Bout Time

I've been doing some pondering... It's time for some serious changes here in GooberStan. Don't mean to be so cryptic, but I'll let you in on the secret once I get my girl on board. (See Grammie? I'm still using the very snuggable blanket you made me.)

Goober love,

Stanley

Random Oregon

Blame our girl. That's all I have to say about why we haven't been posting or visiting our friend's blogs! Just remember, she's the one with opposable thumbs. 'Nuff said. (Would these faces lie to you??)

As a peace offering I give you a photo of one of Portland's most famous residents ~ one with whom my girl spent copious amounts of time ~ the signature voodoo doll donut from Portland's VooDoo Doughnuts! He's covered in chocolate, filled with very blood-like raspberry goo, and comes with his own pretzle "needle" for the purpose of torturing him before he is devoured one bite at a time! (What can I say? My girl likes her donuts!)

But hey. We promised to reveal the mystery friends from Dogs With Blogs my girl got to see and maybe this sweet terrier mug will give you a clue...

Clue number 2 ~ a certain psycho dog in Oregon...

Clue number 3 ~ mellow slug dog in the same house...

If you have not yet figured it out, then maybe this photo will enlighten you. We made an impromptu visit to Moco, Foley, and Dawson and their hooman mama (and Peanut & Flash's Grammie)!!! I have been in love with Grammie ever since my buddy Wally the Corgador brought her to my attention over 2 years ago. Even though she already has 2 granddogs in Flash & Peanut (hi, Flash & Peanut!), she adopted me along with Wally as her honorary granddogs, and my girl went to meet her without bringing me along for the ride! My girl said that Grammie is just as lovable as I always imagined and that they talked about me the ENTIRE time they spent together. (As it should be.) Grammie, I'm sorry you were disappointed that I was not with my girl. She SO does not understand our bond!

The impromptu stop at Grammie's house occurred on the way to the Oregon Coast. My girl was taking our buddy, Noah, to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time, and wouldn't you know, it was the first day of bad weather they'd had all season! Pelting rain and 50-80 mph winds! Oooo Baby!

Just a bit of Oregon and movie trivia here. My girl actually got to see Haystack Rock. It's the big dark thing in the photo below. For those of you who are fans of the movie The Goonies , you'll recognize it!

Since this post has devolved from the reveal of my girl's mystery visit to Grammie's house, let me just share a few more random Oregon tidbits with you from my girl's visit. My girl found out that the Portland Zoo had a baby elephant living there and she just HAD to go see him. She was so transfixed (she took over 30 photos and more than a few vids) she wanted you to see how cute he is. His name is Samudra (Sam for short), and he captured my girl's heart. I say, if she loves him so much why didn't she bring him home? If you're a baby elephant freak like my girl, please go to the link above to the Portland Zoo for even better photos and vids of the cute little pachaderm.

Go ahead and say "Awwww." You know you want to.

Now this last landmark was brought to my girl's attention by none other than Bogart's mama, Lulu. I don't know if it appears in the book, Roadside America, but it should. Do you remember when the husband of figure skater Tanya Harding and a friend of his decided to travel out East to whack (literally) on the knee of rival figure skater Nancy Kerrigan? This is the dumpster where police supposedly found the weapon in Portland. Amazing... huh? You can get the whole story here if you're interested.

Stella and I hope you have enjoyed this wacky and weird travelogue. We apologize for the appalling lack of dog photos and hope to remedy that for you in our next post. Grammie, thank you for allowing my girl to come bask in your glow even if I wasn't with her to pave the way. You're the best!

Goober love,

Stanley

GooberFest Part 1

So. It was my birthday a week ago, and after 1 week of being 2 years old I've decided that birthday hats are WAY overrated. (This psycho deli hat comes from an era in my girl's life I don't even want to KNOW about.) My girl calls it the Groovy Hat, and breaks it out for birthdays.

Here's one photo of Sherman's Stinky Salmon Treats that my girl made for me. (See the cheesey "S" on top? It stands for Sherman, but it also conveniently stands for Stanley.) Let me tell you, Sherman KNOWS all about stink & treats!

The rest of this post is an embarrassing chronicle of the birthday bomb that exploded, and all the presents that were found in the aftermath (an INDECENT amount of presents, my girl says). Each one represents pups who love me and whom I love. So, enjoy, and please don't hate me...

As we all know, package demolition is one of the BEST parts of opening a present.










This lovely duo of gorgeous pink flamingos made their way to GooberStan weeks in advance of my birthday, but were given in love! The cute one on the left came from Moco's mama, my sweet Grammie! The larger leggier one on the right came from Lacie, Scruffy, and BabyStan's Mumsie!






A goob can NEVER have too many flamingos.

Thank YOU, Grammie & Mumsie! Your ever-lovin' goober smooches are in the mail to you NOW! You sure know the way to this goob's heart.

Weary from package demolition, this photo shows me redolent, reading Asta's birthday card and getting to know Orange Smoochie Chicken. (She said he's a timed release Smoochie Chicken. Every time I squeak him he releases smoochie kisses.)

Demonstrating the Smoochie Chick.

Her card is an X-Ray of her. It proves that I am the goober in her heart!

Along with the X-Ray she sent the keys to her heart. Stella likes to play with them ~ she says they smell sweet. But, they don't work for her. They only work for ME, Asta's Goober Boy!

Obviously, she had to send her heart to GooberStan if I'm the one with the keys!

I found this bootiful silky scarf in the package and tried it on. We weren't sure WHOM it was for, but it definitely wasn't for me. Not my style.

It's definitely NOT for Stella either. It makes her look too much like Mother Teresa.

Merv liked it, but we decided to give it to our hoogirl.

There was a sweet & saucy smell eminating from this tiny box. I had to investigate.

No wonder! Look what it was filled with ~ Asta Fuzz!! THANK YOU ASTARONI! You really ARE my Sweetpea Fuzzbutt, and you know what I like! I LOVE you and will safely guard your sweet heart!

Not only did all of that super gooberlicious stuff wing its way to me, but I also received a package full of bodacious Boston goodness from my pupgirl, Ruby Bleu.

First off, I must direct your attention to the gorgeous portrait above. She sent it to me for Valentine's Day, and it graces the side of our cold eatables box, just above where my food bowl is.

Now, look at this haul of lovin' I found in Ruby's package!

I first went for this fabulously funky chicken. He is made from totally recycled materials, per my Ruby's GREEN DOG New Year's resolution!

But of course, this bone filled with bacony goodness caught my attention RIGHT away! There was even a Stella-sized one.

Ruby Bug! This bacony filling tastes just like your kisses! How perfect is THAT?

Stella took hers to the relative safety of her bunker.

After all the bacony goodness it was time to test out the new Tug a Lug Rings from Ruby...

... and my new rubber flying frisbee! I'm a fool for anything that I can tug or anything that flies (just ask my pink flamingo). There was even a present in the box for my girl, but we can't find the photos of the funky flip flops you sent! My girl's feet say, hey, thanks Rubinator!

Merv had to read Ruby's letter to me, I was wiggling too much from BEST (Birthday Excitement Syndrome & Trauma)! Thank you, Ruby Bug! You are the only "Bug" I love, and you are always way too good to this goob!

As if those presents were NOT enough, you'll have to see some of the funkilicious treats I received from my Connecticut Dale buds, Maggie & Mitch! This is just a sampling of a FEW of their gifts!

Those hoofers look menacingly tasty. I can't wait til I get my gnashers on them!

And, we got new cow snouts!

Here we are modeling the MOOZLE! (Is that not the BEST treat name you've ever heard?)



As if the fantastically funky treats weren't enough, M & M's mama sent this Stanley spoon that she MADE HERSELF for my girl. (Looks to me like my girl is cleaning up on the prezzie front as well.) Thanks, Maggsie, Mitch, and your mama! Your birthday efforts on my behalf have already garnered me hours of pleasure (and Stella too).

Bet you're wondering how these 2 porkers got to GooberStan. (The larger one is already marked with my goober slime, thank you.)

My sweet honorary Swiss Dale Sissy, Faya, chose these gifts for me and Stella with love and care. When you snuggle up with them and squeeze them they say OINK like real piggies. I'm welcoming Big Porker with a goober smooch.

Well... maybe a few more goob smooches are in order to make you feel REALLY welcome.

No offense, Taffy, but I think Stella is IN LOVE with Little Porker. She totes him all over GooberStan. When she and I are both at it, it sounds like a little porker choir is rehearsing right in our kitchen. THANK YOU, Sweet Faya! You have given us another tool in our arsenal to drive our girl bananas! And, thanks for all the sweeeeeet tasty treatables you sent. There are still a few left!

My girl wanted you to see one last photo of me in the Groovy Hat. Because she is the one behind the birthday eatables and the one to clean up the debris from the Birthday Bomb, I accomodate her wishes.

I understand that the birthday celebration is not even CLOSE to being over. There is a package waiting for me at the post office from Singapaw, and several of my buds have sent ecards and have sponsored homeless pups and kitties in my honor! I am touched to the core of my goober heart, and you can bet I'm feelin' the love! More on those prezzies in the next installment!

You guys, yep, YOU GUYS who are reading this post are the REAL gifts as far as I'm concerened! A goob can never have too many friends. I'm sending out universal goober smooches 'round the globe to all of you! Thanks for loving me just as I am.

Overwhelmed by love,

Stanley

Virtual Puppy Shower

I've got to tell you, it's been raining puppy toys, puppy fashion accessories, and puppy treats around here ever since before my girl went to get The Stellanator. Too bad we couldn't have had a real snout-to-snout puppy shower to welcome her home. This virtual puppy shower is the next best thing, though. (And, guess who benefits from it as the sympathetic displaced older dog in the house? That's right. I've been getting goodies too).

The first puppy gift came B.S. (Before The Stellanator). It came from someone Wally talked about last week ~ an amazing hooman whose face we have never seen, but whose heart is bigger than the state of Texas. That woman is Peanut & Flash's Grammie. She is the most gooberlicious of hoomans, and adopted Wally and I as two of her "boys" (when we asked her to).

Here I am posing with the blankie she made me. It's an aerial view of GooberStan.

Look, she even monogrammed it for me!




It is the toastiest, coziest blankie EVER! You are the BEST, Grammie! Many gooberlicious smooches are coming your way!




Not only did she make me a blankie, but she made one for Stella too!




Stella REALLY digs her blankie!





Stella already has her shepherd's costume figured out for the GooberStanian Christmas play.





Then, not 2 days A.S.M.I. (After Stella Moved In), she found this on our front porch.

Look! Not 1, but 2 packages for the baby princess. (As if her head needs to get any bigger).

This multi-colored one was from Lacie & Scruffy!

It was her present, so I let her open it.

This is probably the MOST appropriate gift she's received so far ~ a squeaky pacifier. (She is still a baby, you know).

Lacie wanted to make sure Stella had some bling, so she got her a styling purple collar and matching leash.

They also graciously threw in a very cool red Wubba for ME, but we have no photo because it's whereabouts have been unknown since Stella ran off with it (as soon as she heard it was for me)! But, we do have a photo of the FAB magnet Lacie & ScruffMan sent of the two of them playing tug! (Aren't you jealous?)

Of course, the card was HIL-AIRE-IOUS! It had my fave photo of Lacie superimposed on a plastic-encased chair. Why the plastic Lacie? (It is on our cold eatables box right next to the L & S magnet).

Scruffy & Lacie, you are the best goober buds to me, and now to Stella. We love the gifts, and are humbled by your generosity.

Now, you may be asking yourself about that second package we received. Since I graciously allowed Stella to open the one from Scruffy & Lacie, I decided to open this one myself.

It was from my adopted Aire sissy, Faya ~ all the way from Switzerland!

I had a feeling there was something for me inside, but Stella (being the stalker that she is) had to "oversee" me while I was doing my investigative work on the package.

It was packed with puppy stuff for Stella! Look at her squeaky dumbbell. (You wouldn't know it to look at her, but Stella is one tough chica).

Faya also sent some tasty puppy treats. (I taste-tested them, of course. What are big brothers for?)

Faya also sent a bootiful chew toy on a rope (the rope went missing within minutes of this photo).

Ever the stylish pup herself, Faya also sent this very cute, Stella-sized collar and banana. Pretty cool, huh?

Here is the best shot I could get of The Stellanator and her Swiss stash of prezzies. See the card Faya sent? It's an aerial view of her city, Bienne.

Of course, Faya did not forget her Airebrother. She stuffed a nice juicy bone in that box just for me. She knows what I like.

Faya, you and your mama, Gooberique, are the BEST! Stella loves her toys, and she especially loves to prance around in her new banana and collar. Thank you for being so good to me & my new sissy.

Grammie, Lacie & Scruffy, and Faya, many gooberlicious thanks for your love and for your generosity. The Stellanator and I are blessed beyond words!

To all of you doggies, hammies, kitties, and hoomans out there who have sent puppy gifts, good wishes, congratulations, and funky limericks, thank you from the bottom of my and my girl's goober hearts! Stella would send her thanks too, but we're not quite ready to let her near the pooter. You will be hearing from her soon enough!

Lots of goober love,

Stanley