Avert My Active Eyes

Here I am, averting my eyes. If I don't look, I won't have to exercise.

I admit, activity is good for the body. Activity is good for the eyes. My favorite activity is watching others be active. Today is the second day I’ve been able to sit in the front yard and watch many people put siding on the house across the street. I had no idea humans could work together like that. It’s so clever the way they scurry up and down the ladders, nail siding to the house, and then have lunch. Then, they do it again and have a snack. Then they do it again and stop for a smoke. (Obviously, smoking is the stupid part of their day.) Anyway, they’d better hurry, since it’s supposed to snow later. Joan made us take a walk with her, which was not my choice, but she said I needed to move muscles other than my eyes. Eyes aren’t muscles, are they?

Shane barks at the workers, so he has to stay inside. Joan doesn’t get it. Shane barks at the workers because that’s how he gets to stay inside. He must be about eight years old, and he still hasn’t figured out that all we have to do to go inside is bark at the door. He’s seen me do it hundreds of times. Instead, he waits for a rabbit to run across the yard or for someone to walk by the house before he barks. Joan opens the door to let him in every single time. I’ve tried telling him that barking doesn't require an event; dogs can just bark. But he doesn’t get it. It’s too late. Maybe there’s some truth to that saying about no new tricks for old dogs.

Best wishes, Juno