Happy Father’s Day!
Not long after, we were on our way out of the fairgrounds, Charlie riding shotgun, me on the shelf, but handling it well.
“Me and Mindy were looking at mug shots,” Charlie said.
“See anyone you know?”
Charlie laughed. Laughter: that’s the best human sound, and kid laughter is the best of the best. Then Charlie stopped laughing and his face got serious. The serious look on a kid’s face is always interesting.
“There sure are lots of bad guys, Dad,” he said. “How come?”
Bernie glanced over at Charlie. “No one really knows,” he said, “but I can tell you what I think.”
“Okay.”
It’s about conscience.” Oops. I was lost already. “You know – a sense of right and wrong.” Oh, that. “Everyone starts out with one but the more you override it, the weaker it gets. Remember when the threads got stripped on the thing that attaches the propane tank to the barbecue?”
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m hungry.”
So was I, had felt a hunger pang the moment Bernie mentioned the barbecue.
“We’ll pick up something on the way home.”
– from To Fetch A Thief.
Welcome dude with cool collar, Quito (off to a good start), Danali, Cooper.
Tags: father's day, To Fetch A Thief
This entry was posted on Sunday, June 17th, 2012 at 8:03 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
8:04 am on June 17th, 2012
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
8:42 am on June 17th, 2012
Happy Fathers Day, Steve! And Spence, Bernie and Chet (who we KNOW has a puppy or 2 running around from the last book). As well as all the other dads (of both 2 legged and 4 legged kiddos).
9:18 am on June 17th, 2012
Just what I was going to say youse guys!
I will also add Happy Father’s Day to Dan!
9:23 am on June 17th, 2012
Happy Father’s Day to dads of all kinds out there!
Enjoy your day, Spence. Maybe some sailing is in your future. Hope the kids are able to gather ’round.
9:48 am on June 17th, 2012
Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads!
10:05 am on June 17th, 2012
Ditto.
Good morning all.
10:07 am on June 17th, 2012
Yep, what they said!
10:17 am on June 17th, 2012
Happy Fathers’ Day! You will all be happy to know that we have done our part to make Dad’s day a good one. First, Gilly woke Mama up super early to go out. So Mama went back to bed, but Gilly decided to herd chipmunks, which requires lots and lots of barking. So Mama got back up and let her back in. But Gilly had gotten overexcited and overheated, so the next sound our dozing Mama heard was the “yurk, yurk, splat!” of a dog getting sick. So up Mama got again. And after cleaning up, she tried to lay down for just a little bit more. Then the phone next to the bed rang – her very crazy aunt (not funny or silly – just crazy) calling at the crack of dawn. Just as Mama’s eyes drifted closed once again, we heard a monster outside and had to BARK, BARK, BARK!!! to chase it off. It must have worked because there was no monster outside when Mama got up and looked. At that point, she decided that the universe won, and she just stayed up with us (which was kinda the plan)
So, how is this all helping Dad, you ask? Well, Dad takes his hearing aids out at night and sleeps like a really old house – settled and still with the occasional,inexplicable loud noise. So, he lay in blissful slumber through all of this. And when he wakes up, spunky and refreshed, and wanders into the kitchen to ask bleary-eyed Mama what’s for breakfast – she isn’t gonna make him eat kibble.
Does it get better than that?
10:27 am on June 17th, 2012
Strawberries are out in Michigan so it’s strawberry pie: Slivered almonds on the baked pie shell; vanilla custard next with glazed strawberries on top and finished with a swirl of whipped cream.
10:32 am on June 17th, 2012
Wonder what’s up in the world of baseball today? Snicker.
10:33 am on June 17th, 2012
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!
Happy Fathers Day to all the dads Gus and Boobear named. I was going to do that, but they did my typing for me.
Good Morning All!
10:34 am on June 17th, 2012
I’ll take an extra dollop of whipped cream please, B.
10:35 am on June 17th, 2012
BASEBALL!! The Yankees are on a roll, the Rockies are not. (I’m trying to get some strawberry pie for my mom)
10:40 am on June 17th, 2012
Happy Pops Day to all the good dads on here…2- and 4-legged!
We celebrated the day wiith Pop by all sharing in a delish Bacon and Egg breakfast.
Hmmmm…we are in the mood for a baseball game, right after we spend some time on this good read. Make ours a double, Bee.
11:05 am on June 17th, 2012
Just in case you decide to withhold Oley’s slice of pie as punishment for their considerable transgressions, we will take it. Vanilla custard, and almonds, and strawberries? Does it get any better?
11:13 am on June 17th, 2012
Happy Father’s Day to all two and four- legged dads!
Those Bronx Bombers— just loving these guys. Eight game winning streak going.
Plus, they are in first place in the AL East. WooooHooo!
B: would you make mine an extra big slice? 🙂
11:18 am on June 17th, 2012
T and G, those monsters are tricky. They always hide when mom comes to look for them. She thinks we are barking at nothing, but we know better. Maybe next time we will just let the monsters in, and see how she likes it then.
11:19 am on June 17th, 2012
Baseball game takes place on a Baseball field where two Baseball teams of nine Baseball players each take turns trying to hit a Baseball ball with a Baseball bat trying to score runs while the other Baseball team uses Baseball mitts to catch the Baseball ball to get the Baseball players out.
There is also a Baseball manger who says, “Crying? There’s no crying in baseball!”
That strawberry pie sounds mighty good!
11:42 am on June 17th, 2012
I’m cracking up too much to type.
11:44 am on June 17th, 2012
I’m crying a foul on Melanie for her blatantly illegal post.
And, Bee, in case you are not sure what foul means, it is when the baseball gets hit out of bounds.
Darn! {giggle}
11:53 am on June 17th, 2012
If ve say “base of balls” can ve go to sit in cell vith pie too? Ve love almonds!!
11:55 am on June 17th, 2012
Rose – you did not say magic vord of “base of balls”. No pie for you!
12:25 pm on June 17th, 2012
Losing count here…so many Plunderers in the husgow just for mentioning that verboten word.
Looks like Someone will be spending the day in the kitchen turning out pie after pie after pie………
Now, I am going to check out that Good Read about Baseball. BBL
12:29 pm on June 17th, 2012
Happy Fathers Day one and all.
Some of us might be a bit happier though if the last two games of the Yankees’ winning streak were not against my Wasington Nationals.
And in case some don’t remember, Melanie’s quote about there being no crying in baseball is from A League of Their Own, a really great baseballmovie view (the movie analogue to “read”).
Oh, and did I remember to say Happy Fathers Day? So I did.
Wookie
P.S. I’ll take my pie with double whipped cream.
1:22 pm on June 17th, 2012
Wookie: A League of Their Own is one of our favorites too.
Nattie: Rose must not be excluded. She mentioned baseball teams and that does count.
1:40 pm on June 17th, 2012
Snort! As a certain pug would say!
1:53 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rio: Check your SDD por favor.
1:55 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rockies!…Are already playing ball…sniff!…Being in the East really messes with our schedule here…grunt!…It is the second inning. Good thing she is back from getting food for me and Beau and that shadowbox frame deal she stumbled upon…heh!
1:55 pm on June 17th, 2012
Yum, Pie. I have a friend whose mom played professional baseball.
She is in her 80’s now. A very cheerful woman.
Can I get some pie too? I will settle for pudding if the pie is all gone.
Otherwise all this baseball talk is pointless.
1:56 pm on June 17th, 2012
Yeesh!…I logon and Maskers is already making demands…grunt!
1:59 pm on June 17th, 2012
News!….Tom, Dick and Harry all have Forever Homes….Wooooo!…Tom and Harry were a little scared there when Dick was picked out first. But now all is well and they will be together forever in their new home….snorkel!
2:51 pm on June 17th, 2012
Staff: There’s lots of pie so help yourself.
2:56 pm on June 17th, 2012
Yummers – thanks for the pie Bee. Wow – a combination Engliash Grammar Expert, Pie Master and Empress all in one. Busy busy busy.
3:05 pm on June 17th, 2012
“Engliash”???
Oh geez – guess it’s “Go directly to Jail – Do not pass GO – do not collect 200 pies”
3:30 pm on June 17th, 2012
Lunch!….Someone is finally eating for the first time today…grunt!…I am going to get my fair share of her lunch, just watch!….heh!
3:39 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rain!…There was a 50 minute rain delay so now we are almost to the 6th inning and the Rockies are behind…burp!
3:40 pm on June 17th, 2012
Did you know that the more you write “baseball” the more it looks misspelled?
Weird.
Back from Pool duty. We have decided to keep the steps we have instead of buying new ones. Besides the fact the price is HIGH, we are just too tired to drive for a total of 3 hours. Zoe cleaned the steps to get them ready for paint. I measured things and thought a lot (very tiring) and then vacuumed up half of what Diver Dave left.
Had to backwash twice. And our hose has gotten smaller (have no idea how) and the hose is only long enough to get to Gracie’s hole. The hole filled up with water and overflowed much to the joy of the Pack!
Now it is time to rest. . . Did you guys know that Doc Martin (BBC series) has a season 5? We have bought it on Amazon Instant video!
4:54 pm on June 17th, 2012
Melanie, How are your gardens doing?
We dug some small potatoes and garlic. Any great ideas on what to do with the garlic? We were thinking about roasting whole cloves on the grill, wrapping them in foil and adding a little olive oil.
Have tons of garlic, so any thoughts, other than hanging it from our necks?
5:13 pm on June 17th, 2012
Masquers, my dear friend, I truly appreciate your chivalry!
Natasha, this is for you— the best Baseball team in the American League East just made the best Baesball team in the National League East look like Little League Baseball players. The baseballs were flying, with HR’ s from Canoe, Tex, and one of my favorite baseball players on the Yankees— Granderson.
The brooms were out this weekend!!
Enough baseball for you, Natasha??
5:15 pm on June 17th, 2012
Ok ok – pie for Rose!
5:15 pm on June 17th, 2012
Oh, Natasha, I think I spelled Baseball wrong somewhere in my post…
Sammy, did you get wonder fluffed?
5:16 pm on June 17th, 2012
Thank you, Natasha. 🙂
5:31 pm on June 17th, 2012
Done!…She finished a project and so now its time to relax and watch an old movie with Jack Lemmon…snorkel!…Her mother is sleeping and Beau is guarding her door…sniff!…He does tend to worry when someone is hurt around here…wuffle!
5:32 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rose!…Did your team beat Agent Wookie’s team?…snort!
5:44 pm on June 17th, 2012
T&G: Proofreading errors are not grammatical errors.
Barb: I always put garlic in a jar of olive oil to use on salads. Crushed garlic is also good in yogurt as a dip–very good with steak.
5:44 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rose, I not only got Wonderfluffed, but before all the company came, I got a buzzcut. People said I looked like a baby polar bear. Humph!
5:50 pm on June 17th, 2012
Staff, Zoë thinks it’s wonderful that your friend’s mom played professional baseball! Sam, you’re always beautiful to us.
Barb&MagPie, How far apart should my lettuce sprouts be? Umm, I never believe anything is going to grow and they are bunched up like mad. I did a better job on the spinach.
5:54 pm on June 17th, 2012
Maybe the World Series 2012 will be the Dodgers and the Yankees.
Sam, there is nothing cuter than a baby polar bear unless it is a husky puppy.
5:57 pm on June 17th, 2012
Barb: I also make hummus: Put olive oil, garlic, drained chick peas, salt and paprika in a blender until smooth. (Sometimes to make it the correct consistency, I add some of the liquid from the chick pea can.) Eat it with flatbread.
6:06 pm on June 17th, 2012
I’m humiliated! If I get my call to audition for the role of Princess in Chet’s book, I’m doomed. SiberH’s suggestion to get hair extensions won’t even work. I’ll need a full wig.
6:10 pm on June 17th, 2012
Sammie!…You are doomed!….heh!heh!…I know for a fact there are not parts for a shaved polar bear out there…snort!
6:12 pm on June 17th, 2012
Electrician!…grunt!…Well, someone was going to bake porkchops out in the little oven on the patio, but it is suddenly like the fire is in our backyard…gasp!wheeze!cough!….Its so smokey out there she won’t let us go out…sniff!…And the electricity to the little oven does not work…grunt!
6:29 pm on June 17th, 2012
Bee, those ideas sound good. I think I will make some hummus for the family get together next month.
Melanie, I never thin my stuff the way they tell you to, so my plants are crowded. Doesn’t matter, they will grow just fine. You can always carefully pull the whole plant when you are ready to use the lettuce, and thin that way if you want. Beans I plant about 3-4″ apart, but beets, spinach and lettuce I plant close together.
I am 1/3 thru One Dog Night, and guess what? Rosenfelt just mentioned Taco Bell. This is book #9 in the series, and Taco Bell is in every book. Lisa Scottoline says she uses names of friends and associates in her books in exchange for them making a donation to the charity of their choice. Still wonder if Rosenfelt is doing something like that. Or maybe he just loves Taco Bell!
6:50 pm on June 17th, 2012
Barb!…You could always make Garlick Mashed Tators…snort!…Beau and I love Garlick Mashed Tators. I especially appreciate them because of my jumbled teeth…heh!
6:52 pm on June 17th, 2012
Happy Father’s Day!
AJ is in the dog house as far as Luna is concerned. AJ thought it was a good idea to scare me, pick me up an start tickling me. Luna did not approve. She pointed a paw at him then to her eyes, “I’ve got my eyes on you, pal.” She’s kept a cautious eye on him all day. When will he learn…
Gnome Alone! I’m glad to know that Tom and Harry will join Dick at their new home.
Sam: My guess is that the Howlers and SiberH would join the likes of Snowhook in donating their extra fur to make you a snout to tail coat for your big audition.
6:52 pm on June 17th, 2012
Sammy, you are always a beauty! Might we see a picture?
6:54 pm on June 17th, 2012
A while back we asked how to prepare dandelion greens. It may have been Tupper&Gilly who responded, but their recipe got lost in the shuffle. If you post it again we promise to add it to our Dishlickers Cookbook immediately.
In the meantime, experimenting around, this popped into our head:
Bear’s Magic Mushroom Omelette:
After rinsing dandelion leaves thoroughly in running water soak overnight in salt water. In a.m. rinse again & dry with a paper towel. Saute the dandelion leaves in olive oil then add two whisked eggs, fresh sliced mushrooms & grated cheddar cheese. Cook on one side for a minute then fold omelet over & cook until done. Add cheese as garnish.
Serve with sliced tomatoes on Romaine lettuce.
B: The hummus recipe sounds easy and good.
Staff: What team did your friend play for?
7:00 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rio: Yep, the Yankees swept Agent Wookie’s team right there in his backyard.
I just saw on the news that the fires are very bad in Colorado. I’m sorry that your friend can’t cook those pork chops out in the little oven. I love pork chops!
You all be careful!
Which reminds me…SiberH, I heard your state had a state of emergency declared several days ago. Be safe!
7:04 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rebecca, Luna has such a maternal instinct! Or maybe since she is AJ’s favorite girl she might be a little jealous? 🙂
7:13 pm on June 17th, 2012
I will have to check with Joyce. I don’t remember what team she played for. (Isn’t Joyce the perfect name for a baseball player!)
The Twins are in the 15th inning tied 4 to 4. They also had a 45 minute rain delay….
7:23 pm on June 17th, 2012
Staff!…Who the heck are the Twins losing to tonight?…snort!…Inquiring Basement Dwellers want to know…wheeze!
7:26 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rose – There was such a mob at Sam’s house, no one thought to take a picture. This is what she looked like last summer after her haircut.
7:28 pm on June 17th, 2012
HA!…hahhahahahahah!…snort!…Doomed I tell you, doomed to the acting world..hehehheheh!
7:37 pm on June 17th, 2012
Sammy: Don’t pay any attention to the laughing pug. You look very cute in that picture. Yes, a little like a tiny polar bear perhaps, but we just want to give you a Big Hug.
7:39 pm on June 17th, 2012
This is from Golinka. She says, “This is one of the baby bears from Bear Fest. Maybe I could ask that artist for some help for Sam.”
What cha think Sam?

7:40 pm on June 17th, 2012
Snigglefritz, Just turn your head sideways to see. Bit tired here . .
7:49 pm on June 17th, 2012
Waah!
8:02 pm on June 17th, 2012
I have more abuse to report. Molly’s Mom usually has an egg for breakfast and some gets poured over my kibble. Well, this morning I ran to my food dish for the egg and it was just dry old kibble. She was having peanut butter toast instead!
8:07 pm on June 17th, 2012
Sammy, I remember that picture! You look so adorable, I would love to give you a hug ! If you got the casting call, the part would be yours, no doubt! Just look at that face! Thanks for re-posting the picture Molly’s Mom!
8:09 pm on June 17th, 2012
Melanie, thanks for posting the picture of the baby bear. The bear is too cute!
The Royal Mum does it again!
8:16 pm on June 17th, 2012
I’m headed to bed again. Someday I’ll be able to stay awake, hmm, until 9?
TTFN
8:40 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rose, the State of Emergency was declared in this state so more money (especially money) and help would pour in to help fight the fires. The fires are still burning here but they aren’t running wild right now.
The wildland fire in Colorado is very serious, and I think they had high wind again today.
Sam, that photo is adorable . You are perfect for the camera closeups.
8:56 pm on June 17th, 2012
Not every starlet can pull of a short do, but Sammie, you’ve got the face for long or short.
9:16 pm on June 17th, 2012
FIRE!…FIRE!…That fire must be in our backyard I tell you what!..wheeze!…It is billowing down the streets…cough!gasp!…She is outside trying to water our chili peppers and tomatoes. I guess she doesn’t remember that Beau does that every morning…heh!heh!…cough!
9:20 pm on June 17th, 2012
Truth!…Okay now, how long have we been hearing about Sammie’s acting career?…grunt!…All youse guys just give her false hope every time she remembers about her acting career…heh!…Heck, she hasn’t even landed one commercial yet. Not even a Subaru one – and they hire everybody…wheeze!cough!
9:44 pm on June 17th, 2012
This just in. 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake off the coast of Honshu, Japan.
9:49 pm on June 17th, 2012
Gah!…Japan – howmuchmorecanitstand?…wheeze!…Iamtootiredtohitthespacebarwithmytail…grunt!cough!
9:56 pm on June 17th, 2012
Masquers, Oh No…they don’t need that again.
Rio, We know about the smoke billowing down the streets and swirling around on the ground from a wildfire that is miles away.
You guys take care and try not to get sick from it. When it is at it’s worst, it will stop smelling like a campfire and start plain stinking. We have bad memories of last summer.
10:07 pm on June 17th, 2012
Cough!….She is going to peek outside and see if we can go on a short walk…grunt!…Whatever! Why bother?
10:18 pm on June 17th, 2012
Closer to home: Areas surrounding Denver still battling the fires. Smoke is covering a wide area.
The wind has died down in your vicinity Rio, but air quality is still very poor. Maybe best to postpone that walk?
Staff and Dawson: Severe weather alert for tonight and tomorrow in the Upper Midwest. Thunderstorms, large hail and damaging winds, along with a few tornadoes are possible.
Stay safe everyone!
WeatherKat out.
10:24 pm on June 17th, 2012
Good night all, we are going to do some reading and call it an early night. Barb missed her nap today because I had to bark, bark, bark at the guys baling our hay.
Sammy, you look very cute with your summer do.
Stay safe from those fires, you western friends!
10:37 pm on June 17th, 2012
Oh – it has been a long day, but Mama’s father is very happy. In this house, they do “card bombing” – the person who is being celebrated gets lots and lots of funny cards. When our grampa went to church this morning, Mama and Dad taped cards up all over the house where he would find them – on the light switch, on his coffee cup, on the bin of dog cookies, in the microwave, etc. Lots of laughing around here today. Then lobster dinner (wish you could have been here Macy) and dessert was ice cream with hot, fresh blueberry sauce.
Mama says tomorrow she is doing cottage cheese and apples and that’s it! Dad keeps moaning something about being beached whale – but he sure looks like a happy whale.
Rio and Siber – we are watching those fires carefully and Dad did prayers for youse guys and your friends and neighbors tonight.
10:44 pm on June 17th, 2012
I am in town doing laundry but plan to stop at the store on the way home to pick up a couple of steaks for AJ as a surprise. He may not be the father of a two legged, but he is paw to many a for legged. Today we celebrate!
10:56 pm on June 17th, 2012
Yea!…For the Giant will eat Steak tonight…Wooooo!…For he is Paw to a lot of Four-Leggeds…snort!cough!
Walk!…Well, we did go on our walk and it was weird. Lots of smoke hanging in the air because for ONCE the wind is not blowing…grunt!…The wind has blown steadily since March, but not tonight…wheeze!…Someone here does not want to go to the busy place tomorrow and is stressing out about it…sniff!…She should just stay home with us guys permanently, thats wot I think…wuffle!
11:05 pm on June 17th, 2012
Rio: I am keeping my paws crossed that good things will happen for your friend at work.
11:09 pm on June 17th, 2012
Paws!…You might as well uncross your paws and cook those steaks…sniff!…That “other” job is a long way a way – it won’t happen very soon, thats what I hear anyways…wuffle!…She hates to step foot in that place right now only because of the people she works “for”…The company itself is a good company and she wants to stay with it…grunt!…So that will take time to move to a new dept…gruffle!
12:05 am on June 18th, 2012
Rio, Heh. The Twins won tonight. YAY. I have no idea who they beat but it was in the 15th inning. (Mr.Staff says Milwaukee) I hear Miguel got a ‘little league’ home run against the Rockies. What is that?
(snicker)
Please stay out of the smoke. It is not good for Pugs or friends of Pugs.
1:26 am on August 3rd, 2012
Great blog. Keep up the good work.
This may be out of topic but I think your blog needs some coloring augmentation.