Dear Readers,
I am nearing my last article as a guest blogger. I understand variety is important in keeping an audience interested so I thought I’d pose a riddle to you. Since the whole thing is pretty bizarre and you’d likely not believe it (I have trouble believing it and I’m in it), I’ll give you some clues along with some background.
If you’ve read my blogs during my stay-cation here you may have gathered these temporary minders are well-intentioned but not always adept. I hear they have gone to school and so they should have learned many things but you wouldn’t always know it. Especially if you were a pet staying on a holiday in their home. One of the things we’ve all struggled with is my winter boots. They thought they started to get the hang of it only last night when my stay is pretty much over. But it took two of them to get them on so they would stay and now one of them is gone for the rest of my stay here and I thought ‘Oh boy, we’re hooped!’ but then the remaining minder turned to some of her go-to invention building blocks. Usually she uses duct tape and a coat hanger and sometimes an empty tin can but this time she only used duct tape from that trio. It doesn’t always work though. Has she ever told you about the time she tried to devise a temporary plumbing fix with balloons and duct tape at her cottage. It didn’t end well. It was funny though.
Here is the riddle. It’s a picture of the components of what has been a successful (so far) method of one person putting my boots on and having them stay on for a whole walk. There is a prize for anyone who gets the right answer!! My owners will either drive me or fly me to your house and I will do there what I was put on this earth to do, be very happy to meet you, be petted and be your shadow. My owners haven’t been consulted yet as to this prize but I am a mixed breed and as the vet said last week ” Squidge knows how to get what he wants”.
Here’s the picture. I am very excited to see how many entries there will be!! The contest closes at 8 PM EST on January 15th. Oh, and there’s one thing missing from the picture-the clothes dryer. Good luck!!
Barb's True Stories 
I know! I know! I haven’t read Agatha Christie for nothing ya know!
The hostesss …being alone…and there being not a witness in the house…is going to DUCT tape the towels to the bathroom floor…the one closest to the outside door I am envisioning… using the scissors of course to cut the tape as even her strong prairie borne el dentes cannot rip it apart.
Next she is going to throw that orange little “whateveritis” into the bathroom and use the cardboard padded ‘stick’ as a bit of persuader to get Squidge to enter the room..and then SLAM… the door will be shut for about 10 minutes…
…no boots necessary….no struggle…no wind…no snow…no rabbits…
I am sooooo looking forward to meeting you Squidge.
Oh oh… forgot the clothes dryer which is a bit of a red herring as no doubt a clothes dryer will be needed to launder the towels of course.
pea s.
…Balloons to fix leaks in the plumbing you say? Next time try Metamusil…down the drain…a whole Xtra large container….that will stop ANYTHING from Leaking Anywhere…for a long long time….as experience has proven. Strawberry flavoured does anyway….not sure about the Orange .
pea
Your enthusiasm is contagious and your creativity is remarkable! Since the contest is ongoing you’ll understand I can’t comment one way or the other on your answer. However my minder is now aware of a use for Metamucil she never thought about before your message.
Yours,
Squidge
Well we are fans of Agatha Christie too!
Taking a good look at our boots and the bits and pieces you have this is our guess – your new minder has given up and tossed out your boots and is going to make her own by wrapping some pieces of towel around your paws and hold them on with duct tape (this might pull your fur when they’re removed, but as you say your minders are sometimes lacking…).
Then the orange ‘whateveritis’ will be filled with some peanut butter to tempt you along in your walk outside and make up for you having to wear boots. And it’s obvious the cardboard stick is the red herring – this is a good toy to run around with and tear into pieces!!
Woof woof woof did we guess right???
Yours,
Tessa and Whiskey who have lost one boot and 3 are lying frozen in the back yard…good thing we have extras.
You have given use to every article! Dogs are very creative. I am writing the answer to the riddle this morning. Thank you for woofing a reply!
Oh my, we forgot about the clothes dryer…you new minder couldn’t possibly be thinking this is how she will dry you out after a snowy walk Squidge??? We realize she has very little experience with little animals like you but this would be a disaster – you must run and hide in the far corner under a bed until the other minder comes home if you think that will happen!!!
Ahem! Is it not past 8pm on January 15, 2015? Just saying…..
Well, I would hope she would know better but based on my observations I wouldn’t bet my treat budget. I know how to run and hide and pretend it’s a game. I do that sometimes when it’s time to go outside.
It is after 8pm but I had a very busy evening. Some rambunctious times and then we had to get dressed and go outside and then we had to watch Poirot and then I had to go to bed. Will blog with a clearer head tomorrow.