Hello and welcome back the wonderful world of the Dogpound. A couple of weekends ago I got the opportunity to attend, for the first time, a Chicago Bears football game at Soldier Field. Our host picked us from the hotel, and he was loaded down with tailgate goodies: barbecue brisket, chicken wings, pulled pork, baked beans and mac and cheese. So by the time we got to the stadium, we had a good dose of “essence of barbecue” on our clothes. I offered to carry the goodies that were stored in a caterer’s insulated soft bag with straps. I did not realize we had a long walk from the underground parking garage to the parking lot, but I thought I would do my part to help with the party. Off we went. The bag was constantly banging against my right calf, so I finally had to pick it up and cradle in both arms. We took an elevator ride that led to a big series of steps. I was weighed down with food, could not see my feet, and we had to go up three flights of concrete steps. I made it without passing out (exercise pays off), and we walked across a long patio till we came in sight of the parking lot. From there we only had to descend three short flights of steps. Not sure what happened next, but I lost track of how many steps I had covered, and not being able to see in front of me I did not know there was a third set of steps that I had not covered. So here I was, arms full of food, and out of the blue, I was suddenly tiptoeing through the daisies, doing the flight fantastic, hitting every step and nailing a perfect 10 landing that would have made Mary Lou Retton proud. I was as surprised as anyone else as to what had just transpired, and it took several seconds to take it all in. I was close to either falling on the concrete with no way to protect my forearms or falling chest first on all the food, protecting me but destroying every aluminum pan in the insulated carrier. Then I would have had to face an angry and hungry tailgate mob! Thank goodness my guardian angel is a Bears fan!
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“Be sure you to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” – Abraham Lincoln
STINKY ADVICE
A man was in his car one day listening to a guy on the radio help callers with their home problems. One woman called up and was hysterical after finding a skunk in her basement. “Leave a trail of bread crumbs or cat food from your basement to your backyard,” the show’s host suggested. “That’ll get rid of it.” An hour later, the woman called back even more upset. “Now I have two skunks in my basement!”
I better wrap this up so I can hit the shower. I still smell like barbecue, and the dogs are forming a mob outside my window!
As always, be good, do good, play safe and remember to always watch your step, or steps!
— JR
