Reasoning with dogs

So this morning our big newfie, Zora, just couldn't be bothered to stand up.  She was all, "Yeah, I'll go on that walk with you.  IF YOU'LL CARRY ME."  Which, that wasn't going to happen since she weighs close to 200 pounds and also smells a little bad right now.

So then Ken Cannon started talking to her in his frustrated-but-trying-to-be-reasonable voice, telling her that she had to get up because he had to be in court this morning and didn't have time to mess around with a lazy dog pretending to be a hairy sofa right there in the entryway.

The I-have-to-be-in-court-this-morning argument?  Didn't work.  I don't recommend it for you and your dog.

When experiences turn into columns

The funny thing is that five minutes before I got pulled over on Saturday, I was wracking (is that the word I want?  Is it spelled that way?) my brain for a column idea.  Oh, Universe.  You're such a joker.

A few garden shots for your viewing pleasure

In some ways this is my favorite time of year for my garden.  Everything is big and blowsy and all yellowing around the edges.  I'm not a photographer, so there's nothing special about these pictures.  But whatevs.   Enjoy your Monday!

A nice little stand of anenomes

Asters and roses

Asters and roses, part deux

Who doesn't love a Cinderella pumpkin?

More anemones

Statue of boy peeing in memory of all the boys who have, in fact peed in this garden

Leaves on sidewalk

A sea of autumn color

Boys

Boys crack me up.

Last night we went to a fundraiser for our friend Phil Spencer who's wife, Mel, has breast cancer.  Anyway, the Jazz Bear made an appearance and you should have seen all the little boys in attendance go CRAZY right there in the church cultural hall.  They were were squealing and chasing the bear around and smacking each other and laughing up a lung or two.

So I said to Ken Cannon, "I love little boys."

Today Geoff went up to Ken Cannon and said in a fake-earnest-therapist-type voice, "Let's break down some emotional barriers right now, shall we?"  Then he hugged his dad sensitively.

So I said to Ken Cannon, "I love big boys, too."

Logan on my mind

I spent part of the day in Logan and, as always, I found myself wishing I could have seen my dad play college ball at USU.  The old DN writer Hack Miller once wrote that pound for pound, he was the "mightiest man God ever made."  I would have loved to watch him make his crazy mad man hits.

Days like today are reminders, of course, that your parents had huge lives before you came along.  And after you went away.

What husbands worry about

The other day Ken Cannon told me what he worries about if he were to die before I do.

ME:  What's that?

KC:  I'm not sure who will lock the doors after I go.

I didn't see that one coming.

A love song to a childhood friend

That's kind of what this week's column is, I think.  Lucky to have known Gigi Ballif for most of my life.