Shocking Revelations of Spoiling

As I walked by Edward's bedroom this evening I peaked in to see if he was asleep. His head wasn't on the pillow and the bed appeared empty. I stepped into the room quietly searching the darkness and discovered Edward bent double on the bottom half of the bed. He mumbled something so I knew he was still awake. "Edward what are you doing?" I asked. He replied, "I'm giving Rocket the most comfortable spot." I glanced up and as my eyes had adjusted to the darkness I saw it: Red Rocket curled in the soft middle part of the mattress with his head on Edward's pillow...
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Back to School

Today is the first day of fall semester classes at WSU and for the first time in three years I step away from the administrator's desk and return to the classroom full time.  While this is usually the most exciting time of the year on a college campus it is bittersweet for me as I struggle facing my future and the decisions I will make about where to go from here.  As I raced to dress and hustle out of the house this morning I was vexed by Red Rocket and Rachsie who both are employed in the job I really want: professional napper.

Berlin Blanket Wall

Admittedly, the "Berlin Blanket Wall" title would have a bit more impact if the dogs on either side were both German dachshunds! This "wall" was created when August got out of bed and threw back the covers; Hank promptly jumped onto the warm spot in the bed and settled in next to Rosie.
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Happiness is...

...three dogs in a freshly made bed. Happiness for the dogs, that is. I am vexed by Hank's compulsion to rub his chocolate lab body all over the clean sheets, blankets and pillows to "christen" the bed. I suppose I should be thrilled he doesn't christen it in another manner...
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Good Morning?

This is what I saw when my alarm sounded this morning and I opened my eyes...
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PROOF! Not a Mirage!

I had to sneak carefully up to the back door to take this shot and Red Rocket saw the camera and had just started his leap out of the sandbox when I managed to snap this picture!

Breaking News

This just in: the winner of the "tonight I get to sleep with Edward" showdown is: Red Rocket!

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Showdown

Although Edward may be willing to exchange bed buddies tonight, Red Rocket is unhappy with the idea. I think we may have a showdown over who gets to sleep with Edward. Or they're going to have to share.
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Ring Around a Rosie

Rosie likes to sleep on Edward's botttom bunk. Tonight Edward asked if we could make it up special so he could snuggle with her (he usually sleeps on the top bunk with Red Rocket.) I made her a nest with Edward's "Kojo the Croc" blanket buddy and she has settled in for the night.
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Beached Whale

At long last we have had a break in the endless spell of arid, three-digit temperature days.  Last night a cool front moved through and we had a brief moment of thunder, lightning, a smattering of rain and a reduction of the high from 103 to 93 degrees.  In anticipation of this "relief" (?) August booked a tee time at the local golf course and planned to play his first round of golf in six weeks.  He was so excited that at about 8:30 last night he went into the garage to get his golf clubs and place them by the front door for a speedy departure in the morning.  That's when it happened.  Rosie snuck into the garage behind August and she didn't sneak out.  He was oblivious to the fact that she had followed him into the garage and shut the door between the garage and the house.  Was Rosie terrified and distressed?  No.  Locking Rosie in the garage was like locking a child in a candy store.  Because we had just purchased a brand new 44 pound bag of dogfood and had stored it, yes, you guessed it, in the garage. 

Did we notice she was missing?  No.  By 8:30 PM the dogs have usually all settled in for a snooze and so all was quiet.  At 9:30 PM August went into the kitchen and I heard him exclaim, "Oh, my!"  I was on the couch in the living room and yelled, "What's wrong?"  He came into the living room carrying Rosie in his arms and said, "Feel this belly."

Talk about bloated.  Like a sausage on the grill about to burst out of its casing.  Like a water balloon at the moment it's about to pop.  Like a 10 pound dog who has just feasted on a 44 pound bag of dogfood.  It didn't take us long to discover the evidence.  We knew she had gotten into something.  We found the dogfood bag with a small hole in the side.  I was actually relieved.  As faithful readers of the Red Rocket Report know we have a history of consumption of canine-unfriendly foods in this house... I knew Rosie would be uncomfortable but she would survive.  She laid on the chair in the living room like a beached whale and could barely waddle outside at "last potties" call (she did NOT receive the customary dog cookie upon returning to the house as the others did!)  She survived and is back swimming with the other fishes, metaphorically speaking that is.   

Imperfect Pitch

At our last parent-teacher conference at Edward's elementary school a very dedicated music teacher attempted to explain to us how Edward's singing lacked pitch.  As a public educator myself I try to take Edward's schooling very seriously but the reality was that if this gentleman was expecting Mommy to help with "pitch development homework" he was talking to the wrong parent.  The only person in our house with worse pitch than Edward is his mother.  As an art historian I am dedicated to the principle that "a picture is worth a thousand words" so I offer this photo as evidence.  Has anyone, EVER, seen Hank look less than thrilled, excited, and ecstatically happy during his waking hours?  Clearly Edward's attempts to entertain Hank with singing and clapping were not met with a standing ovation.

Mirage?

I suppose after enduring four weeks of 105 degree heat and no rain what I saw when I came home from work early this afternoon might have been a mirage... But I don't think so.  Edward's babysitter Gina tries to put all (or most) of the dogs outside when I pull up in the driveway so that when I walk in the door they don't jump up and snag my pantyhose if I'm dressed up.  My usual routine is to quickly change clothes and then let the dogs back in the house.  Today when I approached the back door Hank was waiting, tail wagging and body wiggling, to greet me.  But Red Rocket was not beside him.  I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up at the middle of the deck to find Red Rocket inside Edward's sand table digging with his single front paw and holding a plastic toy soldier in his mouth.  I suspect he was in the midst of burying a "kill" but he glanced up and saw me looking at him and jumped out of the box.  I tried to get him to "pose" for a blog shot but he refused; so I've posted a picture of the empty sandbox and you'll have to use your imagination.  If Wichita Red Rocket Report followers have trouble doing this just stand outside for 30 seconds and surely the resultant hot flash you experience will evoke the mirage.