MUNGO EATS Latin America

The kids are back from camp and there are only a few more days left of “summer” before they go back to school.

Remember the peace and quiet of last week? You can not imagine the mayhem here since they have returned. Toys lie where they were last played with, the house is lit up like a Christmas tree because they (mostly Sean), can’t seem to remember to turn the light off when he leaves a room, and to quote the Grinch,” oh, the noise, noise noise!!!”

Mungo is happy becuase he has someone to goof around with him anytime he feels frisky. Also, the boy is really good about leaving food within snatching distance, making a hound dog’s belly less empty.

At the moment, I am sitting at the kitchen island. As I type away, the kids are doing laps around the house on their skateboards! It feels like a really bad western, where the poor, innocent settlers are being circled by the savage natives!!!!

Two more days until school starts…two more days…two more days!!!

Just kidding…I am glad to have them home!

It sure is quiet around here!!!

My kids are at camp, have been since Sunday afternoon and the silence in the house is deafening. Remember that I have been with my family, 24/7 (almost), for the past 15 months. So it is a pretty strange sensation to be sitting in my house, hearing nothing but the sound of windchimes outside the window, the tapping of these computer keys and the occasional grumble from the dog.

I am not saying that I am not enjoying it. It is just strange, that’s all. Likely I will be complaining about the noise the second they get back home.

I went to work yesterday, and for the first time in a very long time, Mungo had to be by himself for the whole day, almost 10 hours worth. I’m sure that he cannot tell time, and in his mind, likely 4 hours feels the same as 10 hours, but he was awfully happy to see me when I got home and bounced around me for a good 5 minutes, while he told me about his day via interpretive dance.

It kind of went like this…
Oh, good you’re home!!!How was your day, how was your day??? Mine was great…I slept and drank a bit of water…I watched the mice play, I didn’t even try to eat them ’cause I know you would be mad if I did, although they are prey you know, pests really, I don’t know why we have pests as pets, when you could just have a few more great pets like me…Hey, I gotta chase this fly. Hey when did you get home??? How are you, how was your day, how was your day??? Mine was great!! Hmmm, I think I’ll lick myself here for a while….Ahhh!!!! I love you, glad you are home!

Get the picture?

Mungo and the kids have a lot of fun together.  The kids however, sometimes end up teasing the poor dog, and so I usually keep a pretty close eye on the three of them. 

This morning, I was occupied with other things, mostly the continued painting of the house, when I heard the kids making a ruckus.  I asked them what was going on and the answer was, “having a water fight with Mungo”.  All sorts of alarm whistles went off.  First of all, it is hardly a fair fight when only SOME of the participants have a weapon.  Secondly, everyone knows that ALL “respectable ridgebacks” despise water.  Without even checking on the “fight”, I told the kids to stop bugging the dog.  Afterall, it is not nice to tease the poor thing.  They maintained that he was having fun, but I just wasn’t buying this. 

My kids decided to take matters into their own hands at this point.  They decided to film Mungo “having fun” and let me see for myself.  This is what they filmed (excuse the film quality, but they ARE only 9 and 11).

Here are a couple of snapshots of the same show!! 

Hmmm,  what a weirdo!!!   It looks like he is having fun! 

I stand corrected…carry on!

We managed to go to the Ghost again yesterday, for a little hike.  By the way, this time I  remembered the camera.  We had planned to park at the Banff boundary and hike into Banff toward Lake Minnewanka (although we likely would have stopped at the first Ghost Lake).  Unfortunately, the desired trail was closed due to bear activity.  I guess a grumpy grizzly sow with cubs was in the area, so the trail was no longer accessible. 

We decided instead, to hike up towards the cliffs that were above us. 

It was a fairly steep hike, and Sean reminded us of it every few minutes.  We never really found a trail to follow, but the forest was not too dense and it was filled with wildflowers and mushrooms to keep our attention. 

The yellow flower is commonly known as a Brown-eyed Susan, but I have never seen the little pink flower before and I can’t seem to find it in any of my books, so I don’t know what it is called….suggestions??  Anyone??

In any case, before long, we had reached some of the cliffs.  I am really not sure why I had to travel halfway around the world to see beautiful rocks, when they are right here in my backyard.

The view was incredible, and in the distance, to the right, you can just see the first Ghost Lake, which had been our intended destination.

Even Mungo enjoyed the view, although at times I get the feeling he is a tad suicidal! 

Well, sites seen, rocks explored and lunch eaten, it was time to head back down.  Sean and I picked some wild mushrooms for supper.  I am not a mushroom expert (that would be my father), but I do know a few tasty varieties, and the ones we picked, made a very tasty risotto!!

Once down at river level again, we all relaxed for a while.

Some relaxed more than others. 

We drank some nice clear mountain water,

(check out the lip action), and then it was time to head home.  

Yes, another fine day in the Ghost…I think the hound would agree!

Mungo has a very hard life.  Most of the day he searches for the perfect place to lay down and have a nap.  He loves to sleep in the sun, until it gets hot enough that his panting disturbs his nap. 

The sunniest spot in the back yard is in front of the garage.  The sidewalk is nice and sunny, but it is exposed aggregate and is not the nicest thing to lay on (kind of pokey).  There is a wooden step leading to the garage.  It sits in the sun and is nice and smooth, but it is just a tiny bit too small for a large hound, okay to lay on upright, but not large enough to stretch out on your side (wasn’t really thinking about a dog bed when I made it).  The grass right up in front of the garage is usually pretty dry, and dead which suits the hound just fine.  For some reason green grass is very unappealing.  Green grass is to pee on, not to lay on!  The problem with the grass in front of the garage is that it happens to have an ant highway running through it.  Just as a hound gets nice and comfy, he finds himself being trod upon by an army of ants.  Ticklish!

Give the clever hound a little time to puzzle through it though and eventually he comes up with the ideal solution.

You see a picnic table, he sees a super-duper, two-tiered, ant-free, deluxe dog bed!

Perfect!