Lucky

I am taking a moment to reflect. (Actually I was napping.)

But now that I am awake it is good to reflect. It is almost Thanksgiving and my Best Friend is visiting me and I have been invited to at least one holiday meal (though rumor is I am banned from another). The sun shines every few days and the river still hasn't frozen up so there is still outdoor swimming for intrepid red dogs. These all go into the category of things I am thankful for.

Also in that category: new liver treats, kicking up my white heels walking in the oak leaf drifts, chasing squirrels, going to the dogpark with Tasha and her Bark, riding in the car and sleeping on the couch.

It would seem that I am thankful for companionship, adventure and purpose (and food). And I am lucky to have all of those things. And that is why my full name is Lucky Finnegan!

Sharing

Today I turned up my nose at walking around the lake in one of my city's finer zip codes and decided to stick to basics: sun, sand and surf in my own neighborhood. And I invited my best frenemy to join me.

Tasha the Barking Sheltie headed down to the Mighty Mississippi with me. You might think I am a wild one but get a load of this walking hairdo of a dog!

If I had hair like that I'd probably bark more too. Think of how frilly and whirly and swirly Tasha's whole body must feel. Every part of her is blowing in the wind, my friend.

I am more of a close cropped, no fuss no muss kind of guy. A fine coat like Tasha's would trip me up on my adventures and clog up with debris. And I am sure I am more aerodynamic than that furry girl. I don't need any additional turbulence when I head into adventures - I make enough of my own and sure don't need my fur doing it for me. Speaking of adventures, looks like I'm into one now!

Artless

Being a companion animal to my Person isn't easy. I spend a lot of time sitting on my heels waiting for something interesting to happen.

And even then, my Person's idea of interesting is not really very interesting to a little red dog. Reading is not interesting to me. One would be better off asleep and in fact when reading is going on you can count on my having a snooze.

Painting is not very interesting either except for when my Person is eating and painting at the same time and I end up with most of her snack because she drops it when she switches paint brushes.

Being told it is super supper time and then having to wait while my Person dithers around making her own supper or just plain forgets about me and goes back to painting instead is really not interesting.

I am trying all my best heart string plucking plaintive expressions. Do I hear the sounds of kibble in my dish? No, just the swirl of turpentine and clatter of brushes. Maybe I need to brush up on the art of making myself more interesting!

Trick or treat

The season of holidays has begun. First the world turns yellow and orange and then the leaves fall and the cold rains come and before you know it Halloween is upon us. Next up are some other holidays which interest me only because a lot of good food is served and my human cousins drop a lot of it on the floor under their chairs.

But Halloween is most compelling for a dog. On Halloween night the children of the neighborhood swap their jeans and t-shirts for costumes and show up right at your door in the dark, yelling and laughing and asking for treats.

This is my territory!! I am supposed to be performing for treats. And I am supposed to guard my house against incursions by ghosts, princesses and knights. So what happens on this special night? I get tethered to a chair in the kitchen and told to be quiet!! I don't get to charge the door. I don't get to scare the vampires and skeletons and ghost brides. I have to stay in the kitchen, alone, while Adric patrols and gets first crack at household defense.

What a horrid night. It was no treat for me, just a terrible trick.