bella

So, as a kid, you know when your parents told you to do something that you didn't want to do? You really, really, really didn't want to do it?

At some point during your attempts to negotiate not doing that which you really really really didn't want to do, you somehow realized that, if you did it, and did it poorly, your parents (most likely your mother) would probably never ask you to do it again.

The trick was to do it so poorly that there would be no hope ever of your learning how to do that which you really, really, really didn't want to do.

Unless you had parents who took such a poor performance as a educational challenge, you were set, once you did it poorly the first time.

That's what I was thinking about when I fed the dogs today.

I was hoping that, by feeding the dogs the "wrong" way, Kris would decide that he, and only he, would be allowed to feed the dogs.

I didn't succeed, but I did have two very happy doggies:

Mom forwarded me an email exchange from when Kris and I first brought Bella home. Mom visited us the weekend after we picked up Bella.

From: Vicki
To: Eric
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 11:50 AM
Subject: I'm here!

Hi,

What a cute dog they have! They had to go all the way
to Salsaulito to get her so ended up bringing her back
last night. What a AARRROOOO! Nothing at all like 
Trixie - this is HOWLLING and SINGING! So funny.
She's about half as tall as T and kind of stocky, brown
and white. Very friendly and seems to be acclimated
already to the surroundings. Kitt and I were in
the backyard talking about the compost bins and Bella
snuck over and grabbed something unidentifiable off
the top of the heap.

So Kitt's gone off to work until 230 - I'm doing some
homework and then working in the yard with Bella (who
is now laying outside in the sun ... just like home).

See you soon XXOOXX

   From: Eric
     To: Vicki
   Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 11:50 AM
Subject: RE: I'm here!

glad to hear all is well.  

But...where are the pictures???  you got camera, you
got computer, you got dog...  

i want a howling video.

how well does she dig?

   From: Vicki
     To: Eric
   Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 10:41 PM
Subject: RE: I'm here!

I have a howling video! Will send that tomorrow! She's
got a BIGGER howl than Trixie - goes on for a lot longer.

The woman that Kitt got her from said that she didn't
dig. Ha! Bella went outside and didn't come back for a
while ... there she was, in the raised garden beds,
digging. Kitt brought her in and Bella headed right
back out.

More later ... it's getting late ... I'm fading. It's
been a fun day ... I'm glad I'm able to spend some
time with Kitt. Thanks.

V

   From: Eric
     To: Vicki
   Date: Thursday, August 14, 2003 9:16:38 AM
Subject: RE: I'm here!

yup; beagles dig.

Can someone please tell me how a dog this cute...

... can take a picture this awful: