I have given up on finding a dog playpen sturdy enough to hold Charlie and gone with the old country tradition of constructing something out of supplies we have on hand …

TIM (to Lura): Why did you bring a cinder block in the house?

LURA: I’m making a kitchen tethering system for Charlie. My plan is to clip him to it with a bit of chain so he can’t chew the electrical cords while we work.

TIM: With cinder block? That will mess up the look of our kitchen.

LURA: Seriously? Since when am I the one suggesting some jerry-rigged contraption in the house and you are the one fussing about the decor? What is happening to us?

TIM (thoughtfully): You’re right, it is pretty odd. What is happening to us?

LURA (clipping Charlie’s harness to the length of chain): Well anyway, I need to keep Charlie out of danger while we work. He’ll be able to be right beside us and play all day, but he won’t be able to chew cords or eat kindling.

CHARLIE (investigating his new puppy containment system): What the …! Hey! What! Oh this is just not right! I’m gonna … I’m gonna … guilt you! *pout* *pout*

LURA: Damn, that is pretty good guilting. I’ve seen grandmas in church who can’t do it that well.

CHARLIE: I’m not talking to you! Somebody pass me the phone, I need to call the ASPCA!