Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Good Life

After five straight blogs about my travels to Okoboji and Cylinder its time for a blogging vacation so I have enlisted those most prolific of beagle bloggers, Daisy and Baxter to channel their inner Martha Stewart and share their views on living well...

Hi everyone! It’s Daisy…  and Baxter with another blog post for our loyal readers! I’m sure glad Hank finally stopped writing about Okoboji, Daisy.  I did enjoy reading about Hank’s Pollo Chorizo at El Parian and the Rack Shack Burger and Reuben Bites he had in Cylinder sounded tasty also. I just don’t understand why he didn't bring us any when he came home.  I don’t get it either. When Hank and Kathy go to eat at the Chinese Buffet they always bring us back a big piece of red chicken on a stick. YUM!! I love red chicken on a stick!  That’s right, Baxter. And when Kathy goes to Applebee’s she gets Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta but she gets the chicken in a separate plate and brings it home for us. The chicken is grilled and seasoned and very tasty.  Applebee’s chicken is tasty but I like the chicken from the Chinese Buffet slathered in the red stuff. YUM!! I love chicken! YUM!!  When you find a kind of chicken that you don’t like, be sure to let us know, Baxter.

It’s been months since our last blog and Hank hasn't mentioned any of the big beagle news, Daisy!  That’s right Baxter! Miss P the beagle won the Westminster Dog Show in February. It wasn't a surprise to me.  Me neither. All the other finalists were fluffy dogs that had to have their hair styled or shaved. There was a Shih Tzu, a Poodle, an Old English Sheepdog…  An English Springer, a Portuguese Water Dog, and a Skye Terrier. All the other dogs needed their hair brushed before the judging but not the beagle!  All the other trainers had their combs and brushes with them. Beagles are short haired sturdy dogs that don’t need to have their hair teased and shaved!  And beagles are smarter and have a better sense of smell than almost all the other dogs.  Don’t forget that beagles are the most literate of all dogs. This blog is a good example.  This is the second time in eight years that a beagle won the Westminster Dog Show. I can’t imagine why a beagle doesn't win every year.  I can’t either. I guess if they did all those fluffy dog owners would probably protest and break windows with their fluffy dog combs. 

The Jiffy raised the prices of their beef sticks by 29%. Now Hank gets his coffee at the Casey's and gives us Aldi beef sticks. We miss the Jiffy but like the advertising at Casey 's. Donuts! YUM!!!

Don't forget our other big news, Baxter!  You mean how Hank ate at the Rack Shack and didn't bring us anything?  No! I’m talking about how the Jiffy raised the price of their beef sticks from 2 for a dollar to 2 for $1.29. It’s so sad.  That’s right! Two months ago Hank was paying $2.06 for his coffee and our beef sticks. Then the Jiffy raised the price of the coffee and it cost $2.17.  And now that the Jiffy raised the price of the beef sticks the same coffee and beef sticks cost $2.46.  Hank isn't mad at the Jiffy but we haven’t been there since. Now Hank and Kathy take us to the Casey’s on weekend mornings.  Casey’s was the first convenience store to raise the price of their beef sticks but Hank says their coffee is only 74 cents and doesn’t have grounds in it like the Jiffy or the Burger King in West Des Moines.  We don’t get beef sticks from the Casey’s or any convenience store anymore. Kathy gets beef sticks from the Aldi and we get those when we go on our weekend walks.  I miss our Old Wisconsin and Jack Links beef sticks, Daisy. The Jiffy was the last place in town where we could get two beef sticks for a dollar.  I miss them too Baxter but I like the Aldi beef sticks and Hank said we’ll still have our convenience store beef stick taste test so Jiffy, Kum & Go, and Casey’s will have at least one chance to win back our beef stick business. 

Most of the other dogs we see hardly ever get walks, much less beef sticks. How sad...

It’s hard to be too upset about what brand of beef sticks we get on our walks, Daisy. Most other dogs never get beef sticks at all.  A lot of the dogs we see hardly ever get to go on walks, Baxter. There are the two huskies down the block that never get out of their pen.  Mocha and Napolean get to walk around the block once in a while but we never see Spike the big bulldog outside of his yard. We’re pretty lucky dogs.  That’s right, Baxter. Hank and Kathy take us for at least four walks every day. Not only do we get beef stick treats – we get lots of exercise.  All our exercise will help us live a good long time Daisy. At least I think so. 

The weather finally got nice enough for Marilyn, Bill, Becky, and Abby to visit with us on their porch!

I wish all the dogs we meet on our walks could exercise like we do Baxter. But we don’t always walk – sometimes we stop and talk to our neighbors.  That’s right Daisy. Sunday was the first time all year that we got to visit with Bill and Marilyn. They are really old and don’t like the cold weather.  We would see Marilyn sometimes in her living room in the winter and her daughter Becky and Abby the Cairn terrier would invite us in to say hello.  We didn't see Bill all winter long. When I saw him Sunday he rubbed my head and said “Hi Baxter, old boy!” I was glad he made it through the winter.  Me too! He petted my neck and said “How are you Daisy?” Of course he knew that I was just fine.  We hung around for almost a half hour in their yard visiting. Hank fell asleep.  I know! And he started to snore so loudly that he woke himself up. 

The duck pond is so much fun! We get to have some bread and look at Mr. Goose and his friends, and the baby geese too!

On Sunday morning we go to the duck pond at the cemetery. That’s always fun.  Yes it is, Baxter. It’s especially fun when Kathy brings bread for the ducks because she gives us some.  YUM!! I like bread. Not as much as beef sticks but when there’s only bread to eat that’s my favorite food.  Hank takes pictures of the ducks and geese while Kathy feeds everyone bread. We say hi to Mr. Goose and his two friends, the Gray Goose and the funny looking bulb-nose goose.  The Gray Goose was missing for two weeks and we thought something happened to him…  But last week we saw him and we saw him this Sunday too. I’m glad nothing bad happened to the gray goose, Baxter.  Me too, Daisy! The best part of our Sunday trip to the duck pond was the baby geese we got to see.  The baby Canadian geese are tiny and yellow but they are already great swimmers. I’m glad to see the baby geese because Kathy likes them so much.  And because she likes them – she’ll be sure to go see them and bring bread for everyone! YUM!! 

Katie came over this week. She petted us and gave us a giant Slim Jim! YUM!!

We’re really very lucky dogs, Baxter!  That’s right Daisy! We live with a great family that loves us and takes good care of us.  We get lots of exercise and plenty of beef sticks!  And we have lots of friends that we get to visit and some even visit us like Monica and Katie did on Wednesday!  Katie brought us a giant Slim Jim and fed it to us!  YUM!! I love Slim Jims! YUM!!  Don’t forget about our visit with Shirley, Baxter.  We don't have to show anyone any pictures of that, do we?  We used to see Shirley on our way back from the Jiffy but there’s been so much crime in town that she doesn’t leave her house early in the morning when it's dark anymore.  We saw her on our lunchtime walk last week. She was waiting for her sister.  She petted us a lot.  And then she rubbed my tummy. OH BOY!!!  And then…  You don’t have to show the picture Daisy…it’s kinda embarrassing… 

Right at the corner of a busy intersection…I’m surprised there wasn't an accident.  You’re just jealous she didn't kiss your tummy…where's Hank's camera? I think I'll eat it. 

2 comments:

Bethany Carson said...

Haha! I always love these posts from Daisy and Baxter! Beagles (your beagles at least) are great writers--though they do seem a bit obsessed with chicken and beef sticks!

Hank Anzis said...

Daisy asked me to point out that in their last post they wrote extensively about Pinot Grigio infused dry salami while Baxter says he likes to stay away from controversial topic so he writes about beef sticks and chick because of their universal popularity (except with the chickens and beef, that is).