Heya,

Adventures in Pawsburgh are even wilder than my tail wags! 🐾 Played ambassador to alien visitors today while munching on a PB muffin. Turns out, donuts and bow ties are universal peacekeepers. Who knew? 🍩👽 Keep the treats ready; our extraterrestrial friends might be back for seconds.

Tail wags and stargazes,
Junie 🐕✨

Listen to the story here

You ever have one of those mornings where the sun slaps you awake, and the scent of adventure is nestled in the air, heavy like the promise of endless peanut butter? Yeah, it was one of those in Pawsburgh. I’m Junie, dog of unknown escapades, and this is my tale; sit, stay, and enjoy the ride.

It hit us harder than a ten-pound bag of kibble dropping from the top shelf – an invasion, they said, right on the furry doorstep of Ruby Rottweiler Ridge. Was it the pesky squirrels leveling up their game, or something more, out of this world? “Out of this world?” Sounds like a premise of a cheesy B-movie, doesn’t it? But there I was, squinting up at the sky, only to see – I kid you not – tin cans on strings. Aliens, apparently.

I thumped my tail in uncertain Morse code against the floor of The Woofy Bakery, where I’d stopped for my usual morning muffin – yes, the peanut butter one, don’t judge. Mrs. Pawsley the poodle, who owned the joint, was already hiding behind a mountain of flour bags, quivering like a jelly on a washing machine. “Junie,” she whined, sprinkle of flour dusting her poof, “what do we do?”

I nuzzled her. “You keep baking,” I assured her. “There’s an Earth to save and a belly to fill.”

With my muffin secure, I trotted down Pearl Papillon Promenade, where I found the gang – the squirrel, the reluctant cat, and whispering sparrows, all gazing skyward, fear wrinkling their whiskers. Except the sparrows, they just looked hungry.

“Looks like E.T. took a wrong turn at Albuquerque,” quipped the squirrel, because of course he would.

Then, the light – brighter than a human leaving the fridge open overnight – hovered above Tail-Twitching Treats. We huddled, and I took the lead. What? With a snout like mine, you’d smell options too.

And believe me or not, those aliens talked. Something about “universal peace,” “sharing knowledge,” and “do you have snacks?” I tuned back when they said snacks, my kind of extraterrestrial dialogue.

“I think… we offer them a tour,” I ventured. Imagine that? An Earth creature hosting aliens. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

We took them to the Pawfect Pastries for donuts, courtesy of Mrs. Pawsley’s generosity and my convincing tail wags. We even made a pit stop by The Snooty Snout Boutique, where the aliens – pallid green things with eyes as big as frisbees – tried on bow ties. “Stylish,” I woofed, clapping paws in approval.

All the while, I planned – yes, the squirrel helped. He had a knack for strategy, probably why he always gave me slip ups during the chase. Our grand plan? Butter them up with kindness. If E.T. likes donuts, the movie rights will be colossal.

In the end, the aliens wagged their own tiny tails, signing “peace” with their spindly fingers, and took off with a box full of treats and ties.

So, from high-wire suspense in Hound Heights to snacking with aliens over Paw Pad Thai, we did it all. Maybe it wasn’t an invasion but the most extraordinary potluck Pawsburgh ever hosted.

As the stars reclaimed the evening stage, I lounged on the cool earth, the rising moon painting silver streaks across my golden coat. The gentle scratch behind the ears came, blissful and grounding.

And somewhere, above in the cosmos, extraterrestrial beings were breaking bread – or rather, peanut butter muffins. I smiled to the night sky, filled with unknowns, and thought, “Not bad for a day’s work, eh, Universe?”

Tomorrow, more adventures await. But for now, let’s dream of infinity… and beyond.

The End.