Christmas 2011

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Just like the previous 2 years, I spent Christmas 2011 on the east coast visiting friends and family. I had two great airplane flights all the way from San Diego to Philadelphia and then back again. I flew comfy in the Us Airways airplane cabin inside my pet carrier with my people. While the flights are long (6 hours westbound) I don't mind. With 16 flights logged (in 2 years) I stay calm and quiet during the flights.

The highlight of my Christmas trip was getting to finally meet three extra special shiba friends. Our people scheduled a playdate for us at an indoor play area in New Jersey so we could romp around for a couple of hours. I got to meet Shio and Emi who live in NYC. You can check out their adventures on their blog.

And I got to meet and play with Phineas the superstar shiba with his own movie from New Jersey too! You can also check out more pawsome pictures of us playing by clicking here.



Seriously Philadelphia International Airport...where is my suitcase?



Don't forget there are always more pictures of me on: http://tokyoshiba.tumblr.com/

Viceroy Palm Springs

First off, I must say that being a California shiba inu is pawsome. California has some great dog friendly resorts. And the southern California weather, is perfect for living my shiba inu life. I spent the weekend with my people relaxing at the uber cool boutique resort and spa the Viceroy Palm Springs. When we arrived at check-in, the super friendly Viceroy staff made me feel right at home. They even gave me my own Viceroy dog bowl to take home. I wore my pink camo EzyDog quick fit harness to look Palm-Springs-cool and used my leash with pink skulls so I was punk-rock-chic.

We stayed in a charming little private one bedroom house called the Dorrington Villa #103. I had my own fully enclosed patio and a little grassy yard all around my house.  Our house was directly next to the Regency pool. At the resort, I was pretty much allowed to be anywhere on the property, with the exception of actually "in" the swimming pools. But while my people enjoyed swimming themselves, I could hang out with them next to their lounge chairs. The onsite restaurant Citron also allows dogs to dine poolside or on their outdoor patio/pavilion.

The Viceroy Palm Springs charges a $100 total nonrefundable pet fee per stay and pets must be under 40 lbs. Compared to other hotels I've stayed at, this is a very fair fee. All in all, the resort took care of all of our needs. If you are looking for a relaxing time away, I highly recommend checking out the Viceroy. And tell them Tokyo sent you -woof!

Don't forget, there are always more pictures of me Tokyo: My Shiba Inu Tumblr
Follow me on twitter @tokyoshiba

Flying the Shiba Friendly Skies

Can shibas fly? As many of you know, I've been flying with my people since they got me in November 2009. To date I've logged 14 flights on Us Airways. A few months ago, Us Airways initiated a new pet policy. Instead of requiring my people to call ahead for an in-cabin pet reservation -- usually right after they book their flights -- Us Airways no longer issues ahead of time reservations for in-cabin pets. Instead, pet reservations are now made at the check-in counter on the day of your flight. This means we arrived to the very busy San Diego International airport on November 23 not knowing if there was enough space for me on the plane, or if the flight had already reached its quota of allowable in cabin pets (which I believe is 6). Luckily, we did not have any problems and my people paid the $200 for a round trip pet reservation for me and we were off like normal. Good thing, because I needed to get to my Grandparents' house for Thanksgiving!



Tokyo enjoys her prime spot in row 4 First Class

On the plane, the in-cabin rule is that I have to stay completely inside my carrier under the seat in front of my people. I swear, I wouldn't run the shiba 500 down the aisle if they let me out *wink wink*  As you can see, the under seat space is small, and there isn't really that much room for pets so being small is key to a comfortable flight. For this flight, I flew in style in my new custom made Celltei bag in olive and camo mesh. It measures 11.5 inches high by 19 inches long by 11.5 inches wide (plus a hidden 5 inch zippered expander which you can see already expanded on the right hand side.) Once expanded, I get about 19 inches x 16.5 inches for spreading out. During the flight, my people keep me comfortable by slipping in ice cubes and some treats (but not too many).  In flight, I'm quiet and usually just sleep for most of the flight.


Tokyo waits for the bus after flying from San Diego to Philadelphia.



Celltei is a pawsome company and their pet carriers are made in the USA. They are extremely knowledgeable about pet carriers and have made countless custom designs for clients over the years. My people sent lots of ideas to design my new bag and Angie worked with them to design the best bag just for me. Angie even sent me a standard bag to try to help my people decide what I needed. You can check that out by clicking here. Now that I weigh 17 lbs, my people had my comfort in mind in coming up with a design that would also continue to work in-cabin for me. Be sure to check out the Celltei website with  the actual bag they made for me by clicking here.  

If you need a pet carrier for a pet of any size, I highly recommend you contact the nice people at Celltei and see what they can do for you. If there's a way, they will figure it out.

Don't forget there are always more pictures of me on Tokyo: My Shiba Inu Tumblr.

Follow me on twitter @tokyoshiba

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Hi blog readers. I'm resting up for my 2011 Thanksgiving holiday plans. Thanksgiving is a great time of year and I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a wonderful family and many pawsome friends. For the last 2 years, I flew on a big airplane to spend Thanksgiving all the way on the east coast visiting friends and family. Wherever you spend Thanksgiving this year, I hope it is happy!

ps- Looking for something kind to do this Thanksgiving? Why not adopt (aka sponsor) a turkey? You can do it online at Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey-Project.

Don't forget, there are always more pictures of me on my tumblr

Follow me on twitter @tokyoshiba



My Exclusive Interview

I'm ready for my close-up.

My super cool shiba friend (and reporter to the shiba stars)  the legendary Shio from NYC took time out of his busy day to get an exclusive interview with me as part of his ongoing twiba-interview series. It's a special series for the shibas on twitter (aka twibas).  Shio's done other pawsome interviews with shibas Prince Zuko and Kaiju as well.

You can check out my full interview and what I had to say on Shio's blog. Thanks Shio!

And don't worry Prince Zuko, I didn't let on about us. Nobody knows nothing. We won't be followed around by pupperazzi all day *wink wink*

Don't forget, there are always more pictures of me at Tokyo: my shiba inu tumblr.

Follow me on twitter: @tokyoshiba

Secret Shiba 2011

*whispers* Psssst...come over here. Hey shibas, it's that time of year again, when it's time to start planning for Secret Shiba 2011.

What is it? It's when the shibas on twitter (a.k.a. Twibas) do their annual gift exchange. To find out how to participate, go to the official Tumblr of the annual Secret Shiba Gift Exchange.  

Last year I got the most pawsome presents from the firefox girls, Katsumi and Kuri from Hawaii. And I got to send gifts to my shiba friends Mika and Rinji in Arizona. To catch a glimpse of the fun from last year, check out some photos from Secret Shiba 2010.

Don't forget, there are always more pictures of me at Tokyo: my shiba inu tumblr.

Follow me on twitter: @tokyoshiba

Welcome to the Parker

 

Hotel Reviews: I spent last weekend relaxing at the gorgeous Parker Palm Springs in southern California with my people. The estate is lovely with lots of plantings and intimate paths to meander along. We stayed in the North Building in a first floor Patio Room that had its own sitting area with a hammock. The patio was lush with plantings and even had sand under the hammock area. Since the patio was not fully enclosed, I had to stay on my leash outside but it was a great place to chill with my people. The first floor room location also made it easy to go for my daily walks.

The Parker staff were super nice and attentive to me so I made myself right at home. Everyone quickly learned my name, and I heard lots of "hi Tokyo" to make me feel welcome. On my first night, they delivered a special doggy gift bag filled with pink presents right to my room, including a pink bandana for me to wear around the estate. Love. My people also loved the complimentary french press coffee that was delivered each morning to our room.

The hotel charges a pet fee; based on the time of year it can be an additional $75-$150 per night /per dog. I saw 2 other dogs during my weekend stay. The onsite restaurant Norma's conveniently allows dogs to dine with their people  on the patio. In addition, you can take your dog to the Lemonade Stand which also has food (burgers, tacos) and drinks. While I was at the Lemonade Stand looking shiba-cute, the staff brought over a water bowl for me without my people having to ask. Nice. Note, dogs are not allowed in or around any of the pool areas. 

While you're in Palm Springs, be sure to swing by the Palm Springs Dog Park located just behind City Hall at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. The park is fully fenced and separated by size. The fence was designed by artist Phill Evans. There is plenty of free off-street parking. Posted park hours are 6am -10pm.

For those who may have noticed in the picture to the right...yes, I am wearing a pink camo  EzyDog Quick Fit harness.

Don't forget. There are always more pictures on my tumblr Tokyo: My Shiba Inu Tumblr

Tokyo Reviews: The Thundershirt

The Thundershirt is designed to be used in situations that can cause dogs anxiety and works by applying gentle pressure on the torso; the pressure is known to have a calming effect for most dogs. Despite the name, Thundershirt is not just for dogs with a fear of thunder. (I live in San Diego, California and I don't even know what thunder is.) Thundershirt can be used to treat many forms of dog anxiety: separation anxiety, travel anxiety, noise anxiety (fireworks), crate anxiety, excitability and general fearfulness among others.

The product is available in 7 different sizes, for little dogs less than 12 lbs to big dogs over 90 lbs. To determine fit, you will need to measure around your dog's chest (right behind the front legs at the largest point.) I got size small which is marked for dogs 15-25 lbs with a chest measurement of 16"-23". My sizing placed me at the low end of size small and it fits fine. Thundershirt also comes in different colors, like the super cute pink rugby style that I'm modeling. The fabric is machine washable and extremely soft and it was easy for my people to wrap it on me with simple velcro fasteners. To remove the shirt, my people easily unfastened the wrap under my torso and then just slide it off over my head. Note, you can put the shirt on and take it off without your dog needing to step into the shirt. This is a very nice feature.

My people picked up the Thundershirt to see how it would work to calm me down when delivery people come to my front door. I tested it with a delivery person over the weekend. With the shirt on, I still initially whined and barked at the door when the person arrived, but far less than typical. I then quickly calmed down and didn't act excited or anxious while the delivery person carried the food in my house.  My people say this is a definite improvement. I say, I look cute. Be sure to check out the Thundershirt website for videos and additional product information.

Do you have a Thundershirt? And if so, how are you using it?
Don't forget. There are always more pictures on my tumblr Tokyo: My Shiba Inu Tumblr

My Toy Box



Tokyo poses on her toy box



All dogs need toy boxes because all dogs should have lots of toys. There are many different styles to choose from for storage, like buckets, baskets and bins. My toy box is from Land of Nod and is called the Single Storagepalooza. While not marketed as a dog toy box, this is simply the best toy box ever for dogs. It is very well made. This is not a flimsy piece. It is solid rubberwood construction, very sturdy and is heavy enough that it won't slide across the floor.



Tokyo gets bored of her photo shoot and jumps down to get her toys out.



The opening is large and at the perfect height for me to stick my head inside to see exactly what toy I want. My people ordered the white finish but it comes in a variety of finishes including fun colors too. The toy box retails for $99 and simple assembly is required by your people. I've had my toy box for almost 2 years and it's still perfect. I think the only change I might make is to put my name on it. Woof!

Don't forget. There are always more pictures on my tumblr Tokyo: My Shiba Inu Tumblr

Shibapalooza 2011

On Saturday, July 16, 2011 the Shiba Club of Southern California held their 6th annual shiba picnic (aka shibapalooza.) The 10am-3pm event was open to both club members and non-members and was held in Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim, California. It was a fun filled day with shiba games, raffles and lunch. Thanks to my pawsome shiba friend prince Zuko, I attended the event decked out in a fancy pink camo bandana.  For readers who aren't familiar, "twiba" is the hashtag for shibas on twitter.  For those who want to get your own bandana from K9 Design, Zuko posted ordering information here.

So what was shibapalooza like, and who was there?  It was a gorgeous SoCal day and there were beautiful shibas everywhere! Not only did I get to hang out with Zuko and my Arizona shiba friends, little Taro, Rinji and Mika, but I got to meet new shiba friends as well, like Zuko's sister Suki who drove down from NorCal. And I finally got to meet Walking Yuki, she's the pretty cream shiba in the picture below. There were plenty of treats to eat, so we didn't find any need to stray. 



Walking Yuki and Tokyo



I also got to finally meet other SoCal twibas Mika & her Kai Ken brother Kyuubi, and shiba Sachi, and Chloe, and NorCal shibas Sinjin & Sienna (be sure to check out the video of me & Sienna playing.)  There were so many shibas that I missed quite a few that I wanted to meet.

Pet Communicator

My people also prescheduled a 10 minute session with pet communicator Dr. Monica who was at shibapalooza. My people told Dr. Monica my name, age and how long I've lived with my people plus what other animals I lived with. She petted me very briefly and then my appointment started by Dr. Monica gathering mental pictures of how I was feeling. She explained that while I enjoyed being outside and the picnic/park was an interesting place, it was a little intense for me as it was very different  from my normal day. She also went on to say that I was feeling very special at the picnic and very much liked that I got to wear a bandana. 

Suki, Tokyo, Zuko (and a glimpse of Rinji)

My people then had the opportunity to ask specific questions. My people asked about what I do at home while they are at work and if I was okay being alone. Dr. Monica described images of my day and indicated that  spending time looking out of the windows was very important to me. She explained that I enjoy my place and there is always something for me to do, like playing with my meowie brofur Capone. She also mentioned (with a smile/laugh) that I think Capone is a very funny cat and he's a riot. Since I've been on 12 airplane flights, my people also asked about my feelings about flying. She  indicated that  for the time being, I wanted to continue flying with my people, even though it makes me a little anxious in the beginning when we arrive at the airport and at the end when I hear the wheels coming down, instead of being without them. They also asked if I would like to try going to doggie daycare. Since I have never been to doggie daycare, Dr. Monica described it to me and I indicated that I wasn't sure, but was willing to give it a try. She pointed out that I did not indicate that I don't like other dogs, so this was a very positive sign.  [Note, I was not physically engaging with Dr. Monica during the session. After my initial hello to her, I settled down facing the opposite direction of her and my people.]



Taro

Katsu, Tokyo, Mika (AZ), Mika (CA)

The shibapalooza event is an on-leash event. So was it crazy having so many shibas all together on-leash? Actually, not at all.  Would I go again to shibapalooza? Absolutely! The event was a lot of fun for dogs and people. If you can, I recommend you try to attend next year as well. Be sure to check out http://tokyoshiba.tumblr.com/ for more pictures -woof!

Surf City Here I Come



Tokyo waits to cross the street. 



My summer travels have continued with  a weekend roadtrip to Huntington Beach, located in Orange County, California. We stayed at the Shorebreak Hotel located right in downtown Huntington Beach at the strand. The hotel is very dog friendly and does not charge an additional pet fee for bringing your dog. The hotel lobby is located on the second floor, above first floor retail spaces, and has a 2nd floor terrace area with a convenient faux grass pet potty for dogs. At check-in my people were given a list of dog friendly things to do, including a list of local dog parks and dining options. The hotel also has a nice relaxed onsite restaurant, Zimzala, which also allows dogs on their patio.  Zimzala even has a special doggie menu with treats like yogurt covered bacon and the waitstaff was especially attentive to me (bringing a water bowl to my table without my people having to ask, etc.)  However, despite being labeled a pet friendly city, Huntington Beach was not quite as dog friendly as we had anticipated. Many of the nearby restaurants with outdoor patios had "no dogs allowed" signs posted.

About a mile away from the hotel is the Huntington Beach Dog Beach. The dog beach is huge with plenty of sand and surf for dogs to play. Considering the perfect weather, there were a lot of people out jogging, biking and walking dogs. I enjoyed walking along the paths as well as digging in the sand. And I especially liked playing with my shiba friends who were in California for shibapalooza. What's shibapalooza?...stay tuned for my shibapalooza post. 



Tokyo Navigates

Tokyo loves car rides.

Happy 4th of July! My summer travel and fun has officially begun. I spent the holiday weekend in Arizona visiting family and playing with my pawsome Arizona shiba friends. We played ball and chased each other.  Even getting there was fun. I love traveling and especially car rides because there are cool things to see along the way. On this trip I drove past the Imperial Sand Dunes and giant windmills. (It was all very sci-fi.)  I am also really good with directions and make an excellent navigator from my console perch. [BUSTED: Apparently my people don't appreciate my ability to navigate, because I wasn't allowed to sit on the console once we started driving.]

Hanging out at home

Tokyo takes a break at home

I haven't been traveling much this year; I've only been on two road trips to Arizona so far. But don't worry, I've been busy adding things to my calendar and making some plans for the summer.  In July, I'll be attending the Shiba Club of Southern California's annual celebration picnic (aka Shibapalooza.)  The picnic is open to both members and non-members.  There will be fun and games and pet communicator Dr. Monica Diedrich will be there too.  I'm gonna make sure I talk to her so she can tell my people to give me more cheese.  I've also made plans to meet up with some of my shiba friends at the picnic. Summer 2011 will be lots of fun!  

Tokyo Turns Two



Tokyo: 2yrs / 17lbs. Click for her first birthday link



Today begins the terrible twos for me and I couldn't be more excited. My people will surely need to navigate my terrible twos with patience and humor. To celebrate my birthday, my people hooked me up with some cool new presents including three new Ugly Doll friends and Skelanimal ChungKee the Panda.  I also got a Nina Ottosson interactive toy called the dog Tornado which is going to get filled with treats for me to eat. I'm also pretty sure that later today my people will be setting up a huge bouncy in the park for me to jump on and the clowns and petting zoo will be arriving soon.  This birthday is seriously PAWSOME!  Be sure to stay tuned to check out my travels and adventures for another exciting year. And don't forget you can also check out what I've been up to on my Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/tokyoshiba and there are even more photos on my Tumblr: http://tokyoshiba.tumblr.com/.

Because I'm such a lucky shiba girl, I've also made a couple donations to charities for my birthday. My friend Snickers is throwing a special charity canine cocktail party in New York City for Emmie the Superdog's birthday on June 17, 2011 to benefit Hike for Our Heroes.  You might remember that I got to meet Emmie and her gang last year at the Veteran's Day parade in San Diego, California. 

Here are some other great places to donate:

http://www.savingshibasinc.org/index.html <== Winnie's people got this new rescue setup this year

http://nycshibarescue.org/ <== Snickers' Mom setup this great rescue

http://www.savingshibas.com/ <== My friend Taro came from this rescue

San Diego Dog Parks

Tokyo looks for other shibas at the Rancho Bernardo dog park.

The San Diego area is very pet friendly and while it is a big spreadout place, you can find dog parks in neighborhoods all over. When you live in a condo like me and don't have a yard, going to dog parks gives me some off-leash running time.  If you are planning a visit, be sure to check out the link below with locations of the city's dog parks- many are adjacent to city recreation centers and some have separate fenced areas for dogs by size (usually over 30lbs and under 30lbs).  Dog water fountains and bags are typical, although we always bring our own.

http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/general-info/leashfree.shtml 



Tokyo runs with some new dog park friends.



Happy Easter 2011

Tokyo's egg hunt

The Easter egg hunt is in full swing at my house. For my Easter basket, my people got me a new Egg Babies shark plush toy. I get to have fun by removing the three eggs from the special pocket in the shark body and then get to play with the eggs AND the shark. It's like one toy becomes four toys! The eggs are squeaky so they are super fun to run around with. It even comes with 2 replacement eggs. In addition to the shark, you can get other animals like a duck, turtle, hedgehog, penguin, frog, etc. Do you have any Egg Babies toys?  http://www.kyjen.com/shop/index.php/dog-toys/egg-babies.html

Tokyo can haz Sprinkles?

Tokyo checks out the cupcakes from Sprinkles.

Sprinkles cupcakes makes a special doggie cupcake for $2.50.  My people picked up some cupcakes for themselves and one for me.  The mini dog cupcake is sugar free and topped with yogurt "frosting."  The nice people at Sprinkles put my special cupcake in its own bag with a cool orange pawprint sticker.

The special doggie cupcake for Tokyo.

If you are lucky enough to live near one of their locations, make sure your people don't leave without a dog cupcake for you. Note, Sprinkles does not allow pets in the store.  http://sprinkles.com/

Tokyo Picks: EzyDog

Tokyo models her EzyDog Quick Fit harness and Mutley leash



My people recently bought me a new harness and some cool leashes from EzyDog. EzyDog makes a variety of dog gear including leashes, collars, harnesses, apparel, etc. My people picked up the Quick Fit harness style which has multiple adjustments for a secure fit and indeed is easy for my people to get on and off on me. (That is *if* they can catch me, but that is another story.) Unlike a traditional harness, the Quick Fit does not require "stepping" in; instead it simply slips over your head. A strap wraps under your rib cage with a buckle clip at the side of your chest. My measurements put me in size small. The harness retails between $20-$24 depending on size. The harness paired with my EzyDog Mutley leash means I've been walking around San Diego in comfort and in style. You can check out EzyDog products at http://www.ezydog.com.

Shiba nail trimming

Tokyo trims Ugly Doll Moxy's nails

Truth is, many shibas do not like to have their paws touched, let alone having to endure the awful torture of having our nails trimmed.  (Do I hear a shiba scream?) Since it isn't necessary to stress out your shiba, I offer the following advice.  First, your humans need to bring your favorite food treats.  I especially like cheese, so I always get little bits of cheese when I have my nails trimmed. Second, it really helps for your humans to remain very calm. The goal is to trim nails with the least amount of stress for the shiba; therefore, the humans really need to remain calm and not act rushed. Third, having a good pair of clippers is a must (some people opt for a dremel tool instead.)  The trimmers my people use are from Drs. Foster and Smith http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+5+790&pcatid=790  We have size small. The design has a soft rubber grip handle; they cut clean and easily spring open and closed. Fourth, there is no reason to do all the nails in one sitting. Sometimes, spreading out the trimming really is better for all. Of course, the most important step is to give lots of treats to yield a happy shiba.  

Lately, the biggest prank I've been up to is practicing circus tricks during the middle of nail trimming. This usually involves me forcing my people to attempt to trim my nails while I am acting silly on my back.  

Elevator Etiquette

Tokyo practices petiquette

I live in a high-rise condo and that means I get to ride in elevators throughout the day.  It doesn't seem weird to me but it does mean that I have to practice my elevator etiquette each time so that I am deemed a model dog resident (there are cameras in the elevators afterall.)  If the elevator is empty, I walk in and sit or lie down in the corner.  Either position is fine, as long as I am calm, quiet and not trying to run the shiba 500.  When the door opens, I wait until my people say "okay" and then I head out.  

If there are other people or dogs already in the elevator, then my people need to make a quick decision about whether or not we should enter or wait for the next elevator.  The decision is made based on an assessment of my comfort level being in a possibly crowded elevator and whether or not the other people in the elevator are comfortable with being in an enclosed space with me.  While I am good with other dogs and people, some dogs (and people) aren't comfortable being in an elevator with other dogs.  Once in the elevator, my people discourage attempts by other residents to pet me until we are out of the elevator.  This clearly doesn't stop people from taking pictures of me in the elevator...yes, seriously, puperazzi in the elevator...the life of a shiba -woof!  

HOA pet policies vary by condo associations and my building requires soft muzzling of certain dog breeds in common spaces, including elevators.  Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Chows, Dobermans, Great Danes, Malamutes, Wolf-dog hybrids, and Akitas among others all make that list. 

Cheese Shop

Must ♥ cheese!

Today is my human Dad's 40th birthday.  As you all remember for my Mom's 40th birthday, I got her a special t-shirt to wear  http://www.tokyoshiba.com/2010/12/i-tokyo.html  Birthdays are the best time to think about all the things you love, so for my Dad's birthday I decided to take him out for lunch. Considering how much I love cheese, it was an easy decision to walk over to the Cheese Shop for the celebration.

Celltei

The nice folks over at Celltei sent my people this cool pet carrier bag for me to try.  We received the Backpack-o-Pet style in size large which measures 20" L x 11.5" D x 12.5" H. They make a wide variety of carrier styles in a range of sizes right from their studio in Brooklyn, NY. To make the company really unique, they offer custom designed pet carriers too.  They are extremely knowledgeable, so if they don't have exactly what you're hoping for, you can contact them to discuss custom designs. Pawsome!

http://www.celltei.com/

Calling Shotgun

Shotgun!  This weekend I was on a special mission crossing state lines from California to Arizona to visit family and dog friends. As usual, my cuteness helped us whiz through the two border patrol checkpoints on interstate 8. Once in Arizona, I had the best ever play date with my shiba friends: Mika, Rinji and Tar0. Shibas really know how to play -woof!

[fine print: It is not safe for a dog to travel unrestrained in the front passenger seat of an automobile.]

New Year 2011

Here's to a GREAT 2011!  This year I will continue the daily surveillance of my kingdom of San Diego, California from my balcony and I will make sure all is safe and in order.  That is, of course, unless I am taking a nap.