Marmaduke or Jack Black

Last night I failed to add a couple of kid things to the blog. I needed to get them down before I forgot them, not that I forget everything but since it was on my mind...

Okay, we got tagged last night. Someone put a plate of valentines cookies on our door step, rang the bell and ran. Well, they didn't run far. I went out and found the cookies, Natty came to the door as well and then we heard stirring in the bushes. She said she saw a boys face but couldn't tell exactly who it was. I told Natty that we should go inside so that they could get away without being caught. I didn't notice the tagging on our front door at first. There is a host of hearts taped to the door with little sayings on them. One of our favorites:

Merry Chri, oh, wait,... never mind

There were a number of others like LOL, You're a Sweat Pea, Love You, Mad 4 U, Soul Mate. Here is a picture.



I told Natty she must have a secret admirer.

I know what you are thinking, what the heck does this little story have to do with Marmaduke or Jack Black. Absolutely nothing. We were discussing dogs last night and Natty asked if I liked Kipper or Brutus better. That is an easy one - definitely Brutus. First, he was just a great dog and you couldn't help but laugh as he would walk around with that full size soccer ball in his mouth sounding like Darth Vader. Second, he was really obedient. When I had the garage open and he would stand behind the 10" high make shift fence I just laughed. He could have easily taken off and roamed the hood but he didn't. He did what was expected. Third, he was an outside dog. That is how I like them.

Now, Kipper was and is a great dog but there are a few major issues that I have with him. He is a Black Lab and when I was a young boy I got chased by a black lab that jumped up as I was approaching a house trying to sell a newspaper subscription. It scared me big time and I associate that experience with black dogs. Kipper is an inside dog and cried like a baby when you put him outside. Drove me nuts. He snuck up on the couches when people were not looking. He tap danced on the hardwood floors in the middle of the night and I could here his every move. I think it also important to mention that he stole 1/2 of my birthday cake - come on, that is just not called for. I am really happy that Kipper is in a great new home with my new friend Wendy Mosely up in Alaska. He scored big time living on 9.2 acres with a lake and a girlfriend named Aurora. He did get attacked by a moose though. Not sure about that trade off. When the kids go up in the summer they have an open invitation to go and visit Kipper at his estate. Lucky.

Okay, that was a bunch of rambling and still leaves us wondering about the title. Well, Jack says in the middle of this dog conversation:

"We should all get Great Dane's and we could name them Marmaduke and Jack Black and..."

He trailed off and joined us in laughing. I know where Marmaduke comes from as he recently saw the movie - it is about a Great Dane named Marmaduke. Where did Jack Black come from? Just thought it was funny.

Another fun moment came yesterday morning when there was a nasty stench coming from Natty's room. My first thought was the turtle so I told her to get him out so I could clean his tank. In doing so George (that is the turtle) got a little upset and bit her finger. I don't know that it was anything severe, she had on her big yellow gloves and she didn't mention any pain. Jack piped up:

"George could bite my fingers too but he couldn't bite your fingers because they are too fat."

Appreciate my boy that just says it like it is. One of my friends referred to shaking my hand being like shaking a baseball that has sausages hanging off of it. I think I am starting to get a hand complex. That settles it, I am putting my hands on a special diet. I have no idea what that might be but clearly they need to lose some weight.

To finish the stench story - it wasn't George. I cleaned the entire room and found the source of the stench right at the end. Natty went to the pool on Friday night for a birthday party. She left a wet towel and her bathing suit stuffed in a back pack. I thought I would die. A load of towels in the laundry and the house is back to smelling, well, normal I guess.