Chet The Dog

Archive for March, 2015

Bastille Day Excitement Already Building

“Looking forward to Bastille Day this year,” Admin says.

“Yeah?” says Spence.

“July 14.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“And what else happens that day?” says Admin.

“Well, it’s pub date for Scents and Sensibility, the new Chet and Bernie novel.”

“See the connection?”

“Between Bastille Day and Scents and Sensibility?” Spence says. “Not really.”

“Are there any French characters in the story?”

“No.”

“What about French words?”

“Not that I recall.”

“Or English words derived from French?”

“You can barely string two words together without having that,” says Spence.

“There you go!” Admin says. “Vive Scents and Sensibility!”

Chetspeak On Sunday

And then we were off, out of our neighborhood, up onto the freeway, into the passing lane. Vroom! I sank against the back rest.

“This baby can fly!” Bernie said.

Or something like that, his voice drowned out by a siren. Then a motorcycle came whizzing up beside us, blue lights flashing, and we pulled over. But no problem: it was Fritzie Bortz, an old pal. He got off the bike, not without some trouble – Fritzie was a terrible motorcycle driver with lots of crashes on his record – and came up to Bernie’s side.

“Hey!” he said. “Bernie!”

“Hi, Fritzie.”

“And Chet – lookin’ good, Chet.”

So nice to see Fritzie. My tail started wagging.

“How’re things?” Fritzie said.

“No complaints,” said Bernie.

“New wheels?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Cool. Love those martini glasses – wouldn’t have bothered pulling you over otherwise. I was actually on my way home – haven’t had a day off since last Tuesday.”

“No one’s ever said you’re not a hard worker.”

“Thanks, Bernie. I do what I can.” Then he took out his ticket book, flipped a page, reached behind his ear for a pen.

“Fritzie? What are you doing?”

“Writing you up,” Fritzie said. “Might even make my quota on this – I had you at one-oh-three.”

– from A Fistful Of Collars

Congratulations Snowhook

Our team in the Iditarod reached Nome yesterday, passing under the famed burled arch. Congratulations to AJ (musher), Rebecca (CEO) and all those brave members of the nation within. Rebecca has taken the time to write nightly updates, for which we’re very grateful. Here’s her last, sent without much of an internet connection:

After eleven days on the trail of encountering -60 temperatures, high winds and fierce storms, Team Snowhook crossed under the burled arch in Nome. Following our reunion under the arch we spent a long time tending to the dogs: feeding, straw for bedding, getting the thumbs up from the vets, and feeding again, walking the dogs, massaging and feeding once more. And, then we slept.

AJ filled me in on stories and some details of the trail over pizza (thanks Sharon and Digger). He is very proud of the dogs. I am very proud of both AJ and the team, very proud.

The dogs will return home today and we will follow on Monday.

***

We sincerely appreciate the Plunderers’ support and friendship. We are honored to be called ‘your team.’ Thank you.

(Photo credit HOH)

End in Sight

What an endurance test the Iditarod is – and for CEO’s, too! Here’s Rebecca, our Snowhook CEO:

This could be another ‘No Post Today’ kind of a day. I am in Nome and my internet access is fairly non-existent.

After the obligatory White Mountain Wait, AJ will depart from the checkpoint and make the seventy-seven mile march to Nome where I will be waiting for him under the burled arch on Front Street.

Over the course of this training and race season, I have thought a lot about commitment to the dogs. Despite race records and standings, I am very proud of He is Not Cold For He Has Good Dogs for putting the dogs, their care and training ahead of personal interests, fatigue and other distractions.

I am proud of the dogs, too. They want to run. They need to run. They love to run.

Thank you to the Plunderers for making this possible for Snowhook. I believe a sniff is in order—such is the nature of the best-damn-handling-wife.