Toy Story Remember the premise of the first "Toy Story" movie? How Woody was used to being Andy's favorite, the along comes Buzz Lightyear? Years ago, I had an American Eskimo dog named Uki. The Ukester came along at a time before we had kids, and he was the original "Charlie", if you will . Every once in a while a dog comes along that fills a void that you didn't even know you had,…

Charlie and I had a great time this morning, out and about meeting new family members and kindred spirits. Shortly after midday, Her Highness let me know, as only she is able, that she was ready to tie a knot in it, so I dropped her off at the Casa. As rain is moving in over the next few days, I decided to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and loaded the Salsa bicycle…

Fall decided to take a leaf of absence at the Casa del Whackos this year, and we have went straight from the humid hell of summer to the climate north of the wall. Winter is coming, you say? You know nothing, Jon Snow... Mom left the electric blanket turned on, a fact that the inmates were all to quick to discover and unwilling to give up any real estate to a weary stranger just looking…

People wonder when I take these pit bulls in, don't I worry that they may bite Haven't I seen in Time magazine, where all they're trained to do is fight Well, it's true they a dangerous breed They hog the bed, it just ain't right All I can do is the best I can do, and they let me sleep with them at night Chorus: All I can do is the best I can do,…

When Charlie and I travel, we see the both the good and the not so good. New Mexico is one of our favorite states, if not our very favorite, especially the northern section around Taos, Chama, Cimarron, basically anywhere along Hwy 64. This is also an area populated by various Native American reservations, and these towns have not been treated kindly by the passage of time. Unemployment is high; if you don't have the good…

It's a rainy Charlie Bravo Day at the Casa del Whackos, but as it has been a long, dry spell, having some rain is a good thing. I'm wadded up with dad in the recliner, and the other inmates are sprawled out on the remaining furniture like they were dropped from the sky. The only signs of life are the occasional leg kick and "WHUFF!" of a dreaming Claire, or the raspy snores of Titus…

Sometimes a matter arises at the Casa del Whackos that I'm sure is never an issue in other more "normal" households; tonight one of those matters arose. Mom had just about finished adjusting Ajax's coiffure, and had to take a break due the trusty Wahl clippers were beginning to smoke. As dad was about to take a shower anyway, she(he was not consulted) decided to throw the freshly-shorn sheep/dog into the wash, hit "regular cycle",…