My month in Indianapolis

Our annual trip to the Indianapolis 500 was, well, quite a trip! We left on a Saturday and were supposed to be on a 9:30 morning flight, but the lovely folks at American Airlines decided to cancel our flight and put us in a 6AM barge instead, so off we went at 4AM to LAX. Mom was not happy so neither was I. Always at the airport everyone says hello to me and Mom says that when she travels overseas, everyone asks for me! Nice to know I'm wanted and missed when I'm not around. On the planes the flight attendants are so solicitous of my needs, but all I want is a spot on Mom's lap and maybe some water before we land. Otherwise I need nothing but love. We drove down to Indy from Chicago in a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. It was easy to climb in and out of, always important for a little dog like myself, and the seats were very comfortable (ditto). We went directly to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway racetrack and hung out for a while, then over to Debbie's house where I saw my good friends Hector, Sierra and also Heaven, who lives with Debbie's mom Pam. Heaven's an Australian Shepherd - I like her but she sure has a lot of hair. The following days were a succession of going to the track, walking around the driver's coach area and the paddock, and staying in the media center while Mom went out to work. Uncle Dario invited me to come stay in his coach any time I wanted and Uncle Waddie kept giving me Great Dane-sized hugs all month. It was so nice to go over there and see Shug, Buttermilk, George and Arthur, who own Uncle Dario/Aunt Ashley and Uncle Scott/Auntie Emma Dixon, respectively. I even let them smell my woo-woo so they know how sweet I am. On race day we got inside the track before the cannon went off and then managed our way over to Honda hospitality for breakfast. I always like their food and Mom usually gives me a little here and there. Every time we go to Honda's coach, Uncle Bobby Unser is there; I really like him because he's funny and I naturally gravitate to three-time Indianapolis 500 winners. Uncle Dario joined that very exclusive club this year and we're so happy for him. The race was terrific - Mom spent most of it in the media center - it was noisy but not as noisy as the NHRA races (nothing is) - but most of the cacophony came from the other writers. Darn, they talk a lot! Especially Robin Miller, who sits just behind us. He always has lots of donuts to give away to the other journalists and Mom usually takes one, even though she never eats stuff like that at home. She went to the pits for the last pit stops and the final laps of the race, but came back after Uncle Dario won so I could sit in on the press conference. I always go to Uncle Dario's press conferences; I do like him so much. This year the Target people brought Bulls-Eye the dog into the press conference and I thought I was the only canine permitted there so I did the right thing - I barked at him. Didn't phase the boy one bit but everybody was laughing so I guess I did the right thing? Aunt Ashley came over to give me some love and let me know I'm still her No. 1 chihuahua. That was so nice. The next day we went home to Long Beach and Mom went back to pounding the keys while sitting on the sofa. It was nice being at home again and doing our daily walks but the second day I went flying off the sofa and hurt my left rear leg. At least I didn't break anything but Mom was very worried; she treated me with heat, massage and treats. Maybe I need to get hurt more often to get this kind of love? Well, maybe not… She left for Le Mans a week later and now I'm at John and Laurie's with Lilly the dog and the three cats. The first night we all slept together with the humans on the bed. Who said we need to get along? We do just fine…. Ta for now! Leah Oh, about the photos: there's one of me catching shade under Alex Tagliani's race car, a photo of me with rookie sensation Josef Newgarden, chillin' at Honda hospitality with Uncle Bobby Unser and Ashley Judd giving me the love at Uncle Dario's winner's press conference

It's almost time for Indy in May!

Some dogs get their pleasure in chasing balls; others like to play with toys. I just love being around people who like to scratch my ears and rub my belly. People are the best toys out there!

We've finally completed our four late winter/early spring trips to Florida and don't expect to go back until November - maybe. I don't mind Florida all that much and the wonderful vehicles we got to drive - a GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX were just right for the hikes to an from Steve's house in Satellite Beach when we went to Daytona International Speedway. Again and again and again, it seemed.

We also went to the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville and came back to Al and Sandee's house in St Petersburg for the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg season-opener for the IZOD IndyCar Series.

No matter where we went, it rained. And of course Mom didn't bring my rain jacket - shame on her! But she did bundle me up in plastics thises and thats so I didn't get too wet, particularly at Daytona for the Daytona 500. That was a real mess!

Everywhere we go, whenever I'm wearing my Mutt Muffs we get asked to stop so people can take pictures of me. Well, instead of taking your own, folks, just check out www.people.com, In Touch and Star magazines (April 23rd issues) and you'll see photos of me with Eddie Cibrian, the actor who's married to Lee Ann Rimes. I wonder if she's got the jealousy thing going over those pics?

Mom left me home the second week of April when she went to photograph the Formula DRIFT competition just down the hill on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (TGPLB) race track - they use three turns and burn rubber like crazy. It's a bit too noisy for me, so I just stayed home and acted like I was pissed off when she came home - which she did in the middle of the day to take me for a walk.

Walking was kind of tough for her because this little pug upended Mom on one of our morning strolls. Her foot got really swollen and she had to go to the podiatrist. He's a really nice guy and doesn't charge her a lot of money so that was okay - but she's never happy when she can't walk.. those very fancy Vince Camuto heels she got will just have to wait their turn until her foot's swelling goes down - which isn't happening because she has to be so active.

Oh, and speaking of rain, boy did it rain at Friday's TGPLB race the following weekend after Formula DRIFT. The Indy car drivers were probably pleased it washed off all the incompatible rubber from the weekend before, but it must have been very boring for all the people that had planned to go to the race. We spent the entire afternoon inside - only two drivers went out and one, Scott Dixon crashed! We went to the lifestyle expo and talked to people as we walked around. That was okay.

I don't mind being at the racetrack but I sure don't get a lot of exercise sitting in the media center all day. I do have people that come around and say hello to me, which is nice. That way I get my daily quota of ear scratches so thanks, all you journalists with a heart.

During the Long Beach race week, Al and Sandee came to our house, for a change, and we went to lots of good parties. We did the media luncheon on Thursday and then went to the Jim Hall tribute that night. Mom even put on her high heels for the occasion. I didn't get to go to the Racer party Saturday night but that was probably all for the best - lots of people and very, very noisy; I still let Mom know I wasn't pleased about being left alone - again - when she came back and then we walked around the neighborhood and did some local party stuff (which was a lot quieter).

We're off to Houston next week for another drag race, then to Las Vegas for a Scion new-car intro and finally, to Indianapolis on May 12th, so we'll miss wishing Helio Castroneves a happy birthday on the 10th. I'm sure he'll be fine with that. I'll just give him a lick when we're in the Penske garage.

I'm ready for 2012 - Really!

Yes, I have been a wayward dog since April, of last year failing to tell you about all my adventures. Please be kind.

As usual we spent the month of May at Debbie’s house outside Indianapolis as we worked the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500, and stayed with her again for the NHRA’s Mac Tools US Nationals just a few miles away from her house.

When Mom went to Le Mans again this year, I stayed with Aunt Christie out in Aguanga, CA. That was so much fun, even though Scarlet Begonia wasn’t well and would pass on to dog heaven a short time later. I discovered the magic of rabbit holes – and I fit in ‘em! Aunt Christie was afraid of having me fall into one – just like Alice in Wonderland – so she kept me on a leash every time we went outside.

That wasn’t nice! It was supposed to be summer camp!

Silvi came to pick me up before Mom came home and we had a wonderful reunion in the lobby when she finally made it back from France. She keeps telling me she’s not going there this year, which means I’ll be doing a lot more traveling with her. That’s a good thing, I think.

We spend an awful lot of time on airplanes and in cars. There were lots of fun cars to check out this year; the only ones I really don’t like are the big SUVs, because it takes between two and three jumps to get into them. Mom always lifts me out so that’s never a problem, but I sure like to jump into the cars.

It’s fun to ride in cars.

When we went to Las Vegas for the INDYCAR finale this year, we drove a 2011 Hyundai Sonata hybrid that was kind of similar to the 2012 Kia Optima hybrid we had in Atlanta during Petit Le Mans.

I also liked the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec and the Hyundai Veloster. The Genesis coupe made Mom so happy because it had a lot of power, but I kept going from one side of the seat to the other every time she took a corner. Hope I didn’t put any claw holes in the leather?

The Veloster was cool because it had a third door, so I could have sat in the back and had my own way out, had I so chosen (but I am a front-seat dog, so never mind).

It seems like every day is a succession of big walks, sleepy time, big walks, sleepy time and over and over again. We walk between 2-3 miles before I even get breakfast each morning and total somewhere around 8-10 miles by the time each day is done. No wonder I have to sleep so much!

We flew a lot too, and the American Airlines flight attendants always treated me like a first class citizen, even when we were in coach. They always asked if I needed anything and gave me regular pats on the head. Pats on the head are important you know?

We had a fun Thanksgiving at Aunt Christie’s, where Mom and Christie did the cooking and got a little bit crazy, like they always do. And we haven’t seen her since but Mom says we’ll go to the market – now that we have our own car – and see her, maybe tomorrow?

And then off to Daytona again – for the NASCAR race. We’ve already been there once for the 24-hour and I guess we’re just going to have to find a way to live in Florida for the first three months of the year?