bad dogs and cowls

Seven breeds of dog account for 98% of all fatal dog attacks. In order they are: Pit Bull, German Shepherd, Chow, Malamute, Husky, Wolf Hybrids, and the Akita.

So why is it that my chow-shepherd mutt is afraid of his own shadow? He also succumbed to the etsy cowl trend this winter with shameful ease.

Ma sacre toux!

Napoleon killed over a thousand people with a cough. In 1799 he was deciding whether to release 1,200 Turkish prisoners of war when he coughed and said, "Ma sacré toux!" (my darned cough) which sounded to officers like "Massacrez tous!" (Kill them all!). So they did.

That makes me feel slightly better about my lousy french pronunciation.

skinned head

from "Ripley's Believe it or not!":

"In 1867, William Thompson of Omaha, Nebraska, was shot by Native Americans of the Cheyenne tribe. Thinking he was dead, they removed his scalp (as was the custom). Imagine their surprise when Thompson regained consciousness, grabbed his scalp, and ran. He later donated the scalp to the Omaha Public Library."

????! At what point, I wonder, did he decide to donate his scalp? After going home and rearranging it in the mirror, only to give up in frustration of ever having a normal scalp? Years later, coming across it in the attic? But I'm actually more intrigued by his choice of the library as a recipient.

living large in the dog house

Remember the old days when being "in the doghouse" was a bad thing? I one of my favorite Hank Williams songs, he talks of his wife changing the locks, and telling the dog to "move it on over" as he sleeps with him in the dog house.

In our strange country of extremes, some go homeless while canines have hot tubs shaped like bones.

sugar egg memories

This weekend I stopped in an amazing little shop in what I hope will be my new neighborhood (after the last house deal fell through, I'm afraid to count my chickens until we have the keys in hand). Roslindale Village seems to be a warm little enclave within Boston, and I can't wait to get to know the community. Anyway, back to my point.... at Joanne Rossman , puveyer of the unnecessary and irresistible, I bought an Easter egg diorama made completely of sugar. I had one of these as a kid, and remember well all the time I spent staring into it, torn by my urges to covet this magical world or just eat the damn thing. It's really kind of torture for a kid - giving them a fragile object made of sugar and then telling them they can't eat it.

A little broke off when I took the photos, and I must say it was quite tasty. Now who shall I bequeath this torturous gift upon?

blue sky and leaf skeleton

lucky Chevy

On October 9, 1992, Michelle Knapp of Peekskill, NY heard a loud crash outside her home. When she went to investigate, she found that the back of her car was smashed, but there was no other car in sight. It turned out to be a meteorite the size of a football had passed through her car and left a crater in her driveway.

Michelle thought she had pretty much lost the $100 she paid for her old Chevy Malibu. But a collector paid her $10,000 for the car, and it's been on tour around the world.