Backyard Camping

Since last night was National Backyard Camping Day, I decided the dogs and I would participate. First came the puzzle of setting up the "1930 tent," as N dubbed it. I tried laying out the tent and placing the poles along side of it, but within just a few minutes they literally became "too hot to handle." So I took the task into the air conditioning. I made several geometric designs on the living room floor, focusing mainly on the ones with the holes. After about 10 minutes and 2 refreshing drinks, inspiration struck! I then came up with the final and correct design. Implementing it single handedly, was the bigger challenge. When the task was complete, I really needed to cool down. M left me a cute little pool that sets up instantly. Believe me, I made the most of it. When B came home, I lit up the BBQ and grilled the dogs. Oh come on, you know what I mean. We watched a movie and indulged in smores. Then I introduced the dogs to their new "digs" for the night. After C-the-younger barked at every rustle for 45 minutes, I changed places with her and slept by the door myself. It was sweltering hot, and everybody's sprinklers seem to go on after midnight. Of course, except mine. I did some sprinkler repair earlier in the day, and was pleased at myself that I had remembered to hit the "rain" button. Damn the technology, they triggered anyway! A rainbird was trained right on my tent at 12:45am. By the time I lept from the tent, and dashed for the house and then the garage, my clothes were drenched. On my way back through the house, I seriously considered leaving the wet clothes on, perhaps it would keep me cooler, out in the un-air conditioned tent? Well, it was fairly peaceful after that. The crickets were serenading the strange birds that like to sing at night. But I could hardly hear them over the ruckus coming from H the cat. She apparently didn't want to be trapped in the house and left out of the fun. At 2:35 I got up again, and closed all the windows in H the cat's room. It resulted in only dulling her cries. She finally quit sometime after 3am.... I was awake by 5:45 (the heat) and broke camp and was all packed up by 6:00am. I can't wait until next year.

The Vacume

Well I've already told most of you, but it wouldn't hurt to put it in writing. A texted me last weekend, "my wife is crazy." So I just had to call him back. When he answered, he and N were in the store, and I could hear her in the background "whooping" it up with triumphant sounds. She was celebrating the 10% discount they had just won. A explained that they had just bought a vacuum cleaner, and the store's policy was that they would match a competitor's price, plus a 10% discount. Well, N had found it cheaper elsewhere, and now she was savoring the moment....so that the rest of the store could hear!
The madness doesn't stop there, A proudly explained that he was the owner of a new, Dyson "The Animal." Yes, the RR of vacuums! The top of the line, it'll eat anything you put in front of it...the best that there is! At animal hair anyway. He has been secretly coveting this since January when he saw what it could do with the shed from a husky on a dark carpet. As one of his sisters said, "This must be one of the top ten signs that you're no longer a bachelor, when buying a vacuum sends you into ecstasy." He spent the next two days in bliss, spring cleaning the carpet, couch, walls, ceiling.......

The Puzzling Summer

Summer is here,
The weather is hot,
It’s ripe for indoor entertainment.
So we sit on the floor
And we emptied our box,
It’s time for some puzzle enjoyment.

The challenge is fine,
The picture this time,
Is a classic old black and white snap shot.
Lunch on a steal beam,
New York skyline’s the scene,
And construction makes a curious backdrop.

We’re ready to start,
Five hundred pieces to sort,
With the frame the first part assembled.
It proves harder than we’d thought,
So much black and white art,
And the grey tones mixed together and jumbled.

The progress seems slow,
“Where does this piece go?”
Then our task attracts one most coquettish.
She’s a lovely black poodle,
She’s a “Brain” not a “Noodle,”
With an unbeknown ‘puzzle piece’ fetish.

We enjoy while we’re able,
But we must leave the table,
There’s work and schedules to keep.
Then return with resolve,
But the puzzle we can’t solve,
And our picture seems strangely incomplete.

We look everywhere,
But eleven aren’t there!
And our success has been thwarted this time.
Her name rhymes with “Trouble”
We suspect on the double, she ate them!
Now there’s just four eighty-nine.

Jobs

Well the PSPD seems to want me. Apparently they have 3 openings. Of the 16 they tested, 6 passed. I had the highest score....helps to take the exact same test 5 times in 18 months! All six were invited for interviews. Two didn't show up, and two failed the interview. Guess what, I'm at the top of their list of....two. They have started my background check, and will probably contact all or most of you, so keep those skelletons deep in the back of your closets, I need the work!

Cute picture, huh?

Doggie Olympics

Our return to the desert was fairly low-stress and uneventful. The weather co-operated and was unseasonably cool, providing a smoother transition. The cats remembered the dogs, and I really believe are happy to have them back. Maybe it signals normality to the cats. Heaven knows it isn't the affection from the dogs since Erin studiously ingors them and the poodles love to pounces and watch them scamper.

About the third day after our return, the antics started. While most of the blame can be placed on C the younger, they have all had a share in the fun! The olympic events have included: eating batteries (there have so far been two legs to this event), knocking over the potted plant and digging it out, eating the 4 day old area rug, raiding the bathroom trash, licking the paint off the walls and ripping the phone jack out of the wall. The daytime jovality is followed by midnight urping.

I've been brainstorming for solutions and have settled on the idea of one, or more if necessary, open-grilled crates for containing the marathon party pups.