The Lummox that didn't bark ....

... or as a politician might say, he barked before he didn't bark.

Last night I was late getting to bed and stayed awake a bit while listening to a French tape (still trying to master French after all these years). Mosby the Grey Ghost came up and snuggled down between me and Carmen and of course I had to spend some time petting her. Then, just as I was starting to fall asleep, the little lummox started to bark. Then he stopped. Just as I was starting to fall asleep for the second time, he started up again. This went on for several episodes until I couldn't stand it anymore.

I stalked out to the Dog's Room, formerly known as the Family Room and forcefully told him in my sternest voice "NO BARKING! NOOO BAAARRKING!" He just kept wagging his tail and grinning at me. But he stopped -- at least until I had been back in bed for five minutes. Then he cranked up again (probably still grinning and wagging).

This time Carmen got up and went out to talk to him for a few minutes. Then she came back to bed muttering about how cold it was. But the lummox didn't bark any more at all.

The next morning I asked her how she did it. She said she just got down on her hands and knees, looked out the glass door with him, and told him "Good Boy! You're so brave! We're safe now. Good boy!"

There must be a moral there somewhere.