Those "Dog Gone" Days of Summer

Photo by me: Meet my dog, Bronte, who believes cars were made for dogs.

Two things tonight. I will keep this snappy.

1. So this afternoon my husband and I rescued a dog. (Not the one pictured above.) It's kind of become a hobby for us. Whenever we see a pooch trotting down the street--particularly if it's a busy road--we'll pull the car over and snap into action. We have a little corner & capture approach we like to take. I think we've rescued 5 dogs in recent months. Thankfully, all of them have been reunited with their owners.

(Good thing, too, because our city has a pet limit.)

So when we located the dog's owner today, the man told us that the meter reader left the gate open on the way out. The owner unwittingly let his 2 dogs out the back door (as he always does) and both dogs disappeared.

Note to self: always double-check the gate.

2. On a completely different note, Taste of Home wants to say, "Thanks" to the men and women of the Armed Forces who protect our freedom every day. Each time someone views Taste of Home's Flag Cake before July 4th, 2011, Taste of Home will donate 10¢ to the USO (up to $100,000)!

It takes 2 seconds, and the flag cake could actually get the wheels turning for July 4th celebrations we will begin planning soon. Win/win.

Final tip of the day: Don't brush your teeth with a brick.

In Print: Dog Massage? Isn’t Petting Enough?

Photo by Trisha: Grandma's spastic cat

Right now, I am sitting in my grandma's living room with three of my cousins . . .

. . . (One of whom is an army wife in Korea and one of whom is a music teacher in the Philippines and one of whom is a mother in Michigan) and we are watching Grandma's spastic cat, Charlotte, try to escape out the front door while we listen to my cousin talk about her magic toilet.

(Don't ask.)

Perhaps Charlotte the cat needs a massage. Pet massages are on the rise, after all.

Check out today's In Print article from The New York Times.

The opening lines of the article, by Jennifer Bleyer, read:

RENEE LANE’S living room had been transformed into a spa. Candles twinkled on the coffee table; lavender oil scented the air; lilting guitar music played softly on the stereo. Grace, Ms. Lane’s 2-year-old caramel-colored toy poodle, leaped onto the sofa and, in response to Ms. Lane’s cooing invitation (“Want to lay down for Mama?”), got into position for her evening massage. . .

Read the article here.

Think pet massages are an unfortunate waste of money? So are magic toilets . . .