It's A Dog's Life

2009-10-03T00:23:00.000-07:00

I know you're all glad to know that I've been for a ride in the car almost every day. It's the best way for me to survey the diocese and make sure that there's lots of playing going on.

I urge you to play without ceasing. There are so many lovely forms that your playing can take that you're sure to find a way that's just right for you. Besides just running and barking, there's digging holes, jumping, and the specialized ministry of wiggling. Remember to be true to your own path, and wiggle once in awhile, and you'll be fine.

I wish you could all be here to rub my belly and give me treats. But, mainly so that we could all play together.

Your friend,
and the Bishop of Playing,

Rowan

2009-08-26T23:48:00.001-07:00

2009-08-26T00:06:00.001-07:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

As you may know, my guardian and faithful assistant has been gone away from me for awhile. She went to a New city called York which I think is probably a pretty nice place, but not as much fun as the beach.

A'course I was alright without her. I can run this diocese all by myself, after all. But, I am happy that she is back home to pet me and drive me around the diocese in the car. I like the car rides quite a lot.

Today Lindy took me for a ride in the car and we went to The Beach. I was very happy to see a lot of humans there playing and jumping in the water. Also, I want to remind you all of the importance of laughing. It's one of the best things you can do.

So, here are some nice photos of me having my real great day at the beach.

Now get out there and have some fun of your own.

Love,

Rowan
Bishop of Playing

2009-06-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog friends, and Members of the Diocese,

Here are a couple of shots of me doing my important duties in the back yard.

I hope that by seeing me have a real good time doing my job, it will inspire you to have fun at your job too.

Love,

+Rowan

More Great Pictures of Me

2009-06-04T22:32:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've been going places in my car.

In this shot I am sporting my wide-band reflective collar. Lindy likes me to wear it for safety when we're out and about. That's one of the good parts of having a guardian, someone to look out for you.

This is a shot of me at the beach. The water was real clear and the sky was especially high. It was a good day to be outside, I'll tell you what.

Of course, I did quite a lot of running at the beach. When I am real happy like that, it makes me think that God is probably pretty happy too. I like making God happy.

In this one I am running my fastest.

Look, no paws.

I did some exploring too.

Nothing here...

I also made all these birds fly away. I did it all by myself, just because I could. I wonder if the birds like it when I chase them?

After all that, I laid down and took my well-deserved rest.

I hope that you had a good time doing whatever it is that you do. Try to play some everyday, and resting on the beach is important too.

Love,

Rowan

2009-06-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

From the Dog House of Rowan the Dog, Bishop of Playing

To All Creatures:

Grace and treats to you in the name of me and all the Diocese of Playing.

We have taken a break from our important ministries of jumping, running, digging, and barking in order to consider for a moment the very bad behavior of the human bishops in The Episcopal Church.

I bark the truth to you. You know my only desire, besides treats, is to heard you into truth and play. So, listen carefully and we'll just review a couple points of good behavior:

ON THE SUBJECT OF SECRET COMMITTEES:

It is good behavior to have secret committees if you are a secretive type of club like the Klu Klux Klan.

It is not good behavior, and your guardian will be real disappointed, if you have a secret committee and one of your stated organizational values is transparency. The Episcopal Church has always been among the most transparent organizations in the whole human world. To suddenly have a secret committee is a slap in the face of one of its finest attributes. It's a chink in the armor of what has made TEC strong; that is, the ability to scrutinize itself.

It is bad behavior to be on a secret committee.

ON THE SUBJECT OF STUDYING EACH OTHER:

It is bad behavior for humans to study other humans without asking them first. I think that it is real disrespectful and mean when the humans treat each other like experiments. Not even goats are that mean. In fact, in all the animal world it is pretty much unheard of.

Besides, I think the humans could find a more compelling subject. I live with a lesbian and, just to be totally honest, it's not all that interesting. The human's time would be better spent studying molecules of stuff, or trying to figure out what planet those big Humbolt Squid are from.

It is bad behavior to objectify others.

ON THE SUBJECT OF COMMITTEES:

The purpose of committees is to get people to work together for a common good. A lot of times that's what happens, too. Committees are good in that way. But, sometimes, and this is a big problem among the humans, a committee gets set up just so that people can share blame and not do the right thing. It is bad behavior to be on one of those committees.

As an example, the human bishops have been studying human sexuality for about twenty or thirty years. Someone, PLEASE, tell them how to do it already!!! It seems like these bishops are just avoiding having sex because they don't know how to do it. And now they're planning to put it off until 2011. Even sheep don't take that long to figure it out.

And, on a related matter, since the human bishops don't even know how to have sex themselves, they shouldn't try to tell other people how to do it. The human bishops should stop studying sex and just have a try at it themselves. Hopefully, if they can resolve their own sexual issues they will relax a little bit and start being smarter and nicer.

It is bad behavior to talk about things you don't know about.

ON THE SUBJECT OF SEX:

It is good. Sex is good.

There are different ways of doing sex according to what kind of creature you are. Ducks, for example.... eewww. Ducks don't do it like dogs, I'll tell you that. But, because they are ducks, we accept their ways. Same thing with worms whose sexual practices I don't even want to think about. It is important, though, if you are a worm to have sex in the worm way. Otherwise, it won't be a very good experience. Same with all the other animals. Turtles shouldn't try to have sex like horses. It's not good behavior. But, if you're a horse then it's OK. By the same token, lesbians should have sex in the lesbian way. Straighter people, in the straighter way. You get the idea. That's the way it works. And, when everyone has sex in the way that God made for them then all's right with the world.

It is bad behavior to have sex in a way that is not natural for you.

Most all the members of our diocese know these things and are real good players. I know that you take your ministries seriously and do your best to make God feel happy. Of special note, I'd like to point out the fine wiggling ministry that some of you are engaged in. There's also been an increase in the barking ministry for which I know some have been unjustly sent to their kennels. But, take heart dear creatures. All is well in our Guardian's Kingdom. But for the nuisance of these few human bishops we'd already be in glory.

Return to your playing and pray for the human bishops and the poor humans who continue to suffer unjustly from apostolic laziness and stupidity. May they soon forget their silly and evil need to oppress and join us in Playing!

Your bishop and friend,

+Rowan the Dog

PS - If you do find yourself in the very bad position of having set up a secret committee for the purpose of studying other people's sex without telling them, and someone nicely asks you for the names of the people on your secret committee, don't respond by being a paternalistic prick. That is bad behavior.

2009-05-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

I had my guardian run me out to the beach last week for some running and exploring. It was a pretty day and we got a good early start. We like the beach in the morning.

Here is a nice picture of me in the car. You can see that I am wearing my new bandana from The Store for SmartPets. My Aunt Sadie gave it to me. She's nice.

After we got to Surfside Lindy stopped to get some breakfast/lunch and she got some water for me. I would have liked to have some human food too but it didn't happen. Oh well.

There was a big tree log at the beach and I explored it pretty carefully. You can see it in this photo.

It's hard to imagine how a big tree like that can get all the way to Surfside. But, there it is. I tried digging it out but it was too big.

I surly did enjoy all the wonderful smells on the beach, I'll tell you what. And, of course, I want to smell my very best for my guardian. She does so many nice things for me. The least I can do is show my appreciation by smelling nice.

In this shot I am getting some dead fish smell on me. Yummmmm.

You can see lots of other really great shots of me at the beach in the slideshow below. You can see the big tree log too. Lindy asked me to stay near that so that she could always find me and I obeyed her. In fact, not to be bragging or anything, but Lindy said I had perfect obedience all day. She was real proud of me. She said so. Here's the slide show:

And, here is a picture of me on the way home. I like going by to see these cows and horses. I am hoping that some day I can get out of the car and do some, um, "ministry action,"

yeah, that's the ticket, I want to do ministry action with them. And bark at them.

Then at home I just sat in my chair and tried to look good.

I hope you all get to have some fun times wherever you are. Even if you can't go to the beach, try to do something that makes God happy. I'm pretty sure she likes laughing and wiggling.

Love,

Rowan

2009-04-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

That man looks real nice, dosen't he? His name is George. Look how gently he is giving pets. A real soft touch, I'll bet.

And that little puppy is our beautiful Scout. It's hard to believe that Scout was that little once, isn't it? But, things change.

Scout's life changed this week. Her friend George had his last day. That means that he is gone from Earth. The Last Day, I think, is harder on those of us left behind than on the ones who go.

Please say some prayers for Scout and her family so that maybe they won't feel so sad, and that they will have hope in the time when we are all up in Heaven together. You can pray to either Jesus or Mary, or even one of the brighter saints... just someone who will know what Scout and her family need will help them.

Pray especially for the humans. They are so fragile, you know. And they need all the love that God and Dog can muster.

And, while you're down on your nobby human knees, pray for one another. Give thanks for the life that we all share on this Earth, for our connection to one another and to God, and pray that we can all live and play gently like George.

Love,

Rowan

2009-04-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

As you can probably tell from the real great photograph on the left, I am wearing my pretty blue bandanna today. I've had it for a long time and it is pretty soft. Much softer than my newer ones. I like it quite a lot.

In the photos today you will see me near my wood pile. Sometimes the humans come and take some of my wood and burn it. That is a real big help to me since I am trying to get to all the little creatures that live underneath the wood. I know for a fact that there are lizards under there. Maybe other stuff too.

Here is a picture showing how I look when I am on watch for a critter. I am paying real close attention to any sounds or smells. Critters give clues, you know. I have to be very attentive. But, as you can see, I am still wearing my bandanna.

I try to be real faithful in my duties because I know it is an example to my guardian of how to be on the lookout for God. Keep aware, be ready. Stay focused on critters, er, I mean love. And get your ears up. Be sensitive to the slightest movement. And, also, dress as well as you possibly can.

I hope that each one of you has a good and happy day today, and that you are able to concentrate real hard on what is most important to you. Because, if you look real hard, you will find what you are looking for.

And, don't forget to play.

Love,

Rowan

2009-04-01T08:04:00.001-07:00

Today I would like to write to you about some of the problems I face in my role as Bishop of Playing and, in my off-hours, the Dog of Lindy. Also, I am posting this pretty picture of me. Look over on your left to see it. I feel that I look pretty good in that shot.

You may recall that I've been chasing the heretical squirrels with all my might.

May the eternally brave spirit of Saint Laika help me, these little foxes in my garden are just taking all the fun out of being a bishop. It seems like wherever I turn, there's another squirrel. They eat the bird food, monopolize the trees, and make annoying chicking sounds.

In order to protect the diocese I have chased, barked, and given admonitions to them. But, as you can see, all to no avail.

I am including, for your edification, a photo of one of the particularly bad squirrels. This squirrel is notoriously disrupting the unity of the diocese, upsetting the birds, and annoying me too.

As you may well expect of your bishop, I have reached out to these squirrels in inter-species friendship and offered them sanctuary in our diocese if only they will stop eating the bird's food. Like heretics before them, they refused.

Still, hoping to avoid a schism, I have taken the unusual step of asking my guardian to please place some squirrel food in the diocese so that this may entice the squirrels to stop eating the bird's food.

Beginning tomorrow there will be corn cobs placed throughout the back yard for the enjoyment and nutrition of the squirrels. May they then be able to join in with the rest of us animals in the joy of playing.

With much love and affection for all you animals,

+Rowan

2009-03-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog Friends. As you may well imagine, I have been very busy doing my important duties and napping. It seems like there is no end to my responsibilities.

In the area of the backyard, the cheeky squirrel continues to torment me and my guardians with incessant running and jumping from branch to branch. It's as it we are being taunted by our own inability to climb trees and fly through the air. Still, I remain confident that THE Guardian has given me all the resources I need to do my important jobs, and Lindy seems to be pleased with me even though I am mainly Earth bound.

I continue with the hole digging project near the big tree. So far I have four nice holes in which I can stick my whole torso. Two of the holes join one another and I can almost wiggle myself from one hole to the other. Just a little more to go on that.

I recently visited Uncle Rusty's Beach House to see the construction efforts. It looks like I will have completed my hole to China before the beach house is finished. Still, it is slow going after a hurricane and everyone in Surfside is trying to get their houses back in order. Everybody says Surfside is going to be better than ever, even Lindy says so. And you know she's usually more pessimistic about things.

And, finally, here is a picture of me taking a rest with my pillow. Technically, for those of you technically inclined, that chair belongs to Lindy. And I do have to let her sit in it whenever she wants. But, mainly, it's my chair and my pillow. I have taken many good naps curled up here.

I hope you all are doing well with your very important duties. Remember, there are no small jobs, only small dogs. And, after you've done your duties and had a nap, be sure to do some very important playing. It keeps the universe happy.

Love,

Your good friend,

and a good dog,

who has lots of fun,

Rowan

2009-03-02T15:22:00.001-08:00

I spent quite a of of time this morning chewing on this big stick. It tastes like the beach!

My guardian wasted a lot of time balancing it on her index finger and being all self-congratulatory over it. I didn't understand that part. But, when she got bored with it, she gave it to me. All's well then.

As usual I had hoped that I might get to go to the beach today but my driver and guardian spent the whole morning typing on the rectangular thing, and then she went away for awhile. I asked her about it and she said I might have to go for the whole week without going to the beach. A'course that would be real unfortunate. But, for me, the main thing is to have my guardian near. Even if she isn't playing with me, I like being able to look at her. Sometimes I send her dog blessings with my eyes. I know they are getting through because she looks up and smiles at me.

Sometimes, when I am thinking about my guardian, I also think about THE Guardian. I wonder if THE Guardian can tell it when the humans are looking at Her? I wonder if that makes Her feel all happy? Lindy says that you can't tell about stuff like that because you can't understand THE Guardian in human terms. But, to be totally honest, I don't understand anything in human terms. It's because I'm a dog. In strictly canine terms, I think THE Guardian likes the feel of our eyes on Her. I bet she likes it a lot. It might even be as good as liver.

Love,

Rowan

2009-02-25T19:33:00.001-08:00

I thought that all you blog friends might enjoy looking at more great pictures of me at the beach. This is the Surfside Beach. It's closest to where I live and I can get my guardian to take me down there most anytime. It's not as big as Matagorda Beach but I can run just as fast on it.

You can probably tell that I am going real fast in this shot.
See, all paws off the ground, like in flying!

Once again, going real fast.

And, just watching the waves.

Running AND licking my lips. Oh yeah, you can do it.

Doing a little prancing maneuver. Very regal, eh?

And, once again, very fast running.

At first, today, I thought that maybe I wasn't going to get to go to the beach because of, you know, working. With my guardian, I'll tell you what, it's always either working or sleeping. I don't know what I am going to do with her.

But, when I asked her about it, Lindy said, "Silly Rowan... it's my job to listen for God's laughter, and to laugh along. It IS my job to wait for the winds of freedom to open my heart and to shout out prayers of love to God. That's my real job, to see God everywhere and, because of Her, to love everything I see. "

So, I said, "Well, what about the typing?" And she just laughed.

2009-02-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

I thought you all might have a good time looking at this real great photo of me in my back yard.

You can see that I have scattered the leaves all over the yard. Lindy amuses herself by putting them in little piles. But after she's finished, the game is over. So, I spread back them out for her. Once again, just being helpful.

That big rock that I have my paws on has a frog living under it. Lindy is not overly appreciative of my efforts to get it out but I will, one of these days, I will.

There are a couple of cheeky little squirrels around here. One of them makes noises at me and then runs away because it is afraid of me. Not sure why. I'll tell you what, though, I really do wish I could climb up a tree like those little squirrels. I'd jump from limb to limb faster than anything you've ever seen, I sure would. It's not that I don't try, you understand. It's just that it's hard for dogs to get off the ground very much.

Well, that 's the picture of me in the backyard. Maybe I'll get Lindy to take a picture of my house later. I do have my very own house out in the backyard. I don't use it, a'course. Why would I?

Have a great and fun day everyone. I love everyone.

Your good friend,

Rowan

2009-02-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

My good friend Scout got blogged about by her guardian yesterday. There's a picture of her and everything. Scout is a good dog. That's Scout in the photo over there on the left.

Me and my guardian watched the Westminster Kennel Club on Tee Vee tonight. We only watched a little bit of it on account of Lindy having to go do some other stuff. I can't imagine what could have been more important. And, I thought she could at least have left the Tee Vee on for me so I could watch. But, whatever. I curled up in her chair and watched her type instead. Not quite as exciting as the hearding dog competition.

I was wondering, though, which category I could compete in. So, I asked Lindy about it. She was non-committal. Just told me I was the best dog in the world and to go back to sleep. But, clearly, I am not the best dog in the world because I am not on Tee Vee and getting awards and everything. I do have a certificate saying that I am blessed. Ms. Fran and Erica gave me that. And, of course, I still have my golden star that Romeo gave me. Those are real special and I have them both on the wall near my kennel.

But, I have a suspicion that I am not like the dogs on the Westminster Kennel Club Tee Vee show. Lindy said that there should be a category for dogs that give love, another for bishop dogs, and another for dogs that make you laugh. She said I would win all of those, except maybe for bishop which I would like to share with +Clumber and +Airedale. They're my bishop buddies.

Me and Lindy did notice that there was an Airedale dog on the Westminster Kennel Club Tee Vee show. But, it didn't appear to be wearing a miter so I think it was just a regular Airedale, not an actual bishop.

And we saw a French Bulldog too. But, it wasn't even half as pretty as Balboa. Even Lindy said that.

But, back to my existential crises. I don't know where I fit in. There are several breeds that I might be part of. But, only part. Sometimes I wish I were a more better well bred kind of dog. Once I asked Lindy what kind of dog I was and she said "the best kind." But, I didn't see that category on the Westminster Kennel CLub Tee Vee show. I think she just made it up.

These movie star dogs make me feel insecure. I kind of want to growl at them. They are too pretty, too perfect, and too damned well behaved. They make me feel plain and ordinary. Yet, I am fascinated by them. I want to be like them, ribbons and all, pretty fur, and all that fame and glory.

But, tonight, as I was laying on Lindy's good pink blanket, the one I am not really supposed to be on, I thought about the things I do have. Love for one. And my guardian. And I feel so happy when I hear her voice or when she laughs. She thinks I am the best, so why should I care about that fellow on Tee Vee? He's not the one who feeds me.

My plain and ordinary life is pretty good, I'll tell you what. I get to do all my favrite things whenever I want. Pretty much, anyway. I wag and wiggle, bark and run. I have lots of toys and I can jump real high. And my guardian plays with me and talks to me everyday. So, even if I'm not the fanciest dog around, I am probably the most blessed. Except a'course for Scout who gets to play in snow.

Hope you're feeling special and loved, even if you're not on Tee Vee,

Rowan

2009-02-04T20:20:00.001-08:00

Today I had a real fun time playing at the beach. Me and Lindy went down to Surfside, just for a little while. Obviously, I did my job of playing including running, barking, and wagging.

I am just enjoying myself in this shot.

Not really doing anything in this shot. Mainly, just enjoying being myself.

In this shot, LIndy had given me the "Come" command. That means to come a'running.
So I did. You can see that I'm going real fast.

This is one of the birds I played with. Before I got to the beach, they were just loitering on the shore. But, I got them flying high, I'll tell you what.

And this is a shot of me in the car on the way home.

Lindy stopped by to see some friends before we got to the shore, and we had to stop at a store on the way home so she could buy something. It wasn't something for me. That's all I know.

When we got home Lindy told me that I was a good dog and she petted me. I even got an egg on my kibble. That's real special to me.

Later we played with one of my new balls. I am much better and faster than Lindy but I tried to go easy on her.

Me and Lindy sometimes talk about real important things. It's hard for her to understand that the main thing is just to listen for when God laughs and then to laugh along, maybe to jump or wiggle too. I am glad I am a dog because that sort of thing is easy for me. But, for now, I'm off to my bed.

Love,

Rowan

2009-01-29T19:29:00.001-08:00

My guardian took me to Matagorda Beach today. It's a real great place with wide bands of sand for dogs to run on. Also, there are some dead fish out there for dogs to roll on. It's one of the best features of this beach.

Here's a picture of me when we first got to the beach. See, I'm still in the car.

Lindy made me pose for this one.

I made all these birds fly all by myself.

This is a shot of me at the beach doing some running. Also, playing.

This is what I look like when I am running toward Lindy. When I am happy my tongue goes all limpy like that.

This is me wading out in the water.

Sometimes, if Lindy is real nice and drives slowly, I can stand up on the back part of the car like in this shot. I can see and smell just about everything from up here, and it makes me feel important to be up so high. I can only do it if Lindy is driving real carefully which mostly she does not. But today she did.

As you can see, I had a very good and fun day at Matagorda Beach, Lindy picked up some pretty shells and she said she was real proud of my good obedience.

I hope all of you are having fun and playing hard!

Love,

Rowan

2009-01-19T23:36:00.001-08:00

I had a fairly interesting day today. Of course, I had to do all my dog duties including looking out to see that everyone got in some playing today.

After I did my own playing me and Lindy got busy sending out my Christmas cards and putting my great photo magnets in them. Just personally, I did not find this task to be very taxing and I really can't figure out why We didn't do it sooner. It seemed to go by as quickly as a mid-afternoon nap.

Later, we took the cards to a post office. That's where you take stuff to have it delivered to someone else.

Here is a picture of me sitting beside one of the little trucks that gets used in the deliveries. I am pretty sure that this is the truck tht is going to deliver my cards so be on the look out for it.

If you are one of my friends and I have your address, you are getting a card. If I don't have your address, then you're not getting one. But, if you send me your address, I'll send you a card. Well, I will get Lindy to do it.

Anyway, after the post office we visited a place called a river. What a river is is it is kind of like a lake and a gulf except for being called a river. Also, there's more bad critters in a river. I know that's complicated.

Here is a shot of me at the river. Lindy was watching a pelican dive for food but not me. I was watching out for bad critters.

I hope you had an interesting day too.

I love everybody.

Rowan

2009-01-18T19:45:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can see, if you are a'lookin, is that I have even more really great shots of myself at the beach.

In case you don't know, a beach is like a lake only a lot bigger. This particular beach is called The Gulf of Mexico. But, you know what? It's not even in Mexico at all. It's right here in Texas. That's weird, I think. But, one thing that is like Mexico is don't drink the water. It's not good for dogs.

You can really see how big the beach is in this shot. I look good sitting there, don't I?

This is a shot of what I look like when I am running real, real, fast. See, my feet aren't even touching the ground. I'm really flying... really!

More Flying

If you are impressed about Jesus walking on water, well just look at me! I'm running on water.

I am really thankful for my good and fun time of going to the beach. And, best of all, I was with my guardian.

At the end of the day, Lindy put me in my car blanket and she dried me off and told me that I am wonderful. It was such a happy moment. I hope I get to go back to the beach soon.

Love to all,

Rowan

2009-01-17T01:29:00.000-08:00

My Prayer About Grendel

2008-10-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

Dear God and Jesus,

Thanks to you guys for being there to meet us dogs when we finally come home. Help Grendel find the part of Heaven that has gravy in it and make sure please that he gets his golden tail.

Please, God, give licks and cuddles to Grendel's Mom and Da because they are going to be real sad. We all are, God. So, help us not be so sad and to remember that Grendel is in the arms of infinate love and the land of unending gravy.

I love you, God, and Jesus too, and I'll be along when I'm finished down here.

Your good friend,

Rowan

My Poem To Grendel

2008-10-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

My guardian cried,
"Oh my dear, good, God,
this sadness my heart can not abide,
That sweet dog Grendel, misanthrope, has died.

At this, my heart raced,
The news made me pace.
Finally she remembered me
and put on a braver face.

"Oh little Rowan,"
she said with a sigh,
"Grendel's gone bye-bye
He'll live and play now at Jesus' side."

I sat on my chair and thought about this.
I went to my guardian and gave her a kiss.
Grendel's a great dog.
A dog we'll both miss.

Grendel wrote poems
and important things about life...
Like how to love each other a lot,
and not have any strife.

He made us all want to be better (humans too!)
because all he ever said was aboslutely true,
About love and acceptance... that applies to you!

I love you dear Saint Grendel!
And I'll see you real soon.
Just as soon as I finish my job here on Earth,
I'll run up to Heaven as fast as a squirrel!
We'll run, and we'll play, and we'll wag golden tails.
And keep watch over our humans to show them the way.

May you always have fun in Heaven,
and may gravy perpetual fill your bowl.

From your buddy,

Rowan

Rowan Spends Time With his Guardian

2008-08-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday when us dogs were woofing on the internets my good friend Grendel (butt sniffs to you Grendel) told me that it would be nice to know more about The Last Day. So sad to report that one of Grendel’s cat friends recently had her Last Day and so it’s a subject of some importance for Grendel.

I guess it’s only natural for all of us who are breathing to want to know what happens when we stop. Towards this end I held my breath for awhile but nothing happened. That’s how I came to believe that there’s more to The Last Day than stopping breathing. But that bit of information didn’t explain much and I had lots of questions.

First I looked for the answers in my toy box, but there were only toys in there. And I looked for the answers in my bowl, but there was only food in it. Then I went outside and looked for the answers in the pretty stars. The stars did twinkle on me and make me happy, but they didn’t have the answers which eluded me all day either.

Finally, as a last resort, I went to my allknowing guardian. I suppose I could have gone to my guardian first. But, as you all know, I’m an independent boy. I like to think I can do things on my own.

My guardian picked me up and held me close, and she revealed to me the secrets of The Last Day:

“Rowan,” she said, “The Last Day will be the best day of your life.”

I didn’t really believe that because I’ve had some pretty good days. I’ve been to The Ranch, and I’ve been to The Gulf Of Mexico, and I’ve got lots of friends on account of being real popular and everything. But, I put up my big dog ears and kept listening.

My guardian talked in a special kind of voice that made me know that she was going to tell me something real important.

“Listen,” she said, “I want you to use your imagination because The Last Day is going to be so much fun that I can’t describe it as anything except an imaginary place, so different from our own world that I hardly have words for it.”

Now that was surprising for me because my guardian uses words all the time. She knows lots of them.

Then she went on by saying, “On The Last Day you will start to feel tired, and you will long for a good nap with all your heart. You may choose to stretch out in the cool grass, or curl up on your favorite pillow.”

Then I got an idea to say something! “I want to sleep with you,” I said and I jumped up and down and ran some circles around my guardian’s chair. I felt real good about my big idea but my guardian just sat there. Then I got back in my guardian’s lap.

I heard somewhere that if you are spending time with your guardian and you suddenly get all silly and start jumping and running and stuff, it’s OK. Just go right back to your guardian over and over. It’s OK.

So, when I was back in my guardian’s lap she petted me and smiled. I wanted to hear more about The Last Day real bad so I put my head on her shoulder and licked her ear. I was real quiet.

Then she said, “It doesn’t matter where you sleep dear Rowan, as long as you dream. Because you are going to have a wonderful dream.”

I couldn’t wait to hear what the dream was about so I asked, “Oh, what’s it about, please tell me, what’s the dream about?” And I got all wiggly and twisty and begged my guardian to reveal the contents of the dream to me. I wanted to know SO badly. But, my guardian just sat there and smiled. Then I got back in my guardian’s lap.

I think sometimes humans get all twisty and wiggly when they are with their guardians too. If that happens to you, it’s OK. Just get back in your guardian’s lap over and over. It’s alright.*

Then my guardian said, “Imagine you are in the best place you’ve ever been, you feel strong and alert, you are at the top of your game. You might even be running, or just walking along the shore.”

I thought real hard about that and I got an image of me looking real good and running the special way I do when I am happy: step, step, leap, step, step, leap…like that. Also, I imagined myself in my best pose because I do want to look good on The Last Day. And I was rather enjoying thinking about myself when my guardian continued:

“If you look around,” she said, “you will start to see other animals, you will recognize them and maybe even stop to play with them. All your friends from the blog will be there, your fellow canine bishops will be there, and +Maya too. You’ll see Romeo and Buddy. And your human friends will be there too.”

By this time I still didn’t know all that much about The Last Day but I had been in my guardian’s lap for a long time and I was starting to think about treats so, in a real holy kind of voice, I woofed into my guardian’s ear, “How about some treats?” And just to show that I’m a good communicator I ran into the kitchen to make my point. But my guardian just sat there. So, I wandered around the kitchen by myself for a minute and then I went and got back in my guardian’s lap. Again.

My guardian told me that one of the humans I would probably see is a nice fellow by the name of Martin Luther. He’s what Grendel would call a Major Dog Acceptor. Lindy showed me a picture of him once. I think he would be a nice petter. The very special thing about Martin Luther is that he is the one who gives us dogs our little golden tails. ** So, remember that dog friends. If you see Martin Luther be sure to ask him for a golden tail because, well, it would just be so swell to have one! Plus, he will probably pet us!

After that maybe you can see Jesus and, a’course he’s going to be all happy and laughing and everything. Jesus will definitely give us pets, I feel fairly confident of that. And Jesus’ mother will be there to welcome us to Dog Heaven. Saint Roch, Saint Francis, and MadPriest will be there too naturally and they will all play with us. I am sure one of them will have treats.

I was interested quite a lot at this point and my imaginary dream was going along pretty nicely so real quietly I said to my guardian, “You can tell me more, I am here.”

She smiled at me. I like that.

Then my guardian said, “Remember when I asked you to use your imagination?” And I thought real hard. But, it’s hard for me to remember everything she says and I was mainly thinking about treats again. “It’s alright,” she said. What I want you to know is that the dream is your own, it can progress however you want, and on The Last Day the dream will be real.”

Well, obviously, I have a bunch of things to think about. I still have lots of questions. But I am not concerned about The Last Day too much anymore. Like my human friends, I am now totally distracted and have forgotten where my guardian is.

As for The Last Day, until I get all the particulars worked out about all I can say for sure is, See You There.

Love,

Rowan

* "If you did nothing the whole of your hour but bring back your heart patiently and put it near your Lord again, and every time you put it back it turned away again, your hour would be well employed." Francois de Sales

** "Be thou comforted, little dog, Thou too in Resurrection shall have a little golden tail" Martin Luther

I've Been To The Ranch

2008-06-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can see from these real great photos I've been out to The Ranch. It's where my Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Ted live and it's where I go to play.

Of course, I have some duties that I perform when I'm there. If I don't keep a close watch on things the deer and all kinds of other kritters will try to come into our territory. Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Ted really appreciate me doing my duties. But, on this day I was just playing.

These pictures were taken on a special day. It's called Memorial Day and it's the day we remember all the working dogs who have given themselves in service to humanity. It's important to remember those things.

On this day I ran real fast and showed off for the humans. I also swam in the swimming pool and I chased my balls. Aunt Jeanne had special treats for me too! It was a fun day.

I hope you had a fun day on Memorial Day too.

Love,

Rowan

I've Been Elevated

2008-05-27T17:28:00.001-07:00

Archbishop Clumber, a most exalted dog and venerable barker, has graciously elevated Rowan the Dog to the post of Bishop Of Lakes And Playing. Plus, Clumber gave him this real neat red mitre!

In nominating Rowan for this great honor his guardian noted Rowan’s pastoral nature and his ease in creating relationships “person to dog.”

“The calling of a bishop has at its heart a servant leader who is able to maintain the close pastoral ties that are necessary for having fun and playing at the lake. Rowan’s character has been shaped by his obedient submission to the will of his guardian throughout his years of being a dog, which is one step up from ordained ministry. His character reflects the virtues of charity, humility, generosity of spirit, fun, and stability,” she added.

When asked by a reporter following the election what he thought of the outcome, Bishop Rowan said, “I was hoping for treats just like the other nominees. I was excited and humbled and really, really hoping for treats. It is hard to believe in that moment.” He said his first reaction was “to reach over and lick Lindy who is a dear, dear friend and guardian.”

“I have a solid working relationship with Bishop Clumber. He has mentored me and I look forward to a continuation of our shared ministry in this new light,” Bishop Rowan said.

A self-described flaming liberal for Jesus because moderates suck, Bishop Rowan said, “Our work is to grab the vision God has for us and run as fast as we can with it. Then go swimming in the lake. With Jesus Christ, every issue is an opportunity to reach out in ministry to and with all God's creatures, even some persons which may understand themselves to be bi-pedally oriented, even cats. This is our primary mission.

"We take everybody seriously, we don't turn real live human beings into issues. That's mean." Said bishop Rowan. "The world is calling us to find a way to be honest, to articulate a comprehensible faith, and to stop being stupid. That is the hope and the kind of future that we offer."

In consultation with his brother bishops and dogs Bishop Rowan has articulated a pastoral care plan which includes licking and snuggling. "There may also be times when, for extraordinary pastoral situations, it becomes necessary for me to jump or even to bark. I remain open to that," He said.

Bishop Rowan will assume office as soon as he returns from chasing ducks.

Also elected to the office of bishop this week was the human Andy Doyle. You can read about him here and see what kinds of things they say about him.

2008-05-18T18:48:00.001-07:00

Well, as you can see from these real great photos of me I have been a busy boy lately.

I have been doing my important job of guarding the car and taking care of Lindy. When we go to the lake I chase away the ducks and I swim as good as I can with my tail wagging and everything. I've been to see my friends in Georgetown and also my Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Ted at the lake. They are real nice to me. Sometimes Mrs. Elizabeth comes over to see me. She gives good pets, I'll tell you what.

I do try to keep up my appearances by wearing some fashionable shirts and bandannas. My favorite is the bandanna Romeo gave me for Valentine's Day. I look real good in that one.

This is me with my very good friend Mrs. Elizabeth. Technically, Mrs. Elizabeth is sort of Lindy's friend too but mainly she is my friend and she likes to give me pets too. Mrs. Elizabeth is patting me on my back in this shot.

A'course taking care of Lindy is a full-time job. She has to be licked and snuggled. Plus I have to do my tricks for her. But, it's all just a part of being a great dog.

I love everybody!

When Cub Went Home

2008-04-18T08:38:00.001-07:00

This morning my guardian called me over to her desk and up into her lap and she held onto me real tight so I wiggled around and grunted. But, when she gave me some space, I noticed that her face was wet and she looked all sad. I am a dog so I knew what to do and I licked her ear and nuzzled her neck. That sometimes helps humans feel better... simple creatures that they are.

She petted me and said, "Oh Rowan, Cub has died." And she felt sad because it reminded her that someday I will die too and she will miss me a real lot when that happens. I don't care though because I can't wait to get my little golden tail. I'm going to wag it real hard when I get it too. I am.

I felt kind of bad for Lindy but I was thinking, Yay Cub!

This is a photo of Cub on the day that he went to live with his thumb havers. I think they must be real good guardians because Cub was such a good dog. One of them typed for Cub and everything. Pretty nice. That one was called The Typist. That's interesting because Typist sounds like type. Humans are like that.

Cub looks happy in this photo, don't you think? I think Cub knew that he was going to go to a very good home with nice humans to take care of him.

Today Cub went to a new home. It's in Heaven. I wonder if there was someone there to take Cub's photo today. Maybe Saint Roch was there with a camera. And Laika was probably there too because Cub is the kind of dog Laika would want to be friends with.

I bet Saint Roch took a photo of Cub and Jesus. I hope Jesus could stop laughing long enough to do a good pose. Jesus was probably real happy to see Cub. And Mary would be there too because she loves to see her Son be all happy. I think Jesus is the one that gives you your little golden tail so He has to be there. Not sure about that though. It might just happen my magic. Don't know. I hope there's a little ceremony when you get it. I think I would like a ceremony.

It is sometimes hard for me to remember the specifics of Heaven. But, I am learning a few things. The golden tail for one thing. And I know that since it's where I came from it'll feel like going home when I get there. I know that Cub will be there and that it'll be fun. Probably there are ducks that you can chase. I can't imagine that there wouldn't be. It's going to be great.

The only bad thing about Heaven is that it makes guardians sad. I wish they could see how much fun it is for dogs. But... you know... humans. When they finally get to Heaven they will understand too.

Thank you God for being the best guardian ever and for being in Heaven to welcome us dogs back home when we get there. Please give Cub a real nice new tail, golden and all. And make Cub strong and well again. Help Cub's thumb havers to not be sad in their hearts and help The Boy to be good. I love you. From Rowan. Amen.

You can see a more recent photo of Cub here.
Here is a photo of Cub with her family.

2008-04-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

I had my guardian take this quiz to find out what kind of dog personality she has. Turns out she's a Golden Retriever. A laid back and loyal friend. Taking the quiz didn't seem too taxing for her and it's a good way to keep your guardian occupied and out of trouble for a few minutes. Plus, it's just a good way to gain some insight into your guardian's behavior. The human being is such an odd creature we need all the help we can get.

Love,

Even Cats Need Love

2008-04-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

Nicked from Ellie Finley's Child of Illusion Blog.

I wish humans would learn to love ALL the animals, not just the cute ones like me and Scout. Ugly dogs, and even cats, need love too. God made everything, and God loves everything, and since humans are supposed to be like God and everything... Well, I just don't understand why they don't love more. It seems like humans should love more. That's what we dogs think anyway.

Lucky Me...

2008-03-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Because I have so many great blog friends and a couple of them tagged me for this very great meme.

What a meme is -- Well, it's kind of like Granemère Mimi, only instead of using i's you use e's. Otherwise, they are both great blog things.

In my meme I have to take all the letters of my middle name and tell you some fascinating fact about myself based on that letter.

But first I have to give you the rules:

You have to post the rules before you give your answers.
You must list one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name or your mother's maiden name).
At the end of your blog post, you need to tag one person (or blogger of another species) for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged.)

Lindy and I had a big discussion about what my middle name is. At first we thought it was THE because people call me ROWAN THE DOG. But right away neither of us could think of anything very interesting that starts with T. So, I suggested we use my real middle name, Douglas. I am named after Rowan Douglas Williams, you know.

So, here goes:

D - This is the first letter in DOG, which is what I am.
It is also the first letter in Do you want to go outside? Do you want to go in the car? Do you want a treat? Do you want to come up here? and lots of other questions.

O - This is one of the letters in the word fabulous which is also what I am.

U - U are the one who gives me pets and treats and I lick U and wag my tail for U.

G - This is the first letter in Guardian. Guardians are good. They make you to lie down on fluffy beds, they lead you beside interesting places with stuff to bark at, and take you on a good path to get home on. Also, if you get scared, your guardian will protect you so you don't have to be scared of anything. And they make sure that you have a nice place to eat your kibble.

L - This very important letter is for love. This is my main job. For more information see Grendel.

A - A stands for Archbishop. I am not a real archbishop I am just named after one. If I were a real archbishop I would already have made gravy a sacrament and I would make Christians be nicer.

S - S is the first letter in Star. I have a gold star near my chair and it means that I am a good and special dog, worthy of love and pets.

OK. That is all the letters in my middle name. I tag my friend Paul, neighborhood ruffian Romeo, and anyone else who wants to play.

Cub Is In The Newspaper Too!

2008-02-16T19:54:00.000-08:00

My Incredibly Fabulous Wonderful and Very Good Day!

2008-02-16T04:48:00.000-08:00

This has been the very best Valentine's Day EVER!
Here's why:

A - Scout said she would be my valentine.

B - I got an award... From Scout!

C - I protested against a human.

D - I got my picture in the paper... scroll down to "Photo Of The Day."

PLUS, the whole time I was wearing my Valentine's Day Bandanna that Romeo gave me and later I got to wear my blue coat too. So, not only did I have an incredibly fabulous wonderful and very good day, I looked good too!

I hope you had a great day too.

Love,

2008-02-16T04:18:00.001-08:00

Me and Lindy believe that it is important to woof out about bad politicians and their presidential ass kissing and that is why we went to a demonstration today to say that we are against this human named US Senator John Cornyn. He's real bad.

US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson is real bad too but I guess that demonstration will be some other time.

This is a picture of me when I first got to the demonstration. It was raining so, of course, I wore my new blue raincoat with contrasting glow-in-the-dark stripes. I am also wearing a very great bandanna that my friend Romeo gave me for Valentine's Day. Overall, I feel that I looked very good today.

These are some of the other great dogs who came out to protest "CornDog Cornyn." Of course WE aren't CornDogs... we are GOOD dogs!

My own behavior was kind of questionable because sometimes I like growling and barking. Not all of the other dogs appreciated that.

I did try real hard to be a good dog but several times Lindy had to take me aside and lay down the paw with me. It's just so hard to be good.

In this photo I am posing beside one of the signs that says that John Cornyn is a lap dog of the president. A female lap dog...if you know what I mean.

So, just to recap. I looked very good in my sporty new coat and bandanna, John Cornyn is a bad human, and it's important to show up and woof whenever there's injustice and/or stupidity.

I Got An Award

2008-02-16T03:38:00.002-08:00

And,best of all, this very great award is from my amazingly wonderful Valentine, Scout!

Thank you Scout! You're real pretty and I woof you!

Scout is so cool that she can actually play in snow. Now, that's valentine worthy, I'll tell you what.

I hope you have a swell valentine like me and that maybe you even get an award too!

Love,

Scout Is My Valentine

2008-02-16T03:26:00.000-08:00

2008-02-16T02:59:00.000-08:00

Last week I met a couple of real nice dogs at the lake. I forgot their names but they were a lot of fun to play with.

You can see that they are pretty big dogs. Bigger than me,anyway. But, you need not worry about your old pal Rowan. I can hold my own with the big dogs.

My big dog friends are good swimmers. Probably even as good as me. But, I don't think they can climb trees.

I hope you made some nice new friends this week. Having friends is fun.

Love,

2008-02-11T18:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the anniversary of the the very best day of my life. It was the day I got adopted by Lindy, of course. I'll never forget the day she came to the shelter to get me and take me to my forever home. She had a real nice collar and a matching leash and I couldn't believe what a lucky boy I was when Lindy put that pretty collar on me. Ever since Lindy rescued me I've done my best to take real good care of her and to make her laugh. Lindy said we didn't really have time to celebrate today but I did get an egg on my kibble and Lindy brought me some chicken chip snacks from HEB which is where you get snacks from. Lindy said that maybe later we can invite the boys from the neighborhood over for some treats. I hope she does that. We like treats. Well, I just wanted you all to know about my very special and important day.

Love,

2008-02-03T00:11:00.000-08:00

I met some interesting fellows this afternoon when I was at the store for SmartPets. They are real nice guys, kind of floppy, but loads of fun. I just know you'd like them too.

These new friends of mine need to find a home real bad. I remember what it was like before I came here to live with Lindy and take care of her. I did have it pretty good at the shelter and I'm awful thankful for all the food and love I got while I was there. But, my life really took off after I got my forever home. That's why I want to do everything I can to help these dogs. They need a forever home too, and I just know that they will make good friends to someone who needs a dog.

These are a special kind of dog called Basset Hounds. See their big long ears? They help these dogs gather smells so that they can smell even more things than most other dogs. Even more than me.

If you need a good dog in your home I hope you will think about taking one of these nice dogs. You can go to the website or call them on the human telephone at 512/218-8883.

If you go to the website, you can read all kinds of information about how to adopt or foster a Bassett Hound and even see more great photos.

Thanks for helping me find forever homes for these fellow dogs.

Love,

2008-02-02T22:43:00.000-08:00

You will never in a million dog years guess who I saw at the store for Smart
Pets. Well, if you guessed Sherman The Tank the famous rabbit you could. That's right! I looked up and Sherman was right there in front of me. He couldn't give an autograph or anything on account of having paws and not knowing how to write. (Bunnies are not as smart as you might have heard.) But, he did let me sniff his ear. Sherman is a real swell fellow and he was easy to hang out with. Just a regular bunny.

I hope that you get to hang out with a celebrity bunny sometime because it really is fun.

Love,

Guarding the Car

2008-02-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of real great photos of me doing my very important duty of guarding the car. And what do you think my guardian was doing while I was working so hard? She was eating Greek food. Do you think she brought me so much as a piece of arni? No, she did not. But, I guarded the car real good anyway.

I am wearing a real great golf shirt that SantaPaws brought me for Christmas. It's bright green and it feels as soft as belly fur. Those bold stripes are blue like the collar. And there's a monogram on the collar too. Fancy.

The big pay off for all my hard work is that my very good friend Ms. Elizabeth came out and gave me some nice pets. Ms. Elizabeth really is a good petter and she lets me kiss her right on the cheek too. I like her a lot.

I hope you have a fun time and get to give your friends a nice kiss too!

Love,

Expert Dogs Agree... Naked is Better

2008-02-02T02:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I had a pretty good week, I’ll tell you what. I got to go to a new lake called Festival Beach. Though, they weren’t having a festival when we were there. I barked at some swans and they kind of barked back. I think they are scared of me. Or, maybe I am scared of them. Figuring out that part can be confusing. But, if Lindy had brought along my camera you could see some swell photos of me barking at them. As it is, you’ll just have to take my woof for it.

I did a lot of car guarding. Lindy has been very busy with some human-types of activities which don’t necessarily involve me. It’s OK. I do stuff without her all the time.

I also went back to the place with all the mud. This time Lindy took off my pretty clothes before I ran in the mud. Naked mud running really is superior to running in the mud with your clothes on…. Just in case you ever need to know.

I hope you had a good week too!

Love,

2008-01-26T18:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I had a real good and fun day today, I'll tell you what. Me and my guardian went to Town Lake for some good times of throwing the ball and me chasing it. I also jumped real high a couple of times, and I climbed up real high in a tree too. I was actually going for a squirrel but it got away. Sometimes it happens.

This is a photo of me waiting patiently for Lindy to take me to the park. You can see that I'm already ready to go.

These are some great shots of me with my ball. Lindy throws it and I run until I get it. Then, I take it back to Lindy and she throws it again.

And here are some other shots of me on my great and fun day:

This is a shot of me sitting on a tree that fell down. It was a nice place to stop and rest. I feel that I look good in this shot.

Lindy told me that I have very good concentration on account of me looking only at the ball and never looking at anything else. I do keep my big brown eyes on the prize, that's for sure.

At one point Lindy looked up towards the sky, which is where The Guardian lives, and she said, "O that I might have such devotion as this little dog." I am glad that Lindy knows that I am trying, trying with all my dog might, to point her to The Guardian. It's hard doing missionary work among the humans, though. They are not as suited to divinity as the rest of creation. I don't know why. It's just hard for them.

This is me on the tree again. I drove on that road that you see in the background. Really.

This is a picture that shows how I hang my very long tongue out of my mouth to help me cool off. It actually works pretty good too.

On the way home I told Lindy she could stop at the Half-Price Book Store. It's her birthday next week and I knew she would want some nice books. It's the least I could do.

Anyway, she got a couple of nice books and a real tasty treat for me too!

Here's a picture of me at the Half-Price Book Store.
They have treats for humans and for dogs but dogs are not allowed to go inside of it. Not sure why.

These are photos of me on my way home from all my good times and everything.

In this photo you can see the town where I live. It's called Austin. And I go there all the time with Lindy. The building we live in is a lot shorter than the ones you see there in the DOWN town. Me and Lindy don't live DOWN town. We just live in the regular town.

In this one I am just enjoying being in the car and relaxing after a hard day of running and playing with Lindy. You can see that Lindy took the top down for me so that I could feel of the wind blowing through my big ears. She's nice like that.

You probably noticed that I am not wearing my new coat in these pictures. It was too hot today. Over 70 human degrees! But, I did wear my good looking gay pride bandana. Of course, as a gay dog I don't have to contend with discrimination. Dogs, pigs, even cats, are smart enough to know that discrimination based on one's sexual orientation is despicable and against God's law. Only humans engage in such nonsense and I think THE Guardian is probably not too happy with them about it either. Humans would be much happier, and probably have less wars and stuff, if they would each just be what they were created to be and stop worrying so much about what kinds of sins other humans are doing. That's what I think anyway and I AM a pretty smart dog, I'll tell you what.

I hope that you had a big fun day and that if it's not cold enough for a pretty coat you at least get to wear your gay pride bandana.

Love,

2008-01-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

As you can probably imagine I've been wearing my new coat every chance I get. It makes me feel even more handsome than I really am.

In this photo I am waiting in the car at Starbucks, in my new coat of course. And my very good human friend Ms. Elizabeth came over to give me a pet. It kind of looks like she is chocking me but she's not. It's a pet.

I hope that you get lots of pets from your friends too.

Love,

2008-01-16T14:20:00.000-08:00

I want to show everyone my new coat. It's blue and those two yellow stripes glow in the dark so that Lindy can always find me, even if it's dark. Nice, huh? Plus, if it's raining, I won't get my pretty fur wet because it's a raincoat on the outside. On the inside is flannel which is a kind of material especially for keeping dogs warm. You can see that I look real good in it too.

Lindy took me to the lake today. There wasn't very much water in the lake so I just chased some birds and got to run in the mud which was a little scary. I did manage to get out of it though. You can see my muddy paws in this picture.

In these next two shots I am getting cuddled by Lindy in my car towel. Lindy says that the towel is really just an old bed sheet but it is still real special for me because it's what I snuggle in.

You can see a little bit of Lindy in this one. She's a real good guardian. I'll bet not every guardian can take pictures of herself.

So, that's it for my big day. I hope you all had a fun day too and that your lake is full.

Love,

2008-01-12T13:22:00.001-08:00

The Recipe For Rowan The Dog

3 parts Running
2 parts Climbing Trees
4 Parts Adventure
5 Parts Doing Things For Lindy
6 Parts Napping
1 part Blogging
100 Percent Love

Splash of Giddiness

Sip slowly on the beach

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

I Got Tagged By Grandmère Mimi

2008-01-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

Yea! I got tagged by a human which, as you probably know, is a real big deal for us dogs. I feel so proud and happy that I have human friends who are interested in my dog life. Plus, Grandmère Mimi is real famous in the blog world so that makes it even more special.

So, here goes:

Grandmère Mimi who is a very nice human tagged me.

- Link to the person that tagged you. (done)
- Post the rules on your blog. (done)
- Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (done)
- Tag six people and at the end of your post, link to their blogs. (done)
- Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I like the way that sunshine feels on my fur.

2. When Lindy reads to me, I don't really listen. Especially if it's poetry.

3. I like dog food pretty well. But, I would really prefer it if I could eat just treats.

4. I chew the fur on my tail. I mean, I chew it OFF even though I know Lindy wishes I wouldn't.

5. One of my favorite hobbies is going through Lindy's trash because sometimes there is a little treat inside. I do this even though I know Lindy wishes I wouldn't.

6. I can lick my own weiner. Again, Lindy wishes I wouldn't.

I tag Scout, Cub, Balboa, Maggie, Our Lady of the Gravy and Poet Laureate Grendel, (not sure about tagging humans, but I'll do it) Doxy.

My tagged friends, do this only if you really, really want to do it. Whatever.

2007-12-30T13:09:00.001-08:00

These are a couple of real great photos showing me doing some of my work. One of my main jobs is when Lindy leaves the car, I am in total charge of it. It's a very responsible job and I have to be on high alert during it, unless I take a nap. You can see that I am a little dozy in the top shot. Lindy doesn't mind when I nap... as long as I keep the car protected.

I hope that your job is going along real good, like mine. And I hope you get to take naps too!

Love,

2007-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

Scout has a blog! I've got to tell you, this is a dream come true for all us dogs. We've been wanting to know what's going on in that furry head for a long time now.

Finally, Scout's great thoughts can be revealed to all us dogs in the blog world. Woof on over and take a look: Scout's Food For Thought . It's food for thought, Grendel... no gravy, just lots of thoughts. This should be a help to those of us who are trying to think but sometimes find it challenging. I know Scout will be able to help us.

I hope you all enjoy going on over to see my good friend Scout and that you get some food to help your thinking.

Love,

2007-12-29T23:20:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy lately just doing work with Lindy, and swimming in the lake, and chasing ducks, plus all the other little jobs that us dogs have to do, that I've hardly had time to blog.

Sometimes,when Lindy goes out without me, I just lay around on the couch. Like this:

I have dreams about running and jumping real high. Sometimes I just lay there and think of things I can do to make my guardian happy. I like going in the car but this down time is important for me too.

I hope you have time for dreaming.

Love,

Grendel Did It Again

2007-12-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

As most of you know already, Grendel is the official poet laureate of It's A Dog's Life. I felt really happy when Grendel agreed to be an official part of my blog, I'll tell you what. It's a real honor for me. But, I never knew just how brilliant a misanthropic dog could be.

Once again Grendel presents us with a great poem...

My Friend Rowan's Free at Last
All the Quarantine is Past
Now we all will Have a Blast
Quarantine is Over.

Rowan's free to Come and Go
In the Rain and in the Snow
He can Play with Romeo!
Quarantine is Over.

His Mom Lindy's awfully glad
Being Cooped Up's awfully Bad
Worstest Time they Ever Had
But Quarantine is Over!

Let the Doggy Revels Start!
Let all Dogs of Stalwart Heart
Gather Now and Never Part
Quarantine is Over!

2007-12-24T22:15:00.001-08:00

I had a very fun day today of going to the lake and hanging out with my guardian. Here are about... well, quite a lot of really great photos of me:

Do you like how Lindy made it real big for you? She's clever like that.

I hope you had a good time on your day too!

Love,

Rowan

2007-12-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Last might my guardian pulled me up close to her in the chair and in a very serious tone she said, "Look little buddy, I have some news that might disappoint you," and I put up my ears because I couldn't imagine what might be next. Then she told me the very bad news that my church is not having a blessing for dogs this year and nobody dressed up like Jesus is going to come out and give me a treat and say a prayer about how good I am.

This is pretty bad news, I'll tell you what. I mean, I just wanted my blessing that's all. Is that asking so much? I was pretty disappointed...

Then I saw this:

My very good pal, Paul, sent me this very special blog blessing. It is just for good dogs like me! I got up in my desk chair, which is right beside Lindy's, and she and I looked at it together. She read some real swell things that Paul said about me. I'll tell you what, I felt so good about that that I started wiggling all over and Lindy had to give me a treat to calm me down.

So, this is one of those pass-along blessings and I want to pass it on to some of my very swell friends:

Ms. Elizabeth, who has a dog but not a blog, because she takes care of my guardian even when I can't.

Scout because she has overcome a lot this year and yet she is still smiling. Plus, she's just so pretty.

Romeo because he came to see me on all my days of unfortunate quarantinement and cheered me up by getting his guardian to hold him up to the window so we could bark at each other. You know, you don't really know who your real friends are until you're in quarantine. Thanks Romeo.

I am such a blessed little dog, I'll tell you what. There are a lot of others, humans and dogs, I want to bless because of them coming over to my blog and saying how great I am and everything. I love you all and I hope you gets lots of toys and treats for Christmas and that all your dreams come true.

Love,

My First Morning After Quarantene

2007-12-20T15:43:00.001-08:00

Most of you are aware of my recent unfortunate quarantinement because of the rabid bat and everything. Well, here are some shots from my very first morning off quarantinement.

As you can see my good buddy Romeo came over to see me. He is wearing a very stylish sweater because it is cold out and probably because he want to look cool. Romeo keeps us neighborhood boys in line, that's for sure. He doesn't need a sweater to get our respect. -- Note the tough guy swagger.

Here is a shot of me getting some pets from Romeo's guardian. Her name is Aimee and she gives good pets. Aimee was dressed up like a Jenie on account of her head fur being a little bit out of place or something. I think she looks pretty as a Jenie. She didn't do any tricks though.

In this last shot my guardian is giving some pets to Romeo. I don't think Lindy is too proud of the way her head fur looks either but she did not dress up like a Jenie.

I hope you all enjoyed seeing what I did during the very first hours of my freedom.

Love,

Some Swell Photos of Me

2007-12-18T16:08:00.001-08:00

I was finally able to upload these great shots of me in the car on my way to the dog food store. I don't really know why I couldn't do this yesterday. Confidentially, I think it might have had something to do with Lindy. I wouldn't want to say anything, or anything. She IS my guardian and everything and I really do love her a whole lot. But, she's not the best assistant I could imagine for myself.

This is one of the many times I had to wait for Lindy to return from doing something which seemed to her to be more important than getting ice cream. She really needs to work on her priorities.

This is a shot of me licking my lips because I am thinking about getting some ice cream. That blue thing belongs to me. It's mine.

OK. In this great shot we are in line at the Dairy Queen. That's the name of the dog food store.

And in this very swell photo I finally have my ice cream. It's real great, I'll tell you what. Just heed my warning about letting your guardian get in the bad habit of thinking that they can eat your ice cream. They can be SO demanding sometimes.

That's it for now. I love you all and I hope you all get some ice cream.... Well, gravy for Grendel.

Love,

2007-12-16T15:12:00.001-08:00

I really do want to post some pretty pictures showing me having fun on my big adventures. I am trying real hard to do it. I even got Lindy to help me. But, we are having a hard time making our computer work the way we want it to. Even Lindy doesn't know what's wrong with it.

I am sorry because I know you would like to see pictures of how great I look when I am eating ice cream, riding in the car, and chasing things. It's too bad that we can't get the picture widget to work properly. I will try again soon though.

In the meantime, keep wagging those little golden tails.

Love,

I'm a Going To Heaven

2007-12-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

When humans think of Martin Luther, they usually think one of two things. Either they think he was a great civil rights leader of the 1960’s, which is totally incorrect but that’s what they think. Or, they think he was a human who had something to do with the reformation of the Roman Catholic Church, which is also incorrect since the Roman Catholic Church remains unreformed as ever. That’s just how humans think.

Now if you ask a dog about Martin Luther, here’s what we will tell you. He gave table scraps. That’s the main thing. Unlike a lot of so-called theologians, Martin actually had a dog. This is very surprising but sometimes humans who don’t even have a dog will try to understand God. Of course, all things are possible. Only believe, and all. But, it’s not likely that a human will get very far with God unless they are traveling along with a dog.

So, a couple of days ago my otherwise brilliant guardian found this very important theological quote from Martin Luther and she was SO surprised:

Be thou comforted, little dog, Thou too in Resurrection shall have a little golden tail.

And after that she took to looking down at me from high atop her two bi-pedal legs and saying, “Thou too, O Rowan, shall have a little golden tail.” It’s very annoying.

Look, it’s not that we dogs are or aren’t going to Heaven. Going somewhere in the future is a foreign concept to us. What it is, you see, is that we are already there. All that already but not yet business is a human invention. And, to be fair, I think it works out pretty good for the humans. Not for dogs. We live in the resurrection because we don’t have “not yet.” It’s always the present for us. That’s why we can love you even when you neglect us and don’t take us in the car with you. Really. So, for dogs, we’re not going to Heaven. We’re already there! And, just so all you humans know, my tail is already quite golden as is the rest of my body… If only you had eyes to see my vast fabulousness.

The main reason that humans have trouble with this is that they like to feel special. And, they do have dominion which in general they exercise very poorly but, still, they do have it. But, the other way they make themselves feel special is by dividing things up and putting them into categories. Thus, all created order becomes animals, vegetables, minerals, etc… The vastness of interstellar space becomes stars, quadrants, comets, etc… The rolling mother ocean is made up of sand, starfish, squid, stingrays… and that’s just in the esses! It’s a human gift. If you want to call it that. They especially do this with people. In fact, it is the main human enterprise, just keeping all the people in their places.

But they also do it with things they don’t understand. So, when confronted with the overwhelming and glittery beauty of the spirit, they divided it up into manageable little pieces and gave the pieces Greek sounding names like nous and stuff. It helps them. One of the little pieces they invented, and it is a human invention not something either God or dogs did, is psyche. It’s thought -- by humans at least -- to be a little bit above what they think of as “mere” plants but not quite as evolved as nous. Oh, the high (and may I just sarcastically say human) nature of nous… it’s all just human silliness.

There was this one guy, he was named Gregory I think. He didn’t have a dog. He said that you had to have language to have nous, and you had to have nous to be able to know God. Since only humans have the particular kind of language Greg was talking about, he thought that only humans could go to Heaven. Isn’t that silly? I hope he is one of the five people I meet in Heaven, I’ll tell you what.

Just for clarity, in case you humans aren’t getting it. There is one Spirit. It is God. It is the only thing that gives any kind of life to any of us. We all return to it. Dogs AND humans. Cats too, I imagine. Yes, even cats.

Of course there does come a time when we have to leave our human guardians and go to be directly with Jesus and the other dogs. I think that is very hard for the humans because they are just so unreasonably attached to their bodies. But, for dogs, it’s no big deal. Like taking a nap and having a real good dream.

This is going to sound unbelievable to those of you who know how great I am. But, when I get to Heaven I am going to be able to run even faster, jump even higher, and swim and climb even more gracefully than I do now. Plus, probably Jesus will want to play with me all the time and he will have fights with Elijah who will want to take me for rides in his chariot… top down, of course. Jesus’ mother will probably come over with some treats for me. That’ll be great, I’ll tell you what. Probably Martin Luther will be there with his little dog Clownie. Maybe I’ll hang out with them while I wait for Lindy. I’ll give Martin a lick and see if he laughs. I bet he will. Obviously Saint Roch will be there and maybe some other saints too. Laika is there already, of course. It’s going to be great.

So now that you know how humans got into the very bad habit of thinking that they were going to be the only ones living resurrected lives you should be able to disabuse yourselves of such silliness.

I mean, think about it, do you really think God would have called it Heaven if there weren’t going to be dogs?

I love you all and am wagging my little golden tail real hard.

Are YOU As Misanthropic as Grendel?

2007-11-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

My guardian just took this quiz which proves for all time that she is exactly 76% misanthropic.

You Are 76% Misanthropic

Here's the truth: Most people suck. You are just lucky enough to know it.
You're not ready to go live alone in a cave - but you're getting there.

How Misanthropic Are You?

I just wonder... is that as misanthropic as Grendel?

Just so you know, that's not a real picture of my guardian up there. My guardian is MUCH prettier than that. Much. Blogs don't lie.

I Got tagged By a Human!

2007-11-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

Yea! I’ve been tagged!

Scout’s guardian, the very swell Diane, has tagged me to participate in a special thing called Ten Random Things About Me! So, here they are. And, just to be a rule follower, I’ve put them in random order.

I am an excellent climber of trees. A lot of dogs can’t climb trees at all and I feel very proud of the fact that I can.

My favorite treat is Bil-Jak. I will do ANYthing to get one.

I still jump up on the kitchen counter when Lindy is not around. Don’t tell, OK?

I like to make my guardian giggle.

Even though my guardian is an Anglican, I am a Methodist. They have better treats.

There are three girl dogs that I have a dog crush on, and I think they like me too.

I am scared to ride in the kayak. There’s something unnatural about being in the water and not getting wet. The dog gods don’t like it.

I put my pee in places that will give me and my guardian the most dominant position in the neighborhood. Lindy has very little sense of appreciation for my efforts but I know what’s best for us.

Buddy the cat scares me. So does the vacuum cleaner.

My best skill is napping.

OK. I tag Misty, Balboa, Romeo, Maggie and Poppy the little tiny dog.

You can read Romeo's answers HERE. They made my guradian laugh.

My Interview With Maggie

2007-11-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I have asked to be interviewed by the very cool dog, Maggie.

Maggie has a human named Kate who helps out with the typing and I would imagine some other light administrative work… just regular support staff stuff. It is so very important for active dogs like me and Maggie to have good support staff. I don’t know how I ever managed back before I got adopted.

Maggie’s questions are in green -- same color as grass -- and my answers are in the regular black color.

1. I see that one of your main things is making Lindy laugh. What have you found are the best ways to do that? (I see it is not your recent efforts on the counters, tough luck, that sounded fun!)

Yeah… I was into that counter surfing, I’ll tell you what. Too bad that didn’t work out.

Lindy laughs quite a lot for a human. But, my favorite is called giggling and I can make her do that by licking behind her ear in a special place. Lindy like for me to wake her up this way. Oh, she acts like she doesn’t like it. But, it’s an act because she always winds up giggling in the end.

2. So how do you like being named after that bishop anyway? Do you share any theological or other important thoughts with him?

As you probably know, Maggie, Rowan Cantur has turned out to be kind of a disappointment.

It’s hard to say how our theology compares because Cantur’s keeps changing. But, basically:

I think Cantur is in favor of having some people be better than other people. I am not for that.

Cantur likes the idea of making people all agree to some things called a covenant and making that a kind of litmus test to see if you can be in his special club. I am not for that either.

When Cantur has a party at Lambeth Palace he only invites the bishops he likes. I would invite all the bishops. That’s just the kind of dog I am.

When mean bishops from Africa try to start legislation in their countries that would make it illegal even to have lunch with a gay person in public, Cantur supports that. I do not

Cantur remains silent in the face of injustice, famine, war and other bad human things. I do not and neither does my guardian.

Cantur lets only a few of his favorite people define what it means to be an Anglican for the rest of the Anglicans. Dogs don’t do that. We don’t try to define dogginess because that would necessitate some dogs not being dogs anymore. That kind of thing is not known in the animal kingdom. Even cats and pigs do not engage in such bad behavior.

Cantur has more fur than me. Just so you know.

I do, however, like the ABC’s books. So does Lindy. Lindy likes his books because he is able to draw so widely, and yet write in a way that is totally accessible and fun for her. I like them because they keep Lindy busy and free me up for napping and bird watching.

We both wish that Rowan Cantur would leave Canterbury and go back to some academic institution and use his real gifts of teaching and writing.

I think he would be happier if he had a good dog. A dog could lick him and make him laugh. It could save the communion, I'll tell you what.

3. I read about how you were a hero with the bat. Other than the Big Lock Up, has this changed your life in any way? Like do you think you are a Finer and More Wonderful Dog Than Ever? (I confess that I think I might if I saved revdrkate from a bat!)

Well, Maggie, I’ll tell you what, sometimes I wonder. I mean, I don’t get to go to work, climb trees, swim, sniff of my dog friends, chase cats, or have friends over. I am starting to think that I am a very bad dog indeed. Otherwise, why would I get kicked out of doing all my favorite things with all my good and swell friends?

I was so distressed that I started chewing on my tail. It helps with the feelings of rejection and of not being wanted. This morning Lindy noticed some sores on my tail and we sat down and had a talk. She told me that chewing on your tail is a normal reaction for stress. Only if you are a dog, of course. Don’t let your human do it! And she told me that this exile won’t go on forever. But, how long? Oh, how long?

I did feel a little bit better after talking to Lindy. And she gave me some good pets all over including my belly. I like the belly pets.

I hope that someday I feel like a Finer and More Wonderful Dog again. I used to feel that way all the time. There was a human named Mother Teresa who, despite not even having a dog herself, said that not being wanted is one of the worst things that can happed to a human. It’s not so good for dogs either.

Thank God Lindy still loves me.

4. What is the first thing you are going to do when the quarantine is over?

Well, first, I want to go to my Aunt Jeanna and Uncle Ted’s and run as fast as I can, climb some trees, swim, and jump real high. And, as an added bonus for Aunt Jeanna, I am going to chase away all the pesky deer and squirrels. I love doing that and I know she really appreciates it too.

On the way home, I am going to woof to Lindy to take me to the Dairy Queen where they have a special kind of dog food called ice cream.

Then I guess I’ll take a nap. I just want things to go back to normal. I want to go to work, kiss my friends, and NOT wear the muzzle.

5. This was a good question that Tipper asked me, how do you like to start and end your day?

I start and end my day with prayer. Sometimes I stretch pray, sometimes I run and jump pray, sometimes I snuggle pray. It’s all prayer.

Thanks for these great questions Maggie. I had fun being interviewed by you.

Your friend,

Rowan

Now here are the rules of the interview:

1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave a comment here on my mom's blog saying, 'interview me.'
2. I will respond by posting five questions for you. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post with your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

If any of you dogs, cats, humans, or others want to be interviewed just contact my guardian. It would be my honor and pleasure to woof some questions over to you.

Saint Laika Pray For Us

2007-11-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

Laika is shown here in her flight harness.

Today the Most Holy and Blessed Order of OCICBW observed the feast day of Saint Laika of Blessed Memory, our patron.

Like many of us Saint Laika was of dubious parentage and clearly not a dog destined for greatness according to the ways of the human world. She never won a dog contest or pulled anyone from a burning building. There were no made-for-TV movies. But Laika's broad, furry shoulders turned out to be high enough to allow a generation of humans to to reach the stars.

Laika teaches us that greatness lurks in unlikely hearts, that you don't have to come from a good family to be a good dog, and that there is no greater love than to give your life for your guardian.

Even though I am not a real saint, I am a dog, I still hope that I can be brave and selfless like Laika.

Hail blessed Laika, bless all us dogs and make us brave like you. WOOF!

Laika was a Russian space dog which became the first recorded living creature from Earth to enter orbit. At one time a stray wandering the streets of Moscow, she was selected from an animal shelter.

2007-10-25T16:45:00.001-07:00

Earlier I showed you a photo of my new special place from the inside. This is what I look like from the outside
You can see that Lindy hung up my golden star so that everyone who walks by will know how special and wonderful I am. If you have a golden star, that means you're real great. That's how I got mine.

I have been enjoying my time indoors. For one thing, I never realized what kinds of treasurers were waiting for me in those round things called trash cans. Oh my woofing baby, there's anything but trash in there. You can find chicken bones, interesting packaging, things with sacuy residue that you can lick off. It's great.

The other really great thing I've been doing is jumping up onto the kitchen counter. It's really not that high and you can not imagine what the humans keep up there! Most interesting are the little jars filled with "spices." They smell amazing and are fun to play with. Plus, there's all kinds of equipment to explore.

Also, did you dogs realize that it is possible to poop indoors? It is. You do it just like the humans. First, pick out a place you like and then you can poop way. It sure got Lindy's attention when I learned how to do that, I'll tell you what. I think she's real impressed!

So, you see, my time of quarantine is not so bad after all since I am finding all kinds of new and fun things to do inside!

I hope you are having fun times too.

Love,

Rowan

The Count...

2007-10-22T15:21:00.001-07:00

At midnight tonight... only

35 More Days

until I have a big fun time outside with my dog friends.

My Fun Day of St. Francis

2007-10-22T14:09:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time there was a very great dog named Saint Francis. He was true and good and he obeyed everything his guardian told him. That is why all us dogs get to have a special day of fun to honor his obedience.

I am glad that my fun day of celebrating the life of Saint Francis came before the time of my unfortunate quarantinement. This was one of the very last big times I had before my exile. Now that I'm grounded I am glad to have made the very most of all my fun days.

In this photo I am in my car, just waiting for Lindy.

Of course, one of the very first things I did on my great day of St. Francis was I climbed some trees.

In this series of photos you can see the ducks that I had to chase away from my lake area. In this first one you can see that they are starting to go away from me because they don't want to be caught by me.

I am really gaining on them in this shot.
See how scared they are?

And after it was all over, I shook the water out of my fur. There's something I love about a good shake. It's so great that I usually try to get up real close to Lindy before I do it so she can share in my joy. It's just one of the nice things I like to do to show her how much I love her.

Here are a couple of great shots of me at my great day. These are just miscellaneous shots. miscellaneous means that Lindy likes it but it doesn't mean anything.

One of the nice things about being a dog is if you are swimming along and you suddenly get thristy...

Hey, just stick out your tongue.
Works every time.

At the end of the day Lindy wrapped me in my car towel because I was wet and muddy. On the plus side, I smelled like dead fish.

In this shot Lindy is about to take me back home for a nap and some treats. It was a really swell Feast Day of St Francis, I'll tell you what. I hope you had a good time too.

Love,

Rowan

2007-10-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are counting the days with me, my quarantine ends on November 22.

37 More Days.

A Dog Poem

2007-10-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

"Sad Dog, Not Bad Dog"

It's hard to be a Dog
When you haven't done Anything Wrong
Rowan is a Noble Dog
I would Lick him if I Could
-- Grendel the Dog

I hope that Grendel will accept the very high and yet also dubious honor of being It's A Dog's Life Poet Laureate. Poets are real swell, and dogs are real swell too. Put them together... It could only be Grendel.

My Special Place

2007-10-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

Now that I've been grounded for awhile me and good old Lindy have been trying to think of fun things we can do while we are inside.

Even though Lindy is not quarantined it's just no fun for her to go out without me. It's understandable. All her friends ever want to do is sit around and drink coffee and talk in human speak. None of them climb trees. It's pretty sad. I guess I am about her best and most interesting friend. And I am loads of fun, of course.

So, anyway, Lindy set up a special place where I can look out the window and see what is going on outside. It's real comfortable. You can't see it but there's a little mat under my blanket. And Lindy put a pillow on there too. Plus, I am going to have a talk with her about printing out a photo of my parton saint, Laika. Laika is so pretty. And she made dog-like sacrifices for the humans. She is a real good saint, I'll tell you what.

I can go to this special place whenever I want and Lindy even lets me take toys up there and she doesn't move them back to the toy box either. It is totally my own space. It's not as good as being outside. But, it's still pretty swell.

I hope you have a special place where you can keep your toys.

Love,

Rowan

I'm Grounded

2007-10-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I have some very bad news. I won't be able to go outside and play for awhile. No swimming, no tree climbing, no fast running either. I am grounded for 45 days on account of my recent rabies exposure.

How it happened is that a few days ago a rabid bat had the temerity to fly into my apartment, right where me and Lindy live! I tried real hard to tell Lindy what was going on but she was doing her addiction of working and didn't pay attention to me. Eventually I persuaded her to move a piece of furniture out of my way so I could catch the bat.

I laid the bat right at Lindy's feet. She was characteristically unimpressed with my greatness but I felt real proud about it. The bat was all flappy and dopey I guess because it was not used to being awake in the middle of the day and also because it turned out to be sick. The little bat had rabies.

For me, I get to go see my very great and fun vet and get a booster shot and some treats from Doctor K and Laurie who love me very much. And I also have to stay inside and not be around my friends.

So, to my dog friends in Austin, you may see me around the yard. Don't be alarmed by the big stylish muzzle I am wearing. It is mainly for looks but also for protection. And, you can't come up to me and I won't go up to you either. Not even for a quick butt sniff.

And to my human friends, if you want to come over to my house be sure to call Lindy first so she can fluff the pillows in my kennel for me because that's where I'll be. No petting. Not even sugar. But, I do still love you all a lot and I'll make up for the kisses at the end of my 45 days.

Lindy gets to go to her vet too but she told me that they don't have treats there and she hardly gets petted at all. Man, am I ever glad to be a dog!

I hope everybody had a fun 45 days and I'll see you after I am cleared by the vet.

Love,

Rowan

The Meaning of Life... For Dogs, Of Course

2007-10-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure.They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him.

What came out of his mouth next stunned me.I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. Be always grateful for each new day.

2007-09-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

I won't be in for a couple of days because I have to take the little brown dog back to her home. Yea! She is sweet and everything but not very much fun. And you all know I like to have my good times.

Gotta go get packed.

Love,

Rowan

2007-09-24T23:54:00.001-07:00

Here they are... Eighteen great photos of me at the lake!

I really do feel that I look good in these shots. You can see my big muscles and winning smile. It's no wonder I am so popular.

I hope you enjoy looking at these swell photos of me.

Love,

Rowan

This is Samantha

2007-09-21T19:16:00.001-07:00

This little dog has come to live at my house. I think she is just going to be here for a few days while her guardian goes on a trip. At least that's what I am hoping because, I'll tell you what, she demands a lot of my guardian's time and she is not that much fun to play with. She is not obedient so Lindy gives her a lot more attention. Lindy says that we have to take good care of her so I guess that's the way it is. At least she's not a flaming cat, that's all I can say.

Interview Questions for My Dog Friends

2007-09-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

As you know, I was recently interviewed by the wonderful human called Diane. I answered the really great questions that she asked me and they are in the post just prior to this one.

I believe that I am the first dog to participate in this kind of thing which of course is a very high and neat honor for me. So far, no cats have been interviewed because they are not thought to be very interesting. We don't want to be speciest, though. So, if any cats (yuck!) out there want to participate we will let them play too.

A couple of my dog friends --Balboa, Romeo, and Cub -- have asked to be interviewed. These are the questions I asked them:

Questions For Balboa

1. A two parter: Who gave your your name and why did they choose it?

2. Balboa, you are a French Bulldog which is a very good breed to be. If you could be any other breed what would it be and why?

3. What is your favorite thing about being a dog?

4. How did you get your girlfriend, Fig? And what, exactly, are your intentions towards her?

5. If you could tell your guardians one thing, what would it be?

Balboa's Blog is here.
Read Balboa's Answers.

Questions For Mister Romeo

1. A two parter: Why do you have so many words in your name and what do they mean?

2. Nylabone or squeaky toy? Justify your answer.

3. What is your favorite thing about being a dog?

4. If you could be Underdog or Lassie which would you choose? Why?

5. If you could tell your guardian one thing, what would it be?
Romeo's blog is here.
Read Romeo's answers here.

Questions For Cub

1. I can see from your photo that you like chewing on sticks. I do too. Here‘s the question: Which is better, a good stick or a belly rub? Explain your answer.

2. I am a Methodist too! It’s a good religion. But, if you could practice any other kind of faith what would it be and why?

3. What is your favorite thing about being a dog?

4. It looks like sometimes your guardian uses your blog to post her own stuff. I would never let my guardian do that. How do you deal with it?

5. If you could tell your guardian one thing, what would it be?

Now what happens next is that these dogs will answer the questions on their blogs. They post the questions,the answers, and the following rules.

Cub's Blog is here.
Read Cub's answers.

These are the rules:

1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave a woof on my blog saying, 'interview me.'
2. I will respond by posting five questions for you. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post woofing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone or somedog else in the same post. No cats.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
6. If you don't have your own opposable thumbs it is OK to get help from a member of a species which does. But, the answers must be entirely your own.

Thanks for pawing it on fellas. I am looking forward to reading your responses.

Love,

Rowan

My Very Great Interview With Diane

2007-09-17T19:59:00.001-07:00

I have been interviewed by Scout's guardian, Diane. She is a real cool human who likes dogs quite a lot and she has asked me the following insightful and probing questions:

1. How did you choose Lindy to be your guardian?

Well what may surprise you is that I did not choose Lindy, she chose me. Oh, I wanted to be chosen, that's for sure. I could see that Lindy was a good guardian by the way she treated all the other dogs. She said something special to all the dogs at the shelter, even the ugly ones. It made me want to be her dog and to be protected and loved by her. So, I was hoping she'd choose me. Heck, practically all us dogs were wanting to be chosen by Lindy. I tried to be my very cutest and everything when she was at my pen and I am very lucky that she did choose me. But, ultimately it was her who chose me, and her who made me want to be chosen. That's how it is with a good guardian.

2. What is your favorite season of the year and why?

My favorite time of year is called play time. It's where you get to go swimming and tree climbing and running as far as you want. You can even bark real loud. That's my favorite time of year. Oh yeah, and you can jump.

3. What is your worst fault?

My worst fault is just being so much more talented and beautiful than the other dogs. It probably makes them feel bad. Lindy told me that this fault is sometimes called vanity but I don't really know what that means.

4. What has been your proudest moment so far in your life?

Well, I have done a lot of pretty amazing things:

Swimming all the way across the lake,
Climbing a tall tree,
Catching a bird,
Being the first dog in the history of the world to be interviewed
and, of course, taking care of Lindy by catching flies and keeping other animals off the porch.

But, the proudest moment of my whole life was the day Lindy came back to the shelter to get me. I saw her come in and she had a real pretty collar and matching leash with her so I figured some lucky dog was going to get to go home with her. I was hoping, oh hoping, that it might be me. But, I've got to tell you, I saw a lot of dogs come and go at the shelter so I didn't want to get my hopes up too much, only to have them dashed against the cruel reality of being alone again. Humans might not realize this but the animal shelter can be kind of lonely for dogs. Anyway, I tried to put it out of my mind and I was just walking around the office area, which is where I got to stay a lot on account of everybody liking me so much, when I got called over to this one cubicle and there was Lindy signing some papers and then -- this is the happiest moment of my whole dog life -- she put that pretty collar on ME! And I thought what's this?! Me? Me? Is it really for me?! I was so excited that I accidentally peed a little bit. But, instead of being mad, Lindy totally understood and she said I was a good dog. I knew then that I had finally found my forever home.

I'll never forget the way I felt as Lindy placed that pretty collar -- my very own collar -- on me. That is the proudest moment of my life. The moment I knew I was chosen.

5. What is one thing that dogs wish that human knew about The Guardian?

Well, humans are pretty high on the scale of created beings. They are just a little further down than the angels and they were specially chosen by The Guardian to help take care of all the plants and animals in the world and everything. So, they are naturally curious about The Guardian and drawn to Him. Despite this, they do not really understand the nature of The Guardian.

I wish humans could understand that The Guardian is as different from them as dogs are from humans.

This will be hard for you to believe but some humans think that The Guardian is a human like them. One real famous human named Carl realized that and he wrote some things about it but I guess not all the other humans read it. I think that Carl is a funny name.

The belief that The Guardian is a human does provide one big advantage to humans. See, humans have trouble loving what is different. That's why they want to be like The Guardian and they want The Guardian to be like them too. In the human-think world, that similarity is what enables them to love and be loved.

Most dogs can't believe that humans believe stuff like this.

But, there are disadvantages to this belief too. Since they believe that the Guardian is human like them, some humans start to think that The Guardian has the same kinds of problems that they do.

When they find it hard to forgive, they also have problems with knowing that they are forgiven.
When they run out of money, treats, or love, they start to believe that The Guardian runs out of those things too.
When they are too tired to wag their tails, they start to think that The Guardian is gets tired and is limited too.

That sort of thinking is what leads them to believe that The Guardian is uninterested in them. But, the truth is that they are so obsessed with their own egos, treats, and limitations that they aren't interested in The Guardian.

But the main disadvantage of this belief is a lot worse. It keeps humans from learning about who The Guardian really is. The Guardian, of course is not a human. The Guardian is not even a dog, though that's a much closer approximation. The Guardian is tons better than either dogs or humans. Tons.

What I most wish humans could understand about The Guardian is that The Guardian is everywhere and in everything. Humans waste too much time being worried if they are close to The Guardian, if they are sinning, or if someone else is. They try to do things to make The Guardian love them more, either by praying or serving or pointing out the flaws of others. All that is equally silly.

Humans should just relax and say Thank you Guardian for being in the wind, and in the sea. Thank you Guardian for being in my prayers and in my study. Thank you Guardian for being in my food and wine, in my friend's laugh, and my dog's tail wag. Thank you Guarduan that despite my human-think I can never be seperated from you. Thank you Guardian that I need not fear for you are with me all the time, no matter where I am. Thank you Guardian that I can forgive and love and believe the best because of you not being a human or a dog but a Guardian, and for taking care of me. Thank you Guardian. Thank you.

That's what I wish humans knew.

Now, I have to post these 'rules':

1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave me a comment saying, 'interview me.'
2. I will resond by posting five questions for you. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

And, also, let me say thank you to Diane for being a swell human being and for being my friend.

Love,

Rowan

2007-09-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Lindy is taking me on a big trip this afternoon so, onbviously, I am putting everything else on hold. I've got to pick out my outfits and get ready. Be back ... well, whenever Lindy brings me back I guess.

Wish me fun!

Love,

Rowan

2007-09-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

Lindy has been taking me to Lake Austin quite a bit lately. She has clients out there and so we sometimes slip away for a half-hour or so. Lindy needs to practice on her throwing which is still pretty pitiful. And, I do like helping her.

Here are about a dozen pictures of me looking handsome, me swimming, me carrying my ball, and other great shots of me.

Earlier today Lindy took me to Town Lake which is in Austin but, curiously, is not called Lake Austin like the other one. Lindy said that it was getting re-named Lady Bird Johnson Lake but that she does not intend to call it by the new name. She can be a little bit oppositional like that. But, otherwise, she is a good guardian.

I hope you are getting to do something fun today and that your guardian cooperates with the officials to the extent necessary.

Love,

Rowan

2007-09-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

I've been on a shopping trip. Lindy took me to the store for SmartPets so I could pick out some new toys and treats.

Here are a couple shots of me outside the store.

Of course I had to wait for Lindy to find her glasses, find her wallet, find this, and find that. I do wish she would get a little more organized before we go out. Like me.

You can see, I have my vest, my harness, my leash, my collar. You can't see it in this shot but I have my dog jewelery on too. I am all organized and ready to go.

Here are some shots of me doing my shopping:

I hope you are having a fun day and that if you get to go shopping you can find some nice treats.

Love,

Rowan

2007-09-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Well thanks everybody for all your kind comments while I was away.

I did indeed get to go in the car for about four hours which is a pretty long time for me. I went to see my friend Samantha and play in her yard. I also got to use her dog door which is A LOT of fun.

Unfortunately Lindy did not take a lot of pictures of me during this time. But trust me when I say that I did look good.

2007-08-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, one thing about Lindy, she is true to her word. She said I was going to have a fantastic weekend and just a few hours later, she took me to the lake. Hard to beat that.

This is a nice photo of me still in the car. You can see a boat in the background. The job of this boat is to make some big waves for me to swim in.

Still, I think there is something bigger in the works. Lindy put some clothes in an overnight bag. I think I might be going on a little trip. Of course, I don't know where and nothing is for sure but I have my hopes up. Way up.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

Do you all remember about a month ago when I said I wish Lindy would get me a star to wear on my vest? Well, I had a talk with her about it and look at me now baby! As you can see, the star adds to the officialness of the overall look. I really do think I look very good in these shots and the star only helps! It gives me that aura of authority I've been lacking. Lindy noticed too and I think she would like to get a star for herself now. She said she could use a little more authority too, or at least the appearance thereof.

So far my weekend has been pretty boring. We are just doing all things Lindy wants to do: Washing Lndy's clothes, cleaning up Lindy's kitchen, getting Lindy's oil changed, picking up Lindy's dry cleaning... It's all just been fun stuff for her, none for me. Though I did get a treat and an egg on top of my kibble.

But Lindy promised me that I was going to have a great weekend. I am just waiting to see how that turns out.

I hope you are having a fun weekend and, if you're not, try wearing a big star around. It sure helps me.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

This is kind of a serious subject but me and my guardian feel that this report from John Stewart is worth watching.

We both feel that people should treat dogs nicely. Lindy says that it's even a requirement that HER guardian told her about so you know it's real.

So, humans be nice to your dogs. And, dogs, give some nuzzling to your guardians and try to take good care of the humans.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-21T20:20:00.001-07:00

Well, as you've probably been able to tell by my lack of posting, I haven't been having very many fun times lately. It's mainly because of my guardian and her obsession with "work." I don't know what to say about that. I've considered having an intervention to help her stop but I can't find any humans who think it's a good idea.

Today Lindy took me to Lake Austin which is a good place for dogs to swim. The main thing I like about it is that there are boats there and their job is to make real big waves for me and the other dogs to swim in. I like that quite a lot.

Also, Lindy started teaching me to put my whole head in the water so I can retrieve a rock. It really is pretty scary but I am learning.

Luckily, there were quite a few humans at the lake today and so I swam my fastest and everything so that they would all say how great I am. And, that worked pretty well for me too.

This is a picture of Chew-Chew who was also at the lake. I've seen Chew-Chew several times before. She doesn't like me as well as I would like to be liked but she doesn't bother me too much either.

Well, I hope you are all having some fun times like me and that your guardian is helping you have a big fun life like me.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-17T06:04:00.001-07:00

Well, you can see that I had the very good luck of having company this week. Ms. Marianne came over to see me and give me some pets. You can tell that Ms. Marianne is very good at petting. I especially enjoy those ear pets.

Unfortunately, Lindy was home and she monopolized some of Ms. Marianne's time with me. But, that's OK. Lindy needs friends too.

Well, I hope you are all getting the kinds of pets you need. And, if the humans who are supposed to love and appreciate you fall down on the job you can always turn to THE Guardian who loves you all the time.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

Here are ten more great pictures of me at the lake. My guardian so so proud of me... She tells me all the time. It just makes me want to run faster and play even harder.

I know I haven't been writing much in a personal way lately. It's just that I feel a need to withdraw a little bit. Me and Lindy are just taking some time to think and, frankly, just being cool takes up quite a lot of my own time.

I've got even more photos which I'll post later. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy these.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-12T00:13:00.000-07:00

This morning I want to show you some new photos of me and trees. As you know I like climbing them, and I am pretty good at it too.

2007-08-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today when me and Lindy were going out to the lake we stopped at the Sonic to get a cherry lime-ade for Lindy. That's a human drink. As you may expect, I didn't get anything at all. Sometimes Lindy acts like I am not even there. I just ignore her when she is like that.

I am checking myself out in the car mirror in this shot. And ignoring Lindy. Which she deserves.

These are some nice shots showing you what I look like when I am riding in the car. As usual, I look handsome and you will be able to see my very impressive muscles. But, you may not have realized just how very cool I look in the car so... Here you go:

2007-08-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

The award for best dog photo goes to my new friend Randi.
Click HERE to see.

And congratulations on your award, Randi. Oh, there's no actual prize by the way.

Love anyway,

Rowan

2007-08-08T00:17:00.000-07:00

These are some shots of my day at the lake today. You can see that I had a real swell time and everything.

I hope you had a fun day too.

Love,

Rowan

For Scout...

2007-08-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

2007-08-07T03:05:00.000-07:00

If you have a very clever guardian, you can get a cool picture like this one:

2007-08-07T00:26:00.001-07:00

Well, here are some more great pictures of me. I am going to go ahead and post them tonight because my guardian is still awake. She says she can't sleep. I don't know why not. It's easy for me. But, I need her opposable thumb to work the mouse.

This is one of me way up high in a big tree. Seriously. It's the biggest tree at Lake Travis, maybe the world. And I climbed it.

You can really see my big muscles and my great vest in this shot. The vest is very official looking, don't you think?

This is a shot of me and my big stick. I've got it under control. It helps to make that look with your eyes.

This is me relaxing in another tree.

Same tree...

So, that's about it for my very good and fun day at Lake Travis. I think I might get to go back again tomorrow. It's up to Lindy.

I hope your guardian is letting you do lots of fun things too.

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today I want to show you some photos of my new friend, Bear. She's cute, isn't she? This is a picture of Bear and that yellow shoe belongs to Bear's guardian, Ms. Katy.

Bear learned how to swim by watching how good I do it. Look at her go! I am an excellent teacher, I'll tell you what.

Lindy said she was really proud of Bear but I think she should have been proud of me. Just what I think.

In this shot me and Bear are talking things over. I am giving her hints on how to be a brave swimmer.

Here is a photo of me demonstrating my very good swimming skills. That ball belongs to Ms. Katy. I was so glad she brought a real ball. You know how Lindy is...

And here is a shot of me scouting around near the water's edge. My main job is just to be happy and have fun so that is what I am doing in this shot.

I have even more really great photos to show you tomorrow so stay tuned...

Love,

Rowan

2007-08-05T23:40:00.001-07:00

I had a very good and fun day at the lake, I'll tell you what. This is the third day in a row that I've gotten to go swimming and running there.

I chased a couple deer and some lizards too. I smelled of a lot of things too. I had so much fun that I am posting six whole pictures for you to see.

In this shot I am jumping and running very fast. As fast as I can go. I might be chasing after something, or I might just be doing it for love.

I feel that I look very good in this shot.

You can see that I am wearing my brand new Outward Hound vest made of florescent orange material with contrasting yellow florescent stripes. There are two of the stripes. The vest wraps nicely around my collar and gets strapped around me at the bottom. It's brightly colored pattern enables my guardian to see me from far away and it makes me feel so special. It is very official looking too. Plus, the official Outward Hound patch is on it. Classy.

When I first got this vest it was too big for me but my friend Ms. Elizabeth made it smaller for me. She's a smart human. My guardian thinks so too.

OK. In this cool picture, I am chasing something. See how I have my nose down on the ground? I'll tell you what, you can find almost anything if you just put your nose to the ground and smell for it.

This is a shot of me climbing up in a tree. Some dogs just loose the trail when their quarry goes vertical. Not me. I climb as high as I can which, sometimes, is pretty far up there. Even my guardian says that it's pretty amazing, and she is not easily impressed, let me tell you what.

Here is a shot of me running just for the fun of it. I like going through the tall grass.

And, last of all, here is a picture of me stretching my whole body out to make a big jump. This is a very good way to praise God. And, it makes angels happy too.

So, that's what I did at my very fun day at the lake. And, that's the brand new Outward Hound vest that I wore which makes me look very handsome and feel special.

I hope you're feeling special too.

Love,

Rowan

2007-07-31T17:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got a photo of my great and very shiny star! You can see it here, shining like the nativity star that Lindy puts up at Christmas.

Honestly, I do sleep better knowing that my very great star is shining just outside my kennel.

In this picture you can see me, and I think I look very good in this shot. And the shiny star just behind me.

My pal, and neighborhood ruffian, Romeo is the one that made it so shiny. Romeo is amazing. But, I think his guardian helped some.

I wish that everyone could have a shiny star on their kennel. It does make me feel even more special than usual.

Love,

Rowan
(the star)

2007-07-30T23:58:00.001-07:00

These are a couple of great shots of me on the porch.

Now that Lindy has a tomato garden we have to spend quite a lot of time out there watching them grow. They grow slow, I'll tell you what.

On the plus side, I have my very own chair. Lindy said that if she ever gets a friend I will have to let the friend sit in my chair. I feel that I am pretty safe.

One of the tomatoes has started to turn red. Lindy was plenty excited about that, I'll tell you what. Tomatoes DO turn red. Even dogs know that. I'll tell you something else, the blue jay sitting in the big oak tree knows it too.

I feel that I look especially good in this shot. My harness makes me look like a tough guy. I really think I could be on TV if they would just let me wear the harness. I wish Lindy would get me a little badge for it, like a sheriff. I'm going to talk to her about that first thing in the morning.

Well, I just wanted to show you all these great photos of myself. I hope you enjoy looking at me as much as I do.

Love,

Rowan

2007-07-30T23:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Buddy, Samantha, Scout, Romeo, Diego, Bear, Mini, Biggles, and other dog friends,

Most of my many very interesting posts are directed at the human world. But, I need to ask my dog friends something.

The other day my guardian asked me a question, and I need to know what the correct answer is. She said, “Rowan, how many times do I have to give you a command before you obey?”

I was thinking four?

How do you all handle this situation with your guardians?

Just wondering,

Rowan

2007-07-30T17:06:00.001-07:00

Lindy and I cleaned out our closets yesterday. Lindy said we had too many clothes.

At first I didn't want to give away any of my clothes, especially the pretty ones. But, Lindy explained to me that some dogs don't have any nice clothes at all. I thought that was pretty sad. So, I am going to give away this jacket that is too small anyway. Lindy said that wasn't exactly sacrificial giving but I was not aware of the sacrificial thing. She just sprung that one on me.

Sometimes things don't turn out exactly like you think they will. Something like "sacrificial" can pop up at any time. I don't even know what that is!

I talked to Lindy about that and she said that it is exactly the same way for her. She said that when she got promised a "new life," that she thought it would just be great and everything all the time. Turns out that there's some other things involved too. Sacrifice, I think, might be one of them. I think sacrifice is hard for humans. It would appear to be even harder than parting with a nice jacket like the one I am wearing in the photo above. -- That's Lindy's bare naked leg I'm propped up on, by the way.

Lindy says that being sacrificial has it's own rewards. So far, I am still waiting for mine.

Well, I sure hope that everything is turning out like you planned.

Love,

Rowan

2007-07-30T16:30:00.001-07:00

I am a real lucky dog, I’ll tell you what.

Remember when I went to the LCRA and I saw those big gold stars? Well, you may remember that I wanted one for my very own. I was kind of beginning to give up hope of ever getting one because Lindy, that’s my guardian, she really wasn’t too enthusiastic about it.

But, just a couple days ago Romeo and his guardian came over to my house and brought me a gold star and it is my very own too.

I am hoping that Romeo and his guardian will come over again so I can get my picture taken with them and me and the star. I haven’t seen them around the neighborhood since getting my great gold star but I know I’ll see them soon.

The gold star is shiny too. I like that quite a lot.

Yea... I got a star!

2007-07-29T18:50:00.001-07:00

I am really lucky, I'll tell you what, because I get to go to work with my guardian. I heard from some of the other dogs that they have to stay home all day.

If course, I have a quite a lot of very important responsibilities when I go to work. Mainly, though, I just try to keep my eyes on my guardian. My real delight is not in any of the many jobs I do but just being with her.

In this shot I am sitting nicely beside the tree. Lindy will be back for me soon!

You can see in my eyes that I am on high alert. I am on constant look out for my guardian. I never know when she might show up. I just long for the quickening in my heart, that one moment of pure joy, when my guardian appears.

2007-07-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

Well, as usual, I had a very good and fun day with my guardian. It was a nice summer day so I had Linda put the top down for me. She's so accommodating.

In this shot you can see that I am ready to go. Just waiting for Lindy.

Me and Lindy went right over to the Greek Cafe to have lunch with Ms. Elizabeth. Ms. Elizabeth really does love me, I'll tell you what. She's really a swell human too.

The very first thing I did at the Greek Cafe was give Ms. Elizabeth a nice hug. Ms. Elizabeth petted me and said all kinds of real sweet things to me about my good looks and stuff. It's a little embarrassing to be so great but I really can't help it.

These photos are a little out of focus because Lindy forgot her glasses. What glasses are is they are artificial lenses used by species which have not properly evolved. Lindy uses them.

Lindy and Ms. Elizabeth were in charge of all the food. I did manage to have a little piece of chicken and some hummus. I like hummus.

Well, that's about it for my great day. I hope you had some good food with friends today and that THE Guardian is giving you plenty to eat.

Love,

Rowan

2007-07-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Today Lindy took me to the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) which is where all the rain goes before the government decides where to put it. So, thanks be to God for the government, eh?

This particular LCRA is at Mansfield Dam. It wasn't named after the pretty human Jane Mansfield. Somebody else.

In this shot I am posing under one of the big gold stars on the gate going into the LCRA. I asked Lindy to get one of these stars to go above my kennel. She didn't make any promises but she didn't say "NO" either. I remain hopeful.

In this shot I am looking at the water. It sure is gushing out of there.

I feel that I look very good in these shots, Again, you can see the big gold star in the background. If I don't get one real soon, maybe for Christmas. I am really hoping because I feel that I am worthy of having such a big gold star above my kennel, and also it is real shiny. I like that in a star.

You can see how big the water is in these shots that Lindy took. It was loud too. I wasn't scared.