that will be one ticket to Orlanda

Today I was talking to Julie the automated voice of Amtrak. I was sitting beside the window where my trusty dog, Riley, stands to keep an eye on the sidewalk. I found out that when Riley barks, it sounds like he says, "Orlando, Florida." And what is your destination, asked the machine named Julie, just as a black lab walked past. "Oh," said Julie. "Orlando, Florida."

free and not neurotic in Mexico

My home town has just passed an ordinance saying you can't tie your dog outside a public building. You can't ride your bike to the store with your dog-- my dog Riley's favorite thing to do- and leave him outside while you run in for a green pepper. For crying out loud. I was in Mexico last month, in a little town called La Manzanilla. Even though a local vet periodically rounds up the local dogs and spays/neuters them, there are dogs everywhere. I love it. They are free and not neurotic. A nice pitbull lived on the next block. I meant to take her picture and put it here, but I didn't, so here's Riley instead.