Loads of fun was had by all!  As usual, the car ride to the vet and back was filled with whining, panting and extra shedding due to stress, that's always a good time. The vet wanted to stich up one of the wounds from the fight, but after a bit of discussion Sam and I decided we'd forego that activity.  He was initially keen on the idea of getting stoned on anesthesia again.  But when I reminded him that in addition having a great time because he was so high, he also threw up, he changed his mind.  

Too bad none of you could join us, we missed everyone and hope that you'll be able to attend in the future.

Yesterday, while I was in the shower, Sam and Steve got into it.  I'm not sure who started it or what was said to set it off. I do know that I had to jump out of the shower to break it up.  Thank god I live in the middle of nowhere.  The disagreement was taking place in the living room in front of the big windows, I had wrapped a towel around myself but I was dripping wet when I got there.  Needless to say, it took a bit to pull the boys apart and in the course of that I lost my towel.  I had a brief thought about what I would tell the paramedics if I had to call them: "could we look for my right breast before you take me to the hospital? and I think several of my fingers went under the couch"  I wasn't hurt, but the boys can't say the same.  Jerks. Both of them

This is what came out of Beau.  it had been one week since I brushed him.  Again, A Weiner is included for scale.  That's Wesson.

Mr. Smith is included for scale.  As I've said, I adore all of them, but jesuschristonacrutch, there's a lot of loose hair in my house

Fur babies.

I hate that phrase.  I threw up in my mouth a little just typing it.  I try not to be judgemental, but damn it's hard not to think of people as complete nutjobs when they, in all sincerity, refer to their animals as "fur babies".  It's just as irritating when those same people call my animals the same thing.  Let's review folks; my dogs are NOT my babies, I did NOT give birth to them  There are 3 humans (mostly human, most of the time) that actually came out of my body; they qualify as being my babies. Can you say the same for your 4 legged friends?  God I hope not.  And if you did, why wasn't it on the cover of The National Inquirer.

I love my dogs, I love all animals but I don't think of them as hairy inarticulate people so let's stop referring to them as such.  

Maybe I should amend that last statement.  I don't really love reptiles, and I wonder about the people who keep them as pets.  None of them are terribly interactive, that applies to both the animals and their owners. I know it's not a reptile, but is a fish really a pet?  More like a knickknack I think.  Or wallpaper. As far as snakes go, I don't want to share my life with anything that prefers live food and only swallows it whole. And chameleons just plain creep me out.  It's not natural to have eyes that swivel around like that, although I'll admit that being able to change colors is pretty cool.  But not cool enough to compensate for the eyes. And lizard that are constantly flicking their tongues in and out.  They say they're "tasting" the air, but I think it's really a sign of contempt for their keepers and humankind in general.

So, keep whatever animals you want and/or enjoy, but please stop calling the ones with hair fur babies.  Please.