Lemondrop: Boat trip!

Today I went to doggie paradise, but I had to take a boat to get there.

It was all so exciting, there were so many new doggie friends on board. I counted them on my four paws (luckily I had enough digits) and there were 14 altogether. Since that first time when Mommy v threw me into the sea to see if I could swim (which of course I could!), I love the sea and blowing my ears in the sea breeze.


Donny and I were checking to see if there were any fish to catch for lunch.


There was a Great Dane on the boat too. His name is Harley. He was younger than me but much much bigger.


I was wary of him at first but after he and I had a conversation on the front of the boat (which the humans found rather amusing), I realised that he's just a gentle giant who loves to hang his head out of windows and have the wind in his face too.


This is Ah Chau (means "Autumn") the boat owners' dog, adopted from AFCD. He was an extremely good host, welcoming us all onto his lovely boat.


I wish I had a boat as my holiday home .... isn't this just the life??


We arrived on Grass Island, also known as Tap Mun Island, but I think Grass Island is more appropriate as there really is grass everywhere!!!


Oh, I was loving it as there was plenty of cow poop to roll around in ... truely doggie paradise! Milkshake adores to run ... I think she enjoys the sense of freedom, so it was also her doggie paradise.


She even took time out to admire the view ....



Here's Arlo taking a breather ... or maybe he's hiding from his 2 new brothers, Bubbles the fox terrier and Custard the schnauzer.


Even the humans were enjoying themselves. Oh no, I spot a cow behind Mommy v trying to eat her food!!! Ahhh, it's only Harley.


Us doggies went down to Pebble Beach for a quick dip. Someone was throwing a yellow ball but I knew it was not mine, it doesn't have the same scents on it. I was trying to decide whether I should just nab it anyway ....


After a little misadventure where Bubbles got lost (I didn't even know as I was at the head of the pack as usual ... Milkshake told me later that she and Mommy v had to search and rescue), we ended up at a restaurant where the humans ate a lot of yummy smelling food. I of course got nothing except for being tied up by the door with Donny... I wonder why we beagle boys always get the leash treatment when there's food around. It's just not fair!

Lemondrop: I AM SAD

It's been a sad doggie week. Things have been happening to my friends left, right and centre.

Jay, my fellow HKDR inmate who was chosen by a lovely lady, Claire, and lived on that funny island called Discovery Bay, was lost at the airport on his way to England (I want to move there too!). His mommy is obviously very sad and distraught and have been searching for him every single day. I hear she goes to Lantau Island in the middle of the night with cooked chicken to try to lure him home (maybe I should get myself lost too?). The humans seem to think he is scared and hiding somewhere. I went to look for him too last weekend but I didn't catch his scent, otherwise I would have told him sternly to just go home. Why would he trade a soft, warm bed by his mommy's side for a cold, dark hole out in the wilderness where the boogie man can come and catch him?

Jay, where are you? It's time to come home!


Mommy v told me earlier in the week that little Sami is epileptic. That's a big word and I didn't know what it meant, so I cocked my head and gave Mommy a blank look. Then Mommy v explained that Sami is prone to have fits without warning and may be on drugs for life. I feel for Sami, losing control of your body is not a pretty sight, but I'm sure she will get lots of cheese to go with her medication everyday, so it's not all bad! Plus I know her mommies adore her and will love her nonetheless, if not more.

Little Sami, who's not so little anymore.



Finally, I got the saddest news of all today. My hiking buddy Spud passed away this evening. He was very sick after eating a sock, which the doctor had to remove by opening him up. But he was in a lot of pain afterwards and couldn't eat any food or take his medicine. The doctor then said he had an infection and opened him up again today. Unfortunately it was too much for him. At least he passed away at home with his mommy, and he must be happier where he is now, pain-free. Mommy w is physically very upset .... but I'm sure Spud's mommy must be heart-broken. I don't want to ever die, I don't want my mommies to be heart-broken too.

My mate, Spud - RIP. You will be missed.

Lemondrop: I discovered yoghurt

I just had a snack .... a yummy scrumptious snack ... it's white and smooth and I can slurp it up. I even got to lick the inside of the tub.


For those fellow canines out there, you got to tell your humans that the Japanese brand is the best. Sugar-free but just as tasty.


Oh yeeeeeeah ... it was just heavenly. So good in fact, that I buried my face in it! More mummy more!!

Lemondrop: Mutt Genie

I look in the mirror and I see a handsome beagle but my mommies think I may have a mixed ancestry, so they had my DNA tested through Mutt Genie.

The kit arrived in the mail ... it came with a long list of instructions and a couple of cotton swabs.


I hate being poked and prodded, and I wasn't about to let Mommy w stick something that wasn't food in my mouth.


"Come on Lemondrop, be a good boy ..." Mommy w coaxed. Uh-uh, nope, I was having none of it ...


But then Mommy w got out the cheese ... she knows I can't resist cheese ... or any kind of food for that matter. Oh alright ... I'll give you 5 seconds for one piece of cheese.


Mommy w rubbed the cotton swab around the inside of my cheek. It wasn't that bad, it was even quite chewable. Oops, I don't think I was supposed to do that!

Another piece of cheese for that 2nd swab please Mommy.



Mommy w filled in all my personal details .... see my name on the cover of the swab?


Then my mommies waited and waited ... and I just went about eating, sleeping and chasing my Yellow Ball as usual. Finally one day Mommy w exclaims to me "Lemondrop, you're a pure beagle!!! OMG, I don't believe it, I was sure there was something else in you. You don't look like a pure beagle!"

So I'm totally confused. What is a pure beagle supposed to look like anyway? Yes, I have longer legs (to run fast fast), and spots on my back (maybe from too much sun when I run on beach), and I chase balls instead of hunting animals (do they really want me to bring them back a bloody dead rabbit for lunch??!); but I have the nose of a beagle (I smell food within a 2 mile radius), I have a appetite of a beagle (eat fast, get more food) and I am capable of giving the most adorable doe-eyed beagle look (especially when my mommies are eating, it works really well).

If Snoopy is a beagle (let me remind you that he's as white as snow, not exactly good camouflage for hunting), I most definitely am a beagle too!!

Milkshake: I love the weekends!!

Weekends are the best because Lemondrop and I get to go on adventures out in the countryside. I am able to smell the grass and the trees in the air halfway through the car ride and I can usually guess where we are going. See how happy I am when I'm in the countryside?



This is my friend Redding. He was mistreated before he was adopted, and as a result only has one eye but he is still an energetic and brave dog. It was the first time he met cows on this Tai Long Wan hike, and he was herding them! But I don't think the cow family appreciated Redding's skills and nearly kicked him in the face. Luckily he came out unscathed.



I was following mommy v as she was leading the pack. We were so far ahead that I had time to enjoy a cold spring dip.



Tai Long Wan is my favourite beach because it is so big and we are able to run FREE!!!



Oh, I forgot to tell you the good news (I was over the moon when mommy w told me) .... Donny is keeping his new sister Sami! Isn't that just wonderful? Sami's new mommies adore her :)



And Sami adores his brother Donny .... she loves chasing him especially.



The humans were eating food on the beach and I'm pretty sure Lemondrop grabbed a burger too. He told me not to tell but I don't need to say anything, his expression says it all!



There were a couple of villages on the hike where dogs with no collars roam freely. They must think we want to stay in their village as they always bark at us when we pass through and follow us until we get to the village boundaries. Lemondrop and I are both scared of the village dogs and try to scuttle through as quickly as possible. I do like the countryside, but I don't think I can live here .... everytime I go, there seem to be more of them!



Lemondrop and I went exploring whilst waiting for the sampan. I wanted to go for a dip in that crystal clear water but those sharp things on the rocks hurt my paws.



Anyway, the sampan arrived with a big "Welcome", so I got on first without hesitation.




This is another one of my friends, Porkchop. Do you recognise him? I couldn't when I saw him today! He literally had a close shave and felt rather embarrassed about it, but I think he looks much more handsome like this.




This is Dragon's Back. I am chasing another one of my friends. Can you guess who it is?



Hehehe ... it's Xian!



Xian and I love to wrestle. She has more experience so is slightly better than me ... but just by a bit mind you.



She was looking for a more challenging partner today, and befriended this handsome guy on the beach.



Look at his moves! I was most impressed.



So I went back to playing with Lemondrop. We were looking for his Yellow Ball. I think I buried it in the sand. Oops!



Ah there! I found it back for him. Look at how happy he was!



Whereas I am most happy when I'm out and about in nature. My mommies bring us to see my fellow nature-loving friends every weekend. My mommies are the best!! :D

Milkshake: my BFFs

Mommy v went out for a long time this morning and left us behind. She carried her red backpack so I'm sure she went running without us. Lemondrop and I were sulking all morning.


Mommy w tried to console us by saying that we would get to see Donny later on today, which made me so happy. Donny is one of my best friends and yesterday he told me, in confidence, that he might be getting a new sister ... I couldn't wait to meet her!

I love it at donny's home, there is grass and big spaces everywhere to run around in.



Wrestling is one of my favourite hobbies and I'm pretty good at it too. I can box really well with my front paws, as donny found out....



Soon more humans arrived who brought Ginko the pug .... he has a funny face, no? I have met Gingko before but he is quite an introvert so I didn't play much with him.



Donny finally remembered to introduce his possible new sister to me ...



Her name is Sammi. Mommy w says that she's named after some fancy cantopop star but she probably doesn't care as I don't even think she knows her own name yet!! Which is a bit silly really since I get all sorts of special treats when my name is called but for lemondrop it's usually a telling off. Heehee. Here she is. She's so small compared to me and quite scared of everything at first.



But then we sniffed each other out a bit and were soon wrestling.



She's not bad for a lightweight and even had a few good moves.



She managed to get in a left hook when I was caught off guard ....




Auntie j was making yummy smells from a hot metal contraption outside, which of course attracted Lemondrop.



We spent the hour circling the humans waiting for food to drop from the table.



But Donny was not as patient as Lemondrop at this game and just jumped right in when the humans were not watching. He was so good at this that Auntie m got angry and punished him by making him sit outside on the wet ground. I felt so sorry for don don, he was sulking big time ...



But then the Auntie m made it up to him and gave him a few licks of Hoegaarden beer!



I wasn't allowed to taste any :(

I hope Donny gets to keep Sammi as his sister. I think she looks a bit like me with her long legs.



And she is happy and playful when you get to know her. Donny and Sammi are now my new bffs!