The joy in taking the initiative and doing something not in your job description, voluntarily, is that you can stop whenever you want.  I've been cleaning the box office, and I've decided I'm done and don't want to do any more today.  And I CAN decide that!

So, Phouka has been...well, Phouka, lately.  The other night, Tommy said, she ate a scorpion that was in the bathroom, before he could stop her.  Apparently it was eaten with great relish and smacking of chops.  As the crazy coyote seems to be suffering no ill effects from this little adventure, all I can say is, "Good puppy!  You saved Mommy!"

Yesterday, when I took her out, I didn't see the little marmalade cat at the foot of the porch stairs.  She did.  She took off like a shot after that cat, tearing the leash from my hands.  But, the leash caught on the porch!  Saved?  No.  She broke the leash like it wasn't even there and was gone into the front woods.  I heard her flailing around like an octopus in it's death throes, and here came the cat that started it all, walking calmly out of the woods, across the driveway and into the tall grass on the other side.

Informing Phouka that the cat had outsmarted her and was long gone, did not bring Phouka back into the house.  She continued to flail around a while longer, then shot across the somewhat open space we laughingly call the front yard, up the path into the back and was GONE.  I have to say, that dog can move when given the opportunity!

After about ten minutes with no sign of her, she finally heard me calling and trotted calmly back into the house, where she promptly flopped down over the air conditioning vent and ignored all the strife she had caused.

This adventure necessitated a trip to PetSmart where we purchased a heavy duty tie-out line, instead of the retractable leash we had been using, a new, thicker collar, just in case, and easier to read pet tags.

There have been no further incidents, today.  To my knowledge.

And I know I've been remiss in posting random photos, so here's one I took on my porch the other day.  It was dusk, heading into night, and everything was turning grey.  Except this one wind chime.  It must have been catching all available light to be glowing like this!

I LOVE this color.