Foffdaughter: Remark

"Killing animals, if it must be done, is the butcher's business. But to spend a great deal of money on it in addition... I understand, of course, that there must be professional hunters to shoot sick animals. If only there were some danger connected with hunting, as in the days when men used spears for killing game. But today, when anybody with a fat belly can shoot the animal down at a distance... hunting and horse racing are the last remnants of a dead, feudal world."    -Adolf Hitler (remarks made at Obersalzberg, quoted in Alber Speer's Inside the Third Reich, chapter 7)

Foffmom: Hopeful

I was driving home after work, in a line of about ten cars on a busy two lane road. Suddenly, I spot a large turtle in full retract mode, in the middle of my lane. I hold my breath as the cars ahead of me straddle it (it is not moving, a smart idea), and I follow suit. Here goes the thought pattern: "Somebody needs to move that poor thing. (mumbling inner voice about being tired, wanting to get home, etc) Oh crap, I better turn around." 

I pull in a drive, and head back, hoping no one has swerved to flatten the poor thing. To my surprise, the turtle was gone! Despite Foffdaughter's teasing implications that my driving is so slow the turtle crawled away, the only possible explanation was another human picked it up. As long as it wasn't for consumption, this makes me feel better about my species... a rare event.

Foffdaughter: Rue the day

A question has a broad range of possibilities:
"What special stuff does he do?"  
"Why do you need to have that dog?"   
"Ohmigawd I would love to bring my dog everywhere I go!  Is that doggie vest for sale?"

"My daughter has been waiting so patiently to pet the puppy, and if you give the okay!..."
I'm sorry, but he is working.
"Oh she won't take but a few minutes of your time!"
 My minutes have a previous engagement to attend to.
"Well you have the dog.  Hang on one second- I want a picture of that face!"
No.  Thanks for this entire nothing, but no thank you,  To everything. 

THE question is: "What services or tasks does your dog perform to help you?" 
That is a rare question that is acceptable to ask, and one is expected to answer.  I have never answered a single question anyone has ever asked about Gibbs, or about me having him.  Aside from familiar two-leggers (like family and stuff).  From time to time I reuse the timeless treasure, and explain that my service animal is an alien and zombie detection dog, but that is a rare treat for me. 

Foffdaughter: Count

                       1 year celebration of Mork-mas                           Going on 4 years of Catten Jack

 Just celebrated 1 year of Sinyatta

Thoroughbreds are no longer accepted in 2 of the 4 equine slaughterhouses in Canada.  I was trying to pay attention, when this article was brought to my attention.