Eccomi, eccomi, ECCOMEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Ciao, miei amici!

It's me, Lucia, your longest lost pal!

La mia ragazza and I have been roving, roving, roving (keep that doggie roving….!) but I finally planted my paws and demanded that she get busy taking dictation for my bloggie so I can fill you all in on where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to. First of all, how was everybloggie’s holiday season and new year? I, Lucia, had a grande ma tranquilla (grand but tranquil) holiday, filled with lots of excellent hooman foodables courtesy of il mio nonno (my grandpa) who frequently sneaks snacks to me while la mia ragazza’s back is turned: “Mangiare questo, Lucia, mangiare!” ( Eat this, Lucia, eat!); pressies; visits with la famiglia (the family); and, as la mia cara amica, Asta (my dear friend, Asta), would put it, ore di sonno rilassante (hours of relaxing sneep).

Ecco alcuni momenti salienti (Here are a few highlights):

First, I ate a Christmas ornamento (ornament) from il albero di Natale (the Christmas tree):

This nearly gave la mia ragazza a Hardy Tack! She was making dinner on Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve) and noticed that I was walking around quietly (which is unusual in and of itself) and stealthily, carrying something in my mouth. She said, Luciadropppppit, but instead of dropping -- I couldn’t resist! -- I gave a mighty chomp and when she saw the silver pieces of glass fall out of my mouth, SHE NEARLY HAD LA VACCA, UOMO! (A COW, MAN!) But I was ok because, sensing immediately that argento ventro (silver glass) didn’t taste good, I went “pLEHHHH” and spit out all of the silver, right next to la mia ragazza’s bare feet. Heeeeeee!

She grabbed my adorable scruffly face and pried open my jaws – AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH – and looked everywhere, didn’t see any sparkly bits on my tongue or large and pretty white teeth, and then decided I’d dropped all the glass, which, of course I did. Sheesh, like I’d eat glass. Shoes, maybe, or cell phones, and yes I have sampled tinsel and garland, oh, and some Tuppyware lids, and ok, paper napkins, Kleenex and toilet paper -- mmmm toilet paper, how can a girl resist! -- but glass? I think not. Sunglasses, yes, possibly. But not sharp shards of glass. I am simply too clever an Aire-girrl for such foolishness.

Second, la mia ragazza, thinking herself to be in the spotlight at Teatro alla Scala, sang this pazzo (crazy) and very annoying made-up song (to the tune of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" -- har dee har har!) …

Looocheeeeeeuh the big-nosed Airedale

Had a very large black snoot

And if you ever saw her

You would ask does that thing hoot

… all throughout the holidays, honking on my glorious muso (nose) each time she sang the last line. Santo fumo (holy smoke), already!!! After a while, I had such a mal di testa (headache) from her relentless singy songing and nose pinching that I had to nab a couple of her aspirine (aspirin) and gulp them down with my dinner kibble. Jeeeze, give it a rest!

Third, I passed my Manners Matter class, where I learned a tad about T-Touch but more importantly learned how to follow certain commands like “drop” during a walk, “heel,” “leave it/take it” (I rarely leave it; mostly, I take it!!! Heeeeee!!!) and those other usual suspects, “sit,” “wait,” “down,” and “here” and sometimes even will actually do them when asked. Assuming there are magnificently puzzolente (stinky) (Nooooooo, not THAT Stinky!!) treats in the offing, naturally. La mia ragazza says I am a training-fickle ‘dale. Pllllllbbbbbbbb!!!!

Fourth, I will start Foundation Agility with the best teacher in the universe, Julie, in January. La mia ragazza says agility training will be just the thing to help us work off those holiday treats and goodies ... mmmmmmmm treats and goodies....

Fifth, I met my very own mini-me, a Welshie -- like Hootie, Taffy and Dyos! -- whom I call, 'Panga.

She was in my Manners Matter class and is also in my daycare group. I love my daycare group, and I adore my pal, 'Panga. Everyone says, oh Lucia, she is so cute, she looks just like you. Well, I know that!! Santa vacca, as if I don’t know what I look like!!!

Sixth, I was granted admittance to the Inner Sanctum, i.e., la casa di mio nonno (my grandpa’s house). Oh, I’ve always been allowed to visit there, but I was confined to the sun porch and was forbidden to be on any of the furniture. But now, Grandpa says I can come inside and even lets me take naps on il divano (the sofa) because he says I am un cane dolce (a sweet doggie).

Awwwwww, well sure I am! “Dolce” is part of my big official name, after all!! Now, of course, occasionally I get a little rowdy and grab up his pantofole (slippers) and chase around the house shaking one of them in my mouth, but COME ON, I’m a terrier! I have to grab and shake SOMEthing!!!

Seventh, I received un letto nuovo eccellente (an excellent new bed) and some wonderful pressies for Christmas, because, as la mia ragazza explained, I am a good girl. Ah, everybuddy loves Lucia!!!!

Eighth, and speaking of beds, because my beloved personal space – aka, my cozy crate --

-- is still at la mia zia Conni’s casa (where I will again), I slept crateless for the first time ever since coming to live with la mia ragazza. While I, Lucia, was perfectly and totally fine with curling up on the bedroom floor, la mia ragazza was so overstressed about my lack of crate that she patted the foot of the bed and said, “Lucia, up,” and that’s where I slept for the next few nights, before we came to Grandpa’s for Christmas. Full access to the hoooman bed!!! La mia ragazza says she was very proud of me because I didn’t crowd her too much. (Heeeeeeee!! THAT won’t be the case for long, will it!?!) She said, Lucia, you have nice manners … sheesh, I passed my manners class, remember!?!?!?

Ninth, la mia ragazza told me about my papa and showed me this fotografia of him, which is on the cover of an Airedale book that she found on the internets:

Isn’t he a dilly of a dad!? Just look at that fantastico profile!!!! Muahhhhh, muahhhh and triple muahhhhh!!!! La mia ragazza said Lucia, you look so much like your papa, which – for the love of Pietro (Pete) – why wouldn’t I???!?! He’s my papa!!

And tenth, speaking of gorgeous, handsome Aire-boys, my darlingest buddy, Cache, now carries the title CAMPIONE (CHAMPION) before his name!!! Yayyyyy! My beloved pal got his final AKC points in November. Here is his official photo. Isn’t he amazing and beautiful?? MUAHHHHS OF THE SMOOCHIEST ORDER!

Tanti baci, everybloggie!

Lucia