Still ROCKIN' after 19 years!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. You're not gonna embarrass me again this year, are you?

Chester ;0=)

Got Chocolate?

Hey Gang! Whassup? I hope you all are having a really great weekend. I know it's rare for me to post on Sunday but I had such a fun time today that I wanted to throw it on here as soon as I could. Mom and Dad took me to Codurus State Park today where they were havin' a big shindig known as Summer Blast. There was Dock Diving but I didn't sign up for it. I was hopin' maybe there would be time for me to do a couple practice jumps between waves, but there was alot of dogs already signed up. We just decided to find a nice spot and I let Mom and Dad throw my Wubba in so I could swim out and retrieve it.
Here's a little video so you can see me in action.

I did that over and over and over and over...........you get the picture. I'd still be doin' it if Mom and Dad hadn't decided to go stuff their faces, which was quite alright with me because I managed to land some of their grub. It takes concentration and practice but I think if you study my face and learn to copy it, you too can con a 2 legger into sharing their bounty!

This is my "I really, really like BBQ chicken" face.
It looks very similar to my "I never had funnel cake before but I think I would like to try some" face. Look closely, it's all in the tilt of my noggin'.

Everywhere you looked there was dogs of all shapes and sizes but there was a large number of us labradors, and probably the most chocolate labs I've ever seen in one place. Mom was in her glory and even played with a group of chocolate puppies. For a second or two, I thought I might gain a brother but, no such luck. ;0=(


Here's the official dock just like the one I jumped off of at Harrisburg awhile back.


There was much peemail to check out and I responded with quite a bit of my own.



This picture I really would rather not post but Mom insists that I do. I mean come on! This is really stupid and as you can see I was not cooperating anyway. I am NOT a raccoon and have no desire to pretend to be one.


This one Dad caught just after I pulled my nose back and Mom thinks it's humorous. Whatever! Maybe he will shoot the darn deer standing above me next huntin' season.



The things I put up with to keep that woman happy.

Chester's Mom: Thanks Ches for adding those silly pictures. If you would have been still just for a minute they would have been better.

Chester: I only did it so that you might consider taking me back there again real soon.

Chester's Mom: It's a deal. We really think it's beautiful there and even today, there were not crowds of people which suits us just fine. So yes, we will take you back there to swim again. Just remind me next time to not wear a white shirt. It is now a white shirt with brown spots all over it.

Chester: You would think you'd have learned by now you're gonna get dirty around me. But remember you did get a new shirt from my buddy Chocolate. You know, Chip that's on Facebook? His brother.






Chester's Mom: I know, I was really surprised when Chip's and Chocolate's Dad came over and gave that to me. It's a real cool shirt and I will be sure to wear it. 

*Chip has his Flyball Master title but also does Dock Diving. He's quite the athlete!

Chester: Darn! We should have asked Chip to autograph it! I know you think 2 leggers with dogs are the best, but you have to admit, 2 leggers that Got Chocolate are the sweetest 2 leggers on earth!!!

 

Well, I've gone on long enough and I must admit, I'm gettin' very sleepy after my hard day of play. Just wanna say I had a great time playin' in the water with you today, Chocolate, and thanks again to your whole pack for the cool shirt.

Good thing I have a light schedule tomorrow, I'm not really up to puttin' in a full day at the kennel.

Woofs and sweet slobbers,

Chester  ;0=)

I started a blog...........

which got the whole world crying...................

Why do we feel the need to celebrate milestone birthdays, anniversaries, blog posts? I don't know why my 99th post shouldn't be just as important as my 100th, or my 101st post be a letdown from the hub-bub of my 100th. I'm not even going to try and figure it out, I'm just going to go with the flow and celebrate this 100th post, which we have now come to find ourselves immersed in.

Truly, Mom did start a blog. I think it was called Meesh's Madness. The very first post went something like this:

This blog is about me and my life. I lead a pretty boring life and if anything exciting happens,you will be the first to know. Apparently her madness was not much to speak of and that was the very first and the very last post.

That's when I decided to take hold of the leash and put my life into the spotlight. Not that I live such an interesting life. By some dog standards, it is quite ordinary. But I started just tossing my thoughts into the Blogville atmosphere and lo, and behold - I gained my first follower. Someone wanted to hear what I had to say. Okay, so it was some recent college grad who was more interested in 2 legger girls and drinking than about this dog's life. He probably hit the follower button by accident after a Saturday night binge. But what the heck, I said, I'll take it. (Thanks, JPack, wherever you are.) This spurred me to further ramble on about my days.

I must say, I've been havin' a ball.

Then more of you started to comment. I catch on quick and I began following other blogs and commenting back. I was hooked and I knew it. There was no turning back.



I started to be concerned if I didn't see a new post from a "regular" for a few days, and I'd get the same concern stated back at me after my own non-post dry spell.

Never thought I'd see it happen, but here I am standing at the doorway to the 100 Plus Post Club. I see many of my friends already inside, sharing and having a great time. It is quite an extraordinary group, and I feel honored to be invited to join. Not to exclude those of you who haven't made it to 100 yet, for we have all been on this Blogville roller coaster ride together and I must say it's been a real scream.

Not only did I find many new friends such as yourself on this roller coaster but while high up on top, a fellow blogger told me to look over at the Facebook merry go round. It looked very docile and really not much fun. This said blogger pestered me until I took a turn on what I expected to be a slow-moving, boring ride. Hah! I couldn't have been more wrong! Once on, this ride moves at a much higher rate of speed than I originally thought. And some very, very fun people ride it daily! I find myself drawn back to it regularly, no matter how much my head is spinning. (Thanks "said blogger", you know who you are.)

Time is precious, and I thank each and every one who has taken the time to share your words, your laughs, your wisdom and your treats with this dog. Your many kindnesses have oozed warmth and formed friendships that I never expected to find inside this little box that sits on my desk.

If it's all the same to you, I'm gonna go round up another roll of tickets and jump in the seat for more fun and excitement. I only wish I could ride beside each and every one of you, get to know you a little bit better while we proceed up the hill. But for now, let's all board together and fasten our seatbelts! It's time to throw up our hands and let 'er rip!

Thankful woofs and 100 posted slobbers,

Chester ;0=)

Restraining Order

That was then,



this is now.

This is NOT my happy face.

2 leggers sure know how to let the air out of a dawg's tires.

Chester  ;0=)

Just another Thursday evening

I get very excited when I know I am going for a walk. I just wish the 2 leggers could keep up then I wouldn't have to keep runnin' back to make sure they are still with me on this adventure. Everybody knows it's not a real adventure unless you can share it with someone so for me the 2 leggers will have to do.

I helped Mom pick black raspberries last night. She couldn't understand why her bucket wasn't gettin' fuller quicker with my help.

One final scan of the surrounding borders from a high spot before I call it a night.

Happy Friday everybody and hope you have an adventurous weekend.

Chester ;0=)

Wing It Wednesday

The Dog in the Mirror

A little while back, Life With Dogs asked for us to think about one day and if we had anything to share about our take on "one day", to post it on a Monday, which has been declared "One Day Monday". Here is my contribution to such named day:

Do you ever have one day where, when all is said and done, you're tired but satisfied with all that's been accomplished from the time your day started?

Yeah? GREAT! I was hoping somebody had them. I find that the older I get, the less I get done. I'm overwhelmed by the feeling that life is slipping away at an alarming rate and I must, absolutely MUST find a way to make more hours in a day.

That being said, we're all given 24 of those hours in one day. You can't buy more if you're rich, you can't beg more if you're poor. It's all about what we choose to do in those 24 hours that makes us feel satisfied and content when we lay our head on the pillow at night. That's when it hit me that on the days that I was most happy with my accomplishments were the days that I had done something to lighten another's load, I had made someone smile, or had made some small difference in their life. Just for instance the day I took Mom to the nursing home to see an old friend.


I'm not sure if I walked out of there or soared. It felt so good to have been a bright spot in one day for such a sweet lady and for others we passed in the hall on the way out.

It was that same one day that I realized that life is not all about me.


With that thought in mind, a torrent of worries flooded my brain:
Will I be a good husband to Ms. Truffles?
Will I be able to provide for all the homeless dogs that Ms. Truffles and I plan to adopt?
Will I love her when she is old and gray?
Will I still be able to blog to all my friends when my paws are old and stiff from arthritis?

These are the thoughts that keep me awake at night.

(That and wondering if one day Mom will realize that cheese does not last forever in the refrigerator.)

But that's a whole story for another day. For now, I can't live my life trying to change others. It's time for this dog to look in the mirror and come face to face with who he is and who he wants to be.

That's when it hit me. All my life I've judged others at face value-not giving a fair chance to see who they really are, what makes them tick. As in the case of Rory-my Scottish rival who has been doggedly pursuing my fiance, hoping to convince her of his undying love for her.

At first all I saw was a little pup in a big dog uniform. Beady little eyes that showed nothing of the warrior that I came to find was inside. Cute button nose disguising the hard-nosed contender hidden underneath. I discounted him as litte to nothing to worry about until last Monday when the love package from him arrived at Ms. Truffles door. That's when I took a closer look at this Tartan Tidbit.

Any of you who saw our verbal sparring on Facebook got a look at just how tough this little guy is. There was not an inch of backing down to be had from him. I tried. I called him every Scottish name I could find as I ransacked the possiblities on Google. Tartan Twit, Kilt Boy, Sean Connery wannabee-just to name a few. He only responded with more brazen brogue. After some time I saw that he was not the fru-fru dog that I had originally thought.

And then, as Truffles made her decision to honor me with her lifetime reservoir of love, Rory was beaten down. He had given up and shaken paws with me, his frothing foe. That's when I realized, I liked the little guy. He has more spunk than some big dogs I hang out with. He's the kind of dog you want backing you up when the heat is on. Take a closer look at how he fills out that Pittsburgh Steelers jersey. That's what us big dogs call muscle. Not all dogs have it, or know how to use it.

Now that you understand all that has come between us and how we have made peace, I would like to ask all those in attendance to witness what I am about to say to Rory:

Dear Rory B. Frock, I am calling for an official truce, and along with this truce, Ms. Truffles and myself would like nothing better than to have such a fine, upstanding Scott stand by my side as Best Dog as we pledge our love to one another. Would you be pleased to grant us this request?

If I know this Sweetie Wheatie like I think I do, we will be standing side by side one day as we watch Ms. Truffles saunter her badonkadonk down the aisle.

I firmly believe that one day we will all have to answer to our Maker for what we've done with what we've been so freely given. It is my sincere hope that on that one day I will have no regrets.

Woofs and one day slobbers,
Chester

Workout Wednesday

This Wordless Wednesday has been temporarily interrupted by a message from our sponsor-who just happens to be having a huge brain cramp today amongst too much to do. So copy and paste this link to see my Workout Wednesday post. I think you will be glad you did. 

Thank you and have a great Wordless Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dqmSdivQVw

Chester's Newfound Friends

Baby birdie cannot fly
he left the nest too soon.


Mr. Turtle trods along
never searching for a room.


Chester Hoover sought him out
but Mr.Turtle would not run.
Strangest groundhog I ever saw



And really not much fun.


Woofs and newfound slobbers,
Chester

TOTALLY Thursday

TOTALLY Tongue


TOTALLY Tired


TOTALLY Tucked in


TOTALLY head over heels in love!


TOTALLY Thankful TRUFFLES Said YES!


Woofs and TOTALLY slobbered,
Chester

Welcome to my World Wednesday