Yes, I realize you're still waiting for the continuation of my job post. I AM working on it, but it's overwhelming me a little bit. So (in true Sharkey form), I'm procrastinating. I offer you this little story as a substitute. Warning: Do not read this post while eating!

Maggie joined us today as we traveled to northern New Jersey for J.P.'s nephew's birthday party. She and Poppy, the birthday boy's dog, met at Christmas and had a great time together. So we knew she'd have fun today. If we only knew how much fun . . . .

My BIL and SIL have four kids under the age of 9, and they love Maggie almost as much as they love their own dog. Which means they run up to her, grab her and give her hugs (a.k.a. headlocks). They reach for her tail and try to get the ball away from her so they can throw it for her. Their love is somewhat unrequited, however, because mostly Maggie just tolerates them.

But she's no dummy. She knows that these rambunctious short people a) tend to drop a lot of food, and b) stand with their hand-held food at her mouth level. So one way or another, she ends up with lots of extra treats when they're around.

As we were finishing dinner tonight, J.P. noticed Maggie chewing something as she stood in the hallway. I didn't think much of it—she was finding crumbs everywhere. But he got up to check it out. He wandered back into the bathroom (where she had been), and he noticed a certain "aroma" getting stronger and stronger.

Then he noticed it. The potty chair stood at the far end of the room, and as he approached it the smell became stronger. He hoped against hope that it still contained the source of the odor. But alas! It was empty. It seems Maggie found herself more treats than we bargained for.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 at 11:09 PM.