Toad in the Hole

1 | By: Kate G. on May 14, 2009 at 08:13 AM

Blow up that rubber glove, rubber band it to the end of a very long pole and give that silly dog a swat on the nose!

2 | By: Sally Mack on May 14, 2009 at 03:54 PM

I thought there was no such thing as inter-species communication?

3 | By: kathy a on May 14, 2009 at 04:18 PM

try to tell that to a dog, sally.  one of my dogs has been telling the mailman “hey! get offa my yard!  don’t leave stuff here!” for years [from behind the garage door, where the dog feels safe but can observe his evil doings through a gap at the bottom].  she must be communicating, because the mailman scoots the hell off as fast as he can.

4 | By: Sally Mack on May 17, 2009 at 09:22 AM

Kathy A., my apologies.  Saying something patently stupid can’t be assumed to be interpreted as a joke, any more, not when so many people say patently stupid things in all sincerity, especially on the internet.  Of course inter-species communication exists and is one of the delights of life.

Out at the wetlands I photograph, this morning I saw a big bird flip upside down in mid-air, then flip right side up, again, in an attempt to ward off a smaller bird above it (sorry, that’s the closest I can come to describing them).  Then five or six more smaller birds arrived to join the harrassment.  Communication, you betcha!

Four cats live with me.  I dare you to try to convince me they don’t communicate, plot, and manipulate.

5 | By: Ron Sullivan on May 17, 2009 at 09:37 AM

Sally, we still need a sarcasm tag. Though if you two knew each other better I think Kathy would have heard the sarcasm; she’s afflicted with cats too.

6 | By: Ron Sullivan on May 17, 2009 at 09:38 AM

And kate, I’ve got lots of long poles but I’d have to delegate blowing up the glove.

7 | By: VS on May 18, 2009 at 04:46 AM

Isn’t :-p the sarcasm emoticon?  I thought it indicated tongue-in-cheek.  Before I realized what the text emoticons were, back in the Jurassic of Usenet, I used to put (blinks innocently) for that sort of thing…

8 | By: kathy a on May 18, 2009 at 06:25 AM

sally, i was laughing!  sorry for the confusion.

9 | By: Sally Mack on May 18, 2009 at 06:29 AM

Thanks, Kathy.  Confusion all around. . .  Not to mention all that patent stupidity. . .

10 | By: kathy a on May 18, 2009 at 09:47 AM

do you remember that old far side cartoon, where in the first panel the dog’s owner is talking at length to his dog, and in the second panel, the dog is hearing something like “mumble mumble FIDO!  mumble mumble mumble, FIDO?  mumble mumble.”

i’m sure my barky dog feels she is communicating clearly; indeed, she is.  and so am i, when i tell her for the millionth time to quit that, the mailman is our friend.  just a little something gets lost in that translation.  ;)

as far as cats go, i also have 4—you hit the nail on the head about cats!  our senior cat, small and opinionated and imperial, is so good at inter-species communication that she scares both [much larger] dogs. 

our blind cat, the duke of earl, is happy and fearless and was fostered with dogs.  he likes to go visit and play with the canines in the family room, which leaves the dogs both delighted and confused—and when he does, the 2 junior cats stand vigil outside the half-door, one of them worrying loudly for the fate of his beloved mentor.  this draws the attention of senior cat, in case Action on Behalf of the Species is required.  when The Miracle occurs and earl emerges unscathed from the dog room, the junior cats rejoice!  earl heads for the food dish.  senior cat stalks off; her duty is done, and she finds earl unamusing.

interspecies drama and comedy:  is life not richer for it?

11 | By: kathy a on May 18, 2009 at 04:25 PM

p.s.—sally, love the story about the large bird making a display, and the small birds ganging up.

12 | By: Ron Sullivan on May 19, 2009 at 05:13 PM

VS: Yeah, and there was all that grinning, ducking, and running back then too.