New House and New Places to Pee!

Mama and Papa went away over the weekend. They told me they were going to find me a place to live and romp around when we move. And they did it! They found me a house! Mama said no more waiting for the elevator, which is so nice because sometimes we have to wait and I need to pee and it's not that fun. Here's the front of the house:

And the back-- with a deck! And a yard! So much grass for me to roll around in, yay!

And there is a trail and a little park right behind our new house! Mama said it's ok if I pee here:

So we are very excited. Mama showed me some other pictures, too. She went to a little shopping place that looked like FRANCE, she said. I don't know what that means, but it made Mama happy.

She and Papa also looked at other places too. One of them had its very own doggy park.

As for me, I got to stay with Uncle Roland and Jackie for FOUR WHOLE DAYS. I was so happy! It's so much fun-- I get to sleep on the bed and play with Jackie and I don't have to listen to Mama. We went to the big park and ran around a lot, and we played with our toys. But then Jackie tried to steal Woobie and I got so mad!

I yelled at her. But then I looked away and she took it again. I let Jackie play with Woobie a little, because she is my friend, but I wasn't happy about it and I stole it back as soon as I could.

So you know what I did? I got smart. I stole Jackie's toy RIGHT BACK. I showed her!

We had a very good time. Then last night somebody knocked on the door, and it was my mama and papa! I was so happy to see them! I jumped up lots and lots. Then I went home and jumped on the sofa and went to sleep because I was exhausted from my long vacation.

This morning, Mama and I had a discussion. She likes to have discussions after I pee and poop. We walk along and talk. Mama told me all about the house and how nice it is and how I'll have so much grass. But I have to be a good boy and stay inside the fence, and I told her I would do that. I can't wait to see it! Mama also said she ran into lots of buddies (that's what Mama and Papa call doggies, I don't know why) and that they were all very nice and are excited to welcome me to their state. That is cool. We move in 5 weeks, and that's a verrrrrry long time. I have to make sure I get in all the playing I can!

Sunday in the Park with Uncle Roland. And Saturday too!

My friend Jackie used to tell me that she and her Papa went to the big park every weekend to sniff butts and run around without leashes. I like running around without leashes, but Mama wouldn't take me-- she said I run too much and I don't come when she calls me. That's not true! I'll come if she has a TREAT. But usually Mama just wants me to come back just because, and I want to explore and run around! But Mama decided a couple of weeks ago that I could go to the big park if I was a good boy.

The big park is in the middle of Manhattan, so they call it Central Park. It's so big! And there are woods! And so much stuff to explore! Usually you have to be on a leash, but in the super early morning, they let doggies run around and be freeeeee. It's awesome. Mama says the same people go to the big park on the weekends, and since Uncle Roland could take us, we could go.

We went yesterday. It was my 3rd time there and my 2nd time with Mama. Mama brought TREATS! And her sunglasses! It was a very pretty day. As soon as we got there, I found some doggies to chase me, and we ran and ran and ran! They were cool. After I ran so fast, I was tired, so I sat down near Mama.

Jackie and I hung out a little with Roscoe and his dad. He's a big husky and he likes Mama a lot. He tried to take my treats from her, and she let him have a little one, but he nipped her. I would NEVER nip my mama! Silly Roscoe.

After I ran around some more, I rolled. And rolled. I love to roll! Jackie does too, but she always rolls in stinky things because that's what she likes. I just like the grass.

I decided to explore some more, so I walked over to a tree. Mama didn't like that-- she had to chase me. I love being chased! I made Mama run after me! She called my name a lot and it was so fun. But then she caught me and put my leash on, and I was sad. Then she let me go again! And I ran some more, then I sat and ate some grass.

But then it wasn't fun anymore. I heard barking. Another doggy was in DANGER! I had to go and see what was up. Turns out somebody was humping this other dog, and so many doggies were joining in, so I decided to be cool too and hump that dog, but Mama didn't like that AT ALL. She put my leash on and made me stay in a timeout. I guess that was bad.

But it was still fun! Jackie had a really good time. She got Furminated! Her papa brought a brush and took away all her fur and she loved it.

Then it was over. We were all so tired. We went out for coffee. I met a mean dog named Skippy, but Mama and Uncle Roland liked his daddy. Our buddy Seamus came by and sat near me. I sat in the shade. I like the shade.

Mama said that humping aside, I was a very good boy. So we went back to the big park today. Here's me with Jackie. I'm watching her chew on a stick. I was also watching a baby a few feet away-- its mama and papa took it out of the stroller and put it on the grass. Babies don't belong on the grass! I had to watch it to make sure it was ok.

There weren't as many doggies today. That's ok. It was still fun. I couldn't find a lot of doggies to chase me, so I hung around with Jackie. And then SO MANY DOGGIES came up to the park at once! Oh my goodness! But one of them was a furry dog who wanted to play a lot with Jackie. NO FAIR. I barked at him. Then I barked at him some more. Mama was SO MAD. She put on my leash and made me come over to Uncle Roland for punishment. I'm really sorry, Mama. I mean it.

Now I am so tired! I have been sleeping all day. So much running around and so many doggies. Even though I was in punishment, it was exhausting. But I wanna do it again next week! Yay!

My Mini-Vacation at Uncle Roland's

Mama told me this morning that it's June. I like June! June is sunny and warm out before it gets really hot and the concrete hurts my paws. I got lots and lots of sun over the weekend because I got to stay with my Uncle Roland and Jackie down the hall. I love them. Uncle Roland lets me jump on him and lick him, and I like his house. He lives down the hall from us, but he has nicer furniture and something called a balcony, which is where I like to lie and sun myself.

Mama and Papa went away this weekend to a wedding. That's where two humans say things and tell everyone they're together forever. Mama likes weddings, she says. But this wedding was in a place called Washington, DC, so I had to stay somewhere else. I knew something was up on Friday night when Mama was packing her blue bag, then she packed MY blue bag and put my food in it. Then on Saturday morning, Mama put on my gray collar with all the tags and put Bunny in my bag and picked up my bed and opened the door. I thought we were going in a car, and I got so excited, but then we walked past the elevator which means we were going to Uncle Roland's!!!!!!!!

Uncle Roland took me and Jackie to the big park. He kept my collar on because Mama wasn't there, and when my collar is off, I like to RUN and CHASE. Uncle Roland knows this, so I had to stand next to him while all the other doggies sniffed all the butts. But Jackie stayed with me, so it was fun.

Then we went out for coffee with the doggy people. I don't like going out for coffee very much because I have to be quiet and still like a good boy, and I'd rather be at home with Woobie. But I stayed and talked to Jackie, then we went back to Uncle Roland's. I stole Jackie's hedgehog and took him over to the window.

Then I took a nap. Jackie and I played and slept all day. Jackie is a good friend. She lets me play with her toys. So I let her play with Bunny, but she tore a hole in Bunny. I think Jackie is jealous of Bunny. But it's ok. My papa will sew it up.

Visiting Uncle Roland is so nice because he lets me do things I'm not allowed to do at home. I slept in the big bed! Uncle Roland let me! At first I didn't want to and I stayed on my bed, but I missed my crate and there were no blankies. I like to lie on blankies. So Uncle Roland said, "Come on, Avon," and patted his bed, and I jumped up and snuggled and fell right to sleep. I hope I get to do that again! It was soft. Uncle Roland has the best blankies.

On Sunday, we went back to the park. Uncle Roland kept my collar on again. But I fooled him, because when he put my leash on the ground I saw a doggy I liked and I RAN SO FAST! I went all around the big park hill in a circle until I was so tired. Uncle Roland wasn't mad, but he said I shouldn't do that anymore. Maybe I'll listen to him. Then we went out to the coffee place again. Here's me. I'm a little sheepish because I know I didn't listen to Uncle Roland.

Then we went home. I decided it would be a good day to lie in the sun! Then I took a nap!

It was a wonderful day! Uncle Roland was going to take me home, but he hurt his back, so Jackie and I both stayed with him and kept him company. Then it was late in the day and I was trying to decide what to play with, and my mama walked in! I was so happy! I jumped up and scratched her a lot, and she gave me hugs and I gave her kisses. I love staying with Uncle Roland, but I missed Mama soooooo much! Then Papa came over too! All of my people were there! Yay!

Mama and Papa and I went home, and I saw Woobie again too. I missed Woobie lots and lots. But then I was so tired from all the running and the sun, so I went to my bed and went to sleep until Papa took me for my walk late at night.

I will miss Uncle Roland and Jackie when we go to North Carolina, but Mama says we will drive up once a year so I can see him and he can see me. I hope he comes to visit us. Mama says it is very good to have good neighbors and friends, and I agree. Or, as Mama says, I con-CUR.

Me and Woobie. And Bunny.

I know I will be ok on the way to North Carolina because I will have Woobie and Bunny to keep me company. Jackie down the hall is my best friend, but Woobie and Bunny are MINE. I take care of them. As long as they are in my sight at all times, everything is ok.

I met Woobie in November. Mama's friend Liz brought it over for Chanukah. It was my first Chanukah, and Mama and Papa had a party where they made fizzy drinks and potato things that smelled so good but I'm not allowed to eat them because they have onions in them, and onions make doggies sick. I think Mama says that so I won't try to steal them. But on Chanukah, you also get PRESENTS! I did not know this! I was not a Jewish doggy in West Virginia. Being a Jewish doggy is cool. I get apples for Rosh Hashanah and Mama sings me songs in Hebrew. Anyway, Miss Liz brought Woobie, and it was love at first sniff! Here we are a few days later:

I destroy most of my toys. I like to chew! But Woobie is different and special. Woobie squeaks and needs me! Mama and Papa used to keep Woobie in the closet, but Woobie got so lonely and missed me so much and I would ask to see it all the time, so Mama and Papa gave up. Now I have Woobie with me always! Mama and Papa sometimes try to take Woobie away, but I don't let them. I put my whole face or my body over Woobie. This is important. Woobie will be sad if I let them take it away. I will go anywhere Woobie goes. Sometimes when it gets rainy and I don't want to go out, Mama and Papa bring Woobie, and I hate it. Woobie doesn't want to get wet either! Mama is bad at protecting Woobie, so when it rains, I have to make sure Woobie is safe and comfortable.

After we get back in, I make sure Woobie is ok and dry. Here's me, mad at Mama for making us go out:

It was just me and Woobie for a really long time. Then I had my adoptaversary and Mama's friend Kimberly brought a new toy! I love it so much! Its name is Bunny. I don't know why. It doesn't look like a bunny. But that's what Mama calls it and Mama is the boss.

I love my Bunny! Bunny squeaks and is special like Woobie, but because Bunny is longer, I don't take it to many places, just back and forth from my bed in the living room to my crate in the bedroom. Mama says that in North Carolina I will have so many rooms! I will have to show them all to Woobie and Bunny.

Bunny and Woobie keep me company. I like taking care of them. When Bunny was hurt and its stuffing came out, Papa sewed it up and now it's all better again.

I am looking forward to showing Woobie and Bunny around their new home. Mama says we will have a road trip (I don't know what that means) where I can show Woobie and Bunny all the mountains and trees. That sounds really cool, doesn't it?

Hi! Hi! This is my blog! (*tail wagging furiously*)

Hello there! My name is Avon Barksdale, and I am a dog. Specifically, I am a mountain cur/hound mix-- Papa thinks I'm a plott hound, but I don't really know. People around here don't know about mountain curs or blackmouth curs, but we are THE BEST. We are hunting doggies! When I see something that looks like a non-doggy animal, I give a special growl and I bark and I tell Mama to shoot it, but Mama says no because we don't have guns and besides, I'm probably barking at balloons or posters. I was named after a man in a TV show called The Wire, and people really like it a lot and sometimes laugh when they hear my name. Mama and Papa said they named me Avon Barksdale because she is from Baltimore and I'm a dog so I bark. But I don't bark a lot. So I'm just Avon.

Mama suggested I start writing a blog (it rhymes with dog!) because we're MOVING and I am going to have ADVENTURES.

I live in a place called Harlem, in New York City. Harlem is very special. They say it's where the cool cats used to live, but I don't believe them, because I don't think cats are cool. But maybe the cool cats lived here a long time ago and then left, leaving Harlem to the nice people and the doggies. I came to Harlem because my mama and papa adopted me from a place called Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue. They rescue doggies from kill shelters in the south and bring them up north so they can be adopted by awesome people like my mama and papa. I was born in West Virginia (Papa says that makes me a mountaineer! I don't know what that means) and lived with my first papa until he died. Then I was in a shelter, then I was taken to a super awesome foster home (they had other brindle doggies! And something called a nephew! I liked him), then I went to Brooklyn. I had another foster family, then another, then one day my mama and papa came to pick me up and we became a family.

I like where I live. I like the park. It's called Morningside. Here's me sniffing some yellow flowers, right before I peed on them.

Mama takes me to the park every morning, even when the water falls from the sky and gets in my ears and I hate it, but she makes me. Sometimes we run into people and doggies we like. There's the nice man who walks the mean-looking gray dog (he and I just nod and walk on by), then there's Schatzie the Rottweiler (she's a silly puppy who likes to play too much at 6:30am), and Dharma the old bulldog who hates me, and Roscoe the husky who likes Mama more than he likes me but that's ok. Almost every day we run into a girl who waits for her bus to go to school, and she rubs my butt and tells me I'm cute. I like her a lot.

At night, Papa takes me out so I can pee and poop. Sometimes we walk by the vet's office. I like my vet, but I don't like the cats who live there. They're mean. Other times we walk by the park and we see people we know. I love seeing my friends on the street! Then Papa takes me home and makes me go into the bedroom with Mama so we can go to sleep. This is good because I like to sleep.

We live in a nice building with lots and lots of doggies, including my best friend, Jackie. She lives down the hall. She's 10. Her papa is my 3rd favorite human, after Mama and Papa. Our walker takes us out together three times a week, and Jackie doesn't let me stop and sniff too much, but that's ok because I stop and sniff with Mama. I stayed with Jackie a few weeks ago when Mama and Papa went away, and I had the BEST TIME. We played and chewed things, and I let Jackie sleep in my bed with me.

On some days, I see my friend Arnold. He works at the front desk. He gives me pastrami and I love it! Arnold likes me because I don't bite him. I would never bite him. He's my friend! I have to sit and be a good boy or I don't get my treat, but that's ok because Arnold is so nice.

On Mondays, I go to daycare. I go to a place called Doggedly Devoted. I always know it's Monday because Mama puts on my gray collar with all the tags and we walk down the street where the school is and we see the kids and I know I'm going to caaaaaamp! I love it, but I don't like it when Mama leaves. I want Mama to spend all day with me and my friends at daycare! Maybe one day she will. This is me at daycare with my buddies Riley and Myla. Don't I look ferocious??? You can see Nonnie in the corner. She's my BEST daycare buddy. She is red and tall and very pretty, and she and I like to chase each other all around the room until we get so tired.

Today I'm a little sad, though, because Mama told me we're moving to a place called North Carolina. At first I thought she said North CUR-alina, which would be so cool because it would full of curs like me, but Mama said no, but it's a nice place with lots of grass and streams and places to run around. And she promised she would find me a new daycare with more buddies. My papa is going to something called graduate school, where he will learn how to talk to people about money. That's what he told me. I don't know what that means. But as long as my mama and papa are there,  it will be ok.

I will try to write all about our last couple of months in New York and all the fun things we do and all my friends. But here's a picture of what I like to do best.