Late Bloomers

Good Morning, dear friends.  I begin this week with a confession.  I have always been a late bloomer.  I was the last of the children of my age group to get potty trained, at the end of the line when it came to conquering the tap dance steps, and one of  the last of my buddies to tie the knot.  

For all my fellow late bloomers out there, this one is for you! 

Hope you're first in line today!

a bowl of chowdah

Hi.. allow me to introduce myself.  I know you have already seen a few photos of me so you know what I look like.  For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing me in living color - 

this is me.

Can I hear some oooohs and aaaaahs out there?

My name is Chowdah.  Yeah, I know. 

Why would anybody name their kid after a bowl of soup?  Whatevah...

My Mom and Dad came to my kennel a couple of months ago.  My old Mom is a breeder.  She doesn't do the breeding herself - she has some help.  

My new Mom told my old Mom that she was looking for a girl puppy and wanted to play with my two sisters. My bro and I sat back and watched.  We knew they were divas... we called them lohan and gaga behind their backs.

Source
My sisters and bros.  I'm the cute one.

As my sisters were jumping all over the place making a  fool of themselves, my new Mom kept looking back at me in the kennel.  Let's just say my middle name is "eye contact."  I sat calmly watching my sisters acting like slobbering goofballs.  Before I knew it, they were back in the pen where they should be and I was licking my new mom's cute little cankle.  She bent down and petted me and talked to me sweetly.  She told me that I reminded her of somebody named Gypsy.  She asked my future dad what he thought and he told her it was her decision.  It was her birthday present.

Source
This isn't me... but it could be because one of my favorite food groups is slippers.

As it turned out, it was my birthday.  My Mom and Dad chose me.  I was so happy.  Good bye noisy sisters and smelly brothers and cold floors covered in sawdust.  

Hello ... spoiled rotten!!

Dad and me on our way home!

I've gotta say I was enormously a teensy weensy  disappointed to find when I arrived at my new home that there weren't any little kids in sight.  Looks like it's gonna be a long life entertaining these two middle aged "new" parents who do nothing but talk "baby talk" to me.

So here's my conundrum.  I think that my Mom and Dad  have changed my name without telling me.  They keep calling me "No No" or "No Chew" and the one I hear most often is "NO BITE!" Let's just say I like to get up close and personal with my new surroundings. 

When my Mom told me that I would be a "working" dog, I figured I would be a hunter or a herder.  Au contraire!  My job is being a correspondent.  For gosh sakes, why didn't they just call me Geraldo!?!

So here is the lo-down on my life with new Mom and Dad.

Here I am after my first grooming appointment.  To tell you the truth, I thought I looked pretty good before. 

This was 20 minutes after I got home from my appointment.  

Mom changed my name again to "No Dig!"

Looks more like a mug shot than a pet portrait to me!

Mom told me I have to stay in the laundry room 'til she can hose me off.  I sense disappointment in her tone.

My Mom is taking me to puppy school to learn some "manners."  These are our pics of our latest class.

Three...

Two......

One....

Miss Paula asked us to leave 20 minutes early because I was supposedly not listening...

Whatevah...

Anywho...

This is one of my favorite things in the whole world!  It is my outside water bowl.  Dad ran it over with his car last night but it still works.  I love to take it and hide it in funny places and then bark at the door 'til Mom comes and goes out in the yard and tries to find it.  

I'm taking it out to my favorite hiding place in the big bushes.  Mom loves to climb through them!  She says funny 4-letter words that I am not allowed to tell the neighbors she says.  I have a feeling they can hear her, though.

Don't tell her I'm here!!!  She's gonna laugh her sides off when she finds out she has to climb through poison ivy to find me!!!

Anybody out there interested in adopting a goldendoodle that's been blessed with good looks and an extra helping of youthful exuberance?

Some outtakes of Mom editing my post.  

Obviously, we were not on the same page.

Sorry Mom took her make up off and you can see the icky laundry room otherwise known as Chowdah's boudoir.

Mom says "I give up!"

Just another day in Paradise!!

I've Been Tagged!

Good morning, dear friends.  My friend, Lauren, from Simply LJK tagged me a couple of days ago. It's a great way to get to know fellow bloggers.  Lauren writes a wonderful blog and is the mom to two beautiful girls.  I hope to have the pleasure of meeting Lauren in person some day.

So here goes...

Are you named after anyone?

My middle name is Mary which was my Mother's name.  Sista's first name is Mary, although she never uses it.  She always knows when a sales person is calling when they ask to speak to Mary.

When was the last time you cried?

Last Saturday when I attended a wedding. 

Do you have kiddos?

I have two girls.
  #1 graduated from TCU in May and is working (YEAH!!!)  for a Public Relations firm in Dallas.

#2 is a junior at a small college in Virginia and is majoring in English.

If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself?

Probably not.  

I would be so darn jealous of myself, it wouldn't even be funny. 

Not me but wish it was.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

No comment.  

However, I will give you a hint.

Do you like handwriting?

My handwriting is very neat and looks very typical Catholic school.  I learned the Palmer method.

When I was in high school, I took a calligraphy class and fell in love with it. 

If colleges offered majors in handwriting and spelling, I could have been a valedictorian.  Unfortunately for me, they don't.

Whats your favorite cereal?

I like to combine my cereals.  My latest concoction is Grape Nuts and Grape Nut Flakes swimming in Almond Milk.

  

Whats the first thing you notice about people?

The voice.  
If the voice is irritating, I can't listen to the person.

What is the color of your eyes?

Blue.  I am the only member of the family who does not have brown eyes.

hmmmm... thanks for pointing that out to me.

Scary movies or happy endings? 

I love tear jerkers, but only in the privacy of my own home.  Preferably when the Mister is not within a 20 mile radius because he always asks me why I watch sad movies and read sad books when they make me cry.

  We'll be married almost 24 years in two weeks.  He still doesn't get it but never misses the opportunity to ask the same question when I'm at my most emotional. 

Favorite TV Shows?

Here's the short list.  If you're thinking the Mister and I have no life outside TV, you're right. 

  

Summer or Winter?

Really?  

Do you have to ask after this winter in the Northeast?  Hands down, if I don't see another snowflake for the rest of my life, I'll be happy.

The Mister says...

fat chance!

Hugs or kisses?

Do you have a special talent?

That I can talk about?  

People tell me that I am a good mimic.  I love to imitate people and most people appreciate my interpretation of them.  

Ask Sista, Delaney, or Dude.

Where were you born?

St. Vincent Hospital, Bridgeport, Connecticut 

What are your hobbies?

This is kinda it.  You're lookin' at it.

The Mister showing me for the last time where the control/alt/delete key is.

Do you have any pets?

Do I have any pets???  

Only the cutest puppy in the world!!

This is Chowdah at 4 months old.

Fave movie?

  Nobody does it better than Hubbell Gardiner.

What color is your car?

Black.  This is a selfie of me changing my first tire.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be happy and healthy and look like her. 
The Mister says that he would be happy with that as well.

Thank you, Lauren, for tagging me.  It was really fun.  

Now dear blogger friends, if you are interested in participating, and are up for the challenge, please contact me by Monday and I will publish a list of the participants. 

Happy Thursday!