I'm the healthy one for a change!

We've had a bunch of sick babies at our house! I told you all about my sister Buttercup hurting her neck. She's feeling much better, but mom and dad still carry her outside and she can't go down the stairs by herself. Mom says she going to get a hernia carrying her around. What's a hernia anyway? Mom is also talking about diet food - I hope she means for the other guys. I don't think I'd like diet food. Mom says she doesn't.

Then, Ruger ate a LOT of chocolate and had to go to the vet! Boy was mom upset. At first I thought it was because the chocolate was gone, but no, she was worried about Ruger. He ate a whole bunch of chocolate that was almost all cocoa, I guess that stuff is BAD for dogs. First she tried to make Ruger throw up by giving him some yucky stuff to drink, but Ruger wouldn't throw up. Them mom had to take him to the vet and THEY had to make him throw up. He came home later that night, but he wasn't feeling very well. He got in trouble from mom yesterday because she found some more chocolate he hid behind the desk in her office, so he got yelled at. Why would he want chocolate when he always gets the good stuff mom has, like bones and stuff? I don't even get those because I can't chew them, but if I did get them I sure wouldn't be eating any icky stuff like chocolate. Mom said next time she gets a dog she's getting something called insurance. I don't know what exactly that is, but mom made it sound like a good thing. If you can eat it, I wish she'd get it now.

It's been kind of cold outside, so mom put my sweater on me today. It was one of the sweaters that Grandma Carole gave to me last year. I tried to take it off, but it got stuck. Mom couldn't find the camera, but she said it looked like I had a skirt on. Don't girls wear skirts? I think I should be insulted, being the manly dog I am, but I'm not sure.

We found a great big spider outside yesterday. I would have eaten it, but mom actually screamed and grabbed me before I could get it. I guess she doesn't like spiders much. Maybe next time. We had some company at our house and they took it home with them in a jar. I wonder if they're going to eat it? Probably not. Humans don't eat bugs much.

Well, I hear mom coming back, so I better get off the computer. We can't have any more excitement around here. Mom says she had enough, so I don't want her to know I can type!

Love,
Chuck

I've been a resident of Omaha for a year. Can I vote now?

I've been living with mom and dad for a whole year now! They thought I was sick when they brought me home and that I wouldn't be here long. Silly them! Guess I fooled them all, didn't I?

Mom had people over to our house for dinner yesterday and baked me a cake and everything. She said it was the end of summer and we should all have a cookout, but I know that really the celebration was for me... Because I'm special. She tells me that all the time. I bet she just didn't want to tell everyone that it was for me because then the other dogs would be jealous and mom would be baking cakes all the time for their birthdays and to celebrate the day they came to live with her and dad. It would just get to be too much, so she tells everyone it's the end of summer even though I know it's really for me.

My uncle, Tucker the Cat, has been sick again. He has congestive heart failure and grandma and grandpa have to give him some kind of yucky medicine in the morning and at night. Poor Tucker. Mom says that I have it too, but I don't feel sick, so I don't think we have the same thing at all. Besides, mom and dad don't have to shoot medicine in the side of my mouth. Mom hides stuff in my food sometimes though, but I don't spit it out. I'm not BAD like other dogs I know... Don't worry Buttercup, I won't tell mom that you spit that pill out on the carpet in the living room yesterday. She won't hear it from me. Huh uh. No way and I a tattletale...

Grandma Judy sent me a nice warm heating pad that mom and dad put in my bed and it makes me so warm! I don't have to curl up in a little ball to be warm and I sleep really, really good with it. But, I think grandma told mom to put my water up at night because they don't put it in my bedroom with me anymore. I never have to get up and go pee during the night anymore, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm so warm I sleep really good, or because mom doesn't give me my water. I know mom's glad she doesn't have to scrub the floor every day!

Grandma and Grandpa S gave me a new octopus for my birthday. It squeaks and squeaks and squeaks. I guess maybe it squeaks too much 'cause mom put it on the piano last night. She gave it back to me today though. I guess she never found the Kong though. I'm kind of sorry she hasn't found it because I can't remember where I put it!

I'm going to post some pictures that mom took the other day. I don't want anybody to be upset or anything about my back. Really it doesn't hurt. Even where there's scabs, mom and dad put lotion and medicine on them, so they don't hurt, so don't worry about how it looks okay?

I'm starting to lose some hair on my head now. Mom says I'll look like my grandpa Art if that happens. Uh oh.

Gotta get those pictures posted. I hope you like them.

Chuck