Health Update

So last week, I was coughing, like a lot, during the day. Bridget called the vet, all worried, and I went in the next day for a visit with the vet. The thing is, I didn't cough ONCE after Bridget called the vet. Seriously.

So they gave me the "senior" blood workup, since I'm a "mature" dog and all. They also wanted a sample of my pee. Yup. So the vet-tech and Bridget took me outside to make a collection. But I would not pee in front of them. They were weirding me out. They kept walking all close, shuffling up to me with their plastic container anytime I went near the bushes. So I held it. So the vet tech gave up, gave Bridget the equipment, and sent us home. So Bridget tried for the rest of day to collect my pee. This is hilarious. I mean, it's hilarious to me, and I'm sure it's hilarious to the neighbors who were watching. I don't think Bridget thought it was too hilarious, though, as she seemed to say a lot of angry words. She tried for a long time. And she failed.

She did finally collect the pee a few days later. We're still waiting for the results. Basically, according to my bloodwork, I might have some trouble with my thyroid, but that's not bad, and it's not terribly unusual for a dog of my age. But overall, my health is good. And I enjoy making Bridget feel inadequate at collecting pee.

Eating Antics Updates

I've been on a bit of a tear, grabbing all kinds of stuff off of tables and out of bags. I ate a bunch of Lucy's candy that she got from the artists' studios last weekend. Bridget was particularly irritated by this, because Lucy had one of those Lindt milk chocolate balls, and she had resisted eating it because it was Lucy's, and then she found the wrapper (all nicely smoothed out) on the floor and realized that I had munched it. This made her mad. She should have taken the opportunity when it presented itself. That's what I do!

Vote to help some fuzzy creatures

I'm a fan of the Lowell Human Society. If you'd like to help them out, vote for them daily here:

http://challenge.aspcapro.org/vote-your-shelter

(go to MA -- Lowell Human Society)

so that they can save more fuzzy lives. They're in 10th place at the moment. Voting goes on until April 15th.

thanks!
-Carter

I heart carbs!

I just ate nearly half a loaf of bread! It was awesome! Jake was in the basement, Bridget was on the phone, and I took the opportunity to snag a loaf of home-baked brown bread off the table and snarf snarf snarf! DELICIOUS!
Lucy is gonna be mad when she wakes up to find her precious, precious bread destroyed!

You're Welcome, Christian Bale

So I was just reading (yes, I read) an article on Slate about my co-star, Christian Bale's Golden Globe acceptance speech, and this part really got my attention:

But rather than offer a typical co-star backslap, he elaborated on the yin-yang interrelation of actors on screen. "You can only give a loud performance like the one I gave when you have a quiet anchor," he said, referring to Wahlberg's stoic turn as Eklund's kid brother and former Welterweight champion Micky Ward. "I've played that one many times, and it never gets any notice. Kudos for that, because otherwise we wouldn't have gotten away with it."

I would like to propose that Wahlberg is not the "anchor" that Bale refers to here. Slate got it all wrong. It's me, people. It's me. I am the quiet anchor. You know it. Let's hope he thanks his "FUZZY quiet anchor" in tonight's Academy Awards.

If you need more evidence, take note of the way that the line about ME ("Is that a cocker spaniel?") is in every discussion of the film:

The Atlantic Monthly refers to it, and even random film blogs do, too!

Here's a photo-retrospective of me!

Who Moved My Cheese?

Yesterday while Bridget and Jake and Lucy were off having fun at Matt & Mary's, I got hungry. So I went foraging. After a lot of digging that would no doubt have been fun to watch, I found a bag inside Jake's bike bag that had a brick of Grafton Cheddar in it! Yum! I love that! I dragged it over to my bed and munched away. I only ate about a third of the bar, and I very kindly left the other end of it wrapped so that the peoples could eat the rest after they cut off the mangled end. I'm a considerate dog. Sort of.

Also, I do not like this snow. There is way too much of it. How much? The Boston Globe reports that Logan airport has had over 70 inches this winter. They have illustrated just how crazy that number is using a brilliant feature called the Shaq-o-Meter. Check it out by following the link.

Not cool, guys. Not cool.

First Post of 2011

So it's 2011! And my birthday is coming up soon (January 24th)!. You can read a post here about when Jake and Bridget first brought me home. Wow, I can't believe it's been four years! I wonder what Jake and Bridget are planning for my Birthday. Maybe they'll invite Christian and Amy and Mark over for a party. I was thrilled to see all the Golden Globes that went to my film, although I do feel like the Foreign Press maybe forgot the award for "Best Dog in Any Movie, Ever." I guess I'll have to wait for my lifetime achievement award.

So far, 2011 has been pretty good, although I am totally fed up with all the snow. I spent some time at my Aunt Paula's house, which was really great. I got into a bit of a scuffle with her new dog, Briscoe, but we sorted things out and now we're great pals. Woo hoo! Also, I got a new toy elephant from Paula. Lucy kinda has her eye on it, but I think I'll keep it. Oh, also, speaking of Lucy, the other day, she closed all the downstairs doors and left me trapped in the front hallway. By the time Jake and Bridget realized this, I had already gone upstairs. Upstairs! I never get to go upstairs! If that kid's gonna be all bossy and lock me out, I am totally going to go upstairs and do whatever it is I did. I'm not saying what. Bridget and Jake don't know. But boy, do they wonder whether I do this all the time when they're gone. There was talk of them looking into a doggie-cam. HA!

Sadly, I also heard some more sad news: my good dog friend, Goldie, passed away. Ernie & Vonnie will miss that girl a lot, so I'm sending out my warm, furry, star-studded nuzzles to them.

I'll try to keep the posts coming, if Bridget ever gets off the darn computer!