A Grumble of Pugs

Many fun and unusual words describe groups of animals. Among my favorites are a murder of crows, a sleuth of bears, and an exaltation of larks. But what of pugs? Of course there is pack of dogs, but as anyone who has witnessed a group of snuffling, panting pugs knows the word doesn’t exactly fit.

Then a few weeks ago I stumbled across the phrase a grumble of pugs. Doing a little online research I found out that indeed the collective noun for pugs is a grumble. This delighted me! Pablo is a known grumbler; he especially likes to grumble after dinner. Belly full, he struts around the house grumbling–and yes, it’s very distinct from his usual barking–at whatever strikes his fancy. It could be at one of the cats or a car going by outside. No matter. Pablo grumbles until he’s grumbled out.

Does your pug grumble?

Just Chillin’

Pablo likes to hang out at the top of the stairs and wait for K to come home from work. He knows K’s schedule better than I do. As soon as 4:30 rolls around Pablo takes up residence at his post.

Pablo’s Nest

Spring’s officially here but the weather hasn’t cooperated. Pablo was disgruntled to be greeted with snow and slush on his morning walk. He kept trying to head back to his nest of blankets where he’s recently taken up residence (see above). Luckily for his sake and mine, I convinced him to continue with his walk. That task scratched from his to-do list, he went home to a treat and then a long snooze on the couch.

Pug by a Pile of Pillows

Wow, it’s been a while–almost a month since my last post. My bad. Things have been more hectic than usual around here. K returned from a three-week plus business trip in which he circled the globe, traveling from South Africa to Australia to San Diego to home. Then I left for a much shorter trip to NYC , attending a blogging convention and visiting with friends and family.

With all this going on, Pablo didn’t know which way was up and became super clingy, even for a pug (which is saying a lot). Now that things are almost back to normal, he’s getting back to his routine. Above, he’s posing next to a set of pug pillows I received as a birthday present a few weeks ago. He blends right in, doesn’t he?

Cleaning Day

It’s always such fun to clean with animals around. Pablo trots across my newly-washed, damp wood floor, leaving pawprints, and Rita has to investigate every piece of furniture I move.  Here she is curled on the underbelly of the couch. (Why is she the one looking pissed?) Lucky for me, I don’t clean all that often!

Happy Days Ahead

The long, hot days of summer have curtailed Pablo’s activities. But he won’t be bored much longer. In two days my niece and nephew, ages 11 and 8, will be here to run him ragged. If I gaze in my crystal ball, I see a future of dropped hot dogs to retrieve, sticky ice-cream covered faces to lick, and small laps to snuggle on.

Chin Rest

With temps in the high 90s for the past week and no central AC in our new house, Pablo has abandoned his comfy bed in favor of the much cooler wood floors. His bed has a bolstered headrest, though, and since puppyhood, Pablo prefers sleeping with his chin elevated. What’s a pug to do? His solution is to use the dining room chair or the lower shelf of the coffee table. Whatever floats your boat!

In Mostly Meh Company

Best of the Bunch

This Saturday, April 14th, Pablo turns 11 years old. Party festivities are underway and his present (a snazzy leather leash–don’t tell!) has been bought. The day before taxes are due, April 14 always struck me as an auspicious birthdate. Who else, I wondered, was born on this most worrisome day? Well, Pablo shares his birthday with a motley crew, no one wildly famous, but not anyone super notorious either (Doc Duvalier is as bad as it gets). Here’s a sampling of Pablo’s fellow celebrants:

Emperor Go-Kogon of Japan (ruler)

Christian Huygens (discovered Saturn’s rings)

Alfred West (champion cyclist)

Rod Stieger (actor)

Loretta Lynn (country singer)

Pete Rose (baseball gambler, er, player)

Steve Martin (comic, actor, writer)

Brian Forster (Partridge Family, drums)

Adrien Brody (actor)

Sarah Michelle Gellar (actress?)

Over the Rainbow

We made it! Yes, it was harrowing at times. Yes, we (I) left too much packing to the last minute. Yes, a lot of the furniture didn’t make it up the narrow staircase and is now sitting in the basement. Yes, we didn’t have hot water for several days. Yes, my lower back and knees are killing me. And, yes, we still have much left to unpack. But was it worth it? Yes!

Phoenixville is a charming town with a terrific downtown, plus pretty much everything I need is within walking distance. A park is steps away and Pablo has already marked just about every inch of it. The house, while a bit too cozy (code for small), is nonetheless spick and span with fresh coats of paint, polished wood floors, and a kitchen that actually has enough cabinets–and a working stove, unlike our last place.

The animals are adjusting to their new home. After freaking out from the big move, the cats have settled down and are enjoying exploring the house and looking out the many windows. Pablo took the move with the calm of a Zen master. His only beef is with the stairs. He won’t go up the front stoop and the back steps he managed once with difficulty. With typical pug stubbornness, he’s since refused to try again, which means we’re forced to carry him up. K is thinking of building him his own private ramp!

Movin’ On Up

You read that right. K and I and the rest of the gang are moving house. The new place is in Phoenixville, a classic town with great restaurants, an old-fashioned movie theater, and a brewery. What more can a gal want? Oh, and it’s near biking trails and just around the corner is a park, the perfect place for walking Pablo. As you can see, he’s eager to get going.

Right now we’re dealing with all the hassles of packing up and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. But it will all be worth it once we’re ensconced in our new home. Now back to packing….