a midnight clearing

Tiny chumley had been roasting naked under the electric blankie all night long, sleeping soundly through the opening ceremonies of the winter olympics. Sleeping, til finally it was time to turn off the tv and go outside, and it was only then that he realized that it had been snowing while he slept.

A fluffy blanket of fresh snow can only mean one thing when it's time for this little wiener dog do his midnight duties. Shovel first, then carry me, please.

It's the least we can do for our little boy, who at least delivers the goods when we set his tiny paws upon the cold wet ground. As he grew older, Kep became notoriously stubborn in such affairs even when the weather was nice out, toodling around and often times just standing like a little cow in a test of wills that he inevitably almost always won. No outside poopies for me, nosirree, Kep would always remind us. I prefer the convenience and comfort of doing it inside wherever and whenever I want, thank you very much. And don't be surprised if I eat it. That's just who I am.

Of course it wasn't until late in his life that we realized the addition of boiled chicken seemed to curb his appetite for homemade chocolates, but Kep's stubborn streak lasted, it seems, til the very end. And though we put up with Kep's behavior out of love, we love the fact that we don't have to put up with it with Baxter. So, yes, we're the crazy people you see out back, clearing a spot in the snow at midnight, so the little kielbasa can do his business. That's just who we are.