Memorial Day

I've spent a lot of time yesterday and today thinking about my dad, who was with the 1st Marines at Guadalcanal, and ancestors who fought on both sides of the Civil War, and the cousin who was a WWI doughboy--as well as the soldiers who are still dying and being wounded. It's been a very quiet day.

(You know, it is truly frightening to hear some perky woman declare that "it's awesome the way that they present it [the Bible] as scientific, because it *is* scientific, it really is" in reference to the Creation Museum.)

The Ts were barking at a passing dog this morning. When Taenzer raises her hackles, all this long hair over her shoulders stands up, and she looks like one of those long-haired brown hyenas (and sometimes sounds like one, too, when she's excited). Timber has this big mane on his neck and shoulders anyway, so when he raises his hackles he looks about a third bigger.

He's so cute. He's SO cute. We were getting ready to go out to the puppy pen today. I'm trying to get serious about having them sit to get their kennel-loops put on and to stay sat until I release them. So this afternoon he sat--then he sat up, like a little squirrel, until I put the noose over his head--then he dropped down but kept his big brown eyes glued to my face, all eager anticipation. He really gets that he's waiting for me to give the word; Taenzer doesn't always act like she does. Of course, I had to laugh and give the release and get out of the way so they didn't knock me over as they rushed downstairs. He has me wrapped around his paw, and I suspect he knows it.

He hates hot weather. He spent a lot of time last summer in the bathtub (which is cast-iron). It's not really hot yet, but the humidity bothers him, and I've caught him in the tub a couple of times. I need to start carrying my camera at the ready, because it's pretty cute to see this little head suddenly pop up over the edge of the tub.

Taenzer handles the heat better, and spends most of her time with me, and has this endearing way of snuggling up against me and putting her head in my lap when I'm on the computer (I sit on the couch--bad form, but that's how it's set up). Even if it's disgustingly hot, I love it when she does that.

Now, when it's stinky hot and Annie wants to sit in my lap, I'm like "Ewww! It's hot! Get away!" I don't have that quite figured out--I think it has to do with the cloud of cat hair and also, somehow, the GSDs don't feel as hot--their coats must insulate *me* from their body heat.

Welp. Gotta go pick up dog poop for tomorrow's trash pick-up.