Peanut Economics - When the "Fruits" of Your Labor Just Aren't Enough

Hello dear friends. As many of you know during these challenging economic times, I have been on a mission to discover new and inventive means of employment to help alleviate some of the monetary pressures currently facing my family. Since some of my other odd job attempts have been unsuccessful, I thought I would try my paw at something a little more realistic.

Since the post office was on a hiring freeze and already had a negative view towards dogs to begin with, I decided to set my sights on becoming a Fruit of the Loom spokesdog. Since they already had an apple and two giant bunches of grapes, I decided to help them diversify by adding a strawberry to the mix. After all, who doesn't like strawberries?

Well, apparently Fruit of the Loom doesn't. They said I was the wrong species....of fruit that is. They didn't want to change their logo, etc, etc, etc. Well, rather than go back to the drawing board, I decided to use my super fruit brain power and come up with a new plan of attack. I decided to go for broke, and I applied to be a representative of the four major food groups. Why not? Fruits and vegetables are the biggest part of the food pyramid, but I am here to tell you......strawberries have WAY more fun than broccoli!

So I went down to the local branch of the USDA to apply for the job. I was brought into a room with representatives of the other major food groups and was left alone with no instructions and no idea how long it was going to be.

So I waited......and waited.......and waited.......and waited until I thought my eyes were going to bleed from weariness and my back felt like it was going to break from sitting in one place.

Then I got hungry. Really hungry. You see, I was in such a rush that morning, I forgot to eat breakfast, so I did something you should probably never do when you are in a position like the one I was in. I started checking out the other food groups.

Okay, so maybe it was a little more than checking them out....

Needless to say, when my interviewers finally walked in, they were not amused. Apparently, it is FROWNED upon to taste your fellow food groups. Note to the Establishment.......A LITTLE HEADS UP ABOUT THAT UNSPOKEN RULE WOULD HAVE BEEN APPRECIATED BEFORE HAND!!!!

Again, I didn't get the job. But maybe things worked out for the best after all. I don't think I could do the whole underwear model thing anyways, and government jobs can be very stressful, so maybe it is good that things didn't work out there, either. I did learn one thing from the whole embarrassing experience; it is always good to start the day with a good balanced breakfast. Don't worry though. I haven't given up. There's always tomorrow and another odd job.

Until then dear friends, don't forget to eat your fruits and veggies!

The Rumbly In My Tumbly - Puppy Celiac Disease

Hello my friends. I thought I would get serious for just a minute about a very serious subject. It's called Celiac disease in dogs.

I know there are some subjects we typically don't share with the public. Things like how much we weigh, where we are losing hair (or where we are gaining it), whether our feet smell, or whether we eat the entire bag of Doritoes all by ourselves. But the one subject which seems to be universally tabu is potty talk. Whatever happens in the bathroom stays in the bathroom. Right?

Not if it means your puppy is suffering silently from something you can help prevent. Puppy Celiac disease can be a real problem for your little one and can be very hard to diagnose. I should know. I have suffered from it for years. I was hospitalized over and over again and took multiple trips to the puppy ER with gastro-intestinal problems before my mommy discovered the source of my sickness.

I had puppy Celiac disease, which meant that I was allergic to wheat and wheat gluten. Just the tiniest piece of bread could make me sick for days. I was three years old when I had my first bout of illness. I was on expensive food bought at my local vet's, but it didn't mean it was wheat free. Even the low allergen food had wheat. I wound up in the hospital for three days and underwent all kinds of tests. But nothing was found. I was just 'sensitive'. Thankfully mommy figured it out on her own. She surfed the internet and looked for my triggers. I am really glad she did because I am all better now.

If your puppy has chronic diarrhea, rumbly gut noises,or long periods of listlessness that get worse after eating, chances are, your baby may have Celiac disease or at least have a severe sensitivity to wheat and even corn. If you have a puppy with a 'sensitive' system, consider removing wheat from their diets. It's not hard. It just means reading the labels of their food and treats. There are a lot of great brands out there like Blue Buffalo that never use wheat or corn. Trust me when I say, your puppy will thank you.

Thank you mommy!

When Tiger Werewolf Monkeys Find You

Last night started out like any other Sunday night. My family and I sat around reading, writing, and doing other things on various laptops and computers. I was posting things to Facebook and writing to my friends.....

I was getting ready to close out my netbook to go to bed when I heard a noise.....

It was a terrible sound and that is when I realized the tiger werewolf monkeys had found our house.....

I hate tiger werewolf monkeys. They are mean. They destroy things. They make faces at you and won't stop, even if you cry. I knew I had to take action before they got into the house. There was no time to waste on hesitation. The choice was clear. I had to bring out.......my bishious! For those of you who don't have a bishious or don't know what a bishious is, I will explain. As I have often said, bishious is vicious, only grittier. It is in part a state of mind but in its highest form, it is a perfect union between keen mental clarity and a warrior's physical perfection. With my bishious cocked and ready to go, I sprung into action......

I was a blur of bishiousness. Fur flew like arrows shot into the night. My paws were like weapons forged from steel and honed to a razor's edge. I was unstoppable! At one point, my bishious was SO bishious, I almost lost control of it.

But I didn't. Warriors of perfection never truly lose control of their bishious. My auntie checked and it turns out, it wasn't tiger werewolf monkeys after all. It was just two cats fighting in our front yard. But a warrior can never be too careful....not with tiger werewolf monkeys around. With my mommy safe once again, the warrior in me could rest once more; ever ready to make an appearance again if the need arises.

Welcome all!

Hello dear friends. For those of you I am meeting for the first time, my name is Peanut Pumpkin Pie. I am a 10 pound Pomeranian with a 20 pound heart who loves making new friends and discovering new places. I live in the Appalachian mountains with my mommy, 3 cats (Noel, MeowMeow, and Snowflake), as well as 3 other dogs (Pixel Blue Eyes, HappyDog, and Jessie Bess). I would love to share my many adventures with you, so please come by often, bring a friend, and don't forget to 'Like' my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peanut-Pumpkin-Pie/188393957929203.