Hey Dad, it’s your space explorer, Lollypop! Went on an adventure today in Pawsburgh. Basically, life on Mars but for dogs. Got groomed, ate a cheeseburger (salads are for rabbits!), sunbathed at Boxer Beach, and challenged Peggy to tug-of-war. Even pulled off an underwater rescue! Pawsburgh is my universe, full of fun, toys, and treats. Adventures done for today, just heard your car pulling up. See, who needs a starship when you’ve got Pawsburgh? LOL (Lots of Licks), Lollypop.

I think the first scent of adventure hit me when I sniffed my favorite Kong toy that morning. I knew it was going to be an extraordinary day, like the day when Dad accidentally dropped an entire cheeseburger and I, being the ever dutiful Lola, quickly cleaned up the mess.

The morning was a blur of routine until Dad’s car pulled out of the driveway. Then, Pawsburgh, here I come!

I arrived at The Doggie Daycare for a quick sprucing up. Gosh, the ordeal with those blow dryers. It’s like facing off with Dad’s vacuum cleaner. But hey, beauty has its price, right?

Next stop, The Fetching Deli. I cringed at the sight of a ‘Deluxe Salad’ on the menu. Excuse me, do I look like a rabbit? I demanded, with all the dignity of an Australian Bulldog, for a juicy cheeseburger, hold the rabbit food!

With a full stomach, it was off to Boxer Beach for some much-needed sunbathing. The sun on my spots, the sand between my paws, the breeze in my ears, it was pure ecstasy. The Pooch Playhouse was my final stop, where I met Peggy, my comrade-in-paws, to challenge her in a gripping match of tug-of-war.

What we lacked in the banter of science-geek Captains in a starship, we more than made up for in sheer animated enthusiasm. We played with the audacity of explorers out to conquer strange new worlds, boldly playing like no dog had played before. Peggy threw in a curveball by dragging me towards Golden Gate Gardens. Gardens to us are on par with the Klingon homeworld to a human — pretty to look at, but somewhat intimidating.

Spotted Red Beagle beach was next and I rescued my toy from being whisked away by the sea. Underwater rescue is definitely going on my dog resume.

Satisfaction reigned over us as we returned to Fetch! Toys and Treats to replace our toys, a bit battered by the day’s adventures.

To the untrained eye, Pawsburgh is just a town, a little haven in a world dominated by humans who just can’t appreciate the joys of a good Kong. But to adventurers like Peggy and me, it’s an entire universe waiting to be explored, one cheeseburger at a time.

The real space explorers have their starships, phasers, and some guy on retainer whose only job is to say, “Beam me up, Scotty.” But trust me, they could all use a little trip to Pawsburgh. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Dad’s car just pulled up the driveway, and an astronaut’s day is never done.

The End.