The First of Three Stories

I don’t know where to start. I could tell the story of Lizzie (our less than attractive Great Pyrenees) going for a run. I could tell the story of the SBA inspector assessing the flood damage to our house. And of course, there is a story about being stuck in the ice trying to drive home.

I would like to do the SBA story first, however, they might not think it is funny as I do and I would really like them to give me a low interest loan.

With that in mind, let’s start with a dog story. It’s kind of fitting to the holiday season. This story includes neighbors working together, dogs and a happy ending; well sort of.

About a mile and a half up the road we have a “neighbor” with a young boy child. This young boy is a couple years younger than Boy Twin. Boy twin enjoys playing with this child. They seem to have fun in spite of the age difference. Of course, they are the only pre-teen boys in a 15 mile radius.

The parents of this child are nice people. We chat at the mailbox and bus stop. Let’s call them the “neighbors”.

The story begins with the “Neighbors” asking us for a favor (which we do up here). Seems the “neighbors” had an early morning business meeting in a town in Wyoming. The neighbors asked Elaine if they could drop their son off early one morning and we could take him to the school bus stop with the twins. We have done this before.

Mr. Neighbor escorted his son to our front door (as he has done every time before). Mr. Neighbor decided he had a little time to chat with Elaine. Where was Monner? I was upstairs getting into the shower. (I told you it was early)

I could hear Elaine yelling, “SHUT THE DOOR, SHUT THE DOOR!” Seems Mr. Neighbor was holding the front door open while he was chatting.

I can only guess about the next part of this story. I guess Lizzie didn’t feel like listening to Mr. Neighbor” chatting. She decided it was time for a walk.

The last time Lizzie went for a walk, Ivy and the twins chased her for two hours. If you are wondering why they chased her, yes, she will come back eventually, but people up here get really grumpy when a dog other than their own walks through their pastures.

I heard my family yelling, “Lizzie is gone.” I started getting dressed to help chase Lizzie. I just didn’t want to chase a dog that day. So I decided that they had plenty help and I’m going to finish my shower. I didn’t see the need for me to be late for work.

From all indications it looked like the everyone was going to be late for school, work and a Wyoming business meeting. EXCEPT, that’s not what happened at all.

Mr. Neighbor told Mrs. Neighbor, ”Get in the car, we’re going to be late.” I decided I’m finishing my shower. If Mr. Neighbor is not going to be late, I’m not either. OK, I was just being vindictive since I really didn’t need to be anywhere at any certain time. Secretly, I was hoping the neighbor’s kid (and the twins) were going to be late for school.

This is where my plan went awry. Ivy, Elaine and Boy Twin convinced Lizzie to come home. It took about twenty minutes. Now no one was going to be late for anything.

Before the chase, Boy Twin was getting dressed for school. To chase Lizzie he threw on his jacket and headed out the door. He hadn’t put on a shirt, just pants, shoes and his jacket. He went to school like that. Not because of time, he just forgot to finish getting dressed. Seems, he realized he was shirtless when he arrived at school.. This kid scores in the top 95% of kids in the United States in Science. Hmmm, sometimes I wonder about who is keeping score.

So, I have decreed that we will not take the neighbor boy to school again. Elaine agrees with me, and will not take the boy to school, until they ask.

Our crazy lives!

Monner