Szabo

Bob has a new playmate named Szabo. He is a 6-month old Viszla who lives just down the street. Someone mentioned at the dog park, where they play, that dogs have a sort of "sixth sense" to recognize dogs of their own breed.

It's so interesting to see Bob and Szabo playing together. They clearly play together in a manner that's very different than when they play with the other dogs. Their style is more familiar...I don't know how else to describe it.

I'll take my camera the next time I go to the park so I can take a picture of Bob's kin.

Conehead.

Bob has to wear a plastic cone around his head so that he doesn't pick at his incisions.

I didn't have my camera with me yesterday when he was on an IV. I did have my phone with me, however, so the next time I'm in town I could show you then.

He was much more springy today during visiting hours and should be A-OK while we're in the islands for vacation this week. St. Thomas and St. John, that is.

Rachel Ray

Thought you Food Network followers would be interested to know that Rachel Ray was on my flight home from La Guardia last night.

She's very petite in person.

She gave an autograph to the guy sitting next to me.

I'm not the autograph-requesting type. He was. He got really flustered and turned bright red and then called his wife after a little small talk with Rachel.

Celebs.

A Really Expensive Sock

We had to take Bob to the ER last night....for surgery...to remove a bowel obstruction...which turned out to be a sock.

A very expensive sock, indeed.

I went to the clinic to pick him up this morning. As I was filling out some papework, he leaned on me, drooling and staring into space. I don't think the anesthesia had worn off yet. Bob's in ICU right now recovering.

The medical record described the obstruction as a "sweat sock."

I haven't heard that term used in years.

Poor baby.

Best in Show

Speaking of Best in Show, I've attached a picture of Bob watching his new favorite TV special: the Westminster Dog Show.

He especially liked the Sporting Dog Class.

A Spuds McKenzie Doggie won Best of Show this year...I forget the breed....some kind of terrier.

Spelling Bee Update

I got to the auditorium early enough to purchase a promotional poster. I was a bit nervous...I didn't quite know what to expect.

I sat near the back of the auditorium so that I could slip out early (I was leaving for Mexico the next day and hadn't yet packed).

Lots of crazy people were running around sporting bee paraphernalia--"bee"ly-bopper headbands, yellow and black clothing, bee costumes.

Then the local junior high drum corps starting pounding on their drums...a call to order of sorts. But in a crowd of very WASPy white people, one hardly knew how to react to the sudden thundering barrage.

The spellers must have heard the battle cry, because they started streaming in the back door at a wicked fast pace. Costumed, beaming, and greeted by the roaring cheers of their supporters.

After some small talk by the hosting non-profit, the spellers began. Those of you that follow spelling bees would have recognized many familiar sights: A panel of judges, a "caller," the lone microphone positioned center stage, electric anticipation in the air.

However, this bee was a bit different:

• Spellers worked in teams, representing a sponsoring local business (who paid a $500 entrance fee/donation for the opportunity to participate)
• Spellers had pencil and paper, and could jot down the word as it was called out...and
• Could verify the spelling with their teammates before going to the mike.
• Audience members had large screens on both sides of the stage, upon the words were spelled correctly, so that they could follow along

How crestfallen we all were to see the first speller fall! Everything was cracking along beautifully when one poor young man, in a fit of over-confidence, decided to spell from memory rather than check what he had jotted down on his paper. Awful.

Then the second one fell. It was the local law firm. Their first year in the bee. Awful.

If one team member misspelled, the whole team was evicted.

So the 100+ adults on the stage thinned out much more quickly than I had originally anticipated that they might.

I kept thinking that I was visiting a set of a movie...like Best in Show, but for spelling! I had a really dumb grin on my face the whole time. The audience appeared to be a fairly tight-knit community. I got more than one sideways glance as they tried to figure out what neighborhood I was from.

How very bizarre and wonderful 'twas the night.

I couldn't stay for the whole thing. I meant to look up the results in the paper, but I've neglected to do so and now it's too late.

Next year I hope to be there.

On the stage.