Shocking News

Hi buddies,

In less than a month it's my birthday. I had plans, great plans.

I had planned to move out to my very own pugpartment. I even started visiting some places close to my parents' home.

I had planned to bring my cute self to mom's office more often, as a stress-relief team member, and I agreed to be paid with total access to the fridge instead of a salary.

I also considered getting a second job in a colombian hot dog restaurant, where apparently dogs are allowed.

I thought I may visit my parents every weekend, when daddy brings breakfast in bed for mom, just to show them what a good son I am, that I care and I haven't forgotten them.

I had planned to move out right after my birthday in September, when I turn four and I was kind enough to let my parents know ahead of time.

"No way", they said.

"What do you mean?! Why?!"

"You are not big enough to be on your own"

"I will be 32 human-years old. Doesn't that sound like old enough?"

Important Business Brunch

Friends,

As you all know, I am in charge of helping employees cope with the daily work-related complications and stress in mom's office. Putting my wrinkles to work, I had a superb idea. Why not expand my services regionally? (Even internationally?)

I immediatly decided two wrinkles were necessary on such an intricated business idea so I called my pal Jaxson to be my partner. He lives two counties away, in a key area for our future expansion. Jax and I met for brunch in Delray Beach Sunday morning. We took turns to occupy the director's chair, that way we both knew we were contributing in the decisions fairly.

* deciding*

*not deciding*

* deciding*

Being Jax in charge of calling and pee-mailing a few key contacts I went on to make a careful study of the actual market - using local newspapers as our main source of information.

We have concluded that there is a huge gap in the market of stressed-at-work people who are in desperately need of having a dog right next to them in the office to help de-stress and increase their productivity, and the demand seems to be increasing minute by minute. We now need to find a way to let the bosses know...

Audit

Mom has been complaining about having too much work, having to skip lunch to make up for too short deadlines and being totally stressed out. I had to step up and call to an entraordinary meeting with the partners.

Maxi the yorkie lives with one of mom's boss, the one who works directly with her. Ironically, tiny Maximus frightens me while huge boss doesn't frighten mom.

Lassie the mini collier lives with mom's other boss. The one that is never around but is always present: he is the eye behind the camera at the office. Lassie was kind enough to assist to our important meeting even though she had a very rough time the previous day. Mom was in tears, just a day before Lassie's vet told her older brother that she was not going to survive, that it was better to put her to sleep. Mom talked him into taking her somewhere else. She is sixteen years old, and had a tumor bothering her urinary system, but we knew she was a strong doggy. Lassie's vet finally agreed to do the surgery and having had a prompt recovery there she is, walking to our meeting on all four legs, tail wagging and smiling.

After further consultation with both partner's dogs, we have agreed that it is necessary to add some relaxing elements in the office to help ease the stress of the employees. Therefore, I will go to the office on Wednesday to materialize the plan.

Attempts To Being Normal

Well, everyone knows I am mom's only child. Even though I am a pug, I have my needs and I provide love. One of my basic needs - to sniff and explore - was suddenly taken away from me when I got sick last month. Once I got better my vet said I could go out... just trying to not get too close to other doggies.

That's how we decided to go to people places instead of doggy places for a while. Daddy didn't like the idea - seriously, he is cool when it is time to get treats but for the rest of interesting things in life, he is mostly boring.



While driving around looking for houses - a human thing - mom asked dad to stop at a kid's playground. There was no one there, just a family walking towards the back of the park. Daddy thought that the family would complain for me being there.


Look at me. Totally adorable. Who could complain? While having those thoughts, a loud noise atracted my attention. Why are those people shouting?



It turns out that people are very loud in this city. I had forgotten, since mom and dad are very quiet. It is very common to see a mother yell to her child, just because he or she is running/jumping/climbing/playing/getting dirty/laughing/being happy. What's the purpose of coming to a playground if the poor little kid can't do nothing? Then, of course, kids stop listening to their parents. Who wants to pay attention to that ugly loud noise all the time? And the shouting continues, for ever and ever, anywhere and everywhere. Mom can't understand people sometimes.

Back to me, I was having fun sniffing everything on my reach. It was cool to follow mom's directions, this time in a much nicer and fun place than our regular walks. I am used to following "Up" and "Down" when there's a stair, "Jump" when there's a curb or a higher than normal step. But there was a slight difference this time. Mom was being a little louder. She wanted to make sure I heard her since she was not too close to me.

What did I do? Behave like a normal kid. I didn't listen - after all, she was almost yelling at me. Ninety degrees on the ground, muzzle in the sand, and I realized she had said "Jump" instead of "Down".

"Ooops mom! I didn't mean to scare you. I am fine, and the sand tastes good, by the way!

Texting Miss Pearl

Hello friends,
You will not believe what happened to me yesterday. I am very mad at my mother because she has no sense of privacy at all. Unbelievable.



She happened to had left her phone on the window sill, connected to the charger. When she came back to the bedroom she found the phone on the floor, screen opened, paw on keyboard.

"What are you doing, Coco?"



"Me? Nothing. And you?"

"Let me see the phone... who are you texting to?"



Totally rude. I can't wait to be four years old in September so that I can move out of my parents house.



(And I hope I pressed SEND on time. Did you get my message, Pearly?)

Wordless Pugless Crazy Wednesday

(MIAMI BEACH MARINA)

(ADRIENNE ARSHT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER)

(MOM AND DAD, THE WAY THEY WOULD LOOK IF YOU HAD ASTIGMATISM)

My Hairitage

Hello friends!

Many of you may not know something about me. I am a multiracial pug. No, I am not a mutt or a mixed breed, but my hairitage (or is it heritage?) is very rich. You see, I am a chinese-peruvian-cuban-american pug. That's why I can bark and understand spanish and english!

So before you start guessing, here goes the story:

I am a pug, and pugs originated in China, but I was born in the U.S.

My mom was born and lived most of her life (27 years) in Perú.

Dad was born in the U.S. but his parents were both born in Cuba.

So today, 188 years ago, it was the independence of Perú. It is a big country, not as big as this one though. But it looks big in this map.

Mom was born in Lima, grandma was born in Moquegua and grandpa was born in a little province in Lima, up in the mountains. Doesn't mom look like an andean girl?

Yesterday mom brought a "Paneton" home to celebrate the tradition. It smells yummilicious but she said that I can't have any. Well mom, since I can't have any, let me tell you that Panettone's are originally from Italy. How come you say that's a tradition to eat on Perú's Independence Day? (And on Christmas, also).

While daddy watched TV...

after our Sunday breakfast, I was getting ready to clean the kitchen. Daddy prepared grits - but not just any grits, this is a special "daddy's grits recipe". This is the type of breakfast that we all share as a family; I always get a little bit on my bowl. Yesterday daddy didn't measure accurately so there was a lot left over. I was ready to clean the pot!