A-choo

by Sharon Burnett

Just about every Sunday morning, I do my grocery shopping for the week. I always start at out local Costco. Last Sunday was no exception.

I am a life-long native of the Pacific Northwest. Like most regions, we have our special people-food items that you can only buy here or through the web. Among my favorites are Green River soda (http://www.dggpro.com/TheSodaDepot/browse.asp?page=415) and Johnny's Dock seasonings and salad dressings. I am specifically taken with certain salt and pepper blends called "Jamaica Me Crazy." (http://www.johnnysfinefoods.com/product.aspx?variantid=10&catid=1)

Imagine my delight when I found that Johnny's Fine Food was having a special food demonstration at Costco and they had really good prices on my favorite goodies. I bought 2 salad dressings and a gift-pack of seasonings as shown in the link above. I brought my prizes home. I put the salad dressings away, but left the seasonings in their little cardboard box on the kitchen counter. I had some doubles, so planned on giving those to a friend that was coming over later on. I purposely pushed the box to the back of the kitchen counter so that Rocket and/or Rio couldn't get into my stuff. I told them to stay out of my stuff and be good so I could go out in the garage and finish my prep-work on my Porsche (getting ready to polish & wax).

So you all have Kerries. And maybe you have an Irish Terrier in your life. You do know that with these dogs, you as the human really own nothing. All property belongs to your Terriers. Especially anything wrapped in cardboard.

I really was only out for 45 minutes, but trouble doesn't take long to brew and with 4Rs loose in the house trouble is easy to make and even more fun to participate in. When I came back in the house, I discovered trouble right away. My seasoning box had exploded. It was in about 52 pieces all over the living room carpet. Seasonings where everywhere. I think there may have been a discussion as to the virtues of salt versus pepper and somehow the pepper won.

Yes, I was mad. But hey I left the dogs out and I also left a prize on the counter. Even still, I had to know what happened.

So I called the gang. Of course Renny was already running around wildly. Carrying 3 chew-bones, she was gruffing and growling (she does not rooh like the others). I knew she knew who did it. I did too, but again I had to ask. Rocket came in off the couch and Rascal ran over from down the hall - I expect she was in bed. Rio was last to join the line-up.

Yes, they all come to me and line up. Four little faces all looking up with adoration at me. All sitting - very tidy, nice Terriers. And then I pointed at the cardboard crumbs and said who did this?

Renny got up and started running around, dropped her bones , and had to regroup. Rocket just looked at me and Rascal looked right at Rio and back at me as if to say "You have to ask?"

Rio started to sneeze. A whole bunch of sneezes. Then I realized that she had opened one of the pepper blends. She had a snoot full! Guess I know who did the deed.

I picked up the seasoning and laughed. What a goof! If you think Kerries are curious, you haven't seen anything until you've met a Redd Dog. Perhaps Rio should endorse Johnny's pepper blends?