We’ve all had our experiences with animals; maybe by growing up on a farm or maybe it was a pet. What was your experience? Was it a cat, dog, bird, or maybe just a goldfish or gerbil? Maybe you were lucky enough to have something larger, like a horse? Your parents probably made sure that if it was yours, you had to take care of it the feeding, grooming, litter box? Ugh! Maybe there was never a pet and it was just trips to the zoo. Whatever your experience was…. it made you…. you.
Being around animals there were many times something funny or hilarious would happen to give you a good laugh. I know we all probably have a story or two we can tell. I had an experience just last week that gave me a good laugh.
So, I’m sitting in my backyard with family, having a BBQ, it’s a beautiful day, relaxing with no hassles. Our dogs are playing in the yard and suddenly, my son-in law’s goofy dog starts jumping up in the air, almost doing flips, snapping his teeth at something I could not see. I’m like, “what in the world is your dog doing”. “Oh, he’s just chasing sky raisins” he calmly replied. I’ve been around the block a few times and I’ve heard a lot of colloquialisms, but it was the first time I’d heard of a fly being referred to as a sky raisin. Next thing I knew my daughter yells at the same dog to stop chasing whatever insect he was after because it was a “spicy sky raisin”? OK, I thought, now what. She could tell by the look on my face that I needed to know the difference. “A spicy sky raisin is a bee, so we try to get him to not chase those”, she calmly explained to her obviously dense dad. Seeing this 45-pound dog jumping 3-4 feet straight up in the air trying to catch a bug was pretty funny.
Many of us are lucky enough to enjoy the company of a pet. They become part of the family. We share their affections and their lives. We care and take the time to invest in their training where to do their business, their food schedule, and who doesn’t want to be a good boy and get a treat! While I can’t speak for everyone, I know at the end of the day when I arrive home there’s at least one furry person who is always happy to see me! So whatever your experience with animals has been, it made you….you!