I'm just now listening to the podcast of last Saturday's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Host Peter Sagal had this to say about entertainer Don Ho, who died last week:
Sagal: He also did his patriotic part to populate his home state. He is survived by 10 children, 15 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Adam Felber: Ho, Ho, Ho!
Sagal: I'm sorry, I was just thinking: He had all these babies...in diapers...that means dozens of nappy-bottomed Hos.
Oy.
OK, it's really time for new photos. I've been too lazy busy to take new ones lately, so it's time for another classic, this one from early October:
As a lagniappe (or mea culpa, depending on whether you feel French or Latin today), the dog-walking service note from yesterday said, "He's the friendliest dog in America." I can't argue.
Also, no ParkerCam today: he's at day camp.
People have asked me how big Parker is. Just knowing he weighs 23kg doesn't help much. So, by way of illustration, here is Parker and his crate with a helpful yard (90 cm) stick in the shot:
Also in the shot, visible just above Parker's head, is the ParkerCam. As you can see, I've returned it to its original location following Friday's disastrous experiment. No Cam tomorrow or Wednesday, sadly, as Parker will be at day camp both days.
Hmm. Problems with the new ParkerCam angle have become apparent in short order. Dogs naturally sleep with their backs to the wall. So putting the ParkerCam against the back wall of the room means we get six hours of Parker's butt today:
Back to one, I guess.
Emboldened, perhaps, by his recent successes with tennis balls, yesterday afternoon Parker decided to hunt bigger game. Alas, his spatial-reasoning abilities have not yet fully developed:
We still had a great time playing catch. Being crated most of the day along with continued treatment for his embarrassing problem left him with a lot more energy than usual:
He's not quite World Cup material, but he's still only a puppy.
Also, I'm experimenting with the ParkerCam a little. Instead of just wondering what he sees, I thought I'd see for myself by reversing the camera angle. I may decide it's a bit too invasive (of my privacy, not his), but for now, a rare glimpse into Parker's life:
Parker had a terrific time at day camp yesterday. The over-tired energy you sometimes see in puppies and children conquered his fatigue, so he spent an hour playing with my neighbor's toddlers, and then half an hour with this tennis ball:
Notice two things. First, he's not so much running as staring at the ball willing it to move. He did run at full-speed around the yard a few times, but perhaps because he was so tired, he seemed to have trouble with the concept of "ball." Second, though it's hard to see in this photo, the ball is now missing about a square centimeter of skin. I'm not sure where it went, but I would guess that the dog walker will find it this afternoon.
This morning he seemed groggier than I was. I think he wanted my coffee, but I didn't make enough. So you can watch him sleep all day on the ParkerCam.
Sterling has reached $2. Last time I was in the UK, a Pound cost $1.52. Our economic policies have paid off, I see. (Only 642 days and 23 hours, at most, remain for those policies.)
The ParkerCam will not have anything interesting (i.e., Parker) to show today, since Parker has gone to day camp. Also, I don't have any new photos. So, once again, I present a Classic TDP, never before seen here, from the day after I met him:
Yes, he once was that tiny.
Heavy sigh.
Parker and I just got back from the vet, where we picked up a six-pack of prescription dog food and another vial of dog-odium. The dog-walker's note says it all: "No treat today. Parker had real bad butt today."
I give credit to Parker for his housekeeping, despite it all. He kept almost all of it inside his crate, and then carefully placed his blanket over it. But he still appeared to feel really, really guilty when I got home, so after carrying him outside, I gave him a good bit of praise. (This time I remembered to change my own clothes before picking him up.) And then he got a good, refreshing walk—to the vet.
All right, today I feel really bad for Parker. It's a beautiful day in Chicago, so I left the window open just above his crate. Instead of spending the day sleeping, the poor guy been staring out the window all day. I wish I could take him for a very long walk today but, alas, my client requires my presence 40 km away.
Notice the second image is three hours later:
The good part of this is, he'll probably sleep like a, well, like a dog tonight.
Update, 1:20pm: I believe the caption is, "I want my @%^!! WALK already!":
Update, 1:25pm: Oh, shit.
Final update, 2:25pm: Finally! But Parker feels bad, I feel bad, the dog walker feels bad, and there's a turd on my bedroom floor:
And I'm out here in West Bumble because...well, I'll be thinking about that on the hour-long drive home today.