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Welcome to fall 2006 and my page. My name is Diarmid MacThomson Mor and I turned 15 this year. My other names I am known
by are a.k.a. Diarmid, Darmie, Darmie-doodle
sweetie, noisy, whiney butt, grumpy butt, old man and Blue-Boy (I'm now the one in the blue collar, blue leash and blue sweater),
and that's why my page has the blue Westie and colors. When I was younger mom used to alternate me between
blue and red, but once Alexander came along I remained just the blue doggie. I love my mom and grandma
very much, and according to grandpa, I let him live in "my house". Well, you see, I have two houses - ours and
my grandparents - I am the boss at both! Our Two Westies Place is now on the Parvi sed magni Westies All Over the World topsites list. This is our banner that you will see on the page.
I've done well with the allergy department - haven't been getting those dang skin scales this year. I've got some diminished hearing (which mom loves), small cataracts which bother my night vision and decrease in my smeller (Alex keeps getting to the treats before I notice they are there), but otherwise healthy. Heck, at 15+ years I'm doing pretty good if you ask me - and I don't look my age. In June mom and grandma went to Washington D.C. for DAR Continental Congress so Alex and I had to stay with Dr. Snavley. Grandpa picked us up on that Saturday, so we only had to spend four days (that was 3 days and 23 hours too long!) This year the 2006 DAR State Conference was local so mom drove to and from the east side and home so that I, well and Alexander also, wouldn't have to stay at Misty Glen. Something about me being a stiff old man at times. Sort of behaved myself - well, mostly. At Christmas last year Uncle Rob and Aunt Terri came to visit. Hard to believe it took me so long to decide I liked Uncle Rob. He loves to take us for walks and play. Personally, I like Aunt Terri, but then I have always had a "thing" for the ladies. In June 2005 grandma came and stayed for the couple weeks that mom and Aunt Terri were in Scotland. We had our routine kept as normal as possible - went to grandma's during the day and home at night. Never even missed mom, really. On July 26, 2005 I was 14 years old. Mom took me (well, Alexander got to go too) to East Coast Original Custard for my annual birthday cone. Yummmm, vanilla custard is one of my favorites! I got to sit up front with mom and have my cone. Alexander was in the back with grandma and his cone. I was soooo cold eating it, but hey, I like to chew rather than lick. Want to make sure no-one gets any of my cone!
I was born on July 26, 1991, or so they tell me, I certainly don't remember it. Anyway, my Westie parents were Wolfgang Amadius and Winlow's Baby Snooks and I had three brothers and one sister. Life was pretty good as a newborn. Our breeder, Beverly, was always worried about us adorable little guys so we got to live inside the house from birth - not like the Golden Retriever pups who had to live in the kennels. I hear tell we were described as tiny white mice at birth - now really, couldn't she have called us tiny white Westies! (well, at least she didn't say we looked like tiny white rats). Beverly kept us in a green wading pool. Now, you may be laughing at that, but it was portable, easily cleaned (hey, baby bladders don't exactly do what you want them to) and made a great place for five tiny puppies to run around in. When we were four weeks old this lady named Laurie came to take a look at us. The moment I saw her I decided that she was my mom. She picked me up first and talked to me and then put me down. NO! She went on to see the others and I kept trying to body block the way so she'd take me again. When she was all done she sat back and just looked at us. She picked up my tubby brother who snuggled and tried to look so cute. I started crying and then she picked me up again. So, for some unknown reason I decided to nip at the tip of her nose and give her a big kiss. She started to almost cry and put me down. I thought I did something wrong. Then I heard Beverly tell her that "well, I guess your puppy has picked you". Thank goodness she said something to her, I don't think Laurie understood puppy very well. Next thing I knew Beverly was putting a small drop of red nail polish on my rump - how rude! She said it was so that mom would know she got the right puppy when the time came - as if I'd let her take any other!! She left and I was sad, but two weeks later she came back. And, she brought company with her. I came to find out that this was my grandma and my grandpa. They smelled kinda like her, but different. When she walked in the door I started dancing in the pool and she came and picked me up. She smelled so good, just like my mom should. She gave me to grandpa, but I think he was afraid of me. Why I don't know, I was just a little guy - I only weighed one and a half pounds. We played for about a half an hour and I got to see some nifty toys, and then she was gone. Sadness again. To pass the time Beverly used to put our wading pool in front of the television. You know, there's this thing called music video TV and we loved to listen to some guy named Elvis. I just thought he was another one of us, after all, he shook just like we did after a bath. From time to time we even got to go out to the kennel run with our Westie mom and dad and play for what seemed like hours each day. Hey, when you're less than 8 weeks old every hour seems long. I continued to get strong and was up to 2-1/2 pounds the day that mom came to take me to my new home. I was finally just about 8 weeks old and Beverly would allow me to leave. Cousin Kathy drove mom so that she could devote her attention to the most adorable me (honest, she really thinks I am truly adorable). Before we left the house she put a bright red collar on me with this tiny little nametag that said "Diarmid". I felt so special! She put me in a carrier box and out to the car I went. You know, outside is really HUGE. Mom and Kathy stopped at some place called Arby's to get something to drink. They kept laughing at the fact that I was the size of a small pop glass (whatever that was).
 Before we got to my new home mom and Kathy stopped off to let me meet Kathy's dog, cousin Shy (CH. Shy Lady Lace of Mayo, HC TT). Now, at Beverly's there were Golden Retriever's in the back kennels and her baby, an 8 year old Golden Retriever lived in the house so we saw her all the time. But, Shy made her look small. This dog was tall - and very skinny! I played with her and then we went on to Aunt Ruth's house. There I got to meet my Aunt Ruth, Uncle Bernie, cousin Nancy and that old lady Cinder. While we were there my grandma showed up and hugged and cuddled me. I was in heaven! When I got to my new home I found two black animals there. Mom said they were cats and that Pooh was my brother and Maxie my sister. She put me in this playpen area and went upstairs. Of course, I had to make a racket over that one. When I started crying the cats would come into the pen, then I wasn't alone. Cool! After a few days I learned a neat trick - I could climb the lattice work wall and make my way out of the pen. I'd run around the basement and then sit at the bottom of the stairs and cry. Mom couldn't figure out how I kept getting out, so she finally gave up and left the pen door open. I'd won. Going to grandma and grandpa's house is the best. Grandpa has like a bizillion different treats in the house just for me. Unfortunately, grandma says I have to eat my dog food first before grandpa can give me any - spoil sport! I go outside on my retractable leash and enjoy the yard. Mom won't let me out to run around, she says that a collar and leash are a must. Oh well, if I must, I must. When I was four months old mom and I started obedience classes. I passed puppy obedience, adult obedience, and then advanced obedience in less than six months. Advanced obedience was fun, although I was the only normal sized guy there. The rest of the class were these "giants" of labs, retrievers, and rotweilers. My favorite part was the hurddles. One day they told me I would have to "sit this one out" because they had raised the bar to 3 feet and only the big dogs could go over. Well, I wasn't about to let that one stop me so I took off at full run, cleared the bar and then landed gracefully on my paws, turned and gave them that "ah hah" look. THEN I went and sat down with mom. Mom said I looked "smug", whatever that is. I see Dr. Snavley at least once a year. He's a nice vet and the people at his hospital treat me well. Although, there was that time I went in for a "little" surgery when I was 36 weeks old. Something about being neutered. Don't know what that is, but that's me. Now I'm listed as a Westie Male-N. Dr. Snavley tells mom that I'm the whitest Westie he's ever taken care of in his 20+ years as a vet. Of course, I take great pride in hearing that one. Grandpa and I made the TV and newspaper once a few years back. Grandpa had put me out in the yard to play and somehow I got my leash unhooked and went wandering. Their yard is really neat. There is a forest and a cliff with a river below. I started wandering through the woods along the hill when I found myself on the edge of a small cliff overlooking the water. It was pretty but I wanted away from there. When I tried to move I couldn't get any footing and would slide back towards that nasty cliff. I could hear grandpa and grandma calling me, but I was afraid to move. Finally grandpa heard my little cry and tried to get me. The hill was steep so he tied a garden hose around his waist (he didn't have any rope long enough to get to me). He made his way down the hill and saved me! Just before we got back up to the top of the hill a nest of nasty yellow jackets swarmed my grandpa's legs. He passed me to my grandma and tried to swat them away, lost his footing and fell over the cliff to the river below. We were lucky that he didn't break anything, but he got stung a couple hundred times and had to go to the hospital. My grandpa is my hero! The local paper had an article about us and grandpa and I had our picture taken. Then the local news heard about it and we were on TV. It was neat.
I was voted "Little Dog Joschi's Pet Album - Choice of the Month" for October, 1999. Check it out on my Awards page. I'm so proud of my award. Thanks for everyone who voted for me. I didn't even know about the voting, so it was a true surprise! On the day that Maxie died mom got an e-mail from the Westie Rescue people about some doggies that needed new homes. We were so sad about Maxie and mom decided that it would be good since I needed a friend. Well, we went to Pennsylvania to meet a 5 year old little lady who hated me! Who could hate me?? Well, she did and she 'bout killed me. So instead of getting a 5 year old sister, I got a 14 week old brother. Hmmm, well at least I'm still the "Alpha" dog! My baby brother Alexander joined our family on 11/20/99 at the age of 3-1/2 months. He can be a real pain sometimes, but all in all he's not that bad a little fellow. My cat sister Maxie died on November 15, 1999 and my cat brother Pooh died February 13, 1999, so I was a bit lonely. This is the first time in my life I haven't lived with a cat sibbling. I have taught Alexander to play tug-o-war (well, he'll say that he was the one to teach me) and I have endured his constant attempts at 'All Star Westie Wrestling' with much patience. I'm showing him all the proper ways to do things. At least he realizes that I am the Alpha, Numero Uno, the Head Hauncho, and so on, and so on... Well, first Alexander ATE my good wool tartan coat, then he ATE my red four legged sweater, so mom got me a nice cobalt blue regular sweater. My red sweater was sort of long for me and he would grab it and run, which would toss it up over my head and out of it I went. Well.... I would be freezing and he'd be laying there just warm as can be in his own sweater. Mom altered the red sweater so it was more form fitting and the little stinker left it alone for a while. She finally had to get me the pretty royal blue regular sweater - he's basically left that one alone!
July 26, 2000 was my ninth birthday. Mom took me out for my usual East Coast Original Custard. Of course, Alexander will got to go also, but I got the bigger serving! For the first time in years I need new toys. With Alexander around they've gotten pretty much chewed to bits. Alexander has "remodeled" a lot of stuff around the house. Of course, I've been the perfect angel through all of this!
Aunt Terri and uncle Rob came to visit us from Houston for Thanksgiving 2000. Alexander was in heaven because
uncle Rob loves to give him attention. It was nice because it kept him out of my fur most of the time, but then
I felt I was missing out on the loving so I would just push my way in too. Actually, I am more partial to
aunt Terri - have always love the ladies!
On Saturday, April 28, 2001 mom stopped at the APL (thats Animal Protective League) and got a baby kitten that she has named Michael (a.k.a. Mikey - as in "give it to Mikey, he'll do anything!). He was born on March 12th and is a Tuxedo type of kitty. Then she went and to another ladies house and picked up Padraig - another kitten born on March 17th. He's a grey and white Tiger/Tabby kitty. He was the only boy in the bunch and mom told the lady that she would pick him up before she took them to the APL. Mom came home later in the afternoon with these two little guys in OUR carrier!! I wasn't sure what they were at first. After all, I lived my life with two grown cats, not these little babies! Now I have to be the "big brother" again - hey, I just got Alexander trained. I growled at them the first time I saw them, and of course, they hissed at me. Now we get along just fine. Heck, I even let those little guys curl up with my on MY pillow when mom's working on the computer. I guess they will get better when they are older. Well, Alexander and I have gotten used to Michael & Padraig (and visa-versa). We like to play, but you know, those two kitties can be so peskey! They want MY mom's lap, MY chair, MY space in bed, and all MY other areas - thank goodness they don't go to grandma and grandpa's house or I might get upset. When they get too close to MY space I just "hrumph" at them and they move on. I trained Alexander that way, so why not two cats also?! I had a great 10th birthday in 2001. Got to go for my soft serve vanilla ice cream (well, of course Alexander had to go along too - that is fair since I also get to go on his birthday). Got lots of wishes and gifts - both real and virtual for my birthday page. Even had a on-line birthday party at our private Chat Room - it was decorated for my birthday with music and everything.
Uncle Rob & Aunt Terri were here at Thanksgiving 2001 - what a treat! We had Uncle Rob's
39-3/4 birthday party since he really didn't want to come up from Houston to Ohio in February for the 40th! Mom
and Aunt Terri got Christmas shopping done and everything. Then they helped us put up our Christmas tree and
decorations. Then they came back at Christmas (odd years they come at Christmas and evens at Thanksgiving)
so we had more fun!
Had a wonderful 11th birthday in July 2002 and to celebrate mom and grandma took me (well, and Alexander too) to Dairy Queen for a nice soft serve cone. I can really eat them fast! I was completely done with mine before Alexander even got through the upper ice cream part of his cone. But, I was a good boy and did not try to steal his cone from him. Although, I was eyeing mom and grandma's Dilly Bars. I've had a good life so far and expect it to last and last and last. Uncle Rob and Aunt Terri were here for Thanksgiving 2002 for 5 days. Mom and Aunt Terri got all her Christmas shopping done. Was nice to have Uncle Rob around. It took me years to get used to him, but once I did I love the attention he gives me (although Alexander goes for more). I also like Aunt Terri, she has a nice lap to lay down on. Christmas 2002 was quiet around the house since mom had only been home for about 2 weeks when Christmas came along. Aunt Ruth & Uncle Bernie came over (grandma & grandpa were here too) as usual to open gifts and have some breakfast. Later that day Uncle Clifford came over to have dinner with us. This is the first time Christmas dinner has ever been at our house - you should of seen grandma trying to cook using mom's kitchen! December 29, 2002 just about all the McClintock family side relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins, 2nd cousins) were over for the annual cousins get together. Each of mom's cousins takes a turn hosting each year, but since mom couldn't go outside yet they brought the party to her, plates, food and everything. We had a wonderful time and I got to see the family. When they first arrived mom had Alexander and I in the library with the gate keeping us in but letting us see everyone. Well, after little cousin Maddie managed to knock the gate down (right on top of me no less) we got to come out and socialize. Had lots of fun.
My 12th birthday was July 26, 2003. Mom and grandma took me (well, and Alexander too) to East Coast Origianal Custard for my own cone (well, Alex got his own too). Since I was the birthday boy I got mom's lap. She laughs at me because I "chew" ice cream. It was sooooooo good! Can't wait to go back for Alexander's birthday tomorrow. I'll get grandma's lap this time. Between mom's surgeries and computer program problems my 11th birthday page sort of "got lost" and mom is restoring it. Maybe it will make it up the same time as the 12th one. Stop by and check them out soon! I got a beautiful new blue collar with a celtic knot design ribbon stitched on it for my birthday. It is so lovely and quite appropritate since I have the gaelic (celtic) name! Also got a new blue Flexi-lead so I am ready for another year of fun! Well, lets see... I took care of mom after her two knee surgeries and her other surgery - really! OK, well Alexander and grandma have helped, OK make that grandma has helped. But, I've been there for her lap when she needs me. I have this ability to jump directly onto the kneecap of the knee that has just been fixed, no matter what surgery it was. Uncanny ability if you ask me. Mom on the other hand is never to thrilled with me when I do that. Something about my 18 pounds feeling like 500??!! Uncle Rob & Aunt Terri were here Easter weekend 2003 for grandma & grandpa's surprise 50th Anniversary party. Alex and I didn't get to go, but our pictures were part of a power point presentation on 50 years of Jo'Anna & Richard! We loved having Uncle Rob & Aunt Terri here, even if it was for only four days. Uncle Rob is lots of fun! In 2004 my skin allergy has tried to kick up a bit more this year, but unlike Alexander, mine does just fine with weekly medicated baths. No shots for me! Had lots of people to see during the holidays. Mom had her usual Ortho party and I got to meet some of the nurses and residents that came. Uncle Rob & Aunt Terri arrived the next day. The following day all the cousins (well, the human ones) were over for another party, so lots of people there to play with. Don't know why Alexander is afraid of guys with goatees. I personally like cousins Dan, Bryan and Michael. My favorite cousin Bernie - he's always been my favorite. His daughter Amy runs a close second. Uncle Rob & Aunt Terri were here for almost a week so I had to share lap time with Alexander. Well, you know, uncle Rob isn't half bad - don't know why I didn't care for him all those years before. He loves to give scratches and play. As I said above, I have Alexander AND two cats to "teach" so I am always busy. So there you have my story in a nutshell. I sort of ramble on, but we genius' often do! (after all, I am writing HTML). Check out my pictures on the photogallery pages. I helped mom pick out the cutest of me - I had hundreds to choose from so it was hard. |
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