Norwood's Dog Days of Summer - the last day

Before I start, please send some POTP to R who has undiagnosed sickies. 

And if you haven't already, subscribe the POTP site. You can post about your friends there too by using his little linky tool (so easy even my momma figured it out). 

Relentlessly Huge thanks to Roo for setting up the site.

Today is the last day of August and I will tell you that the Mango is most relieved as it has been entirely too hot for too long to suit my mentals.

The topic for today is "Traveling." Well, of course I am always up for a ROTE and am optimistic that cooler days will bring more opportunities for me to accompany the DOH on her pointless errands.

Drive, woman!

To her credit, momma does try to coordinate our journeys with a trip to the dog store wherein which she exchanges plastic dollars for nommy car cookies.

Wow! This one is alarmingly good!

But since we are on the topic of traveling, I am going to share with you this, my most popular YouTube video movie ever! Totally, I mean it. Like over 50,000 views. What's up with that?

No, the car is not actually moving and, to be honest, I have no recollection of this day as I was subjected to the laughie gas so that the vet could photocopy my innards. But I do get no end of pleasure in looking at my astonishingly handsome self, even dorked out.




Mango Man! Oh yeah!

P.S. Momma insisted I include this photo of idiot Pea because she says he is flying and that is a mode of travel. I think it is just photoshopped myself. Who could seriously do that. Am I right?

Day 29 of Norwood's Dog Days of Summer

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Day 29 - Favorite Photo

No thought required here. This has to be our absolutely most favorite photo of all time. Momma, Master, PeeWee, and I all agree.

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

P.S. You know how we have been total slackers about reading and commenting? Well momma is going to be on staycation for a whole week next week and she promises to remedy her lazy ways. About time!

Day 28 - Running and Jumping by Dexter

IMPORTANT NEWS!

Honey is home from the hospital and feeling much better. You can read all about it here.

Thank you, friends, for all your good thoughts and wishes for one of our dearest pals.

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It is certainly no secret that running and jumping (in fact any actual movement) is not the Relentlessly Torpid's forte. Nevertheless, I'm a good sport, so below is an "action" movie of a recent "agility" session.






 As for yours truly, well, action videos abound of me demonstrating my athleticism. I selected this version as it is slowed down to give you a true idea of just how effortless jumping can be. Also, it features the host of Dog Days of Summer, none other than Norwood himself. Enjoy!





Dexter done!

POTP for Miss Honey

Oh, friends, the Mango is so scared.

One of my best friends ever, the magnificent Honey is at the emergency vet.

She has acute glaucoma and is in so much pain.

Honey is a senior giant doggie, like me, and our big old bodies are not so strong and she feels bad sickies all over herself. 

Please send your vibes and good thoughts by visiting her here.

Mango Momma's Non Doggie Book Review

After recently reading Gone with the Wind and The Cain Mutiny (actually re-reading since they are two of my favorite books of all time) I decided to supplement my usual fare of dog books and mysteries with selections from Pulitzer prize winning novels. 

Last night I completed the 1919 winner, The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington.

Library junkies, like me, will appreciate that the version I obtained from my local library was not the pristine edition shown above, but this well worn volume, donated to the library in 1980, no doubt during somebody's housecleaning activities. Ah, the smell of a well worn book. 

And what of the book itself? First of all, the writing is absolutely delicious. Almost every page contains a treasure. Here is one of my favorites:

"Mrs. Johnson came in, breathing noticeably: and her round head, smoothly but economically decorated with the hair of an honest woman, seemed to be lingering far in the background of the Alpine Bosom which took precedence of the rest of her everywhere."

Love it! The book takes place in the early 20th century, a time not unlike the times we live in today with technology expanding at an alarming rate and personal fortunes that seemed so secure at one moment gone in the next.

The central character, George Amberson, demonstrates that the trials of youth have changed little over the decades. He suffers from an inflated idea of the world revolving around him... with tragic consequences.

Another example of the writing is taken here from a letter posted to George's mother after a young George assaulted another boy (for yelling slights about George's mother).

"I trust such a state of undisciplined behaviour may be remedied for the sake of the reputation for propriety, if nothing higher, of the family to which this unruly child belongs."

Ah, my middle aged brain mourns the loss of the full use of the English language in everyday speech as well as a time when people could resolve their issues without resorting to a punch in the face or some sort of slander on the Internet.

Orson Welles made a movie out of the book in 1942. I was kind of glad that the DVD version wasn't available as I have never been a fan of Orson Welles (and this book certainly has a "Rosebud" ending) but as part of my Pulitzer journey, I am going to try and watch movie versions after reading the books.


Still with me? Here is a photo of the boys anxiously waiting for me to stop hogging the computer and get our day started.

Mango Momma

POTP Bloggy

Blogland has a new site for posting and connecting with our doggie and other furry friends who need the power of the paw. You can click here to see it.

I had momma help me post about my friend, Samba, who has something called Masticatory Muscle Myositis which makes it hard for her to eat her foodables.

She has been doing pretty well with it up until recently and now she is spending a lot of the time at the vet getting tests and stuff and she is having a very hard time keeping foodables inside of her.

Visit her here to send her your POTP and check out the POTP site too.

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

Norwood's Dog Days of Summer - Day 21 (and more excuses)

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Day 21 - In the Car

The Mango does NOT use a ramp to get into his mastiff mobile, thank you very much. However, it is kind of a high step for my large and not always leaping and bouncing self.

Momma? Hello? Can you please come around and lift my bottom up?

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

P.S. You want even MORE excuses from the lazy human about not helping me read and comment on blogs? How about "Oh Mango! All the fruit was just harvested and it has to be canned and jammed and made into pies." As if! Made into pies that the Mango is not allowed to eat. All I get is a little wedge of peach now and then.

And nobody has even started on the nectarines yet. Oh help!

Norwood's Dog Days of Summer - Day 20

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Day 20 - Paws

A Party at MY Estate - WITHOUT ME!

The Mango is outraged! Read on, my friends, and you will see why.

First thing yesterday morning, I was filled with joy when momma announced that we would be taking the Mastiff Mobile out for a spin. Imagine my horror to discover that stupid PeeWee had already secured a spot in my automobile lounge. 

Can you see his little snooter in the window on the right? And lookit how smushed my Mango-ness is. 

What's HE doing in my ride?

And you know where we went? JAIL! That's right. Momma dumped us in lockdown.

Why, oh, why would she abandon her Baby Bubba?

It was totally like 87 hours later that she finally came back all wanting to take photos of me in jail, but I was having none of it.

GET ME OUTTA HERE!

I gave her what for. You know it!

Drive, woman! Must return to the Mango Estate with haste!

Now when we arrived back at the estate, things were as I left them. 

Except.... there were alarming photos in the flashy. Photos of strange happenings and things most peculiar.

Check out the ladies with umbrellas. Is it raining? NO! And my good pals, Brett and Jake all gawking at them and wearing black outfits that are totally NOT appropriate for boys who do the landscaping and other rough and manly activities.

Hope those boutonniere's didn't come out of Master's garden. 

And what of this? Aren't those ladies mortified that they all chose the same dress? Why is Master laughing? Is he laughing at the Mango? Locked away in a cold cell listening to a bunch of yapping beasts crying for their momma's?

Hey! I think I saw that guy on the right conducting at Tanglewood.

There's Jimmy and Leah parading about. But look! Right behind them is my master with some gal on his arm who is most certainly NOT my momma. 

What the heck? Is it fashion week?

And finally, the most mystifying photo of all. My momma is wearing some peculiar garment. I hardly recognize her. Where are her slobbery jeans and baseball hat?

The world has gone all topsy turvy, I tell you. So please excuse me while I commit my meditations with extreme ferocity to try and unravel these mysteries.

I am never getting in the car again.

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

P.S. Momma's mentals are peculiarly drained (well, I think she is just guilty from her abuse of The Mango) so bear with us whilst we are sluggish and negligent of reading and commenting.

What the Heck is Going on Around Here?

Something is not right at the Mango Estate.

Yesterday, my pal Jimmy and his boy, Jake, came over. OK, so that happens a lot and I am all about meeting and greeting my human pals. You know it.

But then Momma and Master and Jimmy and Jake were like totally outside all day long whilst the Mango was on lock down and they were doing most peculiar things.

For example, setting up tents.

WTF? Is the circus coming?

No sooner did everybody sit down then this truck shows up.

Now Momma says there will be a big wedding party at MY estate today. A party to which I, Mango, am NOT invited. Seriously?

Ach! Look at idiot Pea. All worn out from being a labradoink no doubt.

Me? I've got my eye on the nommy peaches and nectarines that momma picked from our back yard yesterday morning. 

Uh oh, gotta go. Momma says Pea and I are headed to camp for the day. Does that sound right to you?

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

Norwood's Dog Days of Summer - Day 17

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Friends, Momma is going to mark all as read this weekend. Why?

Because apparently there is a Relentlessly Huge event happening at our estate tomorrow and she and Master are busy busy mental fits. 

Sorry about that.

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Day 17 - Baby Photo

I believe this captures quite nicely how PeeWee got his name. Look at the little squirt.

WTF is that thing?

Check out that sassy little black devil. Obviously I was exhausted from biting his head or you KNOW this would be a picture of him nestled in my jaws of doom.

That's right, just a little closer, I won't bitey you. Hehehe.

The only thing more adorable than my large and handsome self is my baby self.

This is my favorite photo of the Baby Mango. Why? Because it is easy to see that even as a pup I wore a keen, alert expression at all times.

Must use all three brain cells.... ouch! My mentals!

This is my baby self with my Beautiful Raja. Sometimes she was grouchy with me. Momma says that is because I was really annoying as a pup (actually, she still says I am really annoying - as if), but I find that to be completely implausible. 

No doggie can resist the charms of The Mango

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

Wordless WTF Wednesday - Lab Supplies

P.S. My friend, Tucker, is running a Bad to the Bone contest you won't want to miss. Check it out here.

Dog Days of Summer - Day 14 In Costume

Day 14 - In Costume

PeeWee is most extraordinary grouchy whenever momma tries to put a costume on him. I suppose I can see why. I mean look at the poor little dude.

Momma claims this is actually a monkey costume but I think he looks more like Yoda.

Me? Well, I am quite obliging to whatever momma wants because I am, seriously, the best doggie in the world. Am I right?

But my favorite costume of all is my bumblebee outfit. Am I not relentlessly adorable?

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

Norwood's Dog Days of Summer - Day 13

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Day 13 - Hiding Spot

Friends, you might not know this, but the Mango's striped furs are not only handsome, but functional.

Yes, they are designed specifically to provide the camouflage necessary for me to blend in with almost any background. 

The Mango has no need to hide when he can become instantly invisible.

For example, this might look like a photo of Pea on his couch, but look closely and you will see that I am also in the photo (albeit nearly indiscernible against the pattern of the rug).

That stupid Pea doesn't even see me. He will leap right into my jaws of doom.

Outdoors, it is even more difficult to spot me and I am constantly amused to see the look of consternation on Momma's face as she tries to find me.

Oh how well I remember this day. Hehehe. I hid behind the tree and momma was all like "Mango? Where are you? Where is Mango? Come out from your hiding spot." 

Then again,  maybe this is really just a photo of a tree. 

How could you tell?

Hey momma! I'm right here, behind the tree.... or am I? 

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

31 Days of Summer - In Motion

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Day 11 - In Motion

Let's be honest. As one matures, the idea of actual movement becomes more and more daunting. 

Back in the day I could romp and frolic with PeeWee for minutes at a time.

Now I much prefer to conserve my energies for important activities such as descending the observation deck stairs.

Whereupon which I can enjoy the rolling green grasses of my estate with great abandon (and some relentlessly huge motion).

Mango Man! Oh yeah!

P.S. Momma says I have to include a photo of idiot Pea launching himself in the air like a black zeppelin. Whatever. Hey Momma! Nice dorky hat.