Baseball (From Thereby Hangs A Tail)
We drove toward the sun, through a few neighborhoods a lot like our own, then past a baseball field with a kids’ game going on. I didn’t understand baseball but it always looked like fun, and the ball itself I loved. Who’d have guessed what the insides were like? At that very moment a kid swung his bat and the ball went soaring into the sky. We weren’t going very fast. Would it be totally impossible to –
“Che – et?” Bernie had this way of sometimes saying my name real slow. The ball hit the grass and bounced toward the outfield fence in lovely long hops that made me want to – “Che – et?” We drove on.
Tonight at 7:30 – Spence at Westwood Library, Westwood MA. Maybe he’ll have some of these:
Tags: baseball, Thereby Hangs A Tail
This entry was posted on Thursday, April 8th, 2010 at 9:08 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
4:31 am on April 8th, 2010
Chet: Lonnie loved whenever Bernie said Che-et? in that slow way.
4:42 am on April 8th, 2010
Hmmmphf!… Guess I won’t be making it to the Westwood Library in time… grump!… I wonder if Spence will be reading from one of the books?… snort!… It will probably be from the second one…grunt!… Is anyone from here going to be there?… Wookie!!… will you be there?
4:58 am on April 8th, 2010
I can't believe that Spence told the FB site the release date before he even told Chet! Or maybe he did, but Chet got sidetracked by slipper lust?! Although I am a highly evolved Dog, my brain is spinning from all the cliffhangers. What About Bernie's dad? And why did Bernies mom throw out all his dad's stuff? And while it was nice of Spence to give Iggy a slipper to taunt Chet with, we are still worried about him. (Iggy, not Chet. Chet's biopsy came back clean.)
Baseball makes me drowsy, but mom says she's hoping for another California series!
Melanie – I give your Pack props for keeping you on a decent bedtime schedule. I always fall asleep before mom does, but theres only one of me. If there were nine more of me we could run the household so much more efficently! I don't think there could be another me, though. Even the vet couldn't figure out my bloodlines!
5:04 am on April 8th, 2010
Wish I could be there. Wish I had a convertible. Wish Patsy was sitting next to me in a convertible wearing a red scarf and some cool goggles.
She doesn't catch baseballs though. She'd like watching the game and woofing at the ump.
Procrastinating this morning. . . Must do more photoshop. Tired of photoshop.
Wish I was in that dream convertible.
Enough! Get your head out of the clouds!
Morning Rio and Dawson and Sam, and Siber-H and Molly and B.Stover and Barb & Maggie, and Diane and Wolfie Dog and Gus & BooBear and Abbie and Alice and everyone else.
Now to photoshop some feet over a picture of rapids.
5:12 am on April 8th, 2010
Melanie!…. Get in that damn convertible and Go Go Go!… snort!… to the Westwood Library!… grunt!…What are you waiting for?… gruff!… You live in MA for Petes Sake!….wheeze!… If not you then who among us will ever get to meet Spencer?…. sob!… Except maybe Wookie, if he ever gets his dates straightened out…. mmmm
5:39 am on April 8th, 2010
Wish I could be there.
WW: You have to get used to cliffhangers here. We had discussed the Oct. 26 publication date a while back.
SH and Rio: Is there a great deal of violence in Their Wildest Dreams? If anything terminal happens to a cat I won't like it.
Dawson: Does a Kindle do what?
Wonder what Melanie is doing on photoshop.
6:03 am on April 8th, 2010
In today's fb discussion of who should play Chet, Spencer suggests 'an old fashioned national search' or even international. Universal has bought the rights.
6:24 am on April 8th, 2010
B.Stover; I going to be honest and tell you that you probably wouldn't like "Their Wildest Dreams" because of the reasons you stated above. Mom knows just how you feel. She won't go see a dog movie until she has asked someone who has already seen it, "Does anything happen to the dog"?
I'll be back later–mom and I have stuff to do today. Have to think about this, but it looks like some of us are missing out on news by not going to facebook.
6:34 am on April 8th, 2010
Whiskers!… Is mentioned in a case that is still open…snort!… and he is mentioned a few other times…grunt!… We are never privy to the actual event happening…wheeze!…
Siber-H!… Would you call “Their Wildest Dreams” a violent book?….snort!
6:43 am on April 8th, 2010
Siber-H – My Mom is just like yours. She says she spent her teenage years sobbing over the Jack London books and now wants no more of that. Chet's books, The Art of Racing in the Rain and Shirley Rousseau Murphy's talking cat series, that's been it so far for animal stories. She has to read the reviews first.
6:44 am on April 8th, 2010
Unfortunately my dad had to do this work thing today (yuck), so no trip to Massachusetts. I had checked it out on MapQuest and told him we could be there in about 8 hours, counting rest-stops. We may be up in his neck of the woods in early May, so maybe there will be another chance to see him (and Audrey) then. I kind of freaked out too by this Facebook stuff, I'm real happy here at the blog as it is — the blog pure and simple, just like Chet. Anyway for some reason Amazon still has not shipped our copies of Oblivion and The Tutor even though we ordered them over a week ago (drat! — now I'm starting to sound like Rio), so I couldn't do anything there anyway. In the meantime, I'm off to the Tidal Basin with my mom and a friend; the cherry tree blossoms are past peak, but it is still a great walk and great smells; maybe even a few ducks to chase (I know to stay away from the geese though — ug!). I'll report in later on the day's events. Wookie
7:25 am on April 8th, 2010
I just got a thought: the first movie will be a big success and then there will be a second one. Now who could play Princess? Hmmm.
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1270743838-Maltese Show Dog.jpg[/img]
If I let my hair grow out, this could be me. Actually it's probably a picture of Babycakes, raising her tiny paw for the judges.
7:29 am on April 8th, 2010
Everyone: Please take note of Mollypop's astute comment yesterday: It is not a question of either/or (Facebook or blog). You can do one or the other or both. For example, my comments on Oblivion are the same on FB as they were here. We are a much more "personalized" group here (besides the fact that all of you are a riot!) and–very important–we hear from Chet all the time. I'd never leave here for FB. It's simply more convenient to discuss details of the books there since only those interested in the books will join the discussion and none of the books will be spoiled here for those who have not yet read them.
7:31 am on April 8th, 2010
Can you stick out your tongue at the judges Sam?
7:47 am on April 8th, 2010
Heh!… That probably could be Babycakes!… snort!… How come you look so very different from this photo Sam?… grunt!… Is it really just the hair doo?… snuff!… Or the whole Princess attitude?
8:33 am on April 8th, 2010
Hey, Chet. You and Bernie could have a Facebook caper. Lord knows We Of The Blog give you enough comic material to work with. Heard a rumor: the more pre-orders of TFAT are made, the higher the book will debut on the NY Times best seller list. Anyone know if this is true? TFAT should debut as #1, anyway.
10:01 am on April 8th, 2010
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ChetTheDog. ChetTheDog said: Baseball (From Thereby Hangs A Tail): We drove toward the sun, through a few neighborhoods a lot like our own, the… http://bit.ly/95aOXc […]
9:06 am on April 8th, 2010
Wait!… I almost went out to pre-order T-FAT.. snort!… but then I remembered the special treat that's coming from Spence!… snort!snort!… that’s when I started skipping around the computer throwing rose petals!…wheeze!
FA lalalala! FA lalalala!… heh!
9:07 am on April 8th, 2010
Sam, how cool to find someone else who reads the Joe Gray cat mysteries ! If she hasn't read them, the Rita May Brown / Sneaky Pie Brown mystery series is great also. Entertaining for both cat and dog lovers.
And we have to admit that the pic you posted of a Princess/Babycake lookalike is spot on. You may have convinced us that Princess doesn't have to be a Pom.
9:59 am on April 8th, 2010
Hmmm!… I wonder if Spence gets all nervous before he has to do one of these book tour talks?… snort!… Remember how worked up he was after the Twitter interview?…. grunt!… He couldn’t remember anything… wheeze!… Or how he got all confused when they called him for the radio interview and he started talking as if he were Chet!??….heh!… What a hoot!
Wookie!… We should have planted a listening device at the library!… drat!… Now it’s too late!…wheeze!… Plus, Wookie is out chasing ducks or geese or something… snort!
10:59 am on April 8th, 2010
Rio. Not to worry my friend, the ducks are still safe. I did get to meet many new friends/fans who wanted to stop and pet me every few feet. Japanese tourists in particular seem to be quite taken by me; I think it is my lion-like yet friendly appearance that attracts them (of course, that is without the mustache). In addition to the Tidal Basin, we made it up to the FDR Memorial as well, where I got to see my favorite statue in all of DC — Fala, FDR's dog. Although it was a little warm (in the high 80's), it was still a great day. I do need to nap now though, so I'll be awake when Dad gets home and I can tell him all about it. Wookie
11:16 am on April 8th, 2010
Sam – My mom loved Racing in the Rain, even though it made her cry! Enzo rocks!
BStover – I must have been dozing or something. Or maybe I was TRYING to forget because I wish it would come sooner! Or maybe I got distracted by a slipper, like Chat. Sigh.
Sir Rio….Help me out, pal, but I don't remember anything about a special treat from Spence. Maybe it's chicken jerky? I love chicken jerky!
Yay, the Tutor came in the mail today!
Sam – If that photo looks anything like you, then you should play Princess for sure!
Melanie, can you imagine taking your entire pack to a baseball games? Imagine – 10 newfies lined up in a row,sitting in front row seat,(everyone wearing baseball caps, ordering 10 hot dogs….I mean, 20 or 30 hot dogs from the vendor and then ordering 10 bowls of water!!
Makes me grin just thinking about it!!
11:32 am on April 8th, 2010
Wookie!… Can you put up some more photos of you?… snort!… I miss your Orange face… wheeze!… Not the one with the disguise!… snort!… I want to see the real you!…snuff!… Did those Japanese tourists ask you to take photos of them?? … heh!
11:36 am on April 8th, 2010
Wolfie – That picture would be me if my dear family didn't keep getting my hair cut short. I will have to be able to grow it when I'm selected to play Princess in the next Chet movie.
Even though Mom cried over Enzo, it had a happy ending. Then she dried her tears and said that she loved it!
Rio's special treat is a copy of T-FAT from Spence signed and paw printed. How about that for being special.
11:46 am on April 8th, 2010
Skipping!….I’m still skipping!…….wheeze!
11:59 am on April 8th, 2010
Of course, now I remember! Good Going, Rio!!
12:00 pm on April 8th, 2010
Sam and Wolfie: My mom and dad both really loved The Art of Racing in the Rain a lot. They shed a lot of tears while reading it, but then hugged me a lot afterwards, which was really nice. Also, there is one other author that you should check out. His name is David Rosenfelt, and he has written a number of mystery books with quite a bit of humor included, in which the main character is a NJ lawyer named Andy Carpenter, who has a golden retriever named Tara who is one the main characters in the books. The books are not written from her perspective, but she really is a central character in them. There is a link to his web page at the end of this message. He's written a couple of other books as well, including Down to the Wire, which my mom and dad are reading now; it's very suspenseful but no dogs. Mr. Rosenfelt is also a really cool dude; he and his wife operate a golden retriever rescue operation right out of their house in California and have set up something called the Tara Foundation (named in memory of the real life Tara that they once had) which helps support their rescue efforts, and they currently have about 27 golden retrievers living with them that they are taking care of. That's even more than the Newfs. Wow! Need to get back to nap time. Wookie
http://www.davidrosenfelt.com/
http://www.davidrosenfelt.com/
12:29 pm on April 8th, 2010
Dubya!… thanks! …. I’m pretty psyched about it!… snort!… No one is reading it but me….gruff!… But it’s a long time in coming… sigh.
12:50 pm on April 8th, 2010
I already pre-ordered TFAT. Lucky Rio!
1:10 pm on April 8th, 2010
We want to see a picture of Rio skipping!
1:20 pm on April 8th, 2010
Forgot: SH: Thank you. I probably won't read Their Wildest Dreams.
2:30 pm on April 8th, 2010
Snort!…There is no way Sam has a picture of me skipping!… snort!… maybe a distant relative….heh!.. which reminds me we are off to see the "Crazy" people who drove in from the mid-west somewhere… eeeee!.. I just hope there is no bloodshed tonight…yikes!… Later, unless I get caught up the in gunfire …gulp!
3:17 pm on April 8th, 2010
Hey Admin,
The husband of Staff says that either the Twins or the Red Sox can be in the Series, not both. They are both American League. So you have to pick someone else to play them for the Series.
That one got by me. I was just so excited to see someone pick the Twins! Anyway, get with it Admin.
Heh heh heh
Alice Johnson
3:22 pm on April 8th, 2010
Back from Photoshopping. Whew, 3 more pics to do. Working up reference shots for eldest son, the artist.
Hopefully finish this weekend.
I can almost see Rio skipping, it's the throwing of the rose petals that has me stumped!
Bluecat, good idea. I'll have to see if T-FAT's up yet to order.
All ten Newfs at a baseball game. LOL I can see them all in the Red Sox hats and scarfing up hot dogs. I'd go broke!
Wookie!! Good to see you!
3:23 pm on April 8th, 2010
Hey Sam,
I love the Joe Grey books too. Shirley Rousseau Murphy is one of my fav's. I also like Sneaky Pie Brown. That Lillian Jackson Braun one is not on my list though. Don't know why. Just can't make myself like her characters.
~~Staff
3:25 pm on April 8th, 2010
I am with BStover. No Wildest Dreams for me.
AbbietheKitty
3:47 pm on April 8th, 2010
Bluecat: I never thought about pre-ordering the book. If pre-ordering helps it up the best seller lists, I'll pre-order from my old buddy Amazon. Chet's books should go to number one! Don't get me started on some of the crappy books the American public send to number one.
If you pre-order a book, does it take a few days to arrive after the release date? I would wait. It would kill me, but I would wait.
3:55 pm on April 8th, 2010
Abbie the Kitty, we used to read all the Cat Who… books but they really seem pretty elementary after we started reading some of the other animal based mysteries. Some of Joe Grey's get a little far out for us, but still read them. REALLY like RitaMayBrown/SneakyPieBrown series…but Chet has become our absolute FAVE!!
We skipped over to FB last night to see what was up, and got distracted by old posts about who should play Bernie. Lots of good suggestions, but alot where we went "huh?"
3:58 pm on April 8th, 2010
Have checked with Amazon, T-FAT is available for pre-order. Will be doing so, after I make sure that no one else in the family has already done it!
They don't even have a cover yet!
Whew, night all!
4:02 pm on April 8th, 2010
SH – Amazon will send out the book as soon as it's available to them. I forgot it might take a few extra days – however long it usually takes Amazon to get to you. Maybe if we pre-order from B&N, we could pick it up at a store, if there's one close? Or Border's? I guess the point is to create buzz about the book in the industry, letting them, whoever they are, know we're interested. Anything to help Chet! And Bernie! And PA!
4:28 pm on April 8th, 2010
Rio: No, I didn't think, "Their Wildest Dreams" was an especially violent book. Everyone has a different level of tolerence for violence. Violence in fiction, as long as it is not too bad, doesn't seem to bother me, so I may not be a good judge of how violent a book is. I'm thinking more along the lines of "Whiskers" when I say that I can't reccommend that book to absolutely everyone here on Chet's blog. Abbie asked about it in a post yesterday.
And, Rio, don't start laughing just because I mentioned Whiskers. I am trying not to laugh but I'm not having any luck.
4:37 pm on April 8th, 2010
Bluecat, Thanks. That is exactly what I will do since B&N is where I would go to buy that book on the Tuesday it comes out.
I'll just pre-order it from them. That'll work. I never thought about pre-ordering a book I knew I could just walk in and buy, which is what I did with the last one.
4:41 pm on April 8th, 2010
Heck!… You guys are missing out on a Helluva story if you pass-over “Their Wildest Dreams”… snort!… but that’s your decision… grunt!…. I promise you won’t have any emotional attachment to Whiskers… heh!… I guarantee you will laugh just like Siber-H did!.. (me too)
Anyway!… We escaped early tonight because everyone was sort of jet lagged from driving all night … snort!… What a freakin’ relief! … gasp!… But they still got their globby hands all over me before we left… wheeze!… Oh and I didn’t get any supper scraps at all… grump!…Just dry kibble and water… sigh… and all that running and hiding behind things trying to get out of reach of sticky fingers… wheeze!
4:54 pm on April 8th, 2010
Sam: My mom is very unhappy that she was stupid enough to read Jack London when she was a teenager, and she has never forgiven Disney for "Old Yellow".
I think you should play Princess in the movie. Molly could be your agent. She'd be a good one.
4:58 pm on April 8th, 2010
Wha!?… A part in the Movie??? … snort!… good grief!… don’t get me started about the whole movie idea… grunt!… But I can definitely see Sam playing a big part in the next Mission…whatever that will be…. Snicker!
5:01 pm on April 8th, 2010
Gasp!…Stover!…Fringe is on!…I finally get to watch it in peace!…yeeee!
5:07 pm on April 8th, 2010
Rio: I'm not so sure that they wouldn't have an emotional attachment to Whiskers. I can put myself in their place because I'd have an emotional attachment if it were a dog. I admit, I can be dippy about that, but they could be also.
There you have it folks, two slighly different opinions on how you might react to "Their Wildest Dreams". Rio could be right. I hope he is. Rio and I are both in agreement that it is a hilarious, fun, read.
5:08 pm on April 8th, 2010
Fringe!… yuck!…gross as ever right off the bat!…heh.
Hmmmphf….It has just occurred to me that Stover and Abbie both enjoyed “The Tutor”…snort!…Now please refresh your memories. There was an incident with a certain living thing … grunt!…that didn’t fair so well and this doesn’t seem to bother you two at all!…wheeze!
5:10 pm on April 8th, 2010
Siber-H – Wow – yes! Molly would make a great agent, except for the little problem that she takes my dog toys.
5:19 pm on April 8th, 2010
Rio, sigh, I don't remember, and I don't think you can tell me without giving something away.
Sam: You will be making so much money that you can replace every dog toy she steals.
5:35 pm on April 8th, 2010
Siber-H!… What question did I ask you that you are trying not to answer???… stumped! here…but wondering what it was…snort!
5:53 pm on April 8th, 2010
my bad, The question about something that happened in The Tutor. You told B.Stover and Abbie to refresh their memories.
I can't refresh a memory that isn't there.
6:11 pm on April 8th, 2010
Hmmm!…Sled Pulling Husky pal!… snort! … So you have not read “The Tutor”… grunt!… Sorry to put you on the spot so much! … wheeze!… But the fact that you like that book with Whiskers…(heh)…in it, just makes me smile!… gruff!
6:15 pm on April 8th, 2010
Damn!… Where has Abbie been today?… snort!….She and her off-kilter sister have gone a-missing…wheeze!… Hope they are just working the late shifts…sniff!
6:17 pm on April 8th, 2010
I have read The Tutor. I just don't remember what living creature expired in it. I liked the book a lot.
6:20 pm on April 8th, 2010
Hey! Has anybody read any of the books about Trixie, Dean Koontz' golden retreiver? We love those books! And even though she is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge, she still blogs as TOTOS – Trixie on the Other Side! We (mom and I) love Trixie, but we love Chet more! (Dad loves the Giants!)
Rio – if we promise to send you a case of Chicken Jerky, will you post a photo of you skipping and tossing rose petals? Puleez????
Melanie – Let's see….you could probably take the pack to a game for oh-say, $500 or so! Are we positive that the Credit Card got cancelled? Hmmmm…..
Mollypop, you would be a great agent!
6:21 pm on April 8th, 2010
Ooooo.. I guess she already showed up and I forgot!… sigh!.. too much brain damage from the relatives…snort!… Zippy was actually the first to post… gruff!… I’m sure she will get her 2 bits in soon… grunt!… Unless she is too tired after all the inmates and their needs…gasp!
6:29 pm on April 8th, 2010
I have read the Trixie books and I love them. Trixie is such a different personality than Chet. I know there are dogs like Trixie in the nation within a nation, but I love Chet the very best. I'm much more like Chet than Trixie.
6:31 pm on April 8th, 2010
Siber-H!… Do you read like Melanie does (sometimes)?…snort!… Every other word perhaps?… What the HELL?… wheeze!… This is so totally mind blowing to me… ugh!…You seriously have no recollection of what-happened TO you-know-who??? …grump!… Seriously???… This just goes against something you said above about …sigh… well I can’t say because of Spoilers…
And you liked the book a lot… wow….hmmmmm
6:32 pm on April 8th, 2010
That should probably read–I'm much more like Chet than I am like Trixie.
6:37 pm on April 8th, 2010
It is possible that I read like Melanie does. Maybe tomorrow I will remember. I know that Melanie and I are not night owls. What that has to do with not remembering what I read, I don't know.
6:37 pm on April 8th, 2010
Yikes!
6:39 pm on April 8th, 2010
Well!… That just sort of Tops-It-Off for me tonight!…yeesh!
Goodnight one an all…. Maybe I will wake up and none of this will have happened at all….sigh.
6:42 pm on April 8th, 2010
Zippy!… Glad you are alive!… goodnight!
6:45 pm on April 8th, 2010
Tomorrow is a new day!! Goodnight Everyone