A Persistent Little Cuss – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Hello. Hello. Lady Human. Hello.

Me:  Stella, do you know what time it is?

Stella:  Do I look like a human who focuses only on a little black box in my paw?

Me:  It’s sleep time.

Stella:  Then how come you’re awake?

Me:  Yes, how come? How about we both go back to sleep?

Stella:  Hey, Lady Human. Hey. Hello. Hello.

Me:  Stella, you are a persistent little cuss.

Stella:  Is that something I get extra treats for?

Me:  No, ma’am.

Stella:  Is that something I get to play with?

Me:  No, ma’am.

Stella:  Then it doesn’t sound like it is worth much of anything to be a persistent little cuss. I will try again in a few minutes……Hmmm, hmm, hmmm hmmm hmmm…Lady Human. Hello. Hello.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Stick Up Your Nose – Conversations with Stella and Wiggles

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, Wiggles is sneezing all over the place. She won’t stop it and I told her to.

Me:  Wiggles, what’s that sticking out of your nose?

Wiggles: Nothing. Ahh-CHOO!

Me: Let me see. Ew. Hold on. Be still. I’ll get it out.

1 5/8 inch stick

Stella:  Why were you hiding a stick in your nose?

Wiggles:  I don’t know where that came from.

Me:  Maybe from you snooting around in the dirt?

Wiggles:  No, I was just minding my own business and it flew into my nose.

Me:  Mmmm, somehow I doubt that.

Wiggles: Lady Human, I know my own nose. Things are always trying to get into it. It’s just that wonderful a place.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Don’t Gobble Your Food – Conversations with Stella and Miss Sweetie

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human! A weird noise is coming from Sweetie. I think she is broken.

Me:  Sweetie? Stop wolfing your food. You sound like…

Miss Sweetie:  Gobble. Gobble. Gobble. Sound like a what? Do I sound like a wolf? ‘Cuz that would be cool.

Me:  No, you sound just like a turkey.

Miss Sweetie:  Oh, no. But don’t humans eat those? OH, NO! What’s going to happen to me?

Me:  Don’t worry. Nobody is going to mistake you for a real turkey. But you sure sounded like one there for a minute. Just eat a little slower.

Miss Sweetie: Should I wear a sign that says, “I am not a turkey.”

Stella:  Believe me, nobody is going to mistake you for a big chicken. Unless you put one of those red floppy hats on your head and let your tongue hang all the way out of your mouth. And keep on making that weird gobbley noise.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Cardboard Crunchers – Conversations with Stella and Doodlebug

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. What is disturbing my peace?

Me:  Give it here, Doodle!

Doodlebug:  No, I found them fair and square.

Me:  Carboard is not a good toy for you.

Doodlebug:  Then why did you leave them for me to find?

Me:  I didn’t leave them for you. They are…or should I say were…part of a project I was working on.

Doodlebug:  Cardboard tastes delicious.

Me:  Well, it all seems to be here so you didn’t swallow any of it.

Doodlebug:  I can go ahead and finish that now.

Me:  Nope. Besides, you just had dinner.

Doodlebug:  A cardboard dessert would be nice.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Do I Need to Get a Bulldozer? – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Ah, comfortable at last.

Me:  Maybe you are. Can you move over?

Stella:  Hmmm?

Me:  Stella, I can’t even get into my own bed. There is something wrong with this picture.

Stella:  Not from where I am.

Me:  Okay, you are like a 65-pound boulder in the middle of my narrow bed. I can’t move you. I can’t roll you. Do I need to get a bulldozer?

Stella:  What is a bulldozer?

Me:  It’s a huge piece of equipment that moves large amounts of stuff.

Stella:  It sounds charming. While you’re getting yours, get one for me, too. Then I can move you off my bed.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Mud Smuggler – Conversations with Stella and Wiggles

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Dirt, Lady Human! Dirty dirt!

Me:  And what else is new?

Stella: Look at Wiggles!

Me:  Oh, Wiggles. What have you been rubbing your face into?

Wiggles:  Nothing.

Me:  Here. Let me wipe it off.

Wiggles:  No, thank you.

Me:  Let me wipe your nose rope. Oh, look at that. Mud. Were you collecting this stuff for some reason?

Wiggles:  My face just picks stuff up and keeps it.

Stella:  Bulldogs are great savers, Lady Human. You should try it sometime.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Whisker Washer – Conversations with Stella and MoonCat

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, MoonCat is acting like a…cat. It is very disturbing.

Me:  Looks normal to me.

MoonCat: Meow.

Stella:  She’s licking her paws and wiping her face with them.

Me:  I’ve seen you do something similar.

Stella: Never.

Me: She’s just grooming her whiskers.

MoonCat: Messy food.

Stella: Cats are so prissy. Washing their faces. Grooming their whiskers.

Me:  I know. I know. They should be more like bulldogs.

Stella:  They could never hope to aim that high. We are efficient creatures. If we get food on our faces, we just let it stay until later when we need it.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Run Faster Than a Cat – Conversations with Stella

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I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Speed up, Lady Human! MoonCat is out running you…AGAIN!

Me:  Honestly, we are not racing.

Stella:  Don’t ever let a cat know that you can’t run as fast as she can. She will never let you forget it. She will always be running ahead of you and getting to her food bowl first and…well, cats should not be allowed to think they are faster than you are. That’s all.

Me:  Did you lose a race with MoonCat?

Stella:  Lady Human! What a wild idea! Bulldogs never lose anything to cats. If they did, what would the world be coming to?

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Bulldog Demands – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. As representative of the pack, I have certain demands, Lady Human.

Me: Oh, boy, here we go.

Stella:  First, more meals.

Me:  You each get three meals a day. That is plenty. Anymore and you may bloat.

Stella: Also double the food at each meal.

Me:  Your meals are carefully measured. Doubling your food will turn you all into tubbies that won’t be able to fit through the doors.

Stella: So what’s the problem?

Me: The answer is no. Is that all, Your Majesty?

Stella:  I’m just getting started. More treats. And they have to be bacon.

Me:  Nope.

Stella:  No nail trimming.

Me:  Nope.

Stella:  No ear cleaning.

Me:  Nope.

Stella:  I’m glad we agree.

Me:  We don’t.

Stella:  It’s been nice negotiating with you, Lady Human. Always a pleasure getting our way.

Me:  Hmmmph. Bulldogs.

Stella:  Yep.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

“Bulldog” Is Not An Excuse – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges.

Me:  Stella, come here. It’s time to go out.

Stella:  Nope.

Me:  Uh, yep. It is. Why not?

Stella:  Bulldog.

Me:  That is not an excuse for not doing what I say.

Stella:  Of course, it is.

Me:  All right then, if you’re not going to go out, at least finish your meal.

Stella:  Nope.

Me: Whyever not?

Stella: Bulldog.

Me:  Not an excuse. Also, it doesn’t answer my question.

Stella:  Don’t have to answer because…bulldog.

Me: Oh, all right. Have it your way. I still say ‘bulldog’ is not an excuse.

Stella:  It’s worked pretty well for me thus far.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Bulldog Canvas – Conversations with Stella and Wiggles

Posted on by H.J. Hill


I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human! Wiggles looks weird.

Me:  What’s wrong? Oh…

Wiggles:  Something happened. I don’t know what. The little human was petting me and was scratching on paper with a stick and some smeary stuff that wasn’t peanut butter because it didn’t smell good like peanut butter and…

Me:  Yeah, that’s green paint. Hold on. I’ll clean it off.

Wiggles:  She painted me?

Me:  I think she just didn’t have control of her brush. It’s only watercolor. Look. I’ve already gotten a good bit of it off.

Wiggles:  Why did she paint me green? Did she want me to look like grass?

Me:  No. It was an accident.

Wiggles:  Doesn’t she like the way I look?

Stella:  It’s not your fault, Wiggles. The humans are always swinging their scratchy sticks around, marking on things. You just got in the way this time.
 

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Blow Hard – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, hold onto something. The wind is trying to carry us away.

Me:  It is strong today. But I don’t believe we are in any danger of blowing away. We’re pretty heavy.

Stella:  It feels strange. What does it mean?

Me:  Winds in the tops of the trees usually mean something is about to change.

Stella:  Nope. I won’t allow it. I’m perfect just the way I am.

Me:  That’s a pretty bold claim. Most of us can stand a little bit of change.

Stella:  Not me. Just watch me blow back and see what a bulldog can do.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

A Moderate Bulldog? – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges.

Me:  Hey, girl. A little heavy handed there. Hold back.

Stella:  Whatever do you mean?

Me:  You pounding me with your paw.

Stella:  I’m just being friendly.

Me:  I just need you to moderate your pounding, that’s all.

Stella: What does ‘moderate’ mean?

Me:  It means average, not extreme, not intense.

Stella: Oh, that explains it. Not a bulldog.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Packing Your Bags – Conversations with Stella and the Pack

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human!

Wiggles:  LADY HUMAN!

Doodlebug:  LADY HUMAN!!!

Miss Sweetie:  LADY HUMAN!!!!!

Me: Coming! Coming! What is it?

Stella:  It’s the cat…AGAIN!

Miss Sweetie:  The cat is weird. And I don’t mean bulldog weird.

Me:  Where is she? MoonCat?

Wiggles: She’s hiding because she’s weird.

Doodlebug:  THERE! THERE!!! THERE!!! THERE!!!!

MoonCat: Meow.

Me:  Oh, I see. She’s just stuck her head through the handle of a plastic bag…And the plastic bag has other plastic bags stuffed inside of it. You must have been sniffing around in the pantry again. Let me get it off. Hold still. It is kind of funny looking. Like she’s wearing a shoulder purse.

MoonCat:  Don’t take them. I like them. They make me look like you when you carry a bag of bags.

Stella:  She was strutting around here like she’s all that and a bag of…whatever.

Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

A Pile of Plush – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill
I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, shhhh! Look!
 
Me:  What?
 
Stella:  The little human. She has a whole pile of toys.
 
Me:  Yeah. She enjoys plush animals. Mostly dogs.
 
Stella:  But does she know?
 
Me:  Know what?
 
Stella:  That they aren’t real. Shhhh! She is talking to them.
 
Me:  I think she knows the difference between plush toys and you all. For example, she never tries to feed her toys with real food, but she knows that you eat real food. Right now, she’s just using her imagination. She’s pretending they’re real.
 
Stella:  So her imagination, whatever that is, lets her talk to a pile of plush like they’re real animals.
 
Me:  Yeah, it’s a game.
 
Stella:  Imagination sounds scary. I’m glad I don’t have one. Now where’s my chew bone.
 
 
 
Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Right Reserved.

Spring-Loaded Leg – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill
I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges.
 
Me: Can you control your leg?
 
Stella:  What leg?
 
Me: The one you’re hitting me with.
 
Stella: I would never hit you. I am loving on you.
 
Me:  Sure feels like hitting to me.
 
Stella:  I can’t help it if my leg is a spring-loaded machine.
 
Me:  You don’t have control over your leg?
 
Stella:  No, I don’t. You do. It is so simple. Just pet me and scratch my ears and don’t stop…ever.




 
 
Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Flying Leaves – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill
I am Stella, Queen of Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, there are weird things going on outside.

Me: Not surprising at all.

Stella: I think the trees are shaking their leaves off.

Me:  Not surprising either. This is the autumn of the year. The season we call ‘fall’ for a reason.

Stella: So the trees just throw away all those perfectly good leaves? What a waste.

Me:  You’ll notice the leaves are pretty wrinkled and dry now.

Stella: It’s bad enough that the squirrels throw nuts down on our heads, but the trees think they should throw leaves down on our heads, too. Just wait until I find something that I can throw back up there at them.


 
 
Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Egg Dog Strikes Again! – Conversations with Stella and Wiggles

Posted on by H.J. Hill

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Whoa there! Hold your horses, Wiggles!

Me: Wiggles! No!
 
Wiggles:  What’s wrong?

Me:  You know what’s wrong.
 
Wiggles:  You are right. What’s wrong is there sits a plate full of luscious fresh eggs just off the stove and my mouth hasn’t had a single bite.
 
Me:  Those eggs are for Tall Man.
 
Wiggles:  As long as mine are on the way, ma’am.
 
Me:  Well, sorry, there won’t be any more eggs today.
 
Wiggles:  I knew it. I should have lunged faster and jumped higher.
 
 
Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Dirt Fill – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill
I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, I have a complaint.

Me: Am I surprised?

Stella:  If you are, you shouldn’t be. Have you seen how much dirt is in this here house?

Me:  As a matter of fact…

Stella: Where does dirt come from?

Me:  In case you haven’t noticed, dirt is everywhere we walk. The whole earth is made of the stuff in one form or another.

Stella:  That’s fine for outside…

Me:  I agree.

Stella:  But why are you bringing it inside?

Me:  Before you point the paw at me, check your feet.

Stella:  My feet are fine…oh, what’s that stuck to my toes?

Me:  TTiny pieces of the earth that accompanied you inside.

Stella: Well, you can tell those earth pieces to get right back outside where they belong.

Me: I’ll sweep them out.

Stella: And while you’re at it, sweep your feet. And mine. Dirt and bulldogs don’t mix.
 


 
Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.     

The Human Zoo – Conversations with Stella

Posted on by H.J. Hill
I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Humans will tell you that they are well-behaved, self-controlled, and super smart. I’m not so sure. Lady Human, what are you all doing?
Me: Nothing.
Stella: I don’t believe that. What is that squealing down the hall?
Me:  Oh, you know, the…
Stella:  The little human is squealing over some human game. Why? You don’t hear us making all that noise.
Me:  I hear y’all making a whole lot bigger noises than that sometimes.
Stella: And what’s all that door slamming?
Me: Oh, she and Tall Man are in a hurry. They’re getting ready to go to the zoo.
Stella:  The zoo? With all the big wild animals?
Me:  Yeah.
Stella:  Well, they ought to feel right at home then.
 
 
Copyright 2021 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.