12/04/2009 - Budweiser does 9/11

How many of you remember this commercial?



I freely admit, I'm one of THOSE sorts of people; I cry at commercials. The degree of tearage and intensity of wailing varies depending on my hormonal condition. Generally, I cry at parades, at anything featuring horses, at nobility wherever it can be found... This commercial just made me bust out in tears, but then I'm a horsewoman, so there's that. Big huge horses filled with nobility are always going to make me bust out in tears.

Still, Budweiser does a great horse commercial - or maybe did, I dunno. Are they still filming these? There were the "horses playing football" and the "baby horse dreams of drawing the big wagon and gets help from the big horses", and the "young horses challenge the older horses to a snowball fight", etc etc. The following are a few of my favorites.

Here's the "Rocky" tribute...



Here's the "donkey" ad...



And the "donkey" ad rebuttal...



And the "dog envy" commercial...



I could keep on like this forever. Really. So I'll just leave it to you - click HERE for a listing of the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials on YouTube.

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Sophie, Puppy of Terror, just decided she needed a snuggle from me. She announces her need by trying to climb on my lap from under the table. This involves her kind of insinuating herself up via her claws, somewhere in the region of my crotch.

And yes, that's every bit as bad as you might imagine it would be, especially when one is writing one's heart out, deep in the Elven kingdom of Otherworld.

Sophie and I, We often have Words about this, but I have yet, apparently, to hit upon the right Words to convince her of my sincere dislike of this behavior on her part. Luckily, Shar is too big to fit under the table.

Right now, Shar is busy in the living room with her tugging rope, playing the "Mine" game with Elise. The format of this game is as follows: Shar grabs the rope in her jaws, shakes her head around wildly so the rope knows she means business, and then proceeds to bump her muzzle, and the rope, into the arms, legs, ribs and/or face of anyone within reasonable playing distance. Right now that's Elise. Hy-larious... Two puppies playing and laughing together, although it occurs to me, just now, that Shar outweighs Elise by maybe as much as 20 pounds. I had to add back the three links I removed from Shar's prong collar last night because her neck has filled out by several inches since I got her in June, I think it was.

Wow, I wish I had a camera! Shar is bounding around the living room, her tail whipping back and forth, her jaws hanging open in an ear-to-ear grin, playing with Elise, who's laughing so hard she's having a hard time breathing. Shar is controlling herself well - Elise is in no danger, even from accidental biting as Shar goes for the rope. Shar's time with Holly has taught her good bite inhibition.

Just now I got up and showed Elise how to "talk dog". I showed Elise the difference in my posture when Shar and I are playing (open front, very relaxed, lost of energy and movement), and when I'm taking control of the situation and asking Shar to drop the rope and stop playing (stiff and still, closed posture, arms close to my sides, left hand held up and palm towards her, staring directly at her). Shar dropped the rope, no matter how wild she was playing, withing ten seconds of me doing that, and in most instances she sat down, waiting for me to tell her what should happen next.

Really seriously, Shar is the smartest, most adaptable dog I have ever had the honor of calling my companion. I've dearly loved all my dogs, but she really takes the cake; she has earned a special place in my heart.

Okay, busy day tomorrow. I'm going to Morgan Hill, and Doris, John and I are going to drive together to Ellen's housewarming party. Elise is staying here because she's going to her friend Acacia's house tomorrow for a birthday party and her first ever sleepover! I am so proud of her for doing something that's a little bit scary! I think she's going to do fine.

Off to bed, Bambinos! Ciao!