Do you resemble your dog?

Due to recent events , I've begun to wonder if dogs are a reflection of their owners public and non public persona.
Do loving dogs live with loving people?
Sneaky dogs with dishonest owners?
Aggressive dogs with abusive jerks?
Silly dogs with jesters?
Barking dogs with the gregarious or shouters?
Shy dogs with reclusive people?
Hyper dogs with ADD sufferers?

Leelu and I were recently attacked on our own property by a distant neighbors two black labs. This was the fourth attack by these dogs and each incident has progressively become more violent. We have not been bitten yet, but we've both been "tumbled". The last attack had me taking giant leaps down my steep driveway in an attempt to regain my balance.
The owner of these dogs seems to think that her dogs behavior is our fault for some incomprehensible reasoning of her own.

Her attitude and the behavior of her dogs has me wondering....is there spousal abuse going on? Is someone in the house a bully working their way into becoming a criminal? Are they liars, making threats that hurt others but are never followed through on, are they in self denial about something?

I realize that the breed of a dog has something to do with it's personality, however I firmly believe the old saying that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners.

I wonder if the FBI or CIA make profiles on people based on their pets?! Should employers start interviewing the family dog before they hire the owner? Before a day care worker is allowed to be licensed should they have to successfully raise a loving and happy puppy?

So I guess for all the dog owners out there, take note that note is being taken.....by me at the very least! And if you didn't know that people judge you by your kids behavior, they do and your pets may be a means by which your life is being scrutinized also.

MY OH MY!

The Seattle Mariners were host to Ralph and Joyce Giffin on Friday the 22nd of August. They graciously posed for our photographer as they enjoyed their view from the owners suite. It's our understanding that they dined on a medley of salads, steak and fish along with all the traditional fare of popcorn, peanuts, and Cracker Jacks although Ralphs favorite, potato salad, was a no show.

The world famous staff were impressed with the Giffin's amiable personalities, and being aware that their 50th anniversary happens this October, presented them with armloads of gifts.

This was Ralph and Joyce's first attendance at a Mariner game and it is our firm belief that the team was so honored by their presence that they found it within themselves to pull out a win after a 7 game loosing streak....sorry Oakland!

Ralph Giffin was spotted the next day at the 4th annual Boeing Classic at Snoqualmie Ridge TPC golf club, where he was no doubt supporting rumored buddy Bob Gilder.

Ralph was embarrassed to be caught with a Coke Bottle as Pepsi is his beverage of choice.

Leelu and the foot

Leelu has taken to sleeping on my head at night????? I managed to get the camera to Kent when she was curled up at my neck.

We are back to regular life after nearly 3 weeks spent in the family cabin at Crescent Lake in the beautiful Cascade Mountain range of Central Oregon.

We spent the first week and a half with Kent's family then the rest of the time was all by ourselves. It was good to have everyone around for rowdy games of spoons and laughter filled dinners...it was also good to have the place to ourselves so we could shower with the door open and lather up while looking out at the lake.

Leelu had a blast! She swam, then rolled in the sand, swam, then rolled in the sand, swam, then rolled in the sand, swam.....well you get the picture! Then she chased dragonflies and butterflies when she wasn't sitting fearlessly on the nose of the boat like some furry mast head!

Have you seen that really cool spray on, waterproof, suntan lotion that is fool proof for preventing sun burned toes? Well gals, before you spritz over those spendy or even cheap pedicures and manicures, let me warn you that it melts nail polish and is almost impossible to wash off. After having my new polish on for a grand total of 1-1/2 days, I ended up with not only melted polish but with dirt stuck in the sticky mess that defied polish remover. I went into a shop to try on some sandals and realized with horror, that in spite of removing the polish and scrubbing my feet and toes, the lotion remained and was collecting dirt making my feet look as if they hadn't seen soap in months.....how embarrassing! I had to use oil and a terry towel to scrub my feet, taking off a layer of skin with the dirt and lotion. Almost 3 weeks later and I'm still working on my toe nails with a stiff brush and soap with only small success.

As a finale to our vacation we celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary by having dinner at the Trout House in Sunriver. We hadn't been there in years because of a really bad episode of terrible service and food, and where I watched our waitress leave the restroom after using it without washing her hands. However, since it had been a favorite for a long time we decide to give it another try. Well...there wasn't anything on the menu that didn't have some weird sauce on it (I'm not a sauce person, especially sweet with meat types which these were) so I requested no sauce and got it anyway, on both the main course and dessert, making both nearly inedible to me. Would you believe that after the meal, I once again, while in the restroom watched a waitress leave without washing her hands?!!! Can you say NAUSEATING? They've lost our business permanently I think. The day was redeemed with hot chocolate chip cookies which we baked ourselves and a movie in our improvised home theater which involved a digital projector, mini DVD player, and a sheet along with the big sound of the cabin speakers.