Hot Dogs and the Pear Shaped Toad!

Okay so by now you know that summer in Eastern Oregon is hot...one might even say hellatiously hot but then when you compare the heat of say, Iraq for instance, it's really a balmy day in spring...but I wander from my story.

We at our little house on the prairie have two dogs, they are brothers and their names are Sandy and Rocky. Sandy is the brains and Rocky is the brawn. Literally. I honestly believe that Sandy sits around thinking of odd things to tell Rocky to do. And Rocky does them...

On Monday Mr. Man (you probably don't know him by that name but please know this, the entire four legged world calls him thus) went on a business trip. I drove him away to the "Beetle that Eats You and Then Spits You Out Far Away" which is how the dogs see an airplane. Monday night was an adventure because I was looking for the dogs and couldn't find them then when I had finally given up, I was back in my room folding clothes and other domestic such activities and suddenly I saw a black face with shining eyes right at my window...I ran to the window because as you can see Rocky is not as tall as the window nor is he able to stand on his hind legs to pretend but do you know, he had the audacity to climb up on my bike (which is parked right below my window) and poked his face in to let me know they were home. I know Sandy put him up to it!

Tuesday morning arrived and as I was leaving for work I turned to care for these two adorable darlings. I reached down for the pan we keep full of water and looking up at me as if to say "gudday" was a Toad. Apparently his name is Aristotle but that's an entirely different story. So Aristotle is looking at me and I'm squealing like Cinderella's stepsister I don't want to say it but I just know those dogs were laughing at me so hard...I realized that I'm the only one home and if the two darlings are to get their water it is going to have to be ME that deals with Aristotle so I figured I'll just start pouring water on him and he'll leave. I turned the water on and it filled the pan...Aristotle as you see is a TOAD not a FROG...he didn't like the water, but was too fat to get out of the pan...he kept gulping for air and telling me "please would you either stop with the rain or get me out of here?" I assured him were he to be set free from the pan of water it would certainly not be by my hands but that yes, I would indeed get him out. I poured the pan of water gently into the weeds (I thought it was gently anyway) and Aristotle laid there on his side looking a bit confused for a moment then lumbered to his feet and walked away...I filled the pan with water and went to work.


Tuesday afternoon I got home and to me it looked as though the dogs hadn't touched their water. It was already over 100 degrees there so I just KNEW they must be HOT...as a random act of kindness I filled a pitcher with water and poured it over Sandy's head. He LOOKED grateful but what I understand is that he sighed patiently and said to Rocky "I hate it but she insists on doing it so I'll just let her think it's okay." I turned to Rocky who took off...I chased him around with a full pitcher of water shouting such things as "come back here, I KNOW you're hot!" I splashed it in his general direction a couple times and got his tail and his right ear wet...he stopped and looked at me saying quite plainly, "WHY...why do you INSIST on this!" so I started after him again and we ran around in the yard a little bit until I stepped on one of their bones and after letting forth an impressive string of colorful expletives I turned to go in the house...Rocky and Sandy both chuckled at me amiably and looked at each other proudly "can't wait to tell Mr. Man how we kept her amused while he was away!"

WHATEVER

This morning I gave them their water, Aristotle had decided it was in his best interest to just stay away until I was gone, I cautiously opened the dog food bin just in case a stupid mouse decided to go in there and the rest of the Caring For the Most Venerable and Highy Respected Canines went smoothly.

Mr. Man is back again so I'm sure they're all going to just pretend none of this happened and that I somehow made it up out of the clear blue sky...

don't you think?