There's a first time for everything...SKUNK!!!

So there we are, watching the parade of screeching, slack-jawed wazzocks having their turn at annoying all of America (American Idol premiere) when a load of barking, not the usual "Barwooo-oo-oo" Tomokee produces, comes from the back yard. I open the door and am hit with the smell of a rubber factory combined with a festive soupçon of New Jersey -- SKUNK!!

Long experience, especially the time Betty let our prior dog Benzlo get skunked, come in the house and scrub herself all over the carpet in Studio 1B (where I do voiceover work) has taught me to batten all hatches. We snag the dog and discover that, other than just the tip of his nose, he's not reeking (although a skunk blast that close to the house means everything reeks anyway). He either tried to sniff the skunk's butt or stuck his nose in fresh skunk-spray. His "nose breath" smells worse than a used car salesman's after a serious night of drinking and smoking.

We're collectively lucky -- he may have learned a valuable lesson without having to go the cold hose shower at night route. This is Tomokee's first skunk encounter and, we hope, something not to be repeated anytime soon. Benzlo took three shots before she "got it" (although I think the last one wasn't for cause -- just a case of "surprise" with a bad outcome).

We also get opossums and racoons transiting the back yard from time to time. I don't think any dog tolerates racoons well, but at least they give 'em space, which is a good thing 'cuz racoons fight dirty and can seriously damage a dog.

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A sad note from our friend, Lishka. She just received the news tonight that her dog, Chobe, had died. From the number of stories we've heard, Chobe was a well-loved part of her life.

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To great dogs everywhere: L'chayim!

A friend and colleague (Adam) had to put his Labradoodle of just under 12 years, Bennie, down over the weekend. We just found out today. We had been given a very fine flagon of Plymouth Gin by Original Adam (to distinguish the two, very distinct, Adams) and toasted the passing of this friendly beast with a mighty fine brace of martinis (erm, one each, not dual 'tinis each).

Why do we celebrate at a time of loss? Our friend, Yeshwant, used to say that celebrations were for the living since, as he put it, "the body in the box is not having a good time." It was to the survivors to pull up their socks, honour the memory of those departed and to get on with our short time on this earth.

So, to Adam and his family we send our condolences and to the spirit of great dogs everywhere, including Benzlo, Bennie and Chobe, we salute you and take this time to fondly reflect.