Check This Out

This ice bone is so awesome! It's at least 100 times bigger than the bone I have at home. That ice bully sure is lucky to have bones like this to chew on. I was wondering if somehow I could take this bone home, but Mama said that wouldn't be very nice to take someone else's stuff just because I wanted it. And it would probably melt before I got finished with it, it is a lot bigger than the regular ice cubes I get to play with at home.

Do you remember that new doggie neighbour I was telling you about? Well I found out that she is so shy that she hides behind her Mama's legs when we see each other! I want to say hello, but I don't think she is interested. Maybe she isn't used to having other doggies around. I don't have many friends, but at least I will be friendly and say hello. I hope she comes out of her shell, I would very much like to play with her.

I did meet another pup. She is a 2 month old black/brown lab and her name is Lulu. She is so feisty! I liked playing with her, but I have to be extra careful because she is still just a baby. I love meeting other doggies when we go out, it's so much fun.

Look Who I Met Today

Papa and Mama took me on a walk through Yorkville today. And look who I saw there, a bully made of ice! It looks just like me! I bet she was cold, it was -15C with wind chill. I was cold too. My paws kept getting icy, and they hurt so much with all of the salt on the streets. I was hoping that Papa would carry me home, but I don't think he was up for it. It's a good thing that we could walk almost all the way home inside the shopping centres.

Today is also the last day of the Torino Winter Olympics. I am so pleased that Canada brought home 24 medals in total, we've come a long way! I think Canada will do even better next time when we host in Vancouver.

I'm pretty pooped out now from my long walk in the snow. I'll post more pictures of my Yorkville tour with ice sculptures tomorrow.

Weekend Again

Can you believe it? I think I've had too much Olympics. I am completely saturated. After the Canadian mens hockey team lost their quarter final game on Wednesday (it's all Bertuzzi's fault you know) it was all down hill. I was so devastated that I lost my focus for cheering on the best country in the world.

So then I started to cheer for my second favourite country in the world, Japan!! And my cheering was heard because Shizuka Arakawa won gold in ladies figure skating! Kimatta! Papa thinks she is beautiful and graceful. I think he's got a crush on her.

Weekend time means gourmet cooking time in the kitchen. Maybe this weekend Papa will perfect his Indian curry. He's been trying for the past 3 weeks and it's getting more interesting each time. Maybe Mama will try to make a Thai curry this weekend. Mama doesn't like to cook much, she doesn't think she's a good cook, but I'll eat anything she makes. The aromas of a gourmet dinner being cooked are making me salivate. I hope it will be tasty.

Bath Time

I guess I must be smelly because Papa decided to give me a bath today. Perhaps it was in celebration of Team Canada women's winning gold in their hockey tournament! In any event, I smell pretty darn good right now.

This morning a little white fluffy thing wearing a Spiderman t-shirt was barking up a storm waking up everyone in the building. I thought it was very inconsiderate of him to do that, so I barked at him right back. Then I get in trouble from Mama and Papa for making so much noise! Can you believe that?!

I also met a golden retriever this morning on my way out. I didn't get a chance to meet him, but we barked politely at each other. I think he moved in recently. I'm excited to have a doggie neighbour, I hope we can become friends.

I'm Back!

I've been on a bit of a hiatus from blogging this week. My schedule has been overbooked with meetings with my people and signing autographs for my legions of fans. Actually, I peed in the house and Mama and Papa took away my internet privileges for a few days. But now I am back and I have lots to report!

It's Day 8 of the Torino games. And Canada had a really good Thursday and Friday. Golds, silvers, and bronzes to be had in all sorts of events! Congrats to all of the competitors! Unfortunately, Saturday is not turning out to be such a good day - Team Canada lost to Team Switzerland in men's hockey. Can you believe that? I think the official was biased and he screwed over the Canadians. Where do they find these officials?

Obaachan and Ojiichan have come to visit from Japan for the day. They were in Chile earlier in the week, and now they are back in Toronto for one day before they go home to Japan. I love it when Obaachan comes to visit, she brings presents for Mama and Papa and they always smell so nice, a distinct Asian aroma. I can't eat any of the presents, Mama says they have too many preservatives or they aren't particularly good for puppies. It doesn't matter to me though, I just like to roll around in the paper that wraps up all of the presents. Papa has gone with Obaachan and Ojiichan to eat lobster for dinner tonight, I hope he brings me back one! Lobster is good stuff!

Be My Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day! My favourite thing about Valentine's Day is kissing. I love to give big sloppy wet kisses. I'm not so sure that everyone loves receiving those kinds of kisses in return.

I wonder what Papa and Mama will be doing this year. Last year there were flowers I think. I can't remember if I ate them or not. I do remember sushi and natto. Is natto an aphrodisiac? I still like it, even if it smells like sweaty gym socks.

What is your favourite thing about Valentine's Day?

Day 2 of the Torino 2006 Games

I'm glued to the TV set with the Olympics on almost 24 hours of the day. This is the replay of the women's 15km cross-country ski pursuit. Our own Beckie Scott finished 6th overall. A good chase to the finish line in my opinion!

The Canadian women's hockey team crushed the Russian team today, 12-0!!! Wow, and I thought yesterday's performance against Italy was amazing, when my girls shut them out 16-0! Keep it up ladies!

Congratulations to Cindy Klassen who won bronze for the women's 3000m speed skating event! I love watching speed skating. I like to imagine what it's like moving that fast. I think I might be good at that event. I have pretty powerful legs and a good work ethic. And I think I would look fabulous in those skin-tight outfits too.

The 20th Winter Olympics

Today is Day 1 of the Torino 2006 Olympics. This is my tribute to all of the athletes who are so lucky to compete in these games. OK I don't have an Olympic medal of my own, but if you don't look that closely you can't really tell.

The opening celebrations were so much fun to watch! I especially loved the brave rollerbladers with the flames coming out of their heads. The parade of nations was good too, but I fell asleep after Canada marched in. Did you know that Canada has 196 athletes competing? That's a lot of people! So I hope we will have a good chance of bringing home a lot of medals.

Even though I am an English bulldog and I have a Japanese name, I am still 100% Canadian. So I'm cheering for my Canadian Team. Go Canada!!

Just a quick update: Congratulations to Jennifer Heil for winning Canada's first gold medal of the 2006 games in women's moguls!! Way to go!

I wonder why...

Other dogs don't like me much. I can't figure it out. I'm a nice girl, I like to share my toys, sometimes, I like to play, and I don't say mean things to other dogs. But for some reason, other dogs don't see me the way I really am.

There is a big black dog that lives in my building. I run into her from time to time, and she sniffs at me and then she barks really mean in my face. What's the deal? So I pretend to not care, that it doesn't hurt my feelings, and I don't give her the time of day. But you know what? It kind of does hurt my feelings. I wish I had more doggy friends.

Papa keeps asking me if I would like a puppy sibling. I think that would be really fun! I wonder if Mama knows about his plan to bring a puppy home. I would take good care of my new brother or sister, I would look out for them, and make sure they learned their place in our family. I would let them play with my toys and I would share my cookies. I would be their best friend, and they would be mine. I hope Papa brings home a new puppy for me soon...

Comfort Space

I hurt my hip a few days ago when I was playing with Mama. We had a race up the stairs and I won - but I think I really did some damage to my hip. She says I am too over-zealous when I race. I don't even know what that means.

So my hip is really tender and I hope it goes away soon. Mama and Papa have both made me squeal by nudging at my hip. I'm not mad at them for doing so, but they shouldn't be so nosy. I know they feel bad about it too, because now they let me get away with all sorts of stuff. I can sleep on the couch, and eat lots of cookies, and even be pouty with them all day long.

Here I am in my crate, this is my comfort space when I don't want to be bothered. I love it in here. I have all of my toys and everyone just buggers off. It's great! I really do hope this hip thing isn't too serious. I wouldn't want Mama and Papa to spend $700 on x-rays like they did the last time I tumbled down the stairs. I suppose this means that I get to ride in the elevator all the time now!

Predicting the Weather: An Art or a Science?

It was Groundhog Day two days ago. The forecast according to Wiarton Willy is that we are going to have an early spring because he didn't see his shadow. I don't know how I feel about that.

I mean, snow, ice, and salt are pretty hard on my feet in the winter. I suppose I could wear those boots that Mama and Papa bought for me, but they are so ugly and uncomfortable, and all of the other dogs laugh at me. I told them it would be a waste of money to get them, but they never listen. And I don't like taking walks when it's so chilly out - I don't have the nice warm fur coat that some of those other dogs have.

But then in spring time, it rains a lot. And I hate rain more than anything. It's just so wet. And it's not fun like taking a bath, where I end up smelling good, it's just rain, and it makes me smell like a wet dog. But then all the flowers start to bloom, and the weather gets warm, and the sun stays out longer. I think I like spring much better than winter.

I do hope this Wiarton Willy's prediction comes true. I'd hate for him to be wrong, with everyone so used to this mild winter (yay!). But then again, how scientific is it to have a rodent predict the forecast? I guess it's along the same lines as the meterologist's job on TV.

Papa's Work

I'm reading a paper for Papa to help him with his research. He always looks so frustrated, so I thought I would give him my suggestions. This paper is not bad, but the authors could have done more experiments to prove their initial hypothesis. It's a wonder to me how some things can even get published these days.

But I bet I can steal - I mean, borrow some ideas from this paper and relate it back to Papa's work somehow. Isn't that how all the best scientists do their work? Borrowing ideas from someone else and making them better? Sounds good to me.