Zoe Boe is our February 8, 2015 Pup of the Week

   

        Shortly after Brody joined me at Rainbow Bridge another lifelong friend bounded up the stairs to greet me.  It was Zoe Boe, and truthfully she is more than a friend.  She is my partner.  She did all the drawings in my book and the fantastic cover.

            I owe her so much.  While I have always been good a capturing my maniacal spirit through words Zoe and her Mom were equally as good at capturing it through art. 

            Like all devoted pups she wanted to check on her Mom.  After Ladybug fit Zoe for her wings we ran to Tommy’s and she checked on her Mom.  Aunt Connie was showing her tough Irish spirit on the outside but Zoey and I knew she was broken on the inside.

            The next morning I awoke to feel a small drop of paint fall right between my eyes.  I looked up to see Zoe above me, her wings fluttering, and behind her was my ceiling, now painted with the entire history of our friends’ lives.

            Above me was Tommy eating popcorn with his Dad, Otis walking with his parents in Mayberry, Willie swimming with his parents, Cooper playing with his siblings, Brody dressed up for Halloween with his family; Zoe painting with her Mom; me writing with mine;  and so many others friends.

            She then took me to my office where she had started painting a mural of me playing with my Mom and Dad, Pocket, and other members of our pack who proceeded me to the Bridge.  I hugged her and told her it was the most beautiful piece of artwork I had ever seen.

            She then took my by the paw and told me the plans that she had for Tommy’s mansion and for Otis’ drug store.  She had an appointment with Sheriff of Fun Benjamin to fly through the sky and to bring joy to sad dogs through art.  And in her spare time she was going to plan on painting wonderful murals in the sky.

            I am very sorry for all of your on the mortal side of the River of Life who have lost Zoe, especially her sweet, wonderful Mom.  But Zoe is certainly brightening things up around here, and someday, when you all cross the River of Life, you will be very impressed with her work.

Pups Who Inspire Artists Are Our September 22, 2013 Pups of the Week

What a wonderful week is has been.  I have not sworn in any friends after they crossed the River of Life on Rainbow Bridge and while friends like Misha, and little baby Ethan are in need of prayers, I fully expect both to have many days with their packs and families.  

So this is one of the week’s that we get to celebrate the wonderful things that dogs inspire their Moms and Dads to do.

Lately, as I gaze deeply into the River of Life to see what my friends are doing, I get tired and climb onto my leopard skin vagina cloud (“Mommy do you know what that cloud looks like?”  “Yes I do sweety but we don’t use language like that.”) hook up my Internet connection, have a cup of puppy tea and get to see what my friends are doing without interference from all the fish in the River.

And what I see are Moms and Dads doing wonderful art work to honor my friends whose clouds float past me as I write and those who are still enjoying their mother’s warm laps in their forever homes.

I present to you first our brother from another litter Leo and the wonderful painting his Mom Eileen did to capture the heart, soul, bravery, and adventurous spirit of our friend Willie.  When you look into his brown eyes you can see his heart in all it’s beauty.  A painting of me, in my glory, done by Leo’s Mom, is proudly displayed in my living room where people can enjoy it not just for the beautiful subject matter but for the artwork itself that has a sweep of love in every brush stroke.

Then there is our friend Zoe Boe’s Mom Connie.  There are seven drawings she has graciously given to my parents on the walls at my forever home.  Her drawing is also in the banner on our blog page.  She has kept many of us laughing with her Hump Day funnies on the Tanner Brigade.  And here is an example of her best work, of Leo, who is so handsome he inspires other Moms too.  A picture could not capture the soul of our sweet friend better than Zoe Boe’s Mom’s artwork does.

In the lonely hills of Colorado where they are digging out from the season’s first snowstorm Enzo’s Mom is producing lovely sketches celebrating the treasured relationships that we dogs share.  Here are one of the many sketches she has done for her loyal friends at DS.

Chrissy’s Mom Suzanne Rumsey is not only a fierce fighter for homeless dogs but she also is an accomplished artist.  My good friend Hans was very moved when he saw this tribute picture Chrissy’s Mom did of him and he has a copy hanging over his fireplace on his cloud.

And last, but certainly not least, my dear friend Tommy Tunes and his Dad Steve who does weekly portraits of our friends and does not let an hour past after hearing a friend has gone to the Bridge before he gets a tribute picture posted.  This is one of our dear friend Wishbone who sits near me as I type this.

Thank you to all the wonderful artists who bring countless smiles to our faces letting us see our friends in ways we never thought possible and the wonderful pups who inspire them

Thank you Aunt Connie and Zoe Boe

We got a wonderful gift in the mail. Our Aunt Connie, Zoe Boe's Mom, sent us the original drawing of our profile picture of us dressed up like the Pupranos. She has also provided us with Foley dressed as the King of Pop, Foley eating and Pocket pooping. They take up a very prominent position in our dining room by the fish. They are the most prized art work in our house.

If you haven't done so you should contact Aunt Connie about doing a picture. Last year Daddy hired her to do a picture of his Mommy and Papa. It was was wonderful and Nana's face beamed with joy. Poor Nana hasn't had much joy lately. She had something called a double bypass. Then her chest filled up with fluid. Then she had a hole put in her throat. Then that got better and she got an infection called C-Diff. The hospital, which did not do a very good job of it, called THE NEW BEDFORD REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, which we will not name, gave her the medicine she needed then decided she was cured. So they stopped giving her the medicine. Well the infection was still there, and it ate a hole in her colon, and caused her to go into septic shock. This morning Daddy was sure she was going to the bridge. But somehow today her kidneys began working again, her heart rate settled, and her doctor said he was "cautiously optimistic." She is one tough Nana. One thing I know for sure is she will not be going to that hospital that we will not mention THE NEW BEDFORD REHABILITATION HOSPITAL.

And then there is poor Mommy. Tomorrow she is going to visit that C word doctor. She felt something that shouldn't be there when she was examining herself. She is trying to be brave but I know she is scared. I know she is scared because I'm scared. Please say a little prayer for her. Mommy and Daddy are wearing faces that say that they are not worried but they are giving off worried vibes. It's probably nothing but troubling, so help us make our troubles go away.

Plus my friend from our condo place, Elwood, of the Lhaso Apso Jake and Elwood Blues Brothers, went to the bridge Saturday. I didn't find out until today. He had been sick for awhile. Please welcome him Bridge friends.

So I'm sorry there were not a lot of smiles in this post, but we just need some help for now, I'm sure things will turn out just fine. They usually do for Monsters. With friends like you, and the wonderful Aunt Connie, how can we go wrong>

Zoe Boe is our April 4, 2010 pup of the week

Neither Pocket or I would ever use Pup of the Week for personal reason or gain. But this week we want to recognize one of our very favorite pups in the entire Brigade and her wonderful Mom.

It was last April when our Pup of the Week, Zoe Boe, and her Mom, teamed up to do their first picture of her two favorite lovable Yorkies (no offense Chelsea and Ashton, it's probably a tie.) It was the first envelope that ever came to the house addressed to us. We opened it and there we were, with rabbit ears on, and a basket full of eggs. It was the most wonderful thing we have ever seen.

Since then us two Yorkies have been featured in plenty of her pictures, Foley as the Queen of Pop, Pocket in her Senate Office, the two of us, Tanner and Zoe in Mount Dogmore. But she did more than just draw us (after all, when you have perfect subjects, how hard is the drawing?) There was the wonderful picture of Tanner reaching down from heaven to guide Ruger; of our diva Hattie Mae teaching Gracie to dance; Nigel the bartender; the pool party; and so many more.

Because of technical problems and the dwindling hours of the day, we did not get the Hump Day funnies for several weeks. But in the last two weeks they have returned to us, reminding us how much we loved them, and making us wonder how how we ever survived without them.

So, on this holy Sunday, we recognize a friend who is always there for us, who fills our hearts with joy and happiness, who never requests a thing and gives all she can, who makes our lives better just for the joy of knowing her, and we name Zoe Boe our pup of the week.

And, if you like, on Tuesday, bark by her page and wish her Mom a happy 28th birthday. Or something like that, I'm a writer, not a statistical genius.

Our Christmas: Zoe Boe's made the day, and a trip to the Bridge made our night

As some of our Facebook friends are aware two of the gifts that my Mommy gave, to daughter #1, and to Daddy’s Mommy, were pictures drawn by Zoe Boe’s immensely talented Mom with the aid of the able bodied Zoe, and her expertise in coloring and shading.

She had to do them quickly. My parents sent the pictures she did the drawings from to the wrong e-mail address, so if you received pictures of a Shih Tzu and an elderly couple standing on a hill in Wolfeboro New Hampshire please delete. She got them, did a marvelous job getting them ready in time, and put them in the US Mail paying an extra rate so they would get here post haste.

Every day we checked the mailbox, and while there were wonderful things there, cards from the beautiful Lambies, from Tanner’s Mom, from Roland’s Mom, there still wasn’t the anticipated artwork. Mommy and Zoe Boe’s Mom exchanged e-mails and finally she sent Zoe out to track it.

As we all know Zoe is a brilliant tracker, and on Christmas Eve she sent us an e-mail saying she tracked it down. A half hour before Mommy and Daddy were going over daughter number two’s house for mead and grog Zoe contacted me, I told Daddy, and he went outside (without his knickers on) to give one final check of the mail.

The envelope was there. Oh be joyful! The envelope was stained, wet, and tattered.

Now as a pup, may I take a moment, to again, justify our hatred of those blue uniformed bozos that deliver our mail. We chase, we bite, we snarl, we fight, because if they aren’t bringing bad news, they’re delivering good news poorly. So the next time your pup attacks your personal plump Newman do not admonish, reward with a treat and an ear scratch for we truly have your best interests at heart.

When Daddy saw the wet envelope his heart dropped down his knees, which is when he realized he didn’t have knickers, and ran in the house. He ripped the envelope open.

But he shouldn’t have worried. Zoe Boe’s Mom is very clever. She had the package bubble wrapped, and the two drawings were facing one another, so despite the best efforts of Newman Incorporated there drawings were perfect for framing and presenting.

Mommy did a quick wrap job and they gave us kisses and put me on my blanket and Pocket in her crate, and out the door they went for a Christmas Eve family get together.

And what of us you ask? Well I hopped on the bed and watched them pull out of sight, then jumped back down and pulled the laptop from under the bed. I entered the codes, opened Pocket’s crate, then we jumped on the keyboard and hit the download sequence.

We were uploaded to Rainbow Bridge.

Oh, it was the most beautiful sight. Hundreds of trees all outfitted with lights. Wafting from the cooking fires was the scent of turkey, chicken and ham. Tanner was dressed like Santa, his eyes merry and bright, when he laughed his belly shook like a bowl full of jam. Sophie was next to him, a right proper Mrs. Claus overseeing the basting of the roast beef. Teddie Earnest had arranged for a lovely fireworks show, and Pocket and I snuggled on a blanket in the snow to watch the beautiful colors over the reef. Dulce and Sami brought us our drinks in golden bowls, sausage flavored water for Pocket and a Foleytini for me. Fred chased all the young pups, keeping them squealing with glee.

Who was there from the Brigade?

Well we made a pact not to say, you see, so many Mommies worry when their pups are downloaded to infinity. Suffice it to say, if you left them alone on that Eve, it was Rainbow Bridge they went when you did leave.

After our feast Tanner and Sophie lined up the young pups for their gifts.

They handed out Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums! Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums! Then it was time to eat the great feast. You know it was Moses who carved the roast beast.

After downing our precious holiday meal, we all joined paws under the tree with great zeal. Then we sang Christmas songs loud and clear, so happy that all our dear friends were near.

Then we saw our Mommies and Daddies were heading home, and to the computer we did roam. A few keystrokes, a gentle flick of the mouse, and we were all safely in place when our parents entered the house.

Our parents were none the wiser that we had gone to a party. They told us how Daughter #1’s eyes filled with tears when she saw a picture of her Bailey. We then all snuggled in our bed. Mommy and Daddy thought we would be lively from our time alone but we were fast asleep when the pillow met out head.

On Christmas morning Daddy’s parents arrived, for pancakes, and muffins, and Christmas breakfast pie. Their eyes filled with Christmas Day tears too when they saw their wonderful pictures, drawn with brown, green and blue.

So that’s how Zoe Boe’s Mom made our Christmas Eve and Day, and before we knew it Mommy and Daddy went away. So a huge Christmas feast we had, with all our friends, whose Mommy’s left them, thinking they would be sad. We almost had the mess cleaned when Mommy arrived home, but we were ratted out by one of the Christmas gnomes. But Mommy just hugged us and told us she knew our hearts, and then we shared her lap and a long nap we did start.

So thank you Zoe, to your Mom, to our friends, and to Rainbow Bridge, our buds to the end.

Our Christmas was perfect, we couldn’t have been more happy, I raise a bowl to all the dogs we met, and settle in for another nappy.

Zoe Boe's pool party

By Pocket (Inspired by Zoe Boe):

On Sunday mornings Foley and I like to sleep late. This Sunday, when the Monster phone rang, Foley just burrowed further under the blanket. But we are still on high alert, and I am Private Pocket, a dutiful solider, and was obligated to answer the call.

I was delighted to hear it was Zoe Boe. She told me her pool was open and a bunch of our friends were going to be there. I said we’d certainly join them. I hung up the phone, went down the end of the bed, and told Foley we had somewhere to go.

Well she said something you shouldn’t say during the heart of a Saturday night, never mind Sunday morning. But I kept nipping her ears, her piggy toes, and her butt, and finally she relented, climbing out of the covers. “Who called?” she asked licking her toes.

“It was Zoe Boe she’s having a pool party,” I said. “A pool party?” Foley said surprised then she bipped me right in the head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sisters.

We got our paw flops, our dog paddle fins, our Yorkie snorkies, then we got into the Monster Machine, set the coordinates for Zoe Boe’s house, and boom, boom, pow, we were there.

We landed right next to Chelsea and Ashton, curled up in the warm sun. “Are you going swimming?” I asked.

“We’re Yorkies,” Chelsea said yawning. “We lie in the warm sun. That’s how we served the King in World War One. Mines are warm. We’d lie on them. The soldiers would step around us to safety, and we were so tiny, we didn’t set off the mines.”

“I thought they used us to crawl into tunnels?” I asked.

”What are you nuts?” Ashton said. “You ever know a Yorkie who wanted to crawl into a tunnel, all dark and cobwebby? That was just Yorkie propaganda. No, we served by laying in the sun.”

“Sounds good to me,” Foley said and plopped down next to them. I began pawing her butt: “We should at least say hi to Zoey,” I said.

“Oh, all right,” Foley said, stretching like she had been asleep hours. She then began to bounce towards the pool.

Zoe Boe bounded over when she saw us and gave us both big, wet kisses. “I am so happy you girls could make it,” she said. “Almost everyone is in the pool, and we have some barbecued squirrel meat, and hot dogs, and hamburgers, and Snausage fingers, so you girls make yourself at home.” She then looked over and saw two dogs talking on paw phones. “But first perhaps you could do something about that,” she said pointing towards them.

We looked over and saw Puppy and Wishbone speaking into their paws. We walked across the wet grass and asked Puppy what they were doing. “I am checking on a dog we placed in a home in Durham and Wishbone is on hold with Governor Mark Sanford’s office about Holland Belue.”

Foley sighed. “Puppy, you’re at a party, and I know you’re committed to save dogs everywhere, but you can relax for one afternoon.” Puppy put up a fight, but finally relented. Wishbone, on the other paw, insisted he was moments away from talking with Governor Sanford.

”Give me the phone,” Foley said. Wishbone refused, but Foley squeezed a chick chick, broke his concentration and grabbed the phone. “Yes, tell Governor Sanford the ghost of Strom Thurmond’s on the phone,” Foley barked. She was soon connected. “Yes Governor Sanford, I want you to fire Holland Belue and take some of that stimulas money to build no kill shelters in your state you incredible hump.” Foley then hung up the phone. “Let’s go swimming,” she said.

“I am going to get the raft because I am the Admiral,” Foley said.

“You’re the General,” I reminded her.

“Same thing,” she said.

But apparently it wasn’t because Brookie was on the raft being pushed by Chase and Gucci. She saw Foley. “Do you want the raft Foley? I can get off. I just don’t want to get my suit wet.”

“That’s all right,” a disappointed Foley said. “You three look like you’re having so much fun.”

“She’s being pushed by Shih Tzu power!” the Gooch said then made a revving sound and pushed her as Brookie squealed with delight.

“Do you want to jump in?” I asked Foley.

“Not here,” she whispered. “Those Shih Tzus, they are so pretty and puffy, and when they get wet it’s like they shrink three times their size. I can’t deal with shrinkage.”

We went over to the diving board. “Bauser!” Foley said excitedly walking on to the board where Bauser lay in the new Tanner Brigade bandana. “Oh look at how pretty that is,” Foley said.

“Thank you, that’s why I’m chilling up here, I don’t want to get it wet,” Bauser said.

“No that’s too precious to get wet even though I know these colors don’t run,” Foley said giving him a kiss on the head.

She lay down next to him to get caught up and I was tired of waiting so I jumped into the pool on my own. I floated on my back and Nigel floated by me in his float. He told me he couldn’t get his bow tie wet, and he was sipping a puppytini through a straw. He gave me a sip and it almost knocked me right out of the water.

Shortly thereafter Willow floated by in her tube followed by Brookie, Gooch and Chase and I got behind Willow and we raced back and forth through the pool yipping all the way. Then I heard Chase shriek and then everyone got out of the pool except for me and I looked over and floating in the pool was a….poo?

“Oh no Pocket pooed the pool!” Foley said.

“I did not!” I said. I waded over to it and picked it up. It was a Baby Ruth bar. Foley started laughing at the mean trick she played, but I got the last laugh because Wishbone and Puppy picked her up and tossed her into the pool and she came up all snorting when she got water in her nose.

Soon the Baby Ruth incident was forgotten and we were back playing. Then we got out and laywith Reba on the Gen Chen blanket and talked about all the cool mutts we knew. Sham and Karma were playing with Gracie on a blanket, rubbing her tummy, and Gracie was squealing with delight, and then we played catch the puppy. Max gave me, Zoey, Foley, Ashton and Chelsea rides on his head and we felt like the most beautiful Princess in the highest tower.

Soon it was getting dark and we all had to kiss and say goodnight and we were in the Monster Machine and back home, and we were so tired that we curled up under the blankets and went to sleep.

I had forgiven her for throwing a Baby Ruth in the pool and making everyone think I had pooed in the pool because Foley is my sister and I love her.

Plus I’m pretty sure I peed in the pool a little.

Teddy Bond's bag of tricks

Foley sat behind her desk, turned away, absent-mindedly looking at a squirrel on the lawn playing with his nuts. The desk was only a few inches high, and the chair only half that, but Foley still felt very important sitting behind it. In a chair on the other side of the desk was Pocket. She was not sitting how Foley had wanted, with her butt in the seat, her forelegs hanging uselessly in front of her, her back legs hanging off the chair; but she was curled up like a dog, licking her paws, and wondering what tasty delight she had stepped in.

The phone buzzed and Foley tried to reach across the desk to hit the speaker button, but her arms wouldn’t reach, and she barked out for her secretary to come in. Zoe Boe walked in and told Foley that her 3:00 was here. Foley asked her to give them a moment and then watched as his long legged girl Friday wiggled out of the room. “If you were going to gawk at our secretary you should have at least got a boy dog,” Foley said.

“First of all I am neutered so I’m not attracted to anyone’s butt but my own. Secondly, I did have a male secretary, Wishbone, but he filed everything under W and I had to let him go. Thirdly, when I’m bored she draws me pretty pictures.”

The door opened and a Shih Tzu puppy, black and white, came into the room sniffing everything in site. Then she stopped and peed on the rug.

“Hey are you replacing me?” Pocket asked.

“No Pocket, we all have roles in play in the Brigade, and excitable pissing is yours, no, our friend Grace just had a little accident isn’t that right?” Foley asked to his guest, Grace Earnest.

“Cookie, you have cookie for Gracie?” the pup asked.

“Yes, I do,” Foley said. Pocket relunctantly reached down from a bag at her side, got a cookie, and placed it on the chair where Foley wanted to conduct her talk. Gracie ran towards it and after several jumps got in the chair.

“Pocket, this is Gracie, she is Teddy Bond’s new sister,” Foley said.

“It is nice to meet you,” Pocket said.

“Cookie. Give me cookie!” Gracie said.

“Now Grace,” Foley said. “Do you know why we brought you here?”

“For a cookie?” she asked hopefully.

“No, no. OK, yes, give her a cookie.” Pocket sighed, her cookie supply getting diminished by the second. “You are here because your brother left us all his spy gadgets to give to you and we are going to do that today…..Pocket what are you doing?”

Pocket had climbed across her chair and was burying her nose in Grace’s fur sniffing her. “I love that new dog smell,” she said.

“Stop it your embarrassing us,” Foley said. He turned back to Grace. “Now Teddy left me a bag of tricks so let me look in here and see what we have.” She pulled out what looked like an ordinary bone. Foley studied it but did not see anything special about it and threw it on the floor.

Grace hopped down and took it in her mouth and began to chew it. When she bit down on the bone it sent a laser across the room that shattered a lamp. Foley and Pocket jumped down and hid under the desk as lasers flew through the air. They heard the door open and the soft pitter-patter of a sleek lady then the lasers stopped. The girls lifted their heads from under the desk where they saw Zoe with the bone in her mouth. “Foley, how many times do I have to ask you not to give the puppy the laser bone?” she asked.

Foley got out from under the desk, licked her fur to straighten it, jumped up and sat, and said: “Thank you Ms. Boe, that will be all.” Foley looked down and pulled out a camera. She turned in over. “Oh it’s his penis cam!” she said.

“What’s a penis cam?” Pocket asked.

“Teddy had it inserted in his penis and whenever he licked himself he took a picture.”

“Wow,” Pocket said. “That’s a lot of pictures. I don’t think we should give it to she doesn’t have a, you know, the p thing.”

“No, no, gimme, gimme camera, give me, give me!” Gracie said.

Foley slid the camera over to her and Grace ate it. “Well, at least we’ll know if she has worms,” Pocket said.

Foley went back into the bag and brought out beans. “Was Teddy building a bean stalk?” Pocket asked.

“Beans, beans, give me beans, give me beans!” Grace said.

Foley looked at Teddy’s written note that said “do not eat after midnight,” and noting that it wasn’t after midnight he tossed Grace a bean and that puppy caught it in her mouth.

She chewed it and swallowed it down. Foley and Pocket studied her but nothing seemed to be happening. Foley looked down at the last item in Teddy’s bad which seemed to be cookies. She was going to eat one herself when she stopped as something foul filled the air.

“Oh my God that smells terrible,” Pocket said.

Foley suddenly grew very excited. “Oh my gosh! Those are fatal fart beans. Oh that is great!”

“I think I am going to die” Pocket said gasping for air.

“No, fatal farts are great. Oh God my eyes are watering! Zoe!” The door opened and Zoe sprayed air freshener into the room while holding a paw over her nose.

Foley took the cookies out of the bag and used it to clear the air in front of her face and Grace jumped up on the table a wolfed down the cookies.

The Grace slowly lifted into the air. “Oh my they are flying cookies!” Pocket said. Grace floated over their heads.

“Look at her she’s a flying Shih Tzu!” Foley said in awe.

Then Gracie began farting and it became difficult to breathe. “It’s a flying farting Shih Tzu!” Pocket said.

Then Foley felt wet drops falling on her. “It’s a flying, farting, peeing Shih Tzu.”

This was followed by a clicking sound “And I think she’s taking our picture!” Pocket cried and then they both dove under the desk.

Gracie kept flying, farting, peeing, picturing, and now pooping until the door opened. Zoe came in, jumped on the couch, leapt in the air and caught the flying, farting, peeing, pooping, picturing pooch gently in her jaws.

She held Gracie until she air ran out, placed her on the ground, and told her to scoot on home.

She then walked over and picked up Teddy’s magical bag of tricks in her mouth. “I will bring this back when Gracie is old enough to appreciate it,” she said.

Chagrined, Foley and Pocket waited under the desk for Zoe to leave the room. Then Pocket gestured with her nose at the two magic beans and cookies that had fallen on the floor.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Pocket asked.

“That the world needs a flying, farting Yorkie?” Foley replied.

The two sisters scoffed down the cookies and beans and then floated in the air, barking in joy as they bounced off one another high above the office floor.