Hey Guys,

It's long past due for me to stop in and say hi.  I hope you all are doing well and that 2024 has been good to you.

So far the year's been good to us and we're all doing well.  The big relatively recent news is that we celebrated Mongo's 3rd Gotcha Day a couple of weeks ago.  It's crazy how time flies.  He did get his customary steak, which he happily relished for the minute or so it took him to eat it lol.  I do joke around that he told me he wants a bigger one next year

Mongo did give me a little scare as a growth formed on the top of his right rear paw.  For obvious reasons I was nervous that it was the worst, but turns out in was an interdigital cyst.  I didn't realize that they could grow in places other than in between their toes, but that's bulldogs for you I guess.  Fortunately it went away fairly quickly and easily too w/ just a course of antibiotics and applying Neosporin to it.  I'll post a pic of him w/ his bandage the vet put on after clearing out the gunk built up.  

Other than that we've been to see my mom a couple of times, and she came to visit us for a week in late Feb/early Mar. when I had my wisdom teeth removed.  Mongo still goes nuts when my cousin or his daughter comes or goes, but without the Christmas tree to knock over it's not as bad I suppose .  And of course Mongo was a good boy while my mom visited us.

A funny little story you guys will probably get a laugh out of is that Mongo managed to get the runs the same day that I had my colonoscopy (nothing serious, just the recommended check at 45).  Anyway, I hold him "I appreciate the sympathy pains, but trust me you don't need to do that the next time around."

Well I think that's about all of the news/fun stories I have for now.  Hope to hear from you guys and that things are all good!

Rich and Mongo.

Thanks guys as always for the kind words!  Yes, Mongo and I are super bonded and he's for the most part a really good boy.   Although he still aggravates me on walks and with his bulldog stubbornness.  Like a couple of nights ago where he picked up a baseball on our walk (normally I keep an eye out for them, but he somehow snagged one w/out me seeing it) and of course wouldn't part w/ it to save his life.  Even after we got home where I'm offered up one of those venison bones I got him for his gotcha day to drop it.  I also loaded up his Kong w/ a biscuit and put out a Milk Bone.  Finally after 1/2 hour or so after I was pretending to not be watching him he finally let the ball go and went for the Milk Bone, which gave me time to grab the baseball and put it away.

Rene - I'm rounding up a bit on the time it took for him to eat his steak lol.  Although it was a decent size and I cut it up quite a bit for him (as you can see in the pic), so he couldn't do it all in 1 bite.

Megstamum - Nice to meet you and thanks for the kind words.  Congrats on Ruby and all of the progress you've made w/ her.  It's super impressive.

Sally - Thanks as always for the kind words and support.  Yes, Wally did a great job in helping me find his successor.

Here's a pick of Mongo playing w/ a belated Gotcha Day gift that finally arrived this week.  Been trying to get a good one of him posing w/ it but no such luck yet.

Thanks Again and take care.

- Rich and Mongo

Hi Sally,

I wouldn't say always, but for the most part Mongo is a good boy.  More than I give him credit for anyway lol.  I figured you guys would get a laugh out of the baseball story.  Unfortunately I can't let him keep them b/c (think I told you this before) he ate the cover off of one about 3 years ago.  Fortunately it didn't block him up, but it definitely aggravated his digestive system b/c right after that he started having accidents in the house.  Also, it's not just baseballs.  About a year ago we had a big standoff in front of the house b/c he cabbaged onto a dirty, water logged sock that he wasn't going to let go.  I've tried to work on "drop it" w/ him, but if it's anything he's supposed to have he spits it out before I even get the command out since there's a treat involved.  Of course as stated before if it's something he's not supposed to have then he won't drop it to save his life.  Oh well, part of the fun of owning a bulldog I suppose.  Although it does make me miss owning a boxer since they would actually listen to me lol.

And yeah, Mongo has too many bones and toys.  I probably need to go through them and get rid of some.  The bones are more my doing as he gets a new frozen bison marrow bone every time we go on a long car ride (typically to visit my mom) to keep him busy during the ride.  The toys are probably more my mom's as she is (like a good grandma) always spoiling him with a new toy or 2 when we visit.

Not much news since last time.  Mongo and I did go back home to Indy over the holiday weekend for the Indy 500 (it was my 24th straight if you don't count missing 2020 when fans weren't allowed in the stands).  Overall a good weekend, but Mongo still goes nuts anytime my cousin or his daughter come or go from the house .

Better get going, but as always here are a couple of pics:

Take Care

Rich and Mongo