It’s been a little while since I’ve posted a Smudge Update. Let’s do that now.
Our happy Heeler turns four-and-a-half months old today. We’d been cautioned to expect a change in her personality right about this point, typical of the breed, a toddler-ish outburst of energy and obstinance. And we’re definitely getting all of that.
I was sitting at the dinette yesterday afternoon, composing a blog post, while Deb tossed a bouncy racquetball for the puppy to chase and retrieve. It’s a regular game for Smudge’n’us, making full use of the coach’s long, narrow living space.
Dipstick perched on the couch, watching the frolic but safely out of the line of fire. Scout was crashed on the floor a few feet from me.
Deb lobbed a volley. I heard the ball bounce off the back wall. Suddenly, out of the corner of my left eye, I saw a dark shape fly through the air at my shoulder level — Smudge had launched herself over Scout, at least three feet off the deck when she soared past me, pouncing on the ball a good five feet from where she’d taken off.
We were in stitches. Looks like we’ve adopted an athlete.
That herding-dog fire of hers is wearin’ my old ass out, but man, did we ever land ourselves a great dog. She’s totally bonded with Deb and me. Her compliance and obedience (such as they are for a puppy) are good and improving.
And smart? Not only does Smudge chase the ball, we’ve watched her repeatedly and intentionally drop it in places where she can’t retrieve it easily — she creates her own puzzles to solve. Neither Deb nor I has had a dog who does such a thing.
So yeah, she’s a keeper — great and gettin’ better every day.
Stick with Ubi Libertas Blog for very long and you’ll notice that it runs all over the damned place — travelogue, diary, commentary, whatever. From time to time I’ll engage in a rant about something that’s not only beyond my control, but which has absolutely no bearing on my everyday life.
We all do that. We observe, form opinions and speak. Maybe it’s the current occupant of the Oval Office face-planting as he boards his taxpayer-funded airplane, or a new revelation about the laptop belonging to his addict-pervert son, or some wretched-refuse Democrat treating the Constitution like toilet paper, or the latest charge of Racism! leveled by the Entitled Class against true Americans.
Stuff like that matters, at least by some definition, but it isn’t the least bit important. And while I’ve been known to comment on the meaningless, I do try to stay focused on the essential.
For an example of what’s important, see yesterday’s post.
I guess I could’ve used that space to wax cranky about “secretary” Booty Judge and his “personal time,” or what’s happened to Columbus City Schools since they eliminated SROs; New York prohibiting its residents from receiving shipments of pepper spray, or the lunatic-turned-media-whore who served as foreman of a grand jury investigating POTUS #45 et al; or Trump’s witty comments about bottled water when he visited East Palestine.
Yes, all that made the news. But in the context of your life and mine, none of it’s important.
What matters is doing whatever it takes to be useful to self, family and community.
Stand on principle. Think. Have some damned integrity.
Serve. Protect. Defend. That fundamentally is what yesterday’s post was about.
It’s fine to have intellectual curiosity. It’s okay to articulate opinions. But we need to put everything in its proper place.
We must keep our affairs in order.
My friends, we can’t allow ourselves to be manipulated, especially by people who appear to be “on our side.” We can’t become distracted by the latest shiny object or obsessed with a patch of newsy catnip.
Keep it close. Figure out what truly matters. Focus on what’s important.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB