Pics for the Week + story

Ok here are some random pics:

This was kind of weird. WTF? Thanksgiving Day parade people lost in the wilderness?

Freaky tree!

Do the balloon people know that sometimes things just don't look quite right?

This steamroller had windchimes. I thought that was kind of coolio...

This kitchen sink on its side looked like some sort of bulky robot trying to figure out how to get up the steps... or something.

This guy was tap dancing in a tunnel. I figured he was a street performer and asked to take his picture. Then I offered him a couple dollars but he refused. He was just practicing for something else and wasn't looking for money. I was embarrassed at first but then later on not so much...

Creepy old school funeral home in the dark.

Roscoe before.

Roscoe after.

Here's Roscoe hanging out at a bar now that he's grownup.

Here's a story bout that.

There's this bar not too far from me that's really dog friendly. It's kind of a cool place with a bocce ball court inside and stuff. As long as your dog is not a jerk he can basically wander around in the place and say hello to everyone. But I would always keep Roscoe tied to the table.  He's always free to run in dog park but this was different.

I was scared he was gonna get himself in trouble. That he'd make a mad dash for the door (there are two separate doors to get outside so it would take some effort). Or maybe he'd get hurt. Or eat something shouldn't eat. Or freak out and run into a wall. Or bother someone. Or bite someone. Or someone will push a chair back on his paw. Or he's be a jerk. Or get dognapped. Or get stepped on. Or doody on the floor. Or... or... anything bad. I was nervous about letting him go because I wouldn't be able keep an eye on him all the time. And I've developed a huge amount of paranoia that something bad will happen to him and having him tied to the table just made me relax more.

But the other day I was there and I looked around the bar. It's a big place. It wasn't really crowded. There's plenty of space around. It had alot of couches and stuff. I could easily keep an eye on him. Everyone was just sitting around and it was low-key. I knew I had to get over my paranoia and let him go around and do his thing. It made me nervous.... but I took a chance and unlinked the leash and let him wander around the bar by himself.

He was a little unsure at first and hung around the table-- but then he started wandering around the place. He went around the room saying hello to everyone one by one which made everyone in the bar really happy. He chased a couple bocce balls but nobody really cared and he eventually learned to stay off the court.  He went behind the bar once and the bartender shooed him out. That was the extent of the trouble. Every few minutes he'd come back and say hello to me which was nice. He was wagging his tail like crazy and seemed to really appreciate his independence in the bar. (Yeah, honestly I sort of kept an eye on him the whole time and didn't really relax about it but I was proud of him for going around and doing his social thing and not screwing up and proud of myself for unlinking the link. And I know all of this sounds super wimpy and stuff but whatever!)

Anyway, I'd never trust him on his own on the street or anything like that but it was sort of an interesting parental experience... that letting go thing in a strange place. And this was just a dog in a bar.... I don't have any idea how you real parents do it in the whole wide world... that seems nuts.

Baby steps...

ok bye!

tOdd

Oh PS.

Turns out they were just shooting an ad or something. There was a photographer there.