Frank went to the vet's on Tuesday for his yearly exam and I am proud to report he is doing great (except for an ear infection, as usual). They also tried to sneak in a prescription for stinky diet food for Frank because he is STILL over-weight but I told them "No".

Last vet visit (Tues. June 20, 2006), Frank weighed 29.6 lbs.

This vet visit (Tues. May 22, 2007), Frank weighed 26.4 lbs.

We must be doing something right because he is still losing weight. HOORAY!!!!!!!! :-)

Oh boy... you aren't going to believe this.

I mean, you REALLY aren't going to believe this.

Hi! My name is Suzy. I am just here for the weekend while my daddy is out of town. I sure do like Mike a lot. I try to never let him out of my sight and I always go where he goes. We are busy trimming bushes right now.

You are just here for the weekend you say?

Well, come on! Let me show you the yard. You will love it.

So... Apparently, THIS is comfortable.
Hmmm, go figure.

I would now like to introduce everyone to

~ My "NEW THING" ~

This is my small (but growing) Netsuke Pug collection.


What IS a netsuke?

A netsuke is a form of miniature sculpture which developed in Japan over a period of more than three hundred years. Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The kimono, the traditional form of Japanese dress, had no pockets. Women would tuck small personal items into their sleeves, but men suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, purses, or writing implements on a silk cord from their obi (kimono sash). These hanging objects are called sagemono. To stop the cord from slipping through the obi, a small toggle was attached. The toggle is called a netsuke. (The most popular pronunciation is "net-ski", while the actual Japanese is closer to "netskeh"). A sliding bead (ojime) was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono.

The entire ensemble was then worn, at the waist, and functioned as a sort of removable hip pocket. All three objects (the netsuke, the ojime and the different types of sagemono) were often beautifully decorated with elaborate carving, lacquer work, or inlays of rare and exotic materials, including: wood, ivory, precious metals, shell, coral, and semi-precious stones. All three items developed into highly coveted and collectible art forms.

Pretty neat, huh? :-)