Now We’re Talking

Today this post is written by my guest blogger, Calvin.

He pushed me off the desk chair, hopped on and began pounding at the keyboard.

Words appeared on the screen at lightning speed about this year’s Westminster Dog Show winner.

—

It’s about time!

It took seven years for those bozo judges to recognize the fact.

Beagles reign!

Miss P, a four-year old beagle, showed them a thing or two by beating out the rest of the beasts at this year’s Westminster Dog Show.

The beagle race has come out on top!

Of course any self-respecting beagle, from a low-life to an ultra snobby one knows that.

It just takes the human race to catch up.

Boy are they slow.

In 2008 the winner was Uno, another beagle who took the ribbon and trophy.

You’d think the dog community would sit up and realize their other breeds can’t reach such rarefied levels of distinction as us beagles.

We’re bright, enthusiastic, eager, friendly, and oh so cute.

We’re also independent, undisciplined, and resist training.

Puppy training school is for other breeds, not us.

We love children, lounging in bed, and a good hot breakfast.

Don’t expect us to play catch, that’s for the others with no brains.

We don’t retrieve slippers, sticks or please don’t have us go after a tennis ball.

However, wave the scent of a fox in front of our noses and see what happens.

You’ll need ear plugs.

I am doing my beagle dance today.

I’m in love with Miss P.

What a face! Those big, beautiful brown eyes, that silky coat. My heart is thumping.

She’s a beauty!

If I could, I’d buy those judges a beer at the local pub for their good taste.

Finally again.

Hurry Up and Win!

I’m holding my breath for Sunday’s final match for World Cup supremacy.

The match between Argentina and Germany should be a nail-biter.

Okay, I know. That makes three posts on the subject of the World Cup.

I’m not obsessed.

Really I’m not.

“Yes you are. Tell the truth,” Calvin says.

“Okay, I am.”

Here’s why: Argentina, besides being my birth country, needs a shot in the arm of inspiration and positive world attention.

It’s a country which has a long history of government corruption and mistreatment of its people. And yet, it keeps getting up and forging ahead in spite of its misfortunes and financial reversals.

Argentinians are tenacious people with indomitable spirits. They’re strong, passionate, and intelligent.

And they’re very good at soccer.

Here’s their moment of world attention and I’m cheering them on for an extraordinary finish.

Won’t you join me?

Calvin says, “Not me. I can’t wait for it to be over. Then you’re all mine again.”

Woof from the Roof

I finally visited the Charles Schultz Museum in Santa Rosa, home of the Peanuts gang.

It’s a modern building nestled off the main road in a quiet neighborhood. Parking is free. What a gift.

Charlie Brown greets you at the entrance. He doesn’t have much to say. He wears a scripted grin. But hey, he’s there.

When you look to your right, you’ll see Snoopy snoozing on top of his dog house. He’s knocked out from the last batch of visitors. No performance there.

As you step through the front door, you hear the Linus and Lucy theme music from the popular Christmas special.

A ticket buys you a trip down memory lane. If you’re a Peanuts aficionado like I am, I am enthralled by the history of the cartoon strip and how the characters began and then morphed into the crazy people I know and love.

My favorites are Lucy in her psychiatry box and Snoopy.

Especially Snoopy doing his happy dance. I have a picture of him on my desk to remind me to get up every hour and tap dance to avoid blood clots from too much sitting.

At the far end of the main hall you’ll be drawn to a huge wall of Lucy and Charlie Brown. Upon closer inspection you realize it’s made of a zillion cartoon strips. And each frame is a tile. Impressive. The genius who created it must have a lust for the miniature or he’s in a rocking chair somewhere muttering to himself as he overlooks a green meadow.

The second floor contains Schultz’s entire office – the one he used in real life – including chair and drawing board and photos and books. Adjacent to this is another room showcasing the many awards he received over the years, including an Emmy and a Peabody. That’s the closest I’ve ever come to either one. The Emmy is quite stunning, made of gold, of course. It would look better on my mantlepiece.

Outside the building, Peanuts figures, the size of school-age children, stand all over the garden. They’re there for climbing and taking pictures. I sat on a bench with Snoopy and Woodstock and held court for a while. I was keen on discovering how they kept their sanity year in and year out. Woodstock said his secret is daily hydro-therapy in his bird bath. Snoopy admitted he begs for more food, which he rarely gets, so he lies on the roof of his dog house and howls at the moon until somebody from the house throws a pillow at him.

Calvin says, “Hey Snoopy, at your next feeding, pack your cheeks with kibble for later.”