dog

FFfPP — Fireworks

Fandango25 Comments

7838237F-1914-48E1-9666-E4E0D19F6C88On the Fourth of July, when Independence Day is celebrated in the U.S., nearly every city and town across the country puts on fireworks displays. Many also shoot off fireworks as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Everybody loves fireworks, right? I mean who doesn’t love fireworks. So dramatic, so colorful, so loud. The rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air. So inspirational.

Well, I’ll tell you who doesn’t like fireworks. Me! I don’t like fireworks. Because my dog is terrified by fireworks. Terrified!

Whenever she hears fireworks, she begins shaking all over. She will sometimes walk into the shower or jump into the bathtub, but as long as she hears the explosions of the fireworks, she is beyond consolation. I worry that her heart will give out.

My wife and I try turning up the volume on the TV or the radio to cover up the sounds, but that doesn’t do the trick. The only cure is time, and it usually takes about an hour after the fireworks are over before our poor dog calms down enough to breathe and behave normally again.

So no, when it comes to fireworks, I’m definitely not a fan.

(199 words)

Written for Roger Shipp’s Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner. Photo credit: MorgueFile Fidler Jan New Year’s. I realize that this post isn’t a work of fiction, but when I saw the picture of exploding fireworks, this is all I could think of writing.

A Photo a Week Challenge — Eyes

Fandango13 Comments

I just came across this weekly photo challenge from blogger Nancy Merrill and this week’s challenge (or maybe it was last week’s challenge, but I just found it) is “eyes.”

The idea is to create a post for the challenge based upon the topic provided each week, in this case, eyes, and to share a picture or two of some of the eyes in our lives.

So here are the eyes of our beloved dog and our equally beloved cat.C899A937-C292-4BDB-A04E-D56EFF93B4C59D4DA16A-24F9-449B-A991-DD4D284CA374

Bright, Sunny Questions

Fandango5 Comments

0B7F046B-D7F8-4AD1-81FC-028DBD971D12JP, The Wide Eyed Wanderer, was just nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award. She thanked the person who nominated her, answered his questions, and then posed her own three questions, which she invited “everyone” to answer.

1. Since everything is all about holidays right now, what is your favorite holiday? And why?

My favorite holiday used to be The Fourth of July because (1) I loved to go see fireworks and (2) it was my older sister’s birthday. When I was a kid, she would tell me that the fireworks displays were to celebrate her birthday and I didn’t understand why there weren’t fireworks on my birthday. But I’m no longer a fan of Independence Day because my dog is deathly afraid of fireworks and so those damn Fourth of July fireworks make it a miserable night for my poor dog, and thus, for me and my wife. Did I answer the question?CBC4A56A-BD2E-4219-97F0-3182AFD411A7

If you could wish for one thing for the whole world, what would it be?

I’d wish for the world that Donald Trump would no longer be President of the United States and, would, therefore, no longer present a clear and present danger to the rest of the world.

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? If so what’s top on your list for 2019?

Nope. I don’t make ‘em because I can’t keep ‘em. Unlike Donald Trump, who claims, as president, that he has kept more promises than he has made, I am unable to do so. (Do you sense a trend here with my answers?)

Animal Banter

Fandango8 Comments

0B602DB7-4410-40C4-9CAC-0F0F2539330A“It’s so dark and dingy out today,” the cat meowed. “ I think I’ll just curl up in the grass over here and take a nap. I’m sure I can repress my innate urge to play cat and mouse until the weather clears up.

“Oh no,” the duck quacked, “I think this weather is sublime. It’s cool and damp and it’s delightful to be swimming back and forth across the pond.”

“I’m sure this dreary weather is ephemeral,” the dog barked. “Pretty soon the sun will be shining and my human will get out the leash and I’ll take her for a walk.”

“Let me give you all some advice,” the old owl hooted. “You should make hay while the sun shines so that you can save for a rainy day.”

“Owl, you always think you’re so damn wise,” the wily coyote yipped, “but let me assure you that I’m a hungry critter and all of you are going to have to watch out for your own welfare until I get my fill.

“Oh yeah?” beeped the roadrunner. “We’ll see about that.”

This bit of silliness was written for these one-word prompts: Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (dingy), Sord of the Day Challenge (repress), Ragtag Daily Prompt (sublime), Hour Daily Word Prompt (ephemeral), Daily Addictions (advice), and Scotts Daily Prompt (welfare).

FFfPP — Who’s a Good Boy?

Fandango11 Comments

57BDF863-4DB4-4015-8BB5-A93840AA0647“Who’s a good boy?” Adam called out to Bandit. “You’re a good boy. Oh yes you are.”

“If he’s such a good boy,” Sally said, “Why isn’t he listening to you? He’s just trotting away, not bringing the ball back.”

“He’ll bring it back to me when he’s ready,” Adam said to Sally. And then turning to Bandit, he said, “Yes you will, because you’re a good boy.”

“You seriously need to take that dog to obedience school,” Sally said.

“He is obedient,” Adam insisted, “But on his own terms, that’s all.”

“So who’s the master and who’s the pet in this dynamic?” Sally asked, “because he does whatever he wants and not what you want him to.”

As Adam and Sally were watching Bandit play in the pond’s shallow water, two men came up behind them. “Your wallets and your phones,” one of them, brandishing a knife, said. Sally screamed and Adam called out, “Bandit!”

The large golden retriever bounded out of the water, barking loudly. The man with the knife dropped it, and the two horrified muggers ran off.

“Who’s a good boy?” Sally said, bending down to embrace Bandit when he came running back to them. “You’re a good boy. Oh yes you are.”

(207 words)

Written for Roger Shipp’s Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner. Photo credit: MorgueFileJune2018 1418535473h5g6w. Sorry I went over the 200 word limit by seven words.