Iron Chef Noodles

Chairman says, "Today's secret ingredient IS . . . NOODLES!"

I LOVE to be in the kitchen working with food. It is my passion - FOOD. I think creatively I am up to the challenge of Iron Chef so I decided to give it a try. I approached some famous Iron Chefs and asked them to give me some advice.

Iron Chef Morimoto - " Noodles-san, first we need to work on your knife skills.
Me - " Uh, but Morimoto-san, I don't have any opposible thumbs . . . or indeed any thumbs at all."
Iron Chef Morimoto - " But knife skills are key to being an Iron Chef."
Me - "Can I just gnaw off little bits and go with it?"
Iron Chef Morimoto - "Where is my agent?"

Iron Chef Bobby Flay - " Hey Noodles. Let's get cooking some Southwestern specials. First, lets dice some onions."
Me - "I can't have onions - they are bad for dogs like me."
Iron Chef Bobby Flay - "Ohhhh-kkay! Then lets move onto the tomatoes and avocados."
Me - "Nope, those are no good for doggies either."
Iron Chef Bobby Flay - "Where is my agent?"

Iron Chef Cat Cora - "Aren't you a cute little doggie?"
Me - "Thanks Iron Chef Cora!!!"
Iron Chef Cat Cora - "Where is my agent?"

Somehow I think I might be better suited to EATING food than MAKING food.

NY- LAH!!!!!!!!

Sometimes a PUG needs to satisfy that little urge to CHEW.
I have tried shoes - which are  yummy but I ALWAYS get in trouble for chewing on them.
I have tried sticks - which are fun and likewise yummy but I ALWAYS get in trouble for chewing on them.

I have tried pillows, couches, and blankets - AGAIN . . . you get the picture, I am sure.
Admittedly I have toys to chew on: my rope, Rocky Raccoon, and Harvey the Rabbit; BUT although tasty chews, they lack something . . . a roughness . . . a challenge . . . a BITE!
So one day when my humans and I were out of town, they bought me a 3 piece NEW PUPPY starter pack of Nylabones.
I chowed the edible one in no time - despite it being rather dense and tough to chew. But I LOVED it nonetheless.
I now have the teether (blue and bumpy) and the clear one both of which I don't know how I existed without. I carry them around, even. And when my Mommy says "Noodles, here's your NY-LAH!" Well, I come running like there is no tomorrow.
So I guess that is the end of my getting in trouble for chewing on shoes, pillows and sticks . . .

Well,ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . .
Not really ;-)

What Do I See?

What am I looking at?

The other day I was perusing my pictures from our fabulous vacation in S. Lake Tahoe and I found this one. Clearly I am focused on SOMETHING! But, what could it be? My memory must be very short if I cannot remember something so riveting that at the time commanded all of my attention. So I decided to make up some stories, just to jog the ol' cranium filler. Here's what I got . . .

Story One
Behind the cabin I spotted this amazing structure! It was tall and spindly and made of metal (it glinted in the sun). I think it may be a casino or shopping mall at Stateline . . . or maybe a really big tower for internet access. It was amazing to see such a majestic monument.
That's an obvious lie. Nothing like the Eiffel Tower exists in S. Lake Tahoe (and hopefully never will).

Story Two
I was getting ready to go on one of the many walks I took while at the cabin when I spied what I thought was a really big dog. It was crossing the main road into the Meadows, its head was down like it was sniffing for food. I had heard there were coyotes in the meadows - could this be one? I stopped in my tracks, contemplating what to do. After all, a pug is just a SNACK for a hungry coyote. Do I run? Do I growl? Do I cry MOMMY?
No, this isn't what I was looking at either. Although my Mommy, while riding her bike, did see a coyote crossing the main road. I was safely in the cabin at the time.

Story Three
I was busying myself while Mommy #1 was loading the car. It was Bye Bye Day and we had to get on the road to home. To keep  out from under foot, Mommy #1 told Mommy #2 she would take me on one last TIRING walk. So she LEASHED me up and off we strode. But wait! What did I see? I stopped, leash straining . . .
What was that being loaded into the car? It was my SOCK MONKEY BED!!!
I was so happy he was going home with us I just stopped and watched Mommy arrange him properly in the car.
Then I came to my senses and went for one last walk through the meadows.

TRUE STORY.
THE END.

My Brain's in a Fog

Cooler weather returned this morning. It was the classic Northern California SF Bay Area weather pattern - a few hot hot days followed by the fog's return.
The Fog.
           The BLESSED FOG.
                                        THANK YOU FOR FOG.

Much to my Mommy #2's dismay, I am a pug more suited for San Bruno (where I am sure all fog originates) than San Jose. I love when the temps hover between 60 and 75. I love the cool bite fog gives to the air. And as much as I love the sun, I don't mind if it plays a little hide and seek now and then.

I realize as a California Girl I should love the toasty warm temps, but when the mercury escalates to 80 degrees and above, I melt. So thank you for that natural air conditioner, Bay Area. This really is the best place on Earth.

Chop Chop

What is that red stick teasing my nose? Chop Chop?

What does this Chop Chop mean, Sensei?

FOOD! I am pretty sure Chop Chop means FOOD.

My human occasionally uses words and phrases that are beyond me. Let's be honest, unless she is saying POTTY, BYE BYE, BAD or FOOD I am not getting it. So the other day she says "Noodles, Bye Bye! Chop Chop!"

Well, what did she mean, I thought? I know my name so she wants me to come to her. Hmmmm - so I ran up to her with the biggest of smiles on my face. I was rewarded with a nice pat on my side and chuckle under my chin.

And Bye Bye was pretty clear when she  grabbed my harness and leash (black leather harness and black leash with white bones on it - That's to answer your question Puglet). And I  LOVES LOVES LOVES me some Bye Bye unless it is too hot like it has been the last few days ( if that's the case just park my fawn bottom in front of the fan, please).

But CHOP CHOP! What???? Is this something I need to bring? Am I in trouble? I wasn't sure how to act so I just sat in the foyer and tilted my head to ask "WHATTHA???"

"Um Noodles, do you WANNA go bye bye or NOT???" My Mommy said sorta angrily.
Yes, I pleaded with my lovely round liquid eyes.
Will that be before or after CHOP CHOP?
And will a treat be involved?

Slippery Noodles

Off the fork the noodles drop

I run down stairs and hop hop hop

They pick me up and I squiggle and squiggle

My owner starts to quietly giggle

Maybe thats why they call me Noodles

I squirm alot and wiggle oodles

Eat Pray Love

I HEAR a lot of talk these days about something called "Eat Pray Love." I don't know much about it, but I know my humans have been to see "IT" whatever "IT" may be.

But I like the sound of the title, it SPEAKS to me in a language I understand.
EAT
E-A-T
EEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT

Hmmmm I can't seem to get past the first part.

What more can I say? When it comes to enjoying food I am all over it!  For me FOOD is the stuff of Eat, Pray and Love.

The rest will just take care of itself.

Got Your Back

My Mommy was is a quiet mood today. No 'splaining it, she just was. I didn't notice at first as I was too busy doing my usual stuff - begging for food . . . grabbing shoes . . . begging for treats . . . throwing my sock monkey . . . begging for food . . .
But Mommy just sat quietly and drank her tea and read the paper. I knew something was up because she also rubbed her head by her eyes.
So I looked up worriedly and asked "What's wrong, Mommy?"
She patted my head and said,
"Nothing Peanut (she sometimes calls me that), I just have a headache."

I looked at her and pondered what I could do to help. I decided to lay at her feet so my fur would snuggle her toes.
"It's okay Mommy, I got your back."
She looked down and me and smiled.
"I know you do and thanks NOODLES."

Beauty Pageant Walk

I have been told I have a BEAUTY PAGEANT WALK. Okay, if truth be told, I generally do this promenade around the yard just before I . . . you know . . . I . . . uh . . . do my bidness. In any case, I have a few tips for all of you to help you perfect this way of presenting yourself AS I DO.

Correct Posture
It is important to show off your good lines and toned muscles. Good posture makes you look elegant and healthy. I think it makes me look a little TALLER as well - something we pint size pugs can improve on. Besides, good posture just makes me look DIVINE!

A Relaxed Gait

Nothing projects confidence more than an easy, relaxed walk. It shows that you practiced and that your walk is more like second nature than a stilted, forced walk. I think it also gives me the essential California Girl free and easy attitude that all the world recognizes. With my blonde highlights, I am ready for the amusement park or the surfside snack shack.

Face the Judges and SMILE

What better way to say I DESERVE THIS ATTENTION than to look the audience and "judges" right in the eye and SMILE? Any of my regular readers out there knows that I am particularly adept at smiling. It is MY THING, for sure. And the end of the runway, as in this picture, I also like to add a little bow, just to add a little humbleness to the portrait I am painting of myself.

That about covers the BEAUTY PAGEANT WALK. I know with enough practice and patience that you too will become as comfortable with it as I am. I am branching out and adding it to my walks and not just when I do my . . . uh . . . bidness.

After all we really are all beauty queens, aren't we. At least that is what MY MOMMY always call me.

AH-CHOO!

I wake up in the morning

And I go AH-CHOO!

I look up an down and all-aroun'

And I go AH-CHOO!

I run to eat 'fore the bowl hits the groun'

And I go AH-CHOO!

I trot outside whether sunny or pouring
And I go AH_CHOO!

Without my quirks I'd be just boring
No! Noodles! Don't muck up my specs

AND I GO AH-CHOO!

Game On!

I have a new game - I call it GAME ON! Basically it goes something like this

My human shouts "NOODLES COME!"

I stand right where I am and look dumb.

My human looks sternly at me and repeats "NOODLES COME!!"

I nod my head OKAY, and trot over the where my human is - ALMOST.

BUT at the last minute I run past as fast as I can, smiling the whole way so they KNOW I am just playing.

Then I stop, turn around, and pretend nothing ever happened.

NOODLES COME, I AM NOT KIDDING!" my human shouts in exasperation.

I take the command crouch (for you yoga enthusiasts, I am speaking of the downward facing dog position, as shown above).

OKAY! THAT IS IT!!! WHEN I CATCH YOU . . . 

So I walk toward my human looking subdued . . . and then I tear away to the left! They lurch left. I tear away to the right. They lurch right. I run back to my starting position, command crouch, dash left and right. . . you get the picture.

HA!HA! Catch me IF you CAN!!!!

Treat Tweet

I am so EXCITED! My Auntie T came home from Tahoe last night.
Well, yes, I am excited about her coming back home - but that is not what I am EXCITED about.
She brought me something special from my Cousin J. She, Cousin J, has a webstore and she sells these YUMMY treats.
You heard me - I said T-R-E-A-T-S.
They are called Wet Noses (http://www.wet-noses.com/) and they are all natural and stuff I could care less about. I like the PUMPKIN. No, I like the PEANUT BUTTER. No, I like the CHEDDAR. Oh, you get the picture. I LIKES THEM ALL!!!!
Now I need to devise a plan for getting as many treats as possible. I can sit, shake, high five and lay. Hmmmm that is only 5 tricks. Maybe I can score a few just for being CUTE!
How could I be so lucky.
Now to think . . .
                   think . . .
                         think . . .

Want Wine with that Whine?

I firmly believe that communication is the key to a healthy relationship. Why waste time with WONDERING what someone wants or needs when there are more direct ways to get the job done.

I prefer WHINING myself. It is direct . . . it clearly expresses my state of mind . . . and it is seriously so irritating that the results are almost instant.

The other day I NEEDED something. And it was IN THE KITCHEN where my human HAPPENED to be standing, cooking. Okay, I admit it, it was what she was COOKING!!! A pug needs what a pug needs and that food was so enticing.

So I began small - with a little whimper. I may as well not even been in the kitchen as she did not react one iota.
So I increased my attack with a small whine . . . then a bigger whine . . . then a little bigger whine . . .
Still no reaction from my human other than a disinterested "Cut it out Noodles."

This required an all out offensive - a loud whine followed by an equally loud YIP! "That is IT!" Shouted my human "You are going to your PEN, NOW!!! I am TIRED of your BEGGING."

So she hustled me off to my pen for a "T-I-M-E O-U-T."

When I emerged 3 minutes later, my food bowl was filled with lettuce.

SCORE!

Get Goin' Already

I love to go Bye-Bye.

I am becoming quite the PRO.

I LOVE to go Bye-Bye.

Just grab my crate and go.

I love TO go Bye-Bye.

Wind in my face and racing through my fur.

I love to GO Bye-Bye.

It doesn't matter where.

I love to go BYE-BYE.

New places, what a sight!

I LOVE TO GO BYE-BYE.

I'm already at the door, all right?

Got it Licked

I have a licking problem.
It's TRUE! I lick everything. I lick the floor . . . I lick the chair . . . I lick the carpet (really ICKS my humans out) . . . I lick pretty much everything I am not chewing. I have been known to do BOTH at the same time, too.

I simply cannot LICK the LICKING problem no matter how hard I try. Why do I do it, you might ask? Well, that is a very good question, I might answer. Maybe it is because I'm a pug? I am always hungry and perhaps sampling different things makes up for not having constant meals? Or maybe I am insecure and licking comforts me?

But maybe it is more than that.

• I lick fuzz because it feels good on my tongue
• I lick the metal on my crate because it is cool to the tongue
• I lick my paw because --

Ahhhh. Who am I fooling. I just like to lick. 

Some Day My Prince Will Come

Just before we went to Lake Tahoe my humans brought home a little gift for me. It was something that was on every PUG blog; and it was something that I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted. It was - the Sock Monkey Bed.

If truth be told, though, I am feeling a little guilty. I went on and on about my love for my SOCK MONKEY toy. He made me so happy and I couldn't bear to be away from him - yadda yadda yadda.

It is just that . . . well . . . my new SM bed is so comfortable to be around. I feel like I have known him forever. And we spent that week in Tahoe together.

I . . .LOVE . . .HIM . . .

and now I'm Leaving Lake Tahoe . . .

Like all good things, our Tahoe adventure had to come to a close. It is bitter sweet for me. I look forward to my OWN yard and my OWN bed. But I will certainly miss the 6 walks a day and the many treats I got when Mommy wasn't looking. I've made a lot of friends and had some wonderful adventures. But lemme tell you about my last day in Tahoe Meadows.

"Get Off The COUCH!" I heard through my  ZZZZZZZZZZ!!!! I looked up all dreamy eyes and wondered who was getting yelled at. It couldn't have been me, could it? "Noodles! Down now!"
But, I am so comfortable. . .  and I look so CUTE, don't you think? . . . I don't recall there being a rule about sitting on the couch . . .
Okay.
I'll get down.

We went on the first of several walks that we would take for the day. The early morning one was my favorite because it was cooler and the meadows smelled especially fresh. Plus a lot of people go out walking or jogging and I got a lot of attention for being the CUTEST PUG in the meadows.

It was a lovely day at the beach! My Reno cousins came over and we had a blast running in the sand and building sand castles. They also brought this great big raft -  something I WANTED to do but was DENIED. I still had fun . . . oh, sorry . . . was that YOUR sand castle I ran through?

In the afternoon, it began to cloud over and it got a little too windy and cool at the beach. So we headed back to the cabin for some chit chat and dinner.Then a FLASH! lit up the room followed by a big big BOOM! so loud it literally shook the walls! This went on for about 20 minutes and then the rain started. As it rained, the flashing and booming slowed down. All that remained was this ridiculously lovely clean smell wafting through the still open windows. AHHHHHHH! I am really going to miss the smells around here.




At long last it was time to go to bed because we had an early morning drive back to the Bay Area. I really had fun in Tahoe and look forward to my next adventure in the Meadows.

Me doing what I did every morning in Tahoe Meadows

Frolicking

Frolic, frolic in the sun

Tahoe Meadows is so fun

 

Frolic, frolic through meadow and trees

Feelin' wonderful happy and free

Frolic, Frolic in the sand

The beach at Lake Tahoe is so grand

 

Frolic, frolic with my gal

Life's so wonderful when shared with a pal