Another beautiful day here in Portland. I shouldn’t be spending my time at the keyboard but rather in the great outdoors. The dogs are anxious for their “Schnauzerthon” as my wife continues to get ready. We’re now just one week away from putting the house on the market, 19 days until we head to Steamboat, and 28 days from my step-daughter’s wedding. August will be an eventful month, not to mention my 68th birthday. In the process, I will miss my 50th High School reunion with some regrets. However, after speaking with a fellow classmate last week, he will not be there either, so my circle of friends will be largely unrepresented. There’s no point in traveling 2000 miles to talk to people that I haven’t seen since 1969. 

I didn’t realize that it was Shark Week when I wrote yesterday’s poem titled Bark Shark. With all the hype surrounding the Discovery Channel event, there must have been some influence. I attached a cardboard fin to our schnauzer’s back for a quick photo in honor of the occasion. I should probably watch Jaws, a movie that made me cringe back when it was released in 1975. Now, if you want blood and gore you can watch Dexter, as I have been doing the past few weeks. Sharks could learn from him. 

Speaking of creatures, I saw my first snake here in Portland this morning. They were a daily occurrence back in Texas, but not as prevalent here. I was startled  when it slithered across the path in front of Tinker’s dog stroller and into the pond. It was just a baby garter, but they are always an unexpected surprise. My wife and Tally must have just missed it. I’m sure she’s happy about that, but she did spot some coyote poop. Tally once had an encounter with a rattlesnake that was shot and killed in her presence, She brought home a piece of it’s rattle and left it in our living room to the horror of my wife. Dogs are often attracted to the scent of snakes, so we were always worried when we’d walk the pups along the trails of the Austin Greenbelt. As far as I’m concerned, the only good rattle snake is one made into a belt!  It was at a time when Tinker was still frisky and a definite flight risk at the sight of any creature. Tally was only 4 years old and even more untrustworthy than today. It was an eventful “Schnauzerthon.”

The Jim Stafford song,”I don’t like Spiders and Snakes” comes to mind. In this particular case, it’s sharks and snakes, since I’ve yet to see a spider today. This is what happens when you go outside, rather than sit in an air-conditioned office and write. I’m not much of an outdoors-man, but on a nice day like today, I feel guilty being inside. I think I’ll go in search of some spiders, since sharks don’t typically lurk in the Willamette River or the neighborhood pond.