The Seven Year Bitch December 10, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
That's right, it's a day that is all about me! My birthday!

Just between us canines, it took me a long time to figure out the whole human birthday tradition thing. My furry Mom was not so very sentimental about such things; besides I had to share my birthday with a whole bunch of brothers and sisters!

But after a couple of years of noticing that my human Mom got all sentimental and gave me lots of treats and toys around the first snowfall, I began to suspect that maybe this birthday thing wasn't such a bad deal. Maybe I should even try to figure out when it might come 'round again.

Banba Birthday party 08

Now, I down right look forward to it. Gives me a chance to reflect on the joys of the year that has been, like where I've been and the friends I've met:

Of course, Mom says that I'm getting to be the age now where I ought not count birthdays anymore, but that doesn't seem fair...Not when I've only just figured out what a gold
mine they can be for me!

So, now that the first snow has hit the ground and stuck this year,
it's got me thinking back on the year that's been and
looking forward
to life as a seven-year bitch!

licks all,
banba

First of Fall

After drowzy summer days,
basking in the bright sun rays, licking mint-tinged ice chips
and gnawing apple maize

I guess the time has come to return
impart a bit of what I learned
update my chums and frenemies all
and salve my rosy nosy sunburn

For this very first day of fall
it's summer I still recall
drifting over sand dunes
humming happy puppy tunes


Workday routine soon intrudes
Farewell I yowl to the dudes
of Summer no more to waste
busy Autumn takes its place
While still for ocean waves I itch
Back at work again, I is the bitch.

licks,

banba

Tra la! It's May! The lusty month of May!
That darling month when ev'ryone throws Self-control away.
It's time to do...A wretched thing or two
Like start blogging again!!!

I love the month of May!
The smells, the sounds, the smells!
Oh, and the loverly wet, soft ground (and the way it smells!)!
When Mom finally relented and let me near the keyboard again,
I knew that I had to choose the date of my return carefully…
And so, May Day it is! Blogging doggie freedom day!

I know that some of you may wonder where I've been;
well, let me tell you….It has not been easy.

In the past several months, I have been forcibly removed from my comfy mooring in Boston
to some backwater where hawks circle overhead and fisher cats (yeah, I know. They aren't really cats)
screech in the woods at night.

When I want to take a walk, we have to get into the car and drive first!
I hate getting in the car to go find a nice park where we can take a walk.
It's also very quiet most days (not nights—see beasts referenced above)
There are no noisy but fun neighbors coming in and out at all hours,
No dogs calling in the distance for me to come and play
No parade of pups passing by…No sidewalks for goodness sake!
But I am adjusting.
Of course, with all the illnesses I've had this year ( heavy sigh)
It just hasn't been easy.
The vet visits, the hospital stay (they SHAVED me!)
Oh, so much to tell dear friends.

But for now,
Suffice to say that I am back
With stories aplenty and a picture or two
I have missed you all immensely….
I have a lyric for you:

I'm back, I'm back Been gone for far too long
With Keyboard in hand, I have a plan
To while the time away. I'll blog, I'll blog
And stay close to friends, if only virtually…
Been shuffled around, out of my town
But now I'm back to stay!

(With thanks to Julie Andrews in Camelot): Tra la! It's May! The lusty month of May!
That darling month when ev'ryone throws Self-control away.
It's time to do
A wretched thing or two,
And try to make each precious day One you'll always rue!
It's May! It's May! The month of "yes you may,"
The time for ev'ry frivolous whim, Proper or "im."
It's wild! It's gay! A blot in ev'ry way.
The birds and bees with all of their vast
Amorous past
Gaze at the human race aghast,
The lusty month of May.

Licks,
banba

Thickly settled my @#$!

Get ready!

Listen my puppies and you will hear
of the blogging dog whose return is near

Puppy girl is prepping and honing her quips
The unblemished truth from Banba's own lips!

Rest and relaxation prescribed, and it was a boon
but now it is time, the bitch'll be back soon!

My Summer Vacation
(Life's a bitch beach)

I have to admit, it has been a strange summer:
My home-dogs are disappearing all around me--Tobey, Jakey and Simon all leaving the area (No more playgroup!);
Sammy is gone; Teddy and Elie gone--and now my home is full of telltale boxes...Mom and I are going somewhere.
At least she BETTER be planning to take me.

In the meantime, it seems every free minute we've had, Mom has stuffed me into the car, and we've gone to the beach. (Oh, good news to report: Mom finally decided to give me the whole back seat when we travel. I still have to wear my seat belt, but now I have an extension that lets me stick my head out the window if I want or lie down or pace in the middle of the seat. It's MUCH better than being strapped into the front seat!)

The beach has been great. I met a dreamy little poodle mix with the heart of a poet.
His name was Bono. We shared a special night--I'll never forget him.
We ran down the beach; we ran through the waves;
we chased each other into the dunes
Our Mama's looked for us for ages.
Finally, a friendly old Portie found us
. He gave us a minute to say a private goodbye,
before alerting our folks.
It broke my heart to say goodbye, but the memory of him will be with me forever....
His Mama whisked him away...I've never seen him again.
All I have left is this fuzzy snapshot of my rock star love ....

The beach has been my solace.
Thanks to a suddenly enlightened policy,
"The Man" has decided that dogs are allowed on the beach in the summer after all.
So every weekend, I wake up early and Mom and I walk the beach,
looking for white rocks for Grandpa or sand dollars for Grandma or sea glass for Mom.
Sometimes, a friendly beach human stops to pet and admire me
or another beach dog comes by to say hello;
I do my happy beach dance.
Mom says she's never seen such happy pawprints in the sand:

Hope you all are enjoying your summers, too!

licks,
banba

Summer-dazed

Hello all, sorry to be so long delayed, but I have been lazing about my own private beach ( occasionally one sees miscreant interlopers), while my Mom does something called house hunting. I can't say I approve of the whole house hunting thing; I certainly have seen nothing particularly tasty derive from it.

Lately though, I have remained ensconced in my home, in order to avoid the terrible fur-frizzing humidity.

So much to catch you all up on: My summer fling with the rock star, Bono (in the former of a fab poodle mix);

my forays into the great ocean;


and, of course, the approaching departure of my morning play group mate, Tobey, whose folks are dragging him off to some dog-awful burg called Maryland.

I promise to fill you all in on the delightful (and, at times, devastating) details soon soonest.

In the meantime, I thank you all for checking up on me. Please let me know how you are spending your hot, sultry days (and nights, of course).

Kiss, Kiss
Lick, lick

banba

Heat Relief!

Apparently, the heat really took a toll on me:
The heat made my tummy hurt and
I got sick which made my tummy too acidy
then the heat brought out pollen that made my eyes itch
I scratched my eyes and ended up with an infection.
I was tired and feeling low,
but the heat backed off and as soon as I felt better
Mom sent me to the nasty bath people
who SHAVED me!
All of me
Look at me!!!

Aren't I cute?
I feel better, too.

Thanks to all those who asked!
I'm back in blogging form again.

licks, banba