Get the Thing!

So, a scattershot of things this morning, right?

*  These are the small dog’s basic commands:

For walkies– “C’mon Johnnie, let’s go pottie!”  (If you say it like the song, it rhymes!)
To heel– “C’mon!”
To play– “Get the thing!  The thing!  The glorious thing!  Get it!  Get it!  Getitgetitgetitgetit!”
To go to sleep– “Okay, get up here, Jesus Christ calm down, under the covers, calm down, okay, calm down, yeah, that’s it.  Calm.  Calm down.  Stop it.  Stop… stop… that’s right.  Calm down.  Right.  Calm down.  Good boy.  Good.  Whew.”
*  Went and saw the live stage show of How to Train Your Dragon last night.  T’was AWESOME.  There’s something amazing about a live stage show, and this one had acrobatics and puppetry, and, oh yeah, GIGANTIC FRICKIN’ DRAGONS on the stage.  And that flew.  And that… seriously.  I mean. Dudes.  It was amazing–and the sequence where Hiccup is trying to fire his thing into the air to capture the Night Fury was a combination of acrobatics and live media that would blow your minds.  So is the scene where the gigantic dragon destroys the fleet.  All in all, just… *sniffle*  I love good storytelling and live theatre.  *happy sigh*  Yeah.  
*  The little kids loved it.  They also loved the souvenirs their sister bought them.  Can you tell?
*  Chicken has made clear glycerin soap with little tiny plastic animals in the middle, like sort of the prize for using all the soap.  The results make us giggle, and she agrees they’re an awesome gift for her friends.  My idea.  Uh-huh.  We have it here in writing.
*  One of our “fun” Christmas gifts at the family exchange was one of those laser pointer thingies that bobs and weaves, so your pets will chase it.  We thought it was a GREAT idea.  As it turns out?  Our pets are smarter than that.  Yeah, go figure.  We keep setting it up in a dark room and bringing the dog or the cat in, only to get this look that says, “Assholes.”  *sigh*  It was still a good idea. 
*  Speaking of pets, we crate the little dog when we leave the house, but the big dog is still free range.  We came back last night to find the big dog lying next to the crate, her head close to the door, so she and little dog could apparently commune.  It was very sweet.  Little dog has become one of her five reasons to live, which is nice.  We weren’t ready to put her down yet.
*  Squish learned how to make potholders on a loom.  It is not good enough for her.  She wants to learn to KNIT!  Uhm, anyone have patience reserves? I’ll take them in a bucket, a bundle, or a box of cookies!  Send help, quick!
*  Saw this book.  Loved it.  Bought it.  Am going to ship it to Mary today, because her kids will go nuts with it!
*  And this is political, but it covers two political arguments I’m semi-rabid about so I’m gonna post it.  I figure no one who knows me will really be surprised.  
*  Chicken leaves tomorrow. *sniffle*  Small dog will miss her too.  She’s become his favorite person, and that’s a damned shame!