[Dailydrool] Miss Angela's Turkey Day

[bjenk1 at cox.net]

Bill here, press agent/personal trainer to Miss Angela Basset,
Droop and Drool Diva or Wichita and Sedgwick County

Miss Angela prepared for her hostess duties by having a Spa
Day. She played in Doggy Day Care for half a day, then had a
lovely Hydro-surge bath, a mani/pedicure and had her lovely ears
lovingly tended to.  She was picked up at 5 PM by her faithful
Angelimousine and brought home (which had magically been
stripped of all doghair and most other dirt) to supper and a nap
before bedtime.  

Through out the Thanksgiving morning, she kept a close vigil
on the oven which held a smoked turkey breast and a spiral
cut ham (in both of which she was inordinately interested.) As
guests began to arrive.  We were expecting 10, including two
of my sisters (the Good and the Bad--Ugly's hubby had to work)
their husbands and 4 of the next generation.  One ot the young
nephews invited three Japanese students to come along, so
we had 13.  One of the Japanese, a young man named Toshi,
seemed fascinated with Miss Angela. Ever the good host, she
allowed her belly to be rubbed for extended periods of time as
he squatted beside her.  It was almost as though she had 
totally forgotten the food.  Such a wonderful hostess!

As we spread out the food, Angie regained her interest.  She 
lost some of the fascination that Toshi had for her as she 
sat at his elbow, nudging his arm to remind him that he had
not yet dropped anything.  Admirably, he ignored her less than
subtle begging.  One could not tell by her pathetic demeanor
that someone had given her the skin off the smoked turkey 
immediately before we sat down.  Oh, lest I forget, Angela
also joined lustily in the singing of the Doxology which one of
my sisters, Bad I think, had suggested as a grace. Personally
I was a bit insulted when people had to seek heavenly grace
before tying into food that I prepared.  

After the main courses were consumed and leftovers put away,
I found a large chunk of turkey that someone had left on a plate.
I asked the most junior nephew to take it and Angela out in back.
I figured that that would occupy the nephew for a couple of secs
and Angela for a long while.  I have no idea how she consumed
the food so quickly but she was back in in less than a minute,
again begging and whining.    I do have to say that, to her credit,
she was not nearly so insistent during the dessert and cordials.

After the meal, she hopped up and found a place on the couch
where she got more belly rubs. The humans settled in to watch
with joy the humiliation of the Dallas Cowboys by the Saints. I 
lit a fire and Angela began to get up, hop down and run away
but the, when the bellyrubs continued, she settled back down 
and resumed her place on the couch.  She seemed to decide
that belly rubs were worth the risk of being 8 feet from the fire.


When the gathering broke up, Angela walked each group to the
door.  The younger generation went off to see Harry Potter and
the Deathly Shallows while the elders settled in to discuss 
Christmas and assign tasks.   By seven, we were home alone.
Angie didn't even follow me into the kitchen.  Apparently she 
had already checked and found that the ladies had cleaned up
and put away all food.   By five after seven, she was snoring
daintily and she stayed asleep until I went to bed.  Then she
slept until 8 the next morning, only occasionally changing 
location from the couch to the rug to the futon in the office.  Of
course, she spent no time on the $55 dog bed I recently got
for her and upon which she has been exactly 3 times.

Today, Leftover day, she is still exhausted and takes a more 
than usual number of naps.  She seems to be OK with the
return to a normal feeding pattern.  As I write, she is snoring
contentedly on the office futon.  It truly is a dog's life.

Our first hosting of a large family gathering went well.  She
mesmerized a Japanese student, taught Good about the 
fine art of countercruising and was, in general, a gracious
hostess.  

Bill (How good was it?  About 4 pounds good!)
Angela (This hostessing is really hard work!)