A dog attack waiting to happen.

I went outdoors a few minutes ago, headed to my car to get something. As I started down my front walk, I noticed a strange dog standing in my yard. I couldn't identify a breed - a face sort of like dogs which I have seen called "pit bulls," although I know that designation applies to several breeds, but the size of a pretty hefty lab. Although I stopped, the dog advanced toward me growling and snarling loudly, teeth bared.

Mind you, this dog was not on the sidewalk. It was a good fifteen feet into my yard, at least, almost to the front of the garage. I do not own any dogs myself, so it was not reacting to another dog. It was threatening me. I started to back up, and the dog snarled louder.

I was almost too scared to breathe. The dog was big enough that it could inflict a good bit of damage even on someone my size. I was afraid to turn around and go back in the house, terrified of turning my back on the animal.

At that point the owners, who have been walking this beast without a leash, and who have gotten ahead of it, yelled for it to catch up. The dog stopped, growled some more, then ran off as the owner called it again. The owner never came back to see what his dog had been snarling at, let alone apologize for the animal's behavior.

I don't want to think what would have happened had it been David out there, who tends to cry or scream when he's very frightened.

I think it's only a matter of time before this animal hurts someone, possibly seriously. Anyone who can do such a poor job of socializing an animal -- not to mention walking it without a leash -- has no business owning one. I hope that if the animal does end up hurting someone the owners get tossed in jail.

It's going to take some time for the adrenaline to leach out of my bloodstream.

(no subject)

I keep trying to write a post about my thoughts about the Roberts nomination and attorney-client privilege, but the kids are incredibly whiny this morning. And my head hurts. And something has died somewhere in the garage -- I can smell it but can't see to remove it.

I think I'm going to slap someone.

More Mom moments

Today a dispute erupted about who got the top bunk. Having decided that I have not been doing a good enough job distinguishing between David and Kevin, I announced that, as the older brother, David got to choose. He chose the top bunk. Kevin was angry and upset until I mentioned that what I always liked about the bottom bunk (as the youngest girl, I always had it) was that you could hang up a blanket and make a cave.

Kevin has now created a cave, even going so far as to put up "windows": paper plates with squares cut out of them. David is really annoyed, since the bottom bunk is clearly the cooler place to be now. Too bad for him.

Kevin was in such a good mood he didn't mind too much when I said I felt bad (my body still hurts from yesterday's pool outing) and that we would go see "March of the Penguins" instead of going to Great America today.

Naming conventions

Me: I have forgotten the name of this teddy bear you gave me.
Kevin: You can always give him a new name.
Me: It looks like a boy. What do you think I should call him?
Kevin: George.