taking me to China on one of her trips. That would be totally cool, kind of a nice bonding experience, just Mom and I. She could show me around, we could shop for some new dog toys and maybe even go to one of those restaurants I’ve heard about where they say dogs are served.
Yeah. I think I’d like that. I could always use a good meal.

HAPPY NEW YEAR
to all the dogs of China.

A dog’s life proves less is always more.

2007-01-20T16:18:00.002-05:00

Original art work by Dean Russo

Here’s a list of fifty things we can’t teach our dogs to understand, appreciate or even care about.
No doubt they're better off for it.

1. Dogs don’t care about money.
Money means nothing to a dog because there’s nothing dogs need but care and affection and even a dog knows that can’t be bought.

2. Dogs are not materialistic.
They don’t measure their self-worth by what’s in their toy box.

3. Dogs don’t care where they came from.
All that matters is that they’re here now.

4. Dogs are not impressed by what you do for a living.
They’re only hope is that when your work is done, you come home to them.

5. Dogs don’t care what kind of car you drive or how much it cost.
All that matters is that it has a window so they can stick their head out.

6. Dogs don’t care about our technology.
Computers, cell phones, and flat screen TVs, these are merely toys for people. If you tie a rope to your ipod and throw it, it magically becomes a dog toy.

7. Dogs don’t care how or why things work.
They’re just smart enough to know, that all things need not be understood to be appreciated.

8. Dogs never try to act smarter then they really are.
They’re much too wise for that.

9. Dogs haven’t the slightest idea what time it is, nor do they care.
Except when it comes to feeding time.

10. Dogs never worry about being late for anything.
That’s because they know nothing really happens until they get there.

11. Dogs have no appreciation for fine art.
If you were to show a dog a painting by Jackson Pollock, all they’d see is a lot of paint, dripped haphazardly onto a large canvas. Only humans can be convinced they see more.

12. Dogs pay no attention to what’s in fashion.
But they probably don’t like people who wear fur.

13. Dogs have no sense of fairness.
Fairness is strictly a human concept and appears nowhere else in nature.

14. Dogs are in no way influenced by the media.
That’s because they prefer to think for themselves.

15. Dogs have no use for books.
They’re too hard to carry around and too uncomfortably to lie on.

16. Dogs don’t care if something in your house smells bad.
To a dog, nothing smells bad.

17. Dogs see no shame in eating from the trash or drinking from a toilet.
Shame appears only after they’ve been caught.

18. Dogs are not judgmental
They don’t care what the world thinks of you, and they’ll love you no matter how many bumper stickers you have on your car.

19. Dog’s don’t care what color their owner’s skin is.
This has nothing to due with being colorblind; they honestly don’t care.

20. Dogs don’t care if your house is a mess.
It just saves them the trouble of doing it themselves.

21. Dogs don’t have good manners; nor would they want them.
Manners are simply a way to teach people not to act like dogs.

22. Dogs don’t care who wins the Westminster dog show.
No. They really don’t.

23. Dogs have no interest in politics.
They couldn’t be bothered with such pettiness.

24. Dogs don’t care about religion.
They worship only that which worships them back. Us.

25. Dogs don’t worry about what might happen tomorrow, next week, or next year.
They live only in the present moment; nothing else matters.

26. Dog’s don’t whish to be our equals.
They’re perfectly happy knowing we’re here to serve them.

27. Dogs don’t go around thinking the world revolves around them.
They know it.

28. Dog have no interest in ruling the world.
They’ll gladly settle for the back yard.

29. Dogs don’t require a lot of fancy foods.
They’ll eat just about anything you put in front of them; as well as anything they happen to find lying dead at the side of the road.

30. Dogs have no interest in building things.
They do on occasion enjoy tearing things apart.

31. Dogs don’t feel the slightest need to put on clothes.
They come fully outfitted, and prefer to wear nothing more then their own custom-made fur coat. And yes, it’s as sexy as it sounds.

32. Dogs never have to think about their diets.
This could be the single greatest thing about being a dog.

33. Dogs don’t sit around and wonder where dog treats come from.
They know. They come from a box.

34. Dogs are embarrassed by nothing.
They just don’t take themselves that seriously.

35. Dogs don’t need a lot of expensive toys to make them happy.
A stick will do just fine.

36. Dogs never make fun of other dogs.
Instead they prefer to have fun with other dogs.

37. Dogs don’t suffer from low self-esteem.
They’re proud of who they are, and yet, they’re never too proud to beg.

38. Dogs are not obsessed with their appearance.
They instinctively know that real beautiful is something that can’t be seen with a mirror.

39. Dogs are not monogamous.
They are however, fiercely loyal to their owner.

40. Dogs have no vices.
They are inherently pure, and have no inner demons that need to be indulged.

41. Dogs don’t have to pay taxes.
Probably the second best thing about being a dog.

42. Dogs harbor no secrets.
A dog’s life is an open book; what you see is what you get. Besides, they probably couldn’t keep a secret even if they knew one.

43. Dogs are not narcissistic.
Unless they live in Hollywood.

44. Dogs are not mean by nature.
They learn meanness only by observing us.

45. Dogs never hold a grudge.
It’s within their nature to always forgive, but rarely do they forget.

46. Dogs live their lives without regret.
They know better then to waste their time looking back, lamenting their past

47. Dogs don’t worry about getting old.
A dog knows life has its rewards at any age

48. Dogs never worry about getting sick.
If and when illness strikes, they accept it for what it is, and deal with it as best they can.

49. Dogs don’t waste their time dreaming of a life that could have been.
The only life a dog knows is the one it’s living, and that’s enough.

50. Dogs don’t ever worry about dying.
This is because all dogs are born with the knowledge that no matter where they end up in life, in the end, there will always be a warm spot for them in heaven, and they’ll always have a place to run.

Besides, only cats go to hell.

Don't Touch my Wubba !

2007-01-13T19:30:00.000-05:00

I have something new to play with. Something Mom bought me that could make the bumpy ball all but obsolete. It's a new toy I've been breaking in for the past week or so. It's called a Wubba, and I can't get enough of the thing. As you can see, it has an interesting shape. Dad says it looks something like an octopus. Of course I haven't the slightest idea what he's talking about, I've never seen an octopus and I'm not sure I care to, it sounds dirty.

But I will say this: these Wubbas are a thing of beauty,
great for throwing, great for catching and great for pulling.
I haven't had this much fun with a pull-toy since the time Zoe and I played tug-of-war with one of Mom's bras.
We got in trouble for that one.

I should mention the wubba I'm currently playing with is actually my second Wubba. My first was a model they call a Snugga Wubba, which turned out to be a little too soft for me. It probably would of been fine for some wimpy French poodle but I don't think that particular Wubba was made for an active BC, such as myself. This new model is more to my liking, it’s called a Wubba Wubba, it's specially made for rough play so it should last me a good long time.

Yeah, okay, I know what you’re thinking, that name, sounds kind of stupid, maybe so, but then,you probably though the name Google sounded stupid too the first time you heard it, and now nobody could live without it.

I should also point out that there are several other models to choose from.

They have something called a Water Wubba, which sounds like it would be great fun for the pool.

They have one called a Wubba Warrior, which is all in camouflage. Probably great fun for police dogs, you know how they are. The only problem I can see with that one is that it's sure to get lost in the shrubs.

They even have a Night Wubba. That one you can play with at night.

Cool!

Anyway, call me crazy, but I think these Wubbas a great fun and I highly recommend then.
Besides, those bumpy balls were starting to get on my nerves.

So check them out At Wubbaworld.com I think I might buy stock in this company.

A New Years to remember

2006-12-31T16:04:00.000-05:00

As this year draws to a close and the new year is set to begin, it's long been customary for people to take a little time to reflect on the events of the past year, and consider their hopes for the year ahead. It's a time for people to stand back and take a look at their lives, their work, their families, their friends; what they've accomplished, what they did right and what they did wrong, and what they'd change if they could.

It's also a time when people consider ways to improve themselves by setting personal goals for the future, something they call a New Years Resolution. That's just a fancy term which simply means: a set of promises people make to themselves. Promises such as trying to lose a little excess weight, getting rid of a bad habit or two, or getting themselves a bit more organized. Not exactly what you might consider lofty goals, but practical nonetheless.

The more I hear about these here resolutions, the more it all seems to makes sense.
We all could do with a little self-improvement.

So for the past couple of days I've thought long and hard about whether or not I should come up with some new year's resolutions of my own. Since this has been only my first year of life I have little to compare myself to. My life is relatively simple and I don't have much to complain about. As far as I know, I don't have any real problems or bad habits to speak of, and I have little reason to think the future will bring me anything more then I need or less then I want, but yet I still feel this need to self-examine.
Surely there are things about myself I could change for the better, I'm certainly not perfect, no dog is.

I have my strong points, as well as my not-so-strong points, although I have yet to figured out the difference. I'm sure there are things I could do around the house to make myself more useful, such as picking up my toys and putting them back in the box after I'm through with them.

No, wait......On second thought, no self-respecting dog in his right mind would do that. There's no need to get crazy. They don't expect too much from me to begin with, so there's no point in setting the bar too high. Besides, cleaning up after dogs is human's work, everyone knows that.
It makes them feel useful.

So let's think about this a bit. What kind of new years resolutions could a dog aspire to. The lives of humans and dogs couldn't be more different.
Humans need to work; dogs need to take naps. - Humans have bills to pay; dogs have games to play, - Humans like to watch TV; dogs like to bark at humans watching TV.
We drag our toys all over the house; they pick them up. - We poop in the yard; they have to clean it up.

As far as I can see, none of these things look like a problem to me. What kind of new years resolutions can I possibly come up with to improve my simple life.

Take more naps, play more, have more fun.

I would do those things anyway. Come to think of it, I have no real problems to speak of at all. It's not like I have to give up smoking, or cut back on my drinking. I don't have a weight problem, I only weigh 43 pounds. My hair's not falling out and I don't have closets full of junk to get organized, and God knows I don't have any kind of sexual issues to deal with, I was neutered last spring.

So what is it that I'm trying to do here anyway, looking for things in my life to change, when in fact, changes may not even be necessary.

Now that I look at it, this whole business of making resolutions might be completely lost on me. It's kind of like a solution looking for a problem.

Wow, It seemed like such a good idea at first glance but it's got me thinking, if it's not broken, maybe I best not think about fixing it.

The truth is, there's nothing about me that needs to change.
It could be, I'm just as perfect as I need to be.

My life is as happy as it is simple, and I want for nothing.
What could finer then that.

I'm actually starting to think that you people are the ones I should be feeling sorry for. You're the ones with the complicated lives. Compared to you people, we pretty much have it made.
Oh sure, dogs don't have bills to pay, but we also don't have jobs.

So, I guess I can just forget about all that self improvement business altogether and just concentrate on having a good time this New Years eve.

What the heck was I thinking anyway!

Maybe I'll stay up late and watch that big bumpy ball drop on TV. That sounds like it would be real interesting.

But then again, maybe I'll just find myself a nice warm spot to curl up in and get some sleep.

Either way it will be a New Years to remember.

Happy New Years to all.

Love Reilly ...

Reilly and family

2006-12-23T22:04:00.000-05:00

Reilly's Christmas List...

2006-12-09T19:54:00.000-05:00

Reilly's Thanksgiving message...

2006-11-22T13:12:00.000-05:00

This will be my first Thanksgiving and I'm looking forward to spending it here at home, with my family and some of my new friends.

This has been a good first year for me. A year of great personal growth, as you see by my pictures.

I've come to know my new family, Mom, Dad, Marley and Zoe. just as they've come to know me. I've also come to know my new home with it's big back yard, and all it's places to hide and dig holes.

I've learned a lot this year as well. I've learned all about Bumpy balls, chew toys and treats, trips in the car, and how much I enjoy a good hot bath.

I've learned that I can run faster and jump higher then Zoe, even on her best day.

I've learned how to stay out of Marley's way and to avoid her grumpy side, which is every side.

I've learned that ripping dad's sneakers apart is not a good thing to do, but oh so much fun.

I've learned about going to the groomer, the dry cleaner, walks around the neighborhood, and that I like going to work with Mom once in a while.

I've learned that when a door bell rings, it is a dog's job to bark incessantly at the front door.

I've learned that the best time of the day to enjoy loud wild barking games is in the evenings, when Mom & Dad are sitting, looking at the flickering light box. They often join in with their own loud barking.

I've also learned that the vacuum cleaner is frightening and unpredictable thing, that can wake up out of a cold dead sleep at almost any time, and can never be trusted.
Just the other night, I saw it come to life. It was terrible. It had Dad by the arm and was dragging him helplessly from room to room for about a half hour until it finally lost consciousness and died. I must say, it's about the only thing in the house I truly fear. I know Mom fears it too because I've rarely seen her anywhere near it.

Another thing I've learned is that I like people, and they seem to like me as well.

I've learned that everything in my world was made specifically for me, and my own enjoyment. And that's a good thing.

So this year I'll celebrate my first Thanksgiving with my family and friends, and while I'm feverishly wolfing down my giant bowl of dog food, I'll be thinking of all the things in my world, I have to be Thankful for, for which there are many.

And my hope for you my friends, on this wonderful holiday, is that your own cornucopia will be filled with all you favorite treats, and that all is well in your world, just as it is in mine.

Happy Thanksgiving
Reilly...

Happy Birthday to me ... Reilly of course

2006-11-17T19:50:00.000-05:00

Yeah, that's right. Todays my birthday
November 17th
I'm One year old now and having a great day
Partying with my peeps.

TREATS FOR EVERYBODY!!!

Party on!

Now it's time for a nap.

This reminder from Reilly...

2006-11-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is election day, so I'd just like to remind all my good friends to please try to take a little time out of their busy schedules and go down and VOTE. I don't need to tell you, there's a lot of serious issues facing our country today, and there's a lot a stake in this election, So it's important that your voice be heard..

Now I can't tell you who to vote for, that just wouldn't be right. Who you vote for is up to you.

If you choose to stay home and skip the election then of course, you have no reason to complain later. My intention is simply to remind the public they can make a real difference in their government. And the best part is, it don't cost one red cent to make a statement.

SO GET OUT THERE PEOPLE!
Do the right thing,
Vote!

I'm Reilly, and I approve this message.

Happy Halloween from Reilly

2006-10-31T16:30:00.000-05:00

Mom visits the Great Bumpy Wall of China

2006-10-22T18:01:00.000-04:00

Hey check it out. Mom e-mailed me this really cool picture of herself standing on some big bumpy wall. She had to go to this place called China for a couple of weeks. Don't ask me where that is, I have no idea. All I know is that it's really far away and I haven't see her in almost two weeks. Who knows how she even finds these places.

The other night I asked Dad about it and he tells me it's on the other side of the world.
Oh yeah right. Like I'm suppose to know where that is.
Does he not know I've never been beyond the the back yard fence.

Anyway, like I said, she's at this place they call China. I don't know much about it, but I will tell you this: Every dog-toy I've ever known came from there. So as far as I'm concerned, that's good enough for me.
I'll bet ya the whole place is just stinkin of dog-toys. It sounds nice. I think the next time she goes, I'm going to ask if I can come along. I'd love to take a tour of that factory where those brightly colored chew bones are made. I just think that would be freakin fascinating.

It sounds like a great place for a dog to take a vacation, and from what I hear, they really love us over there.
In fact, I once overheard Mom & Dad talking about how in some parts of China dogs are actually served in restaurants. Wow can you believe that. Dog's in restaurants. In this country the only way any dog can get his tail inside a restaurant is if he's dragging a blind guy behind him, and even then you don't get to eat. What's that about.
I can see why Mom likes to go there, they're way ahead of us.

I can't wait to hear more about this place they call China. I hope she brings me back something that squeaks .

It's good to be Reilly...

2006-10-17T15:35:00.000-04:00

v

Boy it was one hot summer, but I must say, there's no better way to relax after a hectic morning of barking and ball chasing then to spent an afternoon chill-in out with a few treats and a big bowl of water out by the pool.

As you can see, Mom like to relax by the pool just like me.

What do you think, do I look relaxed?
You bet I am.. I'm Reilly

Meet my humans.. Mom & Dad that is...

2006-10-17T15:10:00.000-04:00

Of the two humans I call Mom & Dad, this one is Mom. She takes real good care of us and always takes us in the car whenever she can.

c

Here's a nice picture of my Dad with my sisters. I would of liked to of been in the picture as well, but they say it was taken before I was born.
Whatever that means....

The Ball of Satan...

2006-10-17T13:54:00.000-04:00

The thing to know about Zoe is that she's not nearly as prissy as she looks. She'll fight you for a toy more so then Marley ever would. And I dare say, there's one toy in particular that she'll go to war over any day of the week. In this house it's considered the Holy Grail of the toy box.
I'm talking of course of the legendary Bumpy Ball.

Or as I like to call it: THE BALL of SATAN

It's Zoe's favorite toy in the whole world and God help any dog who dares come between her and it. It took me months before I managed to even wrap my mouth around one of these babies without getting mauled. Even now I have to treat the Bumpy Ball with extreme reverence whenever I'm anywhere near the thing. Sometimes if she's in a real good mood, she'll let me play around with it for a while. That is until she thinks I've had enough. I guess that's when Satan kicks in.
I'm hopping to get my own for Christmas this year. And if I do, I'm not even going to let her near it.

I swear she's had one of these things in every color in the rainbow.

This is a picture of Zoe when she was even younger then me with one of her first Bumpy Balls.

A note about Marley.

2006-10-17T13:06:00.000-04:00

My sister Marley is your typical girly girl. She loves having her hair brushed and getting all dressed up.
I don't know where she thinks she's going all dressed up, to the prom I guess.
Maybe if she's lucky she might get to go bye-bye in the car with Dad on his way out to get Chinese food.
Whatever...

This however, is not one of her high fashion looks. Unfortunately poor Marley had to go to the hospital recently for a operation on her tail and then had to wear this ridicules thing on her head for almost two weeks. She came through it just fine, but as for her her tail, well, ....that's another story.
.... At least she still has her looks.

It's hard staying clean in a dirty world

2006-10-17T12:43:00.000-04:00

I always feel great right after my bath....

But as much as I love getting a bath, I also love to play in
the dirt.

Reilly's first bath at home...

2006-10-17T11:07:00.000-04:00

Hey... I like this. I like this a lot!

That's Zoe checking to make sure I'm all right.

Marley too wants to know, what the heck is
going on up there.

I'm starting to really like it here...

2006-10-16T10:01:00.000-04:00

It seems Zoe and I are always playing some kind of game

I usually win

Afterwards we all line up for some afternoon treats.

Then Zoe and I like to take a little nap.
Not a bad way to spend a afternoon.

It didn't take me long to make friends.

2006-10-15T23:22:00.000-04:00

So far Marley's been a little stand-offish
but big sister Zoe and I hit it off right from
the begining

As you can see, we're getting along
very nicely

In some ways she's more like a mother
to me then a big sister.
Hopefully that don't sound too wierd.

Checkin out my new digs

2006-10-15T22:28:00.000-04:00

At first it was all a bit overwhelming, it took me a while to find my way around.
This place was big.

Here I am checking out my new bed.

Here I am with Marley. She thinks she's so tough, she thought she could stare me down, I didn't even blink.

Then, just to be nice, I decided to just bite the bullet and
let her check me out.

I was a stranger in a strange land

2006-10-15T11:53:00.000-04:00

Here I was, on my first day in my new home.
I didn't now where the heck I was or what I was suppose to do. Who were these strange people, and just why was I here. As you might expect, I was feeling a little lost.

And who were these other two dogs, and what did they want with me.
It seems they were just as confused as I was. At first they didn't know what to make of me, and I have to say, I wasn't too sure about them either.

It took a little while, almost a day but eventually the other dogs, who they call Marley And Zoe, began to accept me when they finally realized I wasn't going away.
Yea.. I was here to stay, that's for sure, so it was only right they should start treating me like one of the family, which they did.

Funny thing is, I don't think they ever thought I was going to get any bigger then I was.
I really fooled them!

In the begining

2006-10-15T11:31:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of Dad holding me
the day they brought me home.
I was only 9 weeks old.

And here's a picture of Dad holding me
9 Months later.
I'm a Big boy now!