Acrostic for Me

Obviously, my sister was bored one day and thought she was funny. Hmm... you be the judge.

Brat
Oddball
Roadblock
Zany
Over-sized
Interesting

Kooky
Oaf
Laid back
Crafty
Hairy
Awkward
King of the Wolfhounds!

by Madeline H. Crump
January 2011

Katch up time

I don't really have any big news and I haven't been doing anything exciting. Nearly all Wolfhounds are deployed - no work days for me.  If I could shed a tear, I would.  Then the winter surf is up and it's cold so my family won't take me to the beach.  Mom says she's tired of washing me after all these rains.  I guess my baths are a bit of a chore.

My siblings take so many photos of me just doing regular things, but they think I look either cute or funny.  I haven't come up with a way to present them so this will be a random smattering of my life in general. You can't see too many photos of me, can you?!?  (Don't answer that out loud. I have spies.)

Not a big fan of the post-beach bath. Save me!
Makes me look skinny, droopy, and sort of pathetic.
Hose water here is never really cold,
but in December it's not really warm either.

My sister has some sympathy for me.
Thank goodness somebody does...
surely not that lady with the camera that's laughing at me.

Madeline tries her best to keep me from shaking while screaming, "NOOOOOOO!!!"
As you can see from my smile, I think this is hilarious.

I'm a two-person job. Now it's Dad's turn.
(See the Christmas lights? I like winter here.)

Rinse number 42 means I'm nearly done.

Christmas Eve means we all get dressed up. I need my nails done.
Mom is learning to use the dremel so she can do it when Dad is gone.

I don't like this. I tried to move away from the mean lady,
but I ended up hooking myself on the school couch.
Mom likes this so I can't move my feet out of the way.

All done, but I think I'll just stay here.
Dad thinks I'm odd, but at least I'm happy.

My siblings take lots of photos of me sleeping.
I sleep a lot. But then no one takes the camera outside
when I go play so it's not like it's the ONLY thing I do...
just the most common way you'll find me.

Lots of space to spread out, but I prefer to sleep with my feet up
on a wall, the closet door, or whatever is next to me. Apparently,
my brother and sister think this is hilarious because there
are hundreds of photos of me like this. I'll show you some more.

I use this door jamb to help me streeeeettttch.

I think Madeline caught me smiling while I pull this illusion on her.
Am I laying on the floor with my feet on the wall or
sitting on the wall leaning onto the floor?

Reverse view of my illusion is illuminating my technique.

Madeline has been dying to show my readers
my creepy second eyelid (as she calls it).
Here it is and, now that I see it, I agree it's kind of icky looking.

Smiling in my sleep. They think I was chasing a steak in my dreams.

The mystery my staff cannot figure out:
I have a huge bed, yet I lay with some part of me
off of it - usually the important part - my head.
This time nearly half of me is on the floor and
the half that's on the bed is my bony behind.
I guess I like to pad my hinnie.

Stttttrrrrrreeeeettttch. Feels good and gets my people laughing.

You'll often find me airing myself out when I sleep.
This is the best!!
(and no Glamour Shots here.)

Same mystery - lots of room, but my head is off and...

...I've got my head under the bookcase.
(I shouldn't do that. I'm near the evidence that I chewed the new bookcase.
Note chew marks on case with wood dust on floor. oops.
I need to clean up after myself or sleep away from my crime. Caught.)

Happily snoozing with my cuddly toy, a.k.a. dead stuffy.

Madeline wanted more photos of me with incriminating evidence
to convict me of that unfortunate snowman stuffy murder last month.
HA! It's only Santa's beard and that proves nothing, I say, NOTHING!!

Now even Mom thinks she tampered with the evidence.
(although is does look kind of funny)

I may have posted this before, but I really like it.
Even the couch is too small for me!
I do like hanging out between my two sisters.

That's it for me!  It's late. Time to go sleep with my mom. I get to keep her warm (and safe) while Dad is gone. I even use his pillow!  I miss Dad, but I'll really miss his bed when he comes home.

Meeting Nana & Poppa

My dad went back to work after his leave and we miss him seeing him all day.  I did go to work with him one day.  I'll post those photos later.  The Wolfhounds that are not in Iraq left to train for their upcoming deployment.  Now we miss Dad all the time.  My dad is missing my sister's (human) 13th birthday and his 15th annniversary. 

Madeline guilted our grandparent's into coming for her birthday saying she wouldn't miss our dad so much if they were here.  They are gullible.  Works for me!  I got to meet one set of my grandparents. 

Me, Nana, and Poppa. I could get used to this.

I think my nana loves me.

I'm a happy Boyzoi!

Showing off my handsome proboscis.
Nana finally got used to the schnoz, but she couldn't get over how large I am.

{{ wink wink }}
I won't tell the other grandkids that I'm your favorite.
It'll be our little secret.

One birthday party and a visit from my grandparents kept me off of the computer. We also had it unplugged many nights as a precaution against possible lightning strikes. There were some incredible storms and lots of rain!  Flash floods, standing water, a river down my back yard and driveway - we were waiting for Noah.  I didn't like the rain since my mom wouldn't let us play in it. Something about not wanting us to get muddy.  Clean is so over-rated.  Can you imagine the fun Isabella and I could have in six inches of mud and a few giant puddles???  Mom was a party pooper. 

Today was my first time playing in the yard with Isabella in about a week. The mud just dried enough for mom to OK it.  She still had to rinse us - especially our feet in between the pads.  We went out each time she hung up or took down the laundry.  I was just glad to play in the sun and I ran around the perimeter of my yard about ten times before stopping to attack Isabella.  Freedom!  The rain brought many flies, mosquitos, and butterflies.  They are so fun to chase!  I also try to bite them if they land on me.  I'm told I look quite silly when I do that - ears perked up and alert while snapping at hapless flies!

I've also learned a new trick these last few weeks.  Barking!  It's really fun.  Isabella taught me to do it when I want to come in, go out, there's a knock at the door, doorbell on TV, a cat in the yard, the mailman comes, a pigeon is in the driveway, Matt's friends holler for him to play, and, today, I guarded us against a pile of leaves.  I'm a beast!!  The quiet Borzoi is no more, much to my family's chagrin.

I've got more photos to share, but not tonight.  I'm worn out from all that exercise this morning.  I hope 2011 is turning out super for you!  So far, it's treating me well. 

Kolchak's Kalikimaka

I had a Mele Kalikimaka!  Since then we've been working hard on our house so I haven't been blogging.  OK... I spent a lot of my dad's leave out in the yard with my sister while he fixed stuff.

Here's my first (that I remember) Christmas day:

Waiting patiently for the two-legged children to empty their stockings first.

I must have been a good boy!!
I got a Santa stuffy with tons of squeakers in his beard.
(note how white it is... now)

I couldn't even wait for the tags to get cut off. 
First, a sniff and a lick.

Then shove him in my giant mouth!!

Hey, I want your stuffy.

Now I can be bad until next year.
I stole Isabella's bear in a stocking stuffy with lots of squeakers.

What?!?
(It's a mystery how those ears got like that.)

Tug-o-stuffy-war

Back to Santa

It's ironic that I was initially scared of stairs and
now the landing is my hiding place for stuffies when my bed is occupied.

No, you may not have my Santa gift.

More tug-o-war

Isabella got tired so she kept playing, but lying down. That's silly.

Merry Christmas!

The beginning of the end for the stuffies.

Time to kill Isabella's stuffy too.
Bwaahaaahaaa... no stuffy is safe from me!!!

Stuffy euphoria.  I think I'm an addict.

He has mine. I have his. No, Kolchak, I will not trade.

New place to get at Isabella's same old bear stuffy.

Just some perspective on size.
I may be the younger brother, but I'm the big brother.

I do not know how the stuffies got like this.
It wasn't us.

O.K. Maybe it was us. I'm so tired, but I must keep playing stuffy-war.

We can't help ourselves.



Hello. My name is Kolchak and I'm a Stuffyholic.



I'm so cute.
Nevermind the stuffing and squeakers all over my bed.

Mom took a photo of me without a stuffy as proof that
I took a break.  I like the cool floor too.

For me?!
A new rope from the Nathan, Tony, and Brydi.
I also got treats!
They were so sweet to give a rope and treats to my sister too.
Mahalo nui loa!!!

Greedy Isabella

Stuffy heaven - a fox stuffy with a plastic water bottle for stuffing.
The crunch of the plastic is music to my ears!

Here we go again!

Evil Kolchak.
(I don't know how my staff got a shot of the real me.)

Same process: lick, sniff...

CHOMP!

Good thing my nose bends because sometimes it gets in the way of a good chew.

[[ ching ching ]]
Evidence entered into Law & Order file as a pattern of misbehavior.
The evidence is mounting and the circumstantial is now not so circumstantial.
Super bummer.

Merry Christmas?

Did I hear my name?

One ear up and one down makes my family laugh and laugh.

What?

Christmas dinner was fabulous!  Dog kibble with festive green peas,
gently seasoned with pineapple juice.  Bet you're jealous!

Bliss.

My family always laughs when I do this and the camera is never handy.
Today Mom captured the nose on bowl technique. Keeps the nostils out of the water
and I use the side of my bowl to help lap up water.  Incredibly efficient.
Bet your jealous again.

Nothing so attractive as a Borzoi boy hydrating.
Next time Dad does a formal ball, I'll be ready with my good manners.

Thankfully Isabella doesn't like peas.
She methodically set the peas on the ground for my dessert.
I snarfed it quickly before the staff swept it up. 
See that threatening dust pan?!

My siblings and me by the tree.

Don't mind me... just passing through.

I am loved.

My Christmas was wonderful. Thank you Wolfhounds for having me out here and Jane for sending me. 

My New Year's Eve was crazy as only Hawai'i can be.  I was cool as a cucumber and that helped Isabella cope with all the firework noise.  On that note, I wish all Wolfhounds, Wolfhound families, and everyone who checks my blog a

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!!!