Seriously Nore? Hrrumph!

Yeah, so that's Breton in the picture. Guess what he's doing? We were driving him home from Dad's sister's house after a day of chillin' with the family, and Ayla and I were just falling asleep. Then out of nowhere, this guy crawls up on my back, stumbles around to get comfortable and falls asleep up there. I didn't move or growl or anything. I wasn't going to be rude. But I'm thinking, "What the what?"

Nore (Dad's mom) brought the little guy home over the summer. He's just a kid really, and our Kid really likes to play with him. We've gone out walking with him a few times, and all of that is cool. It's just that, well, Nore and I have this bond. She's sort of, mine. I help her garden, she gives me cookies, we get each other. Now, she has Breton. Does she really need me anymore? Is one fluffy face at home enough for one woman?

I don't know. He's awfully young and can't possibly be as mature and responsible as me. Maybe Nore has room for both of us in her life, but, well, we'lll see.

Alright, I can admit this to you, dear readers. Once he got comfortable on my back for his nap, I sort of started to notice that he was kind of sweet and warm up there. And clearly, he looks up to me. Maybe I can take care of him and Nore. Ah, the tireless work of being a Bergamasco. Sigh.

A Walk To Restore Sanity

You have surely seen those dogs around. You know the ones, barking loudly and aggressively out of a car window. Or maybe they ran back and forth skirting the edge of what you hope is a secure electric fence. Or it may have been the other kind of those dogs, walking in a perfect heel alongside his "master." Perhaps it was a dog up on her tip toes, dancing for a tasteless cookie.

Are you, instead, the kind of dog that thinks pointless, angry barking is annoying? Do you think any requests from our people should be followed with a solid explanation? Do you hear your people calling you and think maybe you should run right over there and then say to yourself, "Nah, they can wait?" Then we want you! That's right, you! A dog who is both rational and contemplative. A dog who will wait for a very good reason before doing things. A dog who is not a run out in the rain dog, but is instead a wait for an easy, perfect weather dog. That's right, you, a Bergamasco.

October 30 we will walk in East Greenwich. The date has no significance. It's not even close to the date we had a meet-up last year. It will not be a day to see who is the loudest dog. It will not be a race. No one will win anything. No public opinions will be swayed. It's a day for you, a dog with a life. A dog who sleeps, goes out for walks, eats dinner, and herds kids or sheep or cats or no one at all.

Weather permitting of course (our people may choose to meet anyway if it rains, but we will wage silent, polite protests from the car). We will shop a little, walk a little, then sleep in our cars while our people pay other people to serve them food.

Talk to Mom about the details. By the way, I think some guy in DC wants to do a people version of this.