“Smart Dog!”, comments the park employee from the rolled down window of his official vehicle. Our soft trail crosses the access road at 90 degrees and I was on the other side looking back for dawg lagging behind when I spotted the ranger. I thought we were busted. It was not a question of the pet’s safety, the truck was moving quite slowly probably deciding how my predicament would play out. Having awareness of the local animal leash law it was show time for us. Dawg would either make us both look good, else we were setting ourselves up for a warning lecture. It would not have been too swift for him to scamper across the roadway to join me. I faced him and gave a single wait voice command (which he knows) and he held short at the edge. Whew! I backtracked to rejoin him as he waited obediently and Mr. Ranger rolled on passed. I was relieved to hear ‘smart’ as opposed to the ‘leash’ word earful. Good dog!

B.O.U.R.Girl screams for me from the wardrobe like the actress that she is, “there’s a b-b-b-bug!”. And yes, it’s a big dern cock-a-roach trying to blend with my maroon bath towel. I grab a hind leg with bare fingers only to lose the rest of the body into the shower mat below where it tries furiously to entrench and burro in. Gottcha, uh huh. I’m rewarded with a shot of stink and the creature rakes my finger with its other barbed leg but I cling and rush the perpetrator over to the toilet and bombs away. I had to wash hands (twice).

I didn’t exactly blush like a school girl but come-on. Our round table group in the employee break room latched onto family topic as we caught part of an TV ad about ‘4-D ultrasounds’. What ta heck is that and the FA (who just happens to be due) pipes up that she’d like one of those… I asked if she hadn’t had an ordinary 3-D and she gushed, “oh yes, you see I have a ‘tipped uterus’ and the baby’s heart beat was hard to hear the first week and…” I’m trying to keep my appetite while gulp down my soup and wonder where this is going. The FO next to me has a 3 year old and would like to have another. The FA’s turn again, “oh! are you guys trying?” —- oh puulease! Leave something to the imagination will ya?

Happening: Big dang Doberman wrestles loose from petite woman handler as B.O.U.R.Girl and Hawk Dawg breeze past. The Dobie charges full on and sensing a tango she releases Hawg Dawg to self-help. Hawg Dawg bolts away in a full retreat with the aggressor in hot pursuit. They are now gone, out of sight down the path, leaving only the sensation and shame of your ‘brave’ dog being run off. But hold up! The handlers arrive and it’s a clean fight. The Doberman is down! Pinned! Hawg Dawg stands overhead victorious.

It’s like a scavenge hunt. No telling what avenues of exploration will appear next. That’s why I’m so proud of Mom H. She is taking the internet by the horns and has a good understanding of it’s power. S’man and I are working on a project that will go live sometime soon. You are invited to a sneak preview of the prototype. Thanks for the inspiration Mom! — and keep on clicking those links.

This is on my nightstand and by the time I’ve reached the back cover I expect to be current on San Joaquin history, agribusiness, and geography. There is so much to learn.

Flower child called from the shop saying I’m having to stay late … there’s a wedding emergency. Okay. What the heck’s that? They forgot it was today? Or. They decide to get married quick before groom has second thoughts. It must be fairly common. A google search turns up quite a few hits (206,000)?!. There’s even an emergency wedding kit. No it’s not a shotgun 😉

I surprised a woman and her dog as I rounded a blind bend in the trail. I see hers wasn’t leashed either. I’m abeam already saying a pleasant hello when I notice her eyes go wide and it dawns on me that my lagging dog has popped into view. “Oh he’s awright”, I try to defuse any perceived anxiety. “Oh it’s him I’m worried about”. She makes an unsuccessful lurch. “BASIL will attack anything…”, and sure enough he’s now running flank to flank with mine who must out weigh this charger 2:1 easy. Well. I’m thinking. I know what would break him of that. Turn em’ loose!

The FA is on a diet. Unfortunately it’s a fraud. Her son, the PA, ran a bunch of tests on her and said she’s a ‘train wreck’. Of the best results she was only border line. I spied her brunching a McDonald’s ice cream top heavy with chocolate, peanuts, and a sprinkling of M&Ms. She called it aYogurt. She explains in Tennessee twang that “my doctor’s got me on this no sugar, no pasta, bread, and rice deal”. She’s told us this and in so doing reaffirms her positive feelings toward herself. Ain’t it funny people do these inner mind games. I personally don’t think that any doctor can do it for you, or to you, short of gastro-intestinal bypass. The desire to loose pounds has to come from within. Yes? She and the FO made dinner plans. The Lady & Sons — a well know family style establishment featuring southern cookin’… i.e. fried. I couldn’t bare to watch.

The dog’s owner was pulling into the driveway and Z-dog was going spaz at the door to be let outside to do the welcome, gee — I missed ya dog thing. I thought lemme help ya with that tricky turn the door knob action and off she bolted. While Z-dog was thinking YESSSS, Allison from the kitchen was beginning a slo mo lunge after him saying NOOOOOOO. Uh oh. Mybad. I knew that she was approved to go outside (and wouldn’t take off) but didn’t know that she was a tire biter with little respect or healthy fear for the rolling mass and inertia about to wheel into the garage. Man! I guess that would have put a big kybosh on our dinner party get together if I’d have got the dog run-over…