In addition to the usual bill of fare on this super-barbecue weekend, I'll be attempting to try my hand at a shrimp concoction and sate (thin slices of marinated beef that are dipped in a peanut sauce). Might sound difficult but both recipes look pretty simple. And the Presto dog bride will be making her world-famous macaroni and potato salads, family favorites for holidays such as today. I'll be posting the results of my culinary endeavors later.

How does this relate to our dogs? Well, in addition to the two items noted above, we'll of course throw a few hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill just to round things off. As such, that undoubtedly means that one or more will be cut up and fed to the Presto Dog pack. Topping off the meal will be a roll or two that I'm sure can be spared for our friends.

Since we live in a very rural area, we won't have to worry too much about the noise from fireworks scaring our dogs. In the past this was a problem...firecrackers and dogs are not a good combination. We used to leave the pack indoors with the A/C running and sound on the TV turned up so it would drown out the noise they all hate. If I recall correctly last year  we could see some pyrotechnic devices exploding in the sky way off in the distance. Even so, the reverberation of the explosions could still we heard at the Presto Dog Phunny Pharm oh, so many miles away.

The sky outside is overcast & I'm not certain what the weather will be like later on this afternoon when our grilling activities commence. But, even if it's raining, we'll make do. Plan "B" is to simply pull the barbecue grill part-way into the garage and proceed with our festivities. The concensus from our canine contingent is to just cook the food and share it with them in a timely fashion. I'm sure that's the way this event is going to play out.

Happy 4th of July to all dogs and humans alike!

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We're contemplating going on a small trip later this morning. Nothing special...just a way to get out of the house & enjoy yet another beautiful summer day.

So, where you might say? Well, the Kutztown Fair is tops on our list. We've heard about it & think it might be a great way to spend a few hours. But, we won't be taking our dogs along with us. A couple of them (Dougie & Lily) are prone toward car sickness; one doesn't really care to leave her home environs (Lyric) while Maggie is always out with us traveling to dog shows all over the state. And then there's Declan.

Our liltle alpha dog had injured his right-rear foot a week or so ago. We thought it was a bee sting as his discomfort disappeared in about two days. But last evening he started limping once again; this morning he's trying to not put any weight on it. At this point I'm just not sure what the heck is going on. What he does need to do is to stay off it & not put any weight on it. So our trip to the Fair might be a good idea after all.

I'll be taking all the dogs out to the back yard in just a few minutes. Rather than let Declan put any weight on his foot, I'll pick him up & carry him outside. I sure hope the little fellow gets well real soon. He's a tyrant to the other dogs but they've learned to live with his alpha tendencies...it's the way of the pack.

Ah, the ravages of time! As the inexorable passage of time imprints its message on my body, I not only realize my mortality but also have begun to contribute to those bastions of American society, those organizations that purport to extend the lifespan of species homo sapien. I'm speaking about the pharmacological interventions fostered upon us as we age...otherwise known as drugs. Now, bear with me...this is going to be relevant to the topics usually covered here at Presto Dog...I promise.

So, my doctor advises that in order to maintain my health I should begin to ingest a certain drug. He said eventually this will get me back on the road to being a fine, smiling person who's at one with the universe. But as with most things in life that are supposed to be good for us, there's a negative consequence to taking this drug. Reading the contraindications on the label, I soon learned that taking this stuff could make on dizzy. And boy, did it ever!

A few hours after taking said pill, I went outside to do some work (see post titled Paint Can Dogs immediately below this one). I noticed that as I progressed further along with my painting job, I was experiencing the dizziness that was noted as a negative effect that one could realize when taking the drug I was on. In no time I was done for the day, as my head was behaving like a ferris wheel, goin' round and 'round and 'round.

I went into the house and there waiting for me was the Presto Dog pack: Lyric, Lily, Declan, Maggie & Dougie. They excitedly started barking as their play companion (me) should now be ready to take them out to the yard and play for a while. But thanks to the contraindications to the drug I mentioned up above I was in no condition to take 'em out and cavort as we usually do several times a day. The medicine effectively prevented me from having any fun outside. In other words, as the title to this post expresses so eloquently, our outdoor activities were put on hold.

I know this is merely a temporary inconvenience for all concerned but the dogs held a meeting and are thinking of electing a new head of the house. I'm anxiously waiting the results of their endeavor.