pegz viz, warrior princess

…to bring you some late breaking news!

Me (Peg Viz, Warrior Princess) and my Monkey brothers Chaz and Jinx were on TV this week! Channel Four did a little story on our way cool pet sitter named Laura. And Laura asked us to be the clients for the filming! It was lots of fun…and I looked gorgeous  if I do say so myself.

Mom thinks this will be your best opportunity to see how awesome I am since this is professional TV  … and now all the video she is taking looks pretty crappy. Haha!

Here’s the link for the TV Station website where you can see the clip…

http://www.cw23.com/dpp/winging_it/pet-sitting-services?ref=scroller&categoryId=10034&status=true

So far, the Purple Beast is behaving.  Mom said he had to stay up on the mantel with Spirit Jake until she gets home. Look at him acting all “uppity” and solemn.

Chaz and me are NOT FOOLED! You better hope we don’t figure out a way  to get up there Dino Boy!

I wonder if we could scam Monkeycat Jinx into knocking him down?

Hmmmmmmm.

Yes…it is true!

The stinky purple monster named Barney has shuffled his way to the Queen City. Mom was blown away when she opened the box. Our Sweet Girl Spirit Jewels’ Mom sent it on including some awesome treats not only for me…but for my stupid monkeybutt siblings as well.

Mom didn’t even have to  ‘splain this to me. For Jewels’ Mom to be soooooo thoughtful so soon after Jewels earned her wings??? Just knocked us down with love and tears. Mom stood at the counter for 3 hours combing thru every single item. When she got to ET Gayle’s Juju socks…there was no consoling her.

But when Dad took the journal to the dining room table this morning for two hours….and then was sniffling and choking and coughing? I KNEW enough was enough. I had to take control. Chaz the Quad and I devised this way cool scam. Use the purple beast to act as a diversion!

Coming up…a totally cool video of me and Chaz’s first go at… Killing Barney.

(Mom and Dad are traveling this week, so be patient. It will be worth it)

In the meantime…look at the purple runt mocking me! Go ahead Barney….laugh all you want.

NO ONE ….circles the wagons…like a Buffalo Tripawd.

Pegz

That’s right, Gang! I am sportin’ some new Outerwear…thanks to the totally awesome folks running this place called Tripawds. My new Ruff Wear Harness is the ultimate! I saw those giant howling Labs three doors down checkin me out! That’s right, Boyz…you want some of this, dontcha? Uh huh.

Chaz is completely GREEN.

Of course Mom has to see the practical side. <eyeroll> She says it’s just in time for the late arrival of winter here in Buffalo. They tell me I’m in for a big suprise…being a southern belle and all. Sometimes when we are out for a “hop”, I am not so keen on turning around or listening to her when there is broken glass, etc. on the route. The down side (for me) is this handle that she can grab and guide me much quicker and safer. Ptthp! Whatevah!

I’m sexy…and I know it.

As metioned in the previous post, I have taken over as Chief Blogger at “Pegz Viz, Warrior Princess”. It is my blog after all.  My mom means well, but…come on. Time to tell it like it is.

This morning I awoke to a mommy voice coo-ing and singing … “Oooooh Missy Peggy! We gonna go for a ride and get a pedicure today, My Sweet!”

Well…that sounds pretty nice right??? WRONG.

We ended up at “that place”.  All things being equal…me and Chazzy loooooove us some Dr. Sue! But the floors at her place are real slippery and the other hairy kids that sit on that long bench seem all on edge and stuff. Not my cup o’ tea.

I overheard Mom say to one of the ladies behind the window…”I don’t really feel comfortable tackling those hound nails…they are so thick!”. What? What is that all about? Wah wah wah…now my nails are too thick? Geesh. Next thing I know, I’m being pinned to the ground and tortured.

The only good news about this adventure is that we got somethin’ called a discount. On account of me not needing a full set and all. 🙂

But look….ain’t I purty???

Pegz checking in. I’m letting my Mom do one more blog post…about my brother, Spirit Jake. You know, about how he was so wonderful…and about how he saved her life…yada, yada, yada.

Then I (Missy Pegzy Petunia) will be taking over. It’s almost 2012, and there’ll be a new sheriff in THIS blogtown.

But for now…take it away, Mom.

**I once had a dog named Jake the Snake and I believe he saved my life. Jake was a really tall, really skinny wolf-lookin’ dog that no one else wanted.  He came home with me one snowy day, a week before Christmas in 1997.

I would love to tell the long version of his story… how his kennel at the shelter was all decorated for Christmas by the volunteers desperate to find him a family. Or how he waited for me in the parking lot to come and get him in a snowstorm, because his shelter guardian couldn’t bring herself to put him back in the shelter kennel…one more time. But the story is long and rich and there are parts only a mother could love. So we will edit.

Jake was a dog who found happiness and fun in every waking second of his day, every day, for 11 years. Jake’s only problem was that he was not food motivated…which means he was nearly impossible to train. The good news is that the only thing he really needed training on was the leash. He was a perfect gentleman in every other aspect of being a dog.

For years we could not take him for a walk around the neighborhood. He only weighed 75lbs, but he was so wiry and  wolf-like that he was a danger to himself as well as to us. One time during a trial run, he saw a friend of ours drive by on the way to work. He was so excited, he dragged me right into on-coming traffic. From then on, he was relegated to the run of the fenced-in yard.

In 2006, our beloved black lab Vita made her journey to the Bridge. Within a few months of that saddest day of my life, I woke up one morning … and could not walk. And for the next 18 months, I would not find out why.

I spent most of that time on crutches, with a cane or flat on my back. Doctor after doctor, test after test, theory after theory. Drugs that didn’t work, but made my hair fall out. Drugs that helped the pain a little but made me sleep 18 hours a day. And throughout the whole time, Jake was by my side.

Occasionally, a doctor would tell me I needed to get up and force myself to walk. One day, in a fit of desperation and thinking I was dying, I strapped the leash on the Doggie Man, grabbed my cane and said “Let’s go.” What happened then was a miracle. Instead of being dragged through the snow by a wild maniac dog, Jake proceded to lead me around the block, walking very slowly…and turning around every few steps to make sure we were not walking too fast for my new 3-legged self.  He never once tugged or pulled or made me feel like I was losing control. This gentle doggy guidance went on for 6 of those really crappy months.

There were days when the pain was so bad, I just wanted everything (like my life) to be over. Just when I would turn my face into the pillow on the couch, Jake would come nudge me and say, “Get up, Mom. We need to walk.” He never left my side.

In January of 2008, I finally found a rheumatologist at the University of Rochester (75 miles away) who figured out what was wrong with me.  (He is now my second favorite man on the planet). Within 8 weeks of the correct diagnosis and drugs, I was able to walk on my own, go back to work and be normal again.

And three weeks after I went back to work, I found the lump on Jake’s neck.

I don’t think I wasted any time kidding myself. Jake was 13 years old by this time and considering I spent tons of time lovin’ on him every day… the fact that this lump appeared so fast and was so big, spoke for itself. We did a biopsy 10 days later. In retrospect, I would never ever put an older, larger dog through that torture ever again.  One morning, before we even got the biopsy results, Jake could not get up. He couldn’t even open his eyes. The surgeon called with the bad news… a “really nasty malignancy”… just as we left him resting for the last time.

I will believe until the day I meet Jake at the Bridge, that he is the reason I didn’t give up. He wouldn’t let me. Jake is the reason I kept moving. Jake is the reason I didn’t go over the edge.

And Jake waited. He waited until he was sure I was going to be OK and back to normal…before he succumbed to the cancer that took him on his  way.

Rest peacefully, My Love.

…and happiness this holiday season!

And heartfelt peace…no matter where you are on your journey.

To all my new friends on Tripawds, you have made MY journey so very much better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Miss Pegz  has a very naked belly.

A true southern belle, she does not have the kind of coat that easily protects from the harsh reality of a Buffalo winter and lake effect snow. Her belly is so cute … she has all these dark freckles and one is in the shape of a perfect heart. But I digress…

A few weeks ago, I bought her a sweater. Let me preface this by saying I am not usually a fan of clothing dogs. But I was worried about the bare belly and her little stump. She is a full front left amputee and the area has no fur to protect it.

So I bought this goofy sweater at the pet store and did a few alterations. I sewed up the hole for her front left leg, so that her stump would be covered and protected from the cold. (Please note that this was a huge stretch of my domestic abilities).

Nevertheless…when we go out and she hops down the street, I can just hear the people driving by. “Stupid woman! That poor
dog’s leg is caught in that dumb sweater.” LOL!

Today, I tried to put the sweater on BEFORE she got off the chair. I was thinking it might be easier before she stood up and we had to wrestle her other leg into the hole.

I snapped a picture just in time to see a paranormal phenomenon! I present to you….Pegz Viz, Alien Princess. 😀

Hello Sweet Girl

As promised…this week, Pegz introduces her Friend and Guestess Blogger Extraordinaire….Trixie!

Take it away, Sweet Trixie….

So here’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  It will be two years this coming February
since my life changed forever.  Yeah, we
cats make bad decisions too.  One cold
February night in 2009 I sought the warmth of a car engine to get me through
the night.  From underneath I jumped in
and rested there until early morn.  Then,
there was a loud noise and my life changed forever.  I literally did not know what hit me but will
live with the effects for the rest of my life.

The damage was pretty extensive.  Lost my back leg.  Blade cuts across the bridge of my nose and
just under my neck.  I’m really lucky to
be alive.  Psychological scars that I’m
still battling every day.  Can’t stand
unexpected noises.  I could go on and on,
but enough of the sad news.  The owner of
the car didn’t know I was sleeping within.
She frequently fed me and my family, and often tried to play with us, so
I knew it was all an accident.   Never got to see the inside of her house, but
I knew she cared.  She rushed me to the
vet’s office, but from what I understand my leg was too damaged to be
saved.  And soon after my surgery, as I
lay there in recovery, my future daddy appeared and I instantly knew all would
be ok.  We bonded immediately and I was ecstatic
to hear my daddy and the vet talking about him taking me home to become part of
his family.  Not too long afterwards, my
future mommy appeared and within a few days from that point I arrived home to
begin my new life.  I was only four
months old at the time, and was still trying to make sense of it all, but I
knew everything would be ok.

My new brother Mishu welcomed me with open paws, although I
was still not too trusting of the world.
At the beginning I frequently hissed at him, but he took it all in
stride.   Eventually we grew fond of one
another and really enjoyed each other’s company.  Then my new little sister, Maddie, showed up
unexpectedly in our lives which caused me some stress and insecurity.  She was a little thing, but quite full of
life.  She remains so to this day.  Unfortunately, tragedy struck my family this
past September when my big brother Mishu, died from cancer at 15.  Everyone had a huge hole in their heart, but
as they say time heals all wounds and we all feel much stronger today.   Maddie has grown to be quite a live wire and
frequently keeps me on my toes.  We enjoy
chasing each other around the house and having fun, although she sometimes
forgets I’m not as acrobatic as she.  But
I can hold my own with her and often win the games that we play.  My mom and dad give me lots of love and
attention, and my sense of well-being has steadily strengthened since I began
living with them.  I really love my
family.

So as I said, this is my story and I’m sticking to it.  Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself
and share my life experiences to this date.
I’m looking forward to many years of fun living with my family and
enjoying life to its fullest.  Much love
to all my fellow tripawds.   Trixie

I can’t help posting things about the Girlie Dog that I find fascinating…even though I know they are pretty unremarkable. Ha!

This week I am totally mesmerized by her passion for sleep! All of our pups have been professional snoozers, but Pegz raises it to an art form. Shortly after dinner each night, she hunkers down on the couch. Stretching and wrigglng like a hairy earthworm until she dominates the space. It is almost impossible to get her up for the pre-bedtime pee. And can you say SNORE? Holy wow.

But when we head upstairs for the night, she is right on board. Miss Pegz is all business when in comes to securing prime real estate in the painfully overcrowded bed. It is astounding how she jumps right up with little effort. It ‘s really kind of a stretch for a tripawd. Good thing she’s too tired to remember her little handicap. 🙂

And once she plops down…she does not move an inch for the next 10 hours. Literally. She usually saunters down well after the rest of the house is in full swing. Just in time for breakfast.

Yesterday…after too much cooking and too much turkey…I decided to join her. And Chaz rode shotgun.

It was sweet dreams. <3