Coronation to coreopsis

Last week I made two more media appearances in my royal robe. The first was for the “San Antonio Living” show on KMOL TV. The spot was filmed on the River and all six owners of royal doggies got to talk.

My mistress told about how she had been a duchess in a Fiesta Coronation many years ago and how happy she is to be the mother of a duchess. I’ve seen a framed photo of her in her Order of the Alamo duchess gown. It’s green with signs of the zodiac on it. My gown, on the other hand, is bright pink with dog toys on it. It's the creation of Mistress of the Grrobes Cheryl Trevor, who managed to make it as comfortable as it is pretty.

When I’m not wearing it, my mistress puts it on a Staffordshire statue of a dog that sits on her mantel. It’s a perfect fit. She has been thinking about giving it to the Witte Museum, who got her gown. But since they have never displayed it, she may just keep mine on permanent display on the mantel.

My second media appearance of the week was at WOAI Radio, where C.J. Cruz interviewed the three royal doggie owners who came. C.J. served as mistress of ceremonies at our coronation so we all felt quite at home with her. Again my mistress told her duchess-to-mother-of-a-duchess story.

On Saturday, I made my last Fiesta appearance in my robe. Unfortunately, it was almost my undoing. The problem was that the velvet gown is hot and heavy and the Pooch Parade in Alamo Heights was five kilometers long. Some of the smaller dogs had their own conveyances, including one that looked like a flying saucer. (Another year, a Chihuahua was carried by helium balloons). But I hoofed it all the way with only one stop, at the house of Mary’s cousins, John and Jamie Bloodsworth. They have a Pooch Parade party every year since they live along the route.

When we got home I was limp as a rag, too droopy to even drink water. In fact, I’d been offered water on the walk but had refused. My mistress was kind of freaked out but after awhile I took some water from a bowl that she put next to me on the bed. I began to revive.

By the time we drove up to the country in the afternoon I was back to my old self and able to enjoy the amazing sight (and smell) of fields of coreopsis. Our place on Hondo Creek just outside of Tarpley was covered in a glorious golden carpet of those bright yellow wildflowers and all of us reveled in the beauty of it. Needless to say, Mary took a zillion photos of me running through the flowers until she got the one she wanted. I was just glad I didn't have to wear my robe during THAT photo shoot.