Sligo Creek Council of Terriers

As regular readers of my blog know, I am the Mayor of Sligo Creek Trail. This is a BIG job, because the trail goes on for miles from where I live in Takoma Park all the way up to Wheaton, MD. Thus, I am assisted in the tasks of supervision and security (which chiefly involve barking at anything on wheels [except for baby carriages, because babies frequently come equipped with treats]) by my faithful and vigilant Council of Terriers. Here are two of my favorite council members, Engee (=N.G.="New Guy," as in new dog) and Beanie Schoen, whose mom Dena is, like my moms, a devoted fan of the wire-haired fox terrier. When the three of us meet up on the trail, it looks like an Asta convention, and people stare at us in amazement and delight. (For those of you who don't know, Asta was the canine star of the series of Thin Man movies from the 1930s that featured William Powell and Myrna Loy as husband-and-wife detectives Nick and Nora Charles. Asta's duties included making martinis. When I was a wee pup, my moms rented all of the Thin Man movies to educate me on the proud cinematic heritage of my breed. They're still trying to teach me to make martinis. )

Over the years, the council and I have worked diligently to improve the quality of life on Sligo Creek Trail. We are strongly in favor of leash laws because we don't react well when unleashed animals who are unaware of our special status rush up at us and start snapping or sniffing inappropriately, though we are of course open to sniffing from those who show the proper deference. We support the death penalty for owners who fail to pick up after their dogs. although Goose is opposed to the death penalty in any and all cases. Moose says it's okay for bad dog owners as long as they have good legal representation and it can be proven that there were plastic bags in their homes at the time of the incident. We advocate a constitutional amendment mandating that dog-height water fountains be installed along all trails at intervals of 1/4 mile. We are currently researching the feasibility of building rest stops, complete with dog beds and staffed by smiling dog lovers, so that older dogs such as myself can stop for rest when their moms decide that a gorgeous spring day requires a three-mile walk.

Let us know what suggestions YOU have for improving human/canine life on Sligo Creek or any other trail. The Council and I are here to serve.

P.S. I took a break from blogging because Moose had to go to Indiana for the funeral of her 97-year-old grandmother, Jane Lindemann. Moose loved Janie ever so much and was saddened by her passing. She points out, however, that Janie's favorite breakfast was a soda-fountain Coke and cheese-and-peanut butter crackers, which might mean that healthy eating is not necessarily the key to long life. Maybe, she thinks, the key is to be fun-loving, friendly, and optimistic, as Janie was every day of her 97 years. I'll eat meatloaf to that! (Meatloaf is my current favorite food, as long as it's home-made by Goose.)