Friday, December 18, 2020

Find the dog

Went down to the Court House to listen to a presentation on the new voting machines.  The version we have now will no longer be supported by 2023.  This newer version has been in use since 2015.  Chief Inspector Barb and I had put the kibosh on switching to the new voting machine before the last election.  Now is a good time for the change.  Next election will either be the primary in February or the non-partisan election in April.  Nobody gets too excited about those races so the poll workers won't be pressured as they work through their learning curve.

When I got back from the presentation Whip and I went for a long walk.  She likes to trot ahead of me w/ her tail held high.  I'm told that means she thinks of herself as head of the pack and I shouldn't let her do it.  However, I prefer her out front so she can let me know if there is an issue (read that as 'bear') around the next corner.   Also, the tip of that tail is sometimes the only way I can track her through the tall grass. As long as she sticks near me and comes when I call, I'm happy.  She can be alpha dog and I'll be alpha human.

Post Script:  For all of my praising of Whip she decided to race down the driveway this morning while I was hanging out sheets.  I tried looking like I was going for a walk in the opposite direction but she was just in an obstinate mood today.  She ran across the road and onto the Dearhamers field.  Down the field and back onto the road.  I was following her now trying to get her to come and waving at passing cars so they would slow down and hopefully not hit her.  We had some snow overnight so cars were driving circumspectly anyway.  Then she went across the field again onto Schmitz's place.  The field has an electric fence and he's got his beef cattle out there.  She started barking at the cows who gave her an amused look.  One truck stopped on the road.  It was my neighbor Blake.  He had a bit of dead grouse in the back of his truck and tried to tempt her back out of the field but Whip thought barking at the cows was great fun.  When she tired of that she came back, was enticed by the smell of dead stuff, and I got her leash back on her.  Will go back to working on the 'Come' command.

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