Reply to post: Re: On the other hand ...

Let's... drawer a veil over why this laser printer would decide to stop working randomly

jake Silver badge
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Re: On the other hand ...

No, seriously. She was born here, one of 8 pups, about ten years ago. Originally we were going to find homes for all of them, but very early on we knew we were keeping her. She got the name Martha after my favorite Great Aunt, because she was always in charge, trying to organize the rest of the litter. (Auntie Martha has a good sense of humo(u)r and wasn't offended.)

The pups were just beginning to be allowed outside when a long, rainy winter started. Over the next 6 months or so, we always came in through the mud room, and took off our wet, muddy footwear before entering the rest of the house. The pup took very careful note of all this ... to the point where one day, when she was about 7 or 8 months old and the weather had dried up a bit, I went through the mud room, grabbed a cuppa coffee and sat down in the kitchen. Without removing my boots.

She had a conniption fit ... barked & nose-nose-nosed at my boots. So I took 'em off and put them on the floor. She picked one up, took it into the mud room, and then came back for the other one. I followed her, and was surprised to see she put them into the same spot I always put 'em. I gave here a "good girl!" and a cookie ... A little later I heard my wife come in, and I yelled through the door "don't take your shoes off, just come into the kitchen" ... Martha again made a racket until the Wife took off her boots, and again the pup put them away, where they belonged. And got another "good girl!" and a cookie, this time from my Wife.

Nearly ten years down the line, she doesn't make a racket anymore, she just frowns at us if we try to wear our outdoor shoes in the house. When we take them off, she puts them away for us. If she doesn't see us come in, and discovers a pair of outdoor shoes somewhere where they don't belong, she picks them up and deposits them in the mud room. She still gets a "good girl!" and a cookie occasionally, but doesn't demand it. She's just going about what she perceives as her business.

I started calling her Lilo after a couple weeks of this, and she's been responding to the name ever since. Silly? Absolutely! But fitting, nonetheless.

Ta for the beer. My round, I think.

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