BEWARE of Little Brother

Dan and I enjoying the Christensen Reunion

Once Upon a Time (I had to start that way because this is as grim as any of Grimm's Fairy Tales) there was an older sister that went and spent her Spring Break with what family was available to her. Among those family members was her youngest brother, Dan. He is smart, full of stories, and completely dangerous to innocent older sisters.

For example, one evening I was feeling the need of a snack. So I looked in the pantry and discovered that the Good Morenings waffle cereal was almost gone. Since Dan was also in search of a snack, I went downstairs to get a new box. When I arrived back upstairs with my fresh box of cereal, Dan came out of nowhere and snatched it out of my hand. I thought to myself, "Huh, he must not have known about the other box." So I pull out my bowl, my spoon and get the old box out of the pantry. I open the box and am about to pour when *poof!* that box is snatched out of my hand as well... Watch out for that smart boy that looks all sweet and innocent, he may snatch 2 boxes of cereal right out of your hand!

Dan with Chewy, or rather, Chewy on Dan

Finally, as Chewy and I are about to depart from Payson Dan informs me, "You need to visit every Saturday from now on." Obviously I am flattered because he clearly wants to spend time with me. Then he goes on, "You need to come every Saturday to buy dog food because Chewy is staying here with me." Warm fuzzy feeling is gone. Not only did he have designs to steal my dog, but he also wants me to drive up every single week to buy food for that dog...

You have been warned. If you are ever in the presence of that little brother, beware! He may have designs on your cereal and your pets!

Girl Vs. Dog

Despite the title, I usually get along with my dog quite well, but there is one thing that always seems to set us at odds. This event occurs when I am trying to be a good and kind dog owner and recognize that my furry pal should have some exercise, and probably needs it more than I do since he has twice as many legs. So, like the kind friend to my dog that I try to be, I take him to the park. I look around to make sure that we are pretty lonely. I take him off his leash. That is when the battle starts.

I throw him a ball, and like the excited dog that he is, he runs to get it! The problem is, he does not always stop and come back. Occasionally he just keeps on running (trying to achieve his dream of being a bloodhound, I am sure). I whistle, I yell, I beg, I nearly cry and still I am faced with his tail getting smaller in the distance. What now? I have tried using my voice. (I know he can hear me, I test his hearing at home with whispers...) So what else is there but to go after him? I have discovered that when I chase him something in his doggy brain says, "Look at this! A new game! We are going this way and she is running too! She's calling my name? What fun!" Today I tried something new, today I thought, "Maybe if I throw the ball and start running the other way..." Nope.

Girl tries to do right by dog. Dog innocently starts war. Dog wins. Dog is completely oblivious to the whole battle. Girl comforts herself with the fact that the dog must love her a bit, because he at least always comes home with her...even if he doesn't always come when he is called. The end.