Mean Dogs and True Love.

 These are my parents with the notorious Sooner.  This dog is famous in the annals of our family for being mean.  I called my dad recently to ask about Sooner, and my dad said simply, "Everybody hated Sooner.  Your grandmother, your mom's mother, everyone."  He went on to tell me stories about Sooner.  My favorite was the one where Sooner went to bite a guy's arm, but just got his jacket, and the guy got up and waved his arms, and Sooner was still clinging on.  What I love about this picture, though, is that my mom had no love in her heart for dogs-not ever; yet they always had a dog in the house. My dad loves dogs, and always has.  My mom loved my dad, so that is why she put up with his dogs.  That's a good lesson for me, a good reminder to bear with others (and the things they love.)  My parents had at least 7 successive dogs.  My mom was a saint, and it showed in her tolerance for my dad's dogs.

 The black poodle is Poupee (poo-pay).  Poupee was so mean that my mom refused to be photographed with her.  I don't blame her.  I once gave serious thought to throwing Poupee overboard on a sailing trip, but decided in the end that I couldn't do that to my dad.