Like I mentioned before on this blog, on Saturday I went to meet Rufus, Westminster Dog Show Champion of 2006 and giant dog shaped teddy bear.  He sat regally atop what looked like a throne, but was probably just a box and calmly let himself be petted and poked and prodded.  This is not the bull terrier I know.  I mean he is adorable and a true champion through and through and a therapy dog, but again, not like the bull terrier I know and love.

This is the bull terrier I know and love:

This is what I know and love.  Now this isn’t the bull terrier I used to live with, that ate my comforter and did her business in the pet store, but it may as well have been.  They look exactly alive and this dog also behaved exactly like her.  Why did I get so many gorgeous shots of Rufus?  Because he was sitting still.  This is his granddaughter and she was running around as though she had just been freed from a long confinement.

Why is this picture in profile?  Well, it’s hard to get a good photo when the object is moving around all the time.

And jumping on people:

I believe in reincarnation.  I hope to come back as a champion show dog — retired.  Like sweet, darling Rufus:

I guess this will become a feature of this blog, where I will post photos of people who I think are wearing something interesting or generally look interesting.  Like these two:

I mean it must be hard, being a celebrity.  Paparazzi follow you around all the time.  They judge you on your 72 day marriages.  They report your weight fluctuations and they never leave you alone.

Yup, celebrity life is hard.  Unless you are this guy:

Oh sorry, don’t recognize him from the cover of US Magazine.  Haven’t seen him on E! News.  Well, it is for good reason.  Because he is so much more accomplished.  His name is Ch. Rocky Tops Sundance Kid, but that is mouthful so everybody calls him Rufus. Rufus is by no means a regular dog.  His is a colored bull terrier and he has a resume.  A very impressive resume.  Here it is:

• The Silverwood Trophy winner, 2001.
• Bull Terrier Club of America National Specialty winner, 2002 and 2004.
• Bull Terrier Fanciers Association of Canada, Bronze Trophy and National Specialty, 2003.
• 31-time winner of All Breed Best in Show.
• Bronze Trophy
• BTFA Nat. Specialty Canada 
• BTCA National Specialty Winner (2x)
• Multiple Winner of the Pedigree & Eukanuba Championships
• Am.  Champion, R.O.M.

And how could I?  What is wrong with me?:

When shiny things beacon, I go:

The camera didn’t focus and I needed to cross the street.  Oh well:

I really used to hate mornings.  Really.  Mornings just weren’t my thing at all.  I didn’t even really understand why the day started at 8am, when my day usually started closer to 11am or later.  My nights of course extended out even further.

But then this weird thing happened.  For nearly a year, I had to get up everyday at 5am.  Don’t get me wrong.  I still hated it.  No one likes getting up early in the morning.  Nobody.  But somehow with this new point of view, I started to see that the light was more interesting early in the morning and that one tended to get a lot more done when one got out of bed at the late hour of 7am, rather than around noon.  I can’t remember the last time I actually slept until noon.

Well, the morning, it does bring us magical light.  And photos:

Street fashion!