Halloween 2012 in Salem

I was pretty mad at my parents this October. I really, really wanted to be a cowboy for Halloween, but they said "NO". They wanted me to be "Super Dog" again. They didn't even clean my costume from last year. They just pulled it out and tied it on me with no regard for my dignity or comfort.  To top it all off, my dad looked like a total fool.  I was so embarassed.  Really, Dad?  Wilfred?  Grow up.

 

 

 

As a consolation, the first thing I did was make them take me to Rita's for a Doggie Cone, but I literally had to drag my dad there.

 

 

 

 

Feeling better, with a smidgeon of free (cheap parents, or should I say "careful with money") ice cream in my belly, I joined my father again to walk the Salem Mall.  Lots of people wanted their picture with the legend (me, not my dufous dad).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently a few people just wanted a picture of my butt.  I wasn't so sure about this guy.

 

 

This is why I wanted to be a cowboy!  This lady had a pistol and we would've looked soooo cool together.  My dad had to "photo bomb" me while I was being photographed by these folks.  I don't know why he wanted in the picture.  It is just so embarassing.

 

 

My mom thought he looked like a fool, too.  We had a good laugh about it while he pranced around by the Peabody Essex Museum.

 

 

A couple of my friends, Cyrus and Bailey Lynch,  showed up.  Bailey was just happy to be outside.  Cyrus was irritated about it and didn't like dressing up like a skeleton. 

 

 

 

People will now believe me when I tell them I saw a sewer rat the size of a person.  This is not the first time I've seen them.  I saw some almost this big on the wharf running out of the rocks during the storm surge on Monday.

 



 

 

"Hey look, everybody!  It's a giant witch made entirely of balloons!"  Whatever, Dad.  Whoopidy Doo.  Yawn.

 

 

You smell gross, Zombie dude.  Maybe you are real.  I'm a little concerned.  Please walk away.

 

 

 

 

I told my parents I had outgrown my Super Dog costume and I wasn't a baby anymore.  At least I have a cape to pull over my head in shame.

You know, it's really not a bad-looking costume.



 



 

Final Thoughts by Cooper:  As I watch the sunset, another Halloween is drawing to a close.  I have to admit, I'm going to miss it.  Sure lots of people pointed and laughed at me and my dad wouldn't let me eat fried dough off the sidewalks, but at the end of the day the energy is pretty cool.  I'm sure I'm going to be led home, de-robed, and left with a bowl of dinner while my parents go out and walk around.  That is a good thing since I don't need to get stepped on by hundreds of freaks.  The sun continues to plummet in the west and I can't help but think how much I wanna be a cowboy.

 

 



 

 



 





 

Cooper's Top 8 Things to do in Salem, MA

Hi everybody.  I thought I should update my blog and let everyone know that I'm OK and have started feeling frisky and creative again, now that the weather is awesome in Salem.  For a long time, I felt like I was in a brick pizza oven.  So OK. Here is the stuff I'm going to be making my parents do with me the rest of October.

Cooper’s List of Dog Friendly and Fun Things to do in Salem, Massachusetts.

1)       Harass the UPS guy for treats.  Sometimes the FedEx drivers have them, too.  I typically beg for them from anyone I see in a uniform, just to cover all my bases.  One time I got a bottle of Aquafina from the Pepsi delivery driver. 

2)      Take a walk on the wharf and look for bird shadows and butterflies to chase.  Also, a National Park Service employee here has dog cookies.  Look for the older guy with a big hat and glasses.  I think he is there on the weekends.  I get to run off leash here sometimes as well when there aren’t too many people around.  I just have to keep an eye out for this one crazy lady who throws rocks at off-leash dogs.

3)      Ride the Salem Trolley and meet strangers.  The Salem Trolley is dog-friendly and though I don’t care about the history, blah, blah, blah, I do get to bark at other dogs when we drive by.  That is always fun.

4)      Get some trick-or-treating done.  Cooper gives the paws up and a 5 tail-wag recommendation to the following places that have “treats.”  The Barking Cat and Penelope’s Pet Boutique (they better have treats), the Trolley Depot, Pamplemousse, Bunghole Liquors, and my all-time fav, Rita’s Ice.  Their doggie-cones are too die for.

5)      Put on my Superdog costume and get lots of attention from strangers.  I love strut down Essex Street in my cape.  Mom says I look cute.  I think I look tough.  Dad doesn’t care as long as the pretty girls stop and say “hi” to me.

6)      Enjoy the scents of autumn on a patio.  The patios is Salem are dog friendly, but some are better than others.  I personally endorse Gulu-Gulu  and the Village Tavern.  Rockafellas has good views but my parents live the beer better at Gulu-Gulu Café and the Village Tavern. 

7)      Scavenge or kettle corn and food scraps on the Salem Common.  You just have to beat the squirrels to the spilled food.  There are 32 squirrels that live in the Common, but many more come to visit.

8)      Go to Leslie’s Retreat Off-leash Dog Park.  They have water and lots of my friends go there.  I enjoy chasing dragonflies here. 

Rita's Custard Opens Today and I'm mad as hell

Well, I’m pretty upset. Rita’s Custard on Essex Street in Salem opens today. My dad walked me by there twice this morning and we didn’t stop. I know it’s only 7:30AM but we should be in line. I know if I’m the first customer I’ll get a free doggie cone but NO, I got drug home on a short leash but not before we went and stood by some stupid little lily pond down the street from that creepy witch house. Now it’s going to be raining and my dad won’t walk me down there again in the rain. He’ll be trying to sleep before work tonight while I’m stuck on the couch playing with my fake, synthetic squirrel, Chip. He doesn’t look or taste real. He does make a squeaky noise and I’m sure dad will take him away when he is trying to sleep. So no Rita’s for Cooper today just a mouthful of polyester squirrel and the slim chance my mommy spills sour cream on the kitchen floor.