My morning adventure, for those of you who need a laugh:
I gave the meter reader his thrill for the day this morning. I had just come in from outside feeding the birds & taken off my sweats & washed my hair when the dogs went racing down the hall barking -- I walked out of my bathroom & spotted the meter reader cruising past the window, & remembered I still had a cardboard box over the meter (why? because back in the '50s Daddy swears a cold snap froze their gas line, so ever since he panics if it goes below 32 & insists we all wrap & put a cardboard box over the gas meters on our houses. This drives Jim crazy but I just say, at their age, do not argue! just do it)!
-- so anyway, I went & cracked open the door a couple inches & called to him to just take the box off & put it on the side--naturally, Mal rears up & thrusts both front paws hard on the door, knocking it open enough to race out w/Winnie hot on his heels, doing his best Jurassic Park roar. The meter reader yelled & jumped back -- he had opened the gate -- & I threw open the door & raced outside, yelling at him to shut the gate! (which he never did but he was standing there frozen in fear, blocking it, while both dogs barked at his boots). They don't bite, but they give a good imitation that they might, which is what I was telling him -- they don't bite! just stand still!
I was barefoot, soaking wet uncombed hair, wearing my lavendar sleep t-shirt.
I yelled at the dogs - who acknowledged me only by wagging their tails -- & ran out there, dragged Mal back by the nape of his neck & scooped him up, still struggling & barking ferociously, & told Winnie to get in the house for a cookie - upon which she ran to the door & started jumping up & down to get back in (still barking of course).
I told the guy, "I am SO sorry"! & he said, "It's OK M'am!" carefully looking everywhere except directly at me... & I said, "Well, now that I've given you your highlight for the day, I hope the rest of it goes as well for you'! & gathered up my shreds of dignity & my still roaring dog & went back inside.
Ow!! got me!!! 
