Preview of coming attractions!

Hi! It's me Petey and the bloke to my right is none other than CLIVE!!! Yep! The hottest Irish import to hit the States since Collin Farrell. (Just look at those big brown eyes!) Flew all the way from Ireland to Hilton Head with a layover in New York — all in a single day.

And guess who he brought with him??? THE Not So Little Man!!! How AWESOME is that? Plus Mum and Dad (who apparently has a bit of a leadfoot - more on that later...) and the drop-dead gorgeous Sorcha. (Hubba hubba. I've got a bit of a crush. She likes that Werewolf guy from Twilight so I may stand a chance. Not only does she know her way around a tennis ball but she is one stunning young lady. Mom says she's charming too. Clive - you're going to have to become a watchdog when the suitors start sniffing around...)

Not So Little Man is a real champ, too. Loads of fun. Knows some excellent jokes. Has a belly-busting laugh and wonderful crinkly blue eyes. (Like Sorcha's. Did I mention she has blue eyes and eyelashes that are about an inch long? And glorious thick wavy hair? I miss her already. Tried to sneak into her room last night, thought Mom wouldn't notice. WRONG.)

Anyhow, in just a few days we had all sorts of adventures. From chasing frogs and lizards on the deck to shopping for Gullah gourmet delights (who knew fried shrimp tails were so delicious?) to taming alligators and romping on the beach.

Have about a squillion photos to share with you. And just about as many stories. But we're exhausted from our long day of travel (gate changes, delays, and 6 hours in my carrier bag) and a Clive-high pile of mail to sort through (plus covering Mica with seven weeks worth of kisses) so we'll just share one story with you for now...

See this lovely lady posing with Clive? Well, the first morning Clive & Co. arrived, we went down to the Harbourtown Grill so his Dad could see where the big Heritage PGA Golf Tournament is played. This nice gal named Sinead was our waitress and she was from Cork, Ireland! We got a big laugh that they'd travelled so far only to run into an Irish lass instead of a Southern belle.

Well, listen to this.

Her Mom volunteers with the Irish Guide Dogs! Can you even believe the coincidence? Hold onto your hats....

She'd met Clive before! In Ireland!!! He came to her school with Irish Guide Dogs five years ago and she remembered him. (You know, he told me he was better known than Bono in Ireland but I didn't really believe him before this.) Now, I might have been amazed to hear this story if it had happened in New York, but on Hilton Head? C'mon. There's just one word for it. As the NSLM would say...

"AWESOME!"

More awesomeness to come....

Happy Co-Dependence Day!

Yes, it's Independence Day here in the United States, but for me and Mom, we think of it as Dependence Day. That's because seven years ago this weekend, we found each other and neither of our lives has ever been the same!

So today, we're gonna wave sparklers and celebrate seven years of wonderful co-dependence!

It's Terrier Time!!!

When I'm down here on Hilton Head, I don't need a clock or a calendar to tell me when it's 4:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon...

Around 3:45, I start getting all excited because it's almost TERRIER TIME!!!!



The golf course at the Country Club closes for maintenance at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, so at 4:00, me and my pals meet up at my friend Honey's house - actually, her backyard. The 9th tee box.

Hurry up, Mom, we're gonna be late! (Man, I never want to go up against that fish in a ball-catching contest!)

What are you dragging your heels for? It's 3:50 already! Who cares if it's hot and humid? Gotta go!

Hmmm, a brief diversion to scan the tennis courts along the driveway to the Country Club. Never know when you'll find an errant but perfectly good tennis ball hiding in the pine straw.
(By the way, I HATE pine straw. I'm still enough of an urban dog that when I get a piece of pine straw stuck on my legs I have to sit down immediately until Mom removes it.)

Hey, I smell something in this bush. Just a minute....(my wound is all better by the way, though I still have my fierce-looking bald patch and scratch that has passersby inquiring if I've had surgery!)
SUCCESS! A brand-newish tennis ball!!! My record for finding one every week is unbroken!

Yeah, nice fountain. We'll admire it on the way home. Hurry up Mom! Time's a-wasting!

Ahh, nothing like the taste of a slightly damp, leaf-covered tennis ball on a hot summer afternoon...
Okay, we're on the golf course now - wonder it anyone's there yet?

Hmmm, I can see them gathering on the tee box. Maybe a quick practice throw to try out this new ball before I get there...

Here comes my gator-fighting partner in crime Muffy. She's just about the only other dog who likes to chase the ball. Well, she likes to chase me chasing the ball. She looks like a smaller, girlier version of my pal Bear in New York.

This new ball is terrific! Gotta take a quick break from the action...

Muffy's Dad always brings along delicious treats (that's what lured me away from the alligator pond) but I'm too busy playing ball for a food break. That's Honey in the front, insisting on her fair share as she is the hostess of this grand event.

Savannah's never one to miss a treat either. How does she keep her girlish figure?

Ahhh, a tennis ball in my mouth, grass on my belly and a pretty girl to chase me! This is the life!

Okay - it's 4:30, time for everyone to head home. C'mon Mom, at 5:00 we can go to the beach!

Ooh. I forgot how hot and tired you get running around chasing tennis balls. Just look at my big old bologna tongue hanging out. My sides were going in and out like a bagpipe! Need a little break before we head home. (We stopped for a big cup of water at the driving range.)

Well that's it for another Monday. Time for a little snooze in the air conditioning as I drift off admiring my new tennis ballllllzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

(Actually, we did go down to the beach around 7:00 p.m. Lovely cool breeze and nice big waves. And of course, new kids to train and play with! Got home just before the thunder started rumbling. Fortunately, Mom's not too particular about having a damp dog in her lap!)

Happy Third Birthday Dear Rosie!!!

While the Dughallmor Beagles have cut way back on their blogging*, my dearest Rosie Posie still holds my heart in her paws...

* you can catch up with the beagles on Facebook!

Poor Petey! Under attack and off to the vet!

Well, bloggies, I have a tale of danger and violence to share with you today. Late Saturday afternoon, I started feeling poorly. Mom thought I might be dehydrated because I'd been playing on the beach and out on the patio. Then I got real clingy and it looked like a thunderstorm might be brewing. I was trembling and couldn't get close enough to Mom.

Unfortunately, Mom was having a dinner party and instead of smiling at the guests and showing them how I can now "high-five" for a treat, I hid under the dining room table and looked sad.

I was feeling a little better on Sunday, but I'd still cower when Mom touched my sides, even gently. So today she took me to the vet to see what was wrong. She was terrified I might have been bitten by a tick and had Lyme Disease or worse. She was so scared she hadn't slept for two nights!

Of course, I became Mister Personality when I got to the vet, wagging my tail, saying hello to all the dogs and cats and people and generally, being my adorable self.

And while Mom had checked me over carefully, she now noticed this cut on my side. You see, I'd been running on the beach on Saturday, playing with all the kids, when I met a 40+ pound girl puppy. Her owners said she was friendly and could she play with me. We both ran after the ball and when I got there first, she attacked me! We were about 50 yards away from our 2-leggeds and our skirmish didn't last long but apparently, she beat up on me! See the gash from her paw?

The vet took my temperature (how embarrassing!), listened to my heart and lungs and felt me all over for any broken bones. She said everything was normal (hooray!!!!) but I had a contusion from where she'd beaten up on me.

I put on a brave face for Mom. (Also, I was getting lots of cookies and pats and cooing from the 2-leggeds!)

I was told to take it easy - no Terrier Time or beach walks for a week — and walks on the leash rather than running free as the doctor said "those little terriers can be twisty!" She gave me an anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxer (which made a little woosy - time for another nap under the dining room table!).

The vet also gave me a shave—and discovered another gash under my scruffy fur. At least I don't have to wear a cone, Scruffy... And no anti-biotics either - the wounds don't look infected, probably because I played with a little girl in the saltwater after my battle with that bitch, errr, girl dog!

By evening I was back out on the deck, looking for my collection of tennis balls and wondering why Mom wouldn't bounce them for me to catch. Rolling a ball back and forth just isn't much fun.

Speaking of fun, before my big attack, Mom and I made a stop at Tailwaggers to pick up my food and I almost fell over! Is this Auntie Martha...or is it Auntie Bailey??? She kinda looks like a combination of both. But then she wagged her tail and barked with a Southern accent and I realized that she was a Dixieland dog!

She was pretty fast moving - hard to get her to stay in place to get a good photo! Plus her back half was always going the opposite direction of her front half.

She was a very good saleslady though, checking out Mom's purse before she handed over the dog food...

She even offered to taste-test my purchase but I said that wouldn't be necessary...

She also recommended this fine line of spa products. I was looking for Square Muddy Dog for my Bestie Eric, but no such luck.

...however, I did find this product for Lacie. Maybe if she soaks in it then sits under a hot dryer, her extra-large body parts will shrink! Think I'll get a case for her and another case for that nasty pup on the beach.

So at the end of this long and scary day, ice cream once again is the best medicine! My side hurts a lot less when my tummy is full of a nice cold Dogster treat!

No more adventures with short-tempered girls who are more than twice my size, I promise!

And the winner is....Gussie!

For his wonderful definition of "imitz" — somedog who imitates in a sincere effort to flatter but is a total ditz at it. There were some awesome entries but this one literally made us laugh out loud!

Gussie, can you please have your Mom email me with your new address so my Mom can wrestle your prize away from me and send it to you? (mica_maui_98@yahoo.com) I promise you it's NOT this tennis ball!

Some Island images and some new friends!

In honor of the World Cup, I had to post this photo of my favorite female soccer player, Molly. I met her last fall and I'm pleased to report that she is still sitting on her red soccer ball.



Hee hee! We loved this sign we found in a little gallery in Bluffton, SC so much it is now hanging on our porch (along with a sign that says "If you're not barefoot, you're overdressed." Strong words from a shoe-fanatic like Mom!)

In New York, I've shown you plenty of photos of the Hudson River. Well, down here, we're looking over the docks at Hudson's Seafood Restaurant - parallel universes!

Mom and I biked down to Harbourtown the other day. This is the iconic lighthouse (not a real working lighthouse, but a navigation view point nonetheless.) After our three-mile bike ride, we decided to skip climbing the lighthouse...

...but I did give these sea kayaks a good sniff. Mom wants to try paddleboarding while she's here. I told her that I find dog-paddling boring, but she said this was something all together different.

So we decided to get some ice cream and discuss this further. Can't tell you how many little two-leggeds came over to pat me while I was eating my ice cream. I kept wagging my tail but I didn't want to stop eating!

Dogs can only go to the beach now before 10:00 am and after 5:00 pm. Which is fine with me because it's too hot the rest of the day. I prefer to hang out on my porch. But after 5:00, it's the best time to go to the beach. The sky is gorgeous, the crowds have thinned and there are always some people to throw the ball for me!

Don't I make a handsome lifeguard? I'll rescue you as long as my feet can touch the ground.

This is so cool! These guys are kite-surfers. They stand on boards that look like snowboards, wear harnesses that are attached to these big parachute-like kites that pull them through the water. Sometimes they do enormous jumps and spins over the waves. It's quite beautiful to watch.

I spotted a bunch of kids and took off to introduce myself. This is my new pal William.
He's from Tennessee. I asked if he knew Gussie.

He introduced me to his brother and sisters and cousins. Are they the cutest bunch of kids ever? The littlest girl in the pink tee-shirt was named Maggie and she played with me the longest. When we had to leave, she ran after me shouting "Bye Petey! Bye Petey!"

Mom said it made her Grinchy heart grow three times as big.