What’s In A Name: Cap’n Crunch
Ms. Publicist: Fifteenth of the month and time for What’s In A Name, where Spencer Quinn discusses the name of a character in the Chet and Bernie series. Who have we got today, Spence?
Spencer Quinn: How about Cap’n Crunch?
Ms. P.: The parrot who plays a fairly small role in Dog On It?
SQ: That’s him. Perhaps the only bird I’ve ever given a speaking role to.
Ms. P.: As I remember, Cap’n Crunch can say “Light my fire.”
SQ: Only if you first say “Come on, baby.” He can also say “Make it a double” – which gave me a nice little chapter ending. Chet doesn’t like birds and he especially doesn’t like the Cap’n, so there’s always tension with CC in the cage and Chet sidling over. The name itself is nautical, of course, which goes along nicely with parrots and carries piratical associations. Making Cap’n Crunch a sort of avian perp in Chet’s eyes.
Ms. P.: Ever thought of bringing the Cap’n back in another book?
SQ: Yesterday! But I went with a guinea pig instead.
Ms. P: Thanks, Spence. See you next month.
Welcome Abbie the kitty.
Tags: Cap'n Crunch, Dog On It, guinea pigs, pirates, What's In A Name
This entry was posted on Monday, July 15th, 2013 at 9:03 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.
9:10 am on July 15th, 2013
Piratical associations…LOL!
Good morning all.
9:13 am on July 15th, 2013
Good morning. We remember Cap’n. Chet didn’t like him a bit!
Hot and sunny here in northern Illinois.
I got all good reports from the v*e*t. Even got a lymes vaccine
while I was there. Ticks are really bad this year.
9:18 am on July 15th, 2013
Greetings!
HOT, HOT, HOT for the rest of the week!
HRH, B: I think you’ll like the Google doodle. Maybe you can take Charlie to see some of his work.
I hope Beau is doing okay.
AbbietheKitty: You look lovely on that very beautiful quilt!
9:42 am on July 15th, 2013
Gooood morning, every one! We know Chet doesn’t like birds (or horses) but we have to live with the peck o’ parrots. One, a double yellow head, was named “Sammy” when mom found him at the pet store. To say he was cantankerous would do disservice to the word, but he liked mom. One one visit before he came home, he grabbed mom’s finger and attempted an amputation. She yelled, “Knock it off, Bucko!” and that’s who he became. He loves it.
Undecided about today. Have wither a muggy Monday or a mooney Monday.
9:45 am on July 15th, 2013
Gah! Wither should have been either, but it does fit with the weather!
9:52 am on July 15th, 2013
Guinea Pig!…snort!…I won’t believe that until I read it…heh!
10:28 am on July 15th, 2013
Hmmm…..can guinea pigs be herded?
Back from doing grocery shopping. Already 94 degrees and tropically humid. Sounds like a day for indoor activity to us.
HOH – does Bucko behave better now that he has his real name?
10:37 am on July 15th, 2013
T&G: Bucko will always be Bucko (or sometimes Boo Boo). He is sweet and loving every third day. There is a look he gets and we ALL respect it. He likes to hide under the couch and bite our tails to train us. And speaking of birds under the couch, but that’s a story for another time.
10:40 am on July 15th, 2013
We’re 82 in the Hills and it’s just after 10:30. YIKES
I love how Chet is always amazed that he was gotten closer to Cap’n Crunch without realizing it. snicker
HOH, does Bucko still collect digits?
For Chet . .
10:46 am on July 15th, 2013
Melanie: love the picture. As regards the Boo Bird, not if you’re fast! BTW, he was saying Bucko within a day and created Boo Boo and Boo Bird by himself.
10:47 am on July 15th, 2013
It’s cloudy here and 75°. It will go to maybe 81 today that’s hot enough for me.
10:52 am on July 15th, 2013
Sorry we were unexpectedly off the grid for the weekend. Can’t promise any wifi stability until the return to home base.
Hot, hot, hot here too.
10:57 am on July 15th, 2013
Masquers: Good to know ya’ll are ok.
11:00 am on July 15th, 2013
Wow! Rembrandt’s 407th birthday. (Thank you Rose.) Well, Charlie, while we’re in that area we can also see Vermeer’s work.
11:16 am on July 15th, 2013
My dear Masquers, It is good to have you back. Try to find a cool place!
11:18 am on July 15th, 2013
Bee – did Charlie pack his black collar for dress-up? After all, you two are going to some pretty fancy-schmanzty places. Good thing that in France, member of the Nation Within are welcomed, almost expected to accompany their two-leggeds. So, probably no museum guards have looked askance at His Floppy-Earedness.
Could you possibly bring back some escargot for us?
11:21 am on July 15th, 2013
T & G, Being a herding dog myself, I would say that guinea pigs probably could be herded. However, since they resemble rats (in my mind), I might have a teeny problem with appropriate behavior.
11:29 am on July 15th, 2013
Tailless rats?
11:31 am on July 15th, 2013
Maskers!…You never answered my question about Hank being under the Dome…sniff!
12:04 pm on July 15th, 2013
Vanished!…The Jazz-Kat has vanished into thin air once again…grunt!
12:13 pm on July 15th, 2013
T&G: We have shipped three dozen escargots to you. Charlie just charms the museum guards by cocking his head and wagging his tail. Now we’re off to the Netherlands.
12:42 pm on July 15th, 2013
I don’t think me or the Howlers could live with a parrot or a guinea pig unless they were put into a so far (but not for long) Siber proof chicken house.
It rained lasrt night.
The power went out for hours.
The patch on our roof is holding for now.
All the National Forests and public lands in NM are re-opening to the public.
12:53 pm on July 15th, 2013
Masquers, You are missed
12:55 pm on July 15th, 2013
We have a little known Rembrandt here. I will try to get a picture of it later.
Right now? The Raven’s hummingbirds are back.
12:55 pm on July 15th, 2013
Pool time!
1:25 pm on July 15th, 2013
We don’t know about Rembrandt, but we know dirty pictures when we see ’em.

And we saw Tupper NEKKID!
1:28 pm on July 15th, 2013
Scout is still lost.
Our neice was very grateful that the blog is ‘helping’.
She was gone over the weekend at her 10th high school reunion and the friends who were dog sitting took Scout out for a walk and it thundered. Scout is terrified of thunder and took off. They tried to catch her but couldn’t. She has one of those thunder coats she wears when at home. I suppose they didn’t have it on her. sigh. Poor dear is so unhappy. And she won’t be visiting at this time anyway.
The house is darn clean though.
1:29 pm on July 15th, 2013
Awww Tupper. You cutie you. Can I come lick you dry?
2:00 pm on July 15th, 2013
Tupper: You look so adorable!!
Melanie: Great picturee!
2:32 pm on July 15th, 2013
niece niece niece niece niece niece niece niece niece niece. If my brain can’t do it I will work on my muscle memory.
Maybe I should just say my sister’s daughter. sigh
2:37 pm on July 15th, 2013
Melanie: Lovely foto!
Tupper: Bet you are cool and smell better, cutie pie!
2:50 pm on July 15th, 2013
HRH, B, I hope that you and Charlie are having lots of fun!
2:55 pm on July 15th, 2013
We here do not care for birds, but Mom loves them. Go figure. There’s no accounting for taste.
Staff, Mom could not find where you shared Scout’s picture and info on facebookie, so she couldn’t share it so far.
3:28 pm on July 15th, 2013
Scout ! ! Come home, Scout!
OTAS and I went to a museum and snuck out a Rembrandt painting. OTAS wanted to study it. We were going to sneak it back, but Newf drool got on the frame. We kept it instead.
Please excuse the quality of the picture. It’s dark in here today.
3:32 pm on July 15th, 2013
Rembrant!…Melanie, are you sure that is not a painting of Clarkson?…snort!
3:39 pm on July 15th, 2013
Holy schnieke! We were just about to ask HRH B for fotos from the Netherlands part of her “travels with Charlie” but someone beat us to it.
3:51 pm on July 15th, 2013
The Netherlands?

4:04 pm on July 15th, 2013
Staff: I am so worried for Scout (and for Christy).
That Rembrant looks suspiciously like OTAS.
4:13 pm on July 15th, 2013
Dawson: For shame. Not our Melanie 🙁
4:19 pm on July 15th, 2013
Birds don’t bother me so much. I sit at the patio door and watch birdies at the feeders all day long. Sometimes they will even fly in to eat when I am lying on the patio. But if I start jumping and barking at the door, Barb knows one of those horrid little furry things is attempting to stuff his cheeks with seeds, right in front of my face! Yesterday one even ran under the wood step and squealed his durned head off!
6:37 pm on July 15th, 2013
o’Howlers.
I shared Scouts picture on the blog. Now it is shared on facebookie.
6:54 pm on July 15th, 2013
Got it, Staff. We here are also very worried for her.
7:20 pm on July 15th, 2013
I’m not sure if we have been transported somewhere. It is 74 degrees here. Rain off and on. Lovin’ it!
7:24 pm on July 15th, 2013
There is a book called, “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by Robert Galbraith. It has good reviews. It was written by JK Rowling!
7:32 pm on July 15th, 2013
Homerun!…Is everyone going to watch the Homerun Derby tonight?…snort!snort!….We here can not wait. It will start at 8:00pm EST…grunt!….That is 6:00pm to us SiberH!…Woooo!
7:34 pm on July 15th, 2013
We’re cheering for you Scout. Hope you find your way back home.
7:34 pm on July 15th, 2013
Macy, We are having the same weather. Mom tells me to enjoy it while I can because it won’t last.
We are also worried about Scout and praying for her.
7:36 pm on July 15th, 2013
For The Trekkie Fans . .
7:41 pm on July 15th, 2013
Rio, I am not crazy about the Home Run Derby but I will watch it. It is baseball.
Staff, We watched the Tour de France for the first time in our lives this morning. That could get addictive. It is fun, but it made us very tired watching them climb the mountain.
There is going to be a race in the Rocky Mountains in August. We will try to watch it on tv.
7:46 pm on July 15th, 2013
Maybe a chupacabra?

7:46 pm on July 15th, 2013
I am glad the Home Run Derby starts at a decent hour.
Staff, We watched the Tour de France this morning for the first time ever. That was fun and we will keep watching.
7:48 pm on July 15th, 2013
Scout: I’ve been known to wander a time or two in my day. Wandering can be fun, but wha is better than wandering is the finding. I have no doubt you know exactly where you are, but your person doesn’t know. My Lady has been praying her sled dog heart since yesterday that you will be safe and return home soon. Let yourself be found. Trust me, there is a belly rub in it for you.
7:48 pm on July 15th, 2013
Derby!…We are watching because, well because it is cool to see all the best players in the game all in one spot at once…heh!heh!
Shave!….Who in there right mind would shave a Bear!?…yeeep!
7:50 pm on July 15th, 2013
Whitey!…You’ve been missing from this here blog for quite a while now…sniff!…I missed ya.
7:51 pm on July 15th, 2013
A chupacabra is uglier than that bear….poor bear.
7:52 pm on July 15th, 2013
Melanie!…I’ve always known that Star-Trek was the mother of all kool inventions…heh!heh!
7:55 pm on July 15th, 2013
Saw that about the Galbraith/Rowling book. Even have a phoney bio for Galbraith. Book has good reviews, sales were sluggish until Rowling slip. now up 150,000%.
8:13 pm on July 15th, 2013
YARK! Rio YARK!!
I didn’t know Cuddyer was going to be at the Home Run Derby. I guess I have been too worried lately about drowning.
8:17 pm on July 15th, 2013
Macy & SiberH: Enjoy that weather. looks like it will be 90 here tomorrow:( We plan on playing in the wading pool and laying around on AC vents.
8:24 pm on July 15th, 2013
I think they sold only 15,000 copies until Rowling surfaced. Marketing ploy or not? We know sometimes authors try a different name when they go in a different direction, which is understandable. We heard that the book is very good. Will be hard to find now.
That poor bear. He has a terrible case of mange. Hope someone can help him out.
Fresh zucchini on the grill with a salmon fillet. Caesar salad with romaine lettuce from Jess’s garden. Have had a taste for it since Dawson talked about it.
Now off to watch Major Crimes. Night all.
8:33 pm on July 15th, 2013
Macy, I have to agree with Riö. Shave a bear? Jeeze Louise.
Our painting is an original oil by OTAS. He used the same palette as that famous dude. It is a self portrait.
We had gone to a museum, and had decided that instead of sneaking something out, we should sneak something in. snicker
OTAS gave me the oil painting. I, as a present back to him, took it to a framer. I told him I wanted a frame. He loved the painting. I told him the sneaking in story, and he said, “I happen to make frames for that museum. Let me go downstairs and see what stock I have left.”
That is why that frame (if I took off the Newf Drool) is museum quality. OTAS loved the whole story that he gave it back to me as another gift!
9:01 pm on July 15th, 2013
Melanie!…snort!
SiberH!….We have not been able to get downstairs to watch the homerun derby until right NOW….grump!….Someone’s mother wanted to sit out on the patio and shoot the breeze. So to be nice my friend obliged and so we have missed HALF of the derby…YARK!YEEEP!
9:36 pm on July 15th, 2013
Rio, You and your friend did the right thing by visiting with her mom. I hope your weather is a cool and nice as ours.
9:38 pm on July 15th, 2013
Weather!….Yes, it is nice and cool out there. The breeze is delightful…grunt!
Derby!…So Cuddyer got 7 homeruns??? Wow!Wow!…Now David Wright is up for us Nationals – hope he does not knock Cuddyer out of it…gasp!
9:41 pm on July 15th, 2013
Like Rio’s 9 pm name change… pugln. Ha, ha, ha. On that cheerful note, nighty night.
9:42 pm on July 15th, 2013
Cuddyer!…Yippeee!…I do believe he is going onto the second round…snort!…Exciting Stuff!
9:43 pm on July 15th, 2013
Pugln?!…grunt!…Not anymore. Thanks for the Pugs-Up Sharon…heh!
9:53 pm on July 15th, 2013
Rio! Michael is doing great! The Twins could sure use him….sniff
9:54 pm on July 15th, 2013
He hit the truck. Does that mean he gets the truck?
9:55 pm on July 15th, 2013
WOW!…Michael Cuddyer hit 8 more homeruns!….Woooo!…AND he hit the truck so some lucky fan will win that there truck…heh!heh!…WOW!
9:55 pm on July 15th, 2013
For a first novel by an unknown author 15,000 sold is a very big deal.
I am off to bed so I can get off this hill tomorrow morning.
TTFN
9:56 pm on July 15th, 2013
Waiting!…Now I will be on pins and needles watching all the other guys hit…wheeze!
10:01 pm on July 15th, 2013
Whew!…Chris Davis is OUT!…heh!heh!…He was the one I was really worrit about….sneeze!…Now I will worry about the next guy up…gah!
10:04 pm on July 15th, 2013
OH NO!…Bryce Harper is up next!….gah!gasp!choke!…At 20 years old, he is a baseball savant….wheeze!
10:51 pm on July 15th, 2013
Walk!…No walk for Beau tonight…sniff!…Her mother thinks my friend is being mean to him by not taking him even for a shorty walk…grunt!…Well, last night she tried that and it did more harm than good. So NO WALK for Beau tonight or all damned week, not matter how much he and her mother begs and cries…grump!…Lucky bastard.
11:22 pm on July 15th, 2013
Rio, That is the right decision…not to take Beau on a walk since it does him more harm than good.
night all
9:14 am on July 16th, 2013
Hey – wake up!
9:35 am on July 16th, 2013
Knock, knock. Anybody home?
1:46 am on July 3rd, 2014
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