Thursday, May 31, 2012

All About Love

Sometimes life is all about love. Sometimes that's all that matters.

Sometimes love looks like this:


And sometimes love looks like this:


We most often recognize love as this:



This doesn't feel much like love, even though it might be good for us:


And quite often, love feels like this:


We might all do better if love really were all that mattered, all the time.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Go Furt(h)er

I missed Frankie Day, but I can't afFord to miss the opportunity to honor Frankie Furter, Mayor of Blogville!



Fur disclaimer: Frankie Furter generously gave his permission for his photo to be used with this post; thank you, Frankie!

Fur disclaimer II: I will take down this post if Ford complains, but please remember that I am a dog, and this is a dog blog.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Happy Memorial Day


Happy Memorial Day from Switzerland!
Love, Tootsie

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Fluffiness in the Alps

Meet Mia, the fluffiest dog in the Italian Alps!


Mia is a fluffy creature full of fur and love.


Here she is out hiking with her Grandpa in the Monte Bondone area, just west of Trento, Italy.


She's headed up to the top of Monte Cornetto. "Cornetto" means "little horn"; as Bouncing Bertie and Gail pointed out, "Cornetto" is also the Italian name of an ice cream cone available in bars and stores.


Sweeping vistas await her.


But Mia is in no rush, because she wants to savor every moment of this wotten waven day.


Dear Mia, thanks for the doggy-gram. I'm glad you enjoyed meeting my dad. I hope we'll meet in the mountains at some point. When we do, I promise not to bark.

Love,
Tootsie

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Angel Daisy

Dear Hearts and Kindred Spirits,

It has been two years since my fur-sister Daisy passed away.


She was the pride and joy of Grandma and Grandpa. She loved cuddling with my fur-brother Truffle. I never got to meet her, but Truffle has told me countless stories about her.


Back in May 2010, Mom was in the Lugano hospital. She was very sick and the doctors weren't sure what was wrong. In the meantime, in Idaho, Grandma was fighting an unforgiving form of cancer. It was a very hard time for the whole family.

On the morning of Wednesday, May 19, Dad was traveling to Lugano to visit with Mom in the hospital. He was sitting on the Flippie when he received an e-mail from Grandma.


Daisy had disappeared the previous Saturday. Grandpa and his friends had been looking for her frantically since then. In Grandma's own words:

"Tuesday, Grandpa went looking again. He found Daisy by the creek, at Fish Glade. She had been kicked in the head, probably by a moose. It seems clear that she died immediately.

We buried her where Dad found her, by the big stump on the property line next to the unburned burn pile on this side of the creek.

We have been crying and crying and having trouble getting everything into perspective. It is all too much.

Had a dream [the prior] Saturday night that a big black hearse was driving up from the cabin end of the pasture. In my dream I thought, Daisy is dead.

We thought she might have died down in the valley and searched for her there as well as elsewhere.

Tuesday night [in my dreams], I saw Daisy alive as alive could be. She burst into the bedroom and was so happy to see us. Then I woke up.

Truffle is staying close to us and getting lots of cuddles."



Dad burst into tears on the Flippie and, later that day, did a very poor job of breaking the news to Mom. It was not an easy task.

Two months later, Mom's health was restored through a major surgery that solved all of her medical problems. Grandma's cancer, however, was different.


In the fall, Grandma joined Angel Daisy in Heaven.


Rest in peace, Angel Daisy, and please continue to cuddle Grandma. And please keep an eye on Truffle and me.

Love,
Tootsie

Monday, May 21, 2012

BlogPaws 2012 "Best Newbie Blog" Finalist!

I have some wonderful Monday Mischief to report:


Bicontinental Dachshund is a finalist for the BlogPaws 2012 Nose-to-Nose Social Media Pet Blogging Awards in the "Best Newbie" category!


Thank you to Chloe and the entire BlogPaws team. The affirmation feels very nice, indeed. And thank you for our registration waiver and the spiffy new badge for the blog! All the fellow finalists look wotten waven.


If you know wiener dogs, you'll know that great excitement makes us hungry, so Mom gave me a celebratory carrot. I didn't even have to beg.


In other Monday Mischief news, Dad got a Swiss speeding ticket this weekend. First time driving in 2012. First speeding ticket in his life.


The rental car was an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, a spiffy complimentary upgrade. Gee, thanks. The Alfa Romeo--oh, Romeo, Romeo--can punch it like no other, certainly more than the chugalug bug we had reserved. Dad was over the speed limit for all of ten seconds. 45 mph in a 35 mph zone - or - 70 kmh in a 50 kmh zone. Can you guess how much he owes?!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Rare Skills

I recently learned to walk on water.


As they say, practice makes perfect.


I can't wait to befriend every single duck in Lake Lugano!


Monday, May 14, 2012

Gola di Lago - Part Two

"Gola di Lago" translates to "Gorge of the Lake", but the lake in question dried out in prehistoric times and today the Gola di Lago plateau is a beautiful peat bog.


From Gola di Lago, we followed the scenic trail to the town of Roveredo.


The trail is very well maintained...


and goes through many cute roadless hamlets.


The views comply with the very high Swiss quality standards.


Due South, you can see Lugano's Hausberg, Mount San Salvatore.


I took several naps, including one next to a wotten waven waterfall.


I felt very proud of myself as we entered the hamlet of Roveredo.


Just three weeks before this hike, I was recovering from naproxen intoxication.


As Phil Collins would say, take a look at me now!



Here's our route from Medeglia to Roveredo by way of Gola di Lago:



View Medeglia in a larger map

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Fur Mother's Day

I hope this screed finds you at play
'cause this morning I hasten to say
You're top of the pick
But please save a lick
For your mom on this fur Mother's Day


Thank you, Grandpa, for the limerick!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Frankie the Walk 'N Roll Dog

I recently won a prize from Frankie the Walk 'N Roll Dog!


Frankie says:
Always be positive,
Make a difference,
and keep on rolling!

Frankie's story about his life in a doggie wheelchair is inspiring. Doxie lovers know that our breed is prone to back problems. Frankie shows how life continues after surgery. He and his mom are also a registered therapy dog team.


Our special PET MOBILE vet Dr. Ward has taken part in lots of dachshund back surgeries, so we shared Frankie's inspiring story with her. Dr. Ward put one of Frankie's postcards up on the wall in her special PET MOBILE clinic for everyone to see. Frankie also has his own series of wonderful books written by his mom Barbara Techel. Frankie and Barbara make lots of visits to classrooms in Wisconsin and elsewhere: you can read all about it at their webpage.

Silly Dog Magnets are specially designed by Brianna Lennox, and we won a special series dedicated to and designed for Frankie, which Frankie's Mom mailed to our Idaho address.


We brought Frankie's magnets back to Switzerland, and I helped Mom put them up on our fridge.


As you know, I'm long and short, so we put our fridge magnets down low where I can see them.


Follow the link to look at all the wotten waven Silly Dog Magnets. You can request custom magnets and search your favorite breed! They are all really sweet and quirky and fun designs.

Thank you for my present, Frankie and Barbara and Brianna! And thank you, Pam and Oskar at Pet Blogs United! The whole schnaa is totally wotten waven!

Love,
Tootsie

Bike and Hike to Monte Rai

Nestled up in the Lake Como mountains, the Marisa Consiglieri Hut is a very popular destination for road bikers, hikers, and dogs. It can be reached by way of a steep twisty road that is closed to motorized traffic for the most part.


Here doggies can breathe the fresh mountain air...


and enjoy the roadside smells, like fluffy Sara and her fur-sister Gemma.


Teresa and her father Max sent me a doggy-gram as Dad arrived at the Marisa Consiglieri Hut on Trusty Steed 2 after a three hour ride from Como.


I also got a doggy-gram from my minpin fur-friend Minnie, who was very surprised to see Dad.


Past the hut, the road turns to gravel. Meet Amelia, a rescue German shepherd who has found her furever home.


The road ends at a crazy radio tower just below the top of Mount Prasanto. From there, it's just a hop, a skip, and a jump to nearby Mount Rai, where Martina was headed.


The top of Monte Rai offers a great view of the Brianza region due south...


of the Lecco area due east...


and of the wotten waven mountains due north.


Martina highly recommends visiting Monte Rai!


Dad said next time, he'll take me and Mom.
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