<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV>Hi all,</DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>Well, it looks like we are not the only ones with good neighbors.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A similar “escape” happened to us on Friday night.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My DH and I were ready to go out for the evening and I remembered I had left something on the counter.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When I came back to the front door there he stood, but no dogs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I asked and he said “oh, they went out.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>WHAT???<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I mean, yes, they do sometimes go outside and usually they just loop the front yard and come back in but if they go out I usually go with them to make sure.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So, I went out front and sure enough some D&@M terrorist squirrel was down at the far
end of the block and both dogs were after it at a dead run.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Right down to the end of the block, across the street and out of sight!!!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Double D#@M.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And I looked at the DH and he actually said to me “don’t look at me, I’m in dress shoes, it would be like running in high heels.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Well, look at my feet, what do you think I’m wearing???<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Oh, never mind, I had keys in my bag and my bag in my hand and I bolted for the car and drove as carefully as I could and thank Dog they had treed the squirrel half way up the next block and a neighbor who knows us had the good sense to herd them both into his garage and was looking for me as I drove up, left the car running and dashed after them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He
took Cyrus (who he knows better) and I took Snoopy and just as we got both dogs loaded in the car my DH and my eldest showed up to help.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Well, they helped by getting in the car and riding back with us.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>SHEESH!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>My sweet Snoopy has become the talk of the neighborhood … in a good way.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We’ve lived here for 15 years as have most of our neighbors, so everyone knows us and our labs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Years ago we had a wanderer named Maggie who was forever taking out boards in the fence and visiting … I swear everyone in the neighborhood including the mail man brought her home on a regular basis.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Anyway, Snoopy is DEFINITELY something different and folks say you can hear him bay for a GOOD LONG WAYS.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Now that spring is here and windows are open folks are coming out and saying “what in the world have you got there?”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Snoopy invariably AHROOOOOOOOs his answer (I’m a basset hound for
goodness sake) and then I tell the neighbor that is his way of saying hello and look at his body language (and frantically wagging tail) ... he wants to be friends.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Well, the best way to quiet the AHROOOOOOOOO is to pet him, then he stops and snuggles instead.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And charms the person.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And they fall in love because Snoopy is really soft and really cute and really snuggly … well … of course he is … he’s as basset.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So now he’s met most of my neighbors and everybody loves him.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Lots of people are telling me that they LIKE the sound of his AHROOOOOO.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It’s LOUD.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>WAY loud.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But it’s pretty cool
too. Even the lady next door with the 14 year old doxie who he taught to ahrooooo. Even she says she likes him and stops to pet him every time.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>Yesterday I took the boys for their walk after dinner but before sunset.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We met a neighbor (husband, wife and 3 year old girl in a wagon) and of course they wanted to pet Cyrus because they know him … he’s a neighborhood fixture.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I explained that Snoopy was AHROOOOOing to say hello and they adults both petted him but the little girl wasn’t too sure so we told her it was fine … and at that moment Snoopy changed his tone … started a low growl and a quiet bark … we were all very surprised and the little girl was a bit frightened so Cyrus stole a kiss and while Cyrus was comforting her I pulled Snoopy over next to me and put him in a sit and put my face down next to his face and asked him what he saw and he pointed across the street … where another man was approaching whom none of us had
seen … it was about dusk then and we hadn’t noticed … so I showed the little girl the approaching man and her parents told her that Snoopy had simply wanted to make sure we saw him.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Once we acknowledged the approaching stranger across the street Snoopy went back to being a show off and the little girl decided to pet him after all … which he ATE UP.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>Well, lots to do and me to do it. </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>--Dale</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>Snoopy (wanna pet me?)</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Calibri>Cyrus (don't be such a show off, everybody likes me too)</FONT></P></DIV></div></body></html>