Back in the States, Lower 48, that is.

Hello all, Coco and I are back in the ole US of A. How is that different than Canada or Alaska? I don't know. I know the days are shorter, but they are also warmer. Heck, Dad has been in shors and tee shirt the last few days.

This is really a note to Riggs, and our other four legged friends. Riggs, because he has been getting inti mischief. The biggest problem I see with Riggs is that he is just not sneaky enough. I know that it's easier for me because I have Jodie to share the blame, but also, when there are more than one dog, the folks can't REALLY be sure who was being bad. Though sometimes it's just too obvious.

Like the time Coco ate all the plastic stuffing from a toy. Did she ever get bound up! Had to spend the night at the vets where they gave her great doses of laxatives. She was able to go in the nick of time as they were getting ready to operate.

And what about the time Jodie snagged something she shouldn't have. She was in dire straits. It was another late night visit to the vets. A couple of hours and $500.00 later, it was just gas.

And, we're not counting the chicken parts that disappeared from the counter. At home, the folks eat at the kitchen counter, which is much higher than a table, so we can't see much. In the motorhome the table is below my eye level so I can see all that's there, and therein lies the trouble. Mom cooked breakfast on day and served Dad at the table. His plate was only a few inches from the edge. Dad leaned to his left to get something off the seat and without thinking I just reached over his dish and had a taste of his eggs. WAS HE TICKED OFF!!! I just had a taste of the eggs and I never touched the toast or the bacon. Would he finish his breakfast? NO! He ended up splitting it between me and Coco. If he didn't really want it in the first place, why make such a fuss.

When I first came into the Tempesta household, Jodie had a large number of stuffed toys. I just love to chew on stuffed toys and in only a few days I had destroyed them all. Well, actually they we're not destroyed, but some of the stuffing was coming out and that's what I was eating. So...just as soon a toy developed a leak, u=it was thrown away. Not really my fault.

No, Riggs, you are a dog, a special dog, a Lab. We like a dog with a little pizazz, a little life. You've just got to learn how to be sneaky. If Sam and Donna got you another dog, it would be a lot easier. Hang in there.