As we approach the publication (finally, I hope) of Miss Missy’s School Book I: A Pack of Farm Dogs Starts a School, I thought it might be fun review how this project got started. I’d need to do more research than I have time for right now, but below is one of the earlier conversations among Missy, Rocky, and I.

Back then, I just typed out dialog. There were no “He said,” “She said.” I’ve added a few to keep things straight. There also was no standardization of Rocky’s various “Ruffs” as there are now. And the whole thing needs a good edit– but you’ll get the idea.

This is also one of the fairly rare times we discussed current events. Shutting down national parks. What innocent times.

What’s Next? Dog Parks?

Published on October 2, 2013

I took the dogs out later than usual this morning. They had a great run! After we finished up our post-run chores, I sat down to peruse the World-Wide-Web and we got into a conversation.

“Ruff?” Rocky was curious, too.

“Well,” I said, “there’s still the idiocy of shutting down unmanned National Parks. We talked about that earlier.”

“RUFF!?!” Rocky still couldn’t believe the stupidity.

“Yes, I remember. You were in a bit of a snit about that this morning,” Missy said.

“Yes. I hope I didn’t upset you,” I replied.

“Oh. Not at all. We’ve learned turpitude really ticks you off.”

“Ruff! Ruff!”

“But I have a question,” Missy said. “They won’t be shutting down any dog parks, will they? I only ask because from what you’ve told us about the differences between country and city life, I can imagine those City Dogs must really love their dog parks. Poor dears.”

“RUFF?!” Rocky knew all about city dogs from British Detective Novels. He was glad he was not a city dog.

“I don’t think there’s any danger of that happening, Missy. To the best of my knowledge the National Parks Service isn’t in the dog park business… yet. And no, Rocky, they can’t close your pastures just because you run in them. As I understand it, a park has to receive federal funding before it can be shut down. We receive no federal funding– in fact, quite the opposite, we pay the Treasury— so you’re safe.”

“Ruff?”

“How can you say this with such certainty, Marica? You always say, ‘There’s no tellin’ what they’ll do’.”

“Rrrrufff!”