Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Happy Bday, Ma!

Weird post, but there's a method to my madness! Here's a link to this place and it is DOG FRIENDLY! Check it out! Anyway, yesterday was Mama's birthday. She's always wanted to go to this restaurant and then found out I could come too! Look at the other puppers here on the patio! This is a funky (but too pricey) restaurant in Sausalito. We've been having somewhat of a heatwave inland, so we knew that dining by the Bay would be cool!

Look at all the pups who showed up! This place is known for its pawesome fish, fresh off the boat, and also for the freshest foods from local farmers. I stationed myself near Emma, where I knew I'd eventually score.

Mama with Cameron and me... Cameron had just returned from an amazing trip to Peru and brought something so cool that we couldn't believe it! She'd made a "Jeopardy!" board filled with answers about Peru.

Here it is. While we munched on the most amazing hors d'oevres such as homemade chips with trout dip, Cameron proceeded to annhiliate us one by one. Such hard "answers"! By then, I was really hoping the wee peep, Emma, would arbitrarily drop a goodie for me...

Soooo... and she... DID!!! Lots of 'em! Sure like birthdays... any peeps' or pups'! Then we ordered our dinners.
Even Mama said, "OMD" when this came! Totally wild, fresh trout, so pink and yomzers with unbelievably fresh veggies - she finished about 1/3 of it. The plate was so heavy, she couldn't pass it around to the others for tasty tastins'! I even got a nibble of what fresh, pink trout is like... mmmmmnnnnn!

And the contents of the whole restaurant sang "Happy Bday" to Mama, while I hoped I'd get a piece. Not happenin' this year! If any of yous comes to visit, I highly recommend you try this place. Pawesome...totally!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

1st Meeting of the San Francisco Bay Area Golden Retriever Meetup!




Ashley and her golden, Moose, recently moved to the Bay Area from San Diego, where, as many of you may know, Sue of Random Ramblings started a Meetup group that has grown to almost 800 members! We were excited to have a group here finally and even more jazzed about our first gathering at Seal Point Park in San Mateo near the SFO airport.

Let's get this party started, Peeps!

Okay Ma... that's enough throwing to her; it's my turn! And here's a little movie of things gettin' goin'!


And here's a little of my play/kong action on the return retrieve heheh!
Here's a collage of what some of us doggehs were up to fur some pawesome fun meetin' and greetin'! (Notice my BFF, Sierra, in these pix?)

Below there's Maggie, cuddling up with Ma, who does rescue work in San Francisco with Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue, where I cames from!

Look who was anxious to join the pawtay - a bit too anxious if you asks me, pulling on that leashie likes that heheh!


Word spread that there were treats over here - nomzers!

And after a good time was had by all, we gathered for a group picture, some of us more enthused about it than others! Ashley, incredibly, had created a "goodie" bag for each of us to paw home!

WOW! Something smells really yummy (drrooool!)

Before I could get my maw around the nomzers, my evil sis took off with the pretty pressie!

Luckily, the contents spilt fur me to investigate!

What lovely gifties Ashley and Moose gave us to bring home. Ashley: you bringed joy to our lives today and we loved meeting you and so many other wonderful goldens (and other doggehs too!) as well as their super owners! Thank you, thank you! We had a most splendid time and look forward to the next Meetup!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Beautiful GABE Pressie and Some Other Adventures!

It has been a bit nutsy around here, and I apologize for my mom's rudeness in making me so AWOL with my pals - I finally pawed her to take some dictation today. Here we go!
We won! We won! Silvie (check out her blog here), a cheerful and happy Bichon, sent us a wonderful pressie! Here I am inspecting it carefully, as I wanted to make sure it wasn't another new puppy. It didn't smell like one; in fact, it smelled very sweet!

Here I am, snootering it a little bit more...

And some more!

As Silvie said on her GABE post, I'd have a huge void in my life without a Bichon candle.

And you know what? She was right. It's guarding Ma's and Pa's pix of my Splash doggin'! Thank you a ton, Silvie! What an adorable candle!


Look who showed up for our next adventure??? I was so jazzed! Here's a little photoshow of our walk with Sierra, her mom, Eric (who is the all-time greatest doggeh caretaker in the world) and his two charges, Smudge and Prius (the hybrid hee hee)!


Another beautiful day on the Bay and a pretty park that had asphalt, so my sister could come too. Nothing beats a swim out to my kong on a rope! Yeahhhhh!




A little movie of my sister walking. She's been doing a lot of practicing - that's not bad, Avalon!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Escape from the Heat!

Temps here on Saturday had soared into the mid-90s and we were due for the same Sunday, so we loaded up the Sammiemobile and headed for the coast. Our destination? Bodega Bay - about an hour's drive northwest - and where "The Birds" was filmed (see here for more info if you like.)

Once leaving 101, the countryside is bucolic - old chicken coops (Petaluma was once famous for it's chickens and eggs) and farms, pretty dairies and even newer spas and retreats.

We stopped in the actual town of Bodega, about 5 miles inland from Bodega Bay. Above lower right is Potter's Schoolhouse and right is St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, both in the movie.

We were headed for Doran Beach, a Sonoma County park and beach. The air was fresh and cool - whew!!! What relief!

Oh yeah! Love the beach! Gotta show Av the nuts and bolts of waves and sand.

Don't have my kong today, but this stick is perfect!

Salty and fibrous - yeaaahhhh... most excellent!

Hey there - pull that harness up, girl!

Sakes! You're embarrassing me!



Okay, okay... maybe I just embarrassed myself! We have to leave now, but let's check out the camping scene before we go!


Wow! Look at these guys! They have got it going on! I would love to live in that house on the beach with that front yard full of doggehs! How cool was that?

It was time for lunch. I wasn't allowed. Bummer. So after Dad ordered some goodies, we took a walk to check out the place.

Bodega Bay is truly charming - a little fishing town really, but the tourists have found out all about it.

Look at these! We couldn't get any closer, but I sure thought they barked funny. I woofed back a proper woof, but they're apparently slow learners. It was time for lunch.



And Dad shared a bit with me (heheh!) and ohhhhhhhh.... yummalicious fishie with a chip or two. Mmmmmnnnnnn. Then we drove home... except it was still too hot.

Soooooo.... we motored down to Sausalito, as we knew the temps were cool by the water. Here, we got another amazing treat. Boy, Dad and Momzers were in a great mood! Me and Avalon got scrumptialicious Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt with Strawberry Sorbet Swirl in it. Oh. My. Dog. We licked and licked and Avalon finished first. Then she tried to steal mine. Just like a little sister, huh! But we even got lots of pats from humans, big and small as we strolled down the streets of this also-charming (and waaaay too touristy) town. What a cool day!



Saturday, June 12, 2010

After a Tough Day with...

...Barbara at obedience, Sierra and I needed to do some serious hangin' at the Country Club.

On the way there, we slept after slaking our thirst with copious amounts of water. Jumping and chasing after things we don't have a fondness for definitely tires us out. Madame Chauffeur, more water back here!

I curled my big bod up into a tiny ball on this little seat, while Sierra tried to
find a good place to chill.

Oh yeah... Avalon came along too. She has her own personal fan - pffffff. After a nice swim and our own cool version of a round of golf, we hung out in the lounge... er... on one of the lounges.

Ha Cha Cha! Hey, Waiter - over here! Two orders of Bully sticks with sides of water and plenty of ice cubes, please!

Hey! Where'd everybuddy go? Where's da Sis?




( From Mom: Bafana Bafana! Congrats on the great game yesterday - and the opening ceremonies were magnaminously awesome - looking forward to more "football"!!! - Slowly, slowly, we will begin catching up - apologies for our lack of commenting lately...)