One of Those Perfect Days with Sassy

Yesterday was so much fun. We took Sassy Sue a few miles south to downtown Fayetteville, where I delivered a number of books to the Dickson Street Bookstore, one of those magical places with endless rows of books, every topic imaginable. Previously I noticed their affinity for some of the books I had to offer.

The book buyer is right out of central casting. He is slight with long, grey hair tied back into a ponytail. He looked over my sets of books, one bought 50 years ago at The Source Bookstore in Davenport, Iowa (still run by the founder's granddaughter).

We arrived at a price inside while Sassy and Mrs. Ichabod waited in the limo outside, on the sidewalk in front of the store. Yes, I had permission to pull up there. I waved the check at the staff as I left and asked,"Is this check good?" They laughed and invited me to cash it right away.

Downtown Fayetteville is college-town, home of the Razorbacks. We "call the hogs" at Walmart meetings. Hog and pig are common business names in the area, including the Harrison Oncology Group - H.O.G. The University of Arkansas is the city's main business, I am sure.

Our next stop was familiar. Chris loves one bead store, which is two doors away from The Little Bread Company, one of those high quality bakeries, which I love. In-between is one of the few barbershops left in America. The barber is a woman who only cuts men's hair. Mine was close to a Trump comb-over in the wind. so I went inside. Sassy waited in the car.

Soon I had Sassy with me, going up to the bead store, almost next door. Sassy was welcomed inside and charmed everyone. When she grew tired of that store we went outside to explore. She knew the block from previous trips. Walking ahead without a leash, she turned back and grinned at me, "This is so much fun." The college kids welcomed her at the outdoor cafe, and we walked to the back, where our Columbus friends ate with us during a visit.

Back in Springdale we drove through at the bank. Sassy's favorite teller was there. eager to give out treats. Sassy got one for starters. We talked a bit as I cashed the check. Sassy gave one loud, commanding bark, and the teller saluted at attention, giving her a second treat. We laughed about Sassy's bossiness, and Sassy got her third treat on the way out.

Once I made sure Sassy got her treat and drove away without the cash, which I left in the tray. They thought that was pretty funny when I returned a few minutes later.

 

Some Requested Photos

Funny Sassy Stories

Christmas lasts until the Day of Epiphany, Sassy reminds you.

Sassy is getting older, but that only makes her more skilled in managing her household. Yesterday she began wagging her tail...more like thumping her tail against the bed. She looked at me, "You know what I want."

It was time for her walk, so I suited up and grabbed her leash. Our current deal is she goes without her leash on our block only. When we get back to Letha, she stops moving until I take the leash off.
She rewards my correct responses with smiles.

I did some grilling and we were going to save bones for later, since Sassy gets scraps from us and meat juice from the tray. I was cleaning up when I heard "crunch, crunch" in the living room. Sassy is not one to steal food, but this time she quietly took a bone from my plate when my back was turned. I invited her outdoors to hide the evidence of her crime and not implicate my lax supervision.

She knows how to work the whole crowd when Team Jackson is over for a cookout. Afterwards she sleeps all day.

Sassy loves car trips and knows our stops quite well. She saves her happy bark for the turn into our neighborhood.

When I buy something at the meat market, she inspects the bag with her nose. She holds it over the bag and takes an olfactory inventory of everything inside. She knows all our familiar routes, so she gets yowly when we head into the industrial part of Springdale for the meat market.

The sad look is good for starting guessing games.
The correct answer is - "Let's go for a walk."

Sassy assumes her job is to watch over us. When our helper came to the door at the end of his work, Sassy headed outside and set up a watch of our cul-de-sac. She carefully scanned everything going on, something she does if I sit and visit with neighbors on our walks. However, if I stand and talk to someone, she soon begins barking at me to get going. "Do you have an appointment somewhere, Sassy?"

"Bark, bark."

"Are you in a hurry today?"

"Bark!"

Sassy knows every sign of a potential walk, and she observes carefully. She hears me quietly sticking my feet into loafers. A walk! So I was brushing my teeth and she appeared in the bathroom doorway, laughing. I said, "You guessed it." She disappeared for a few minutes and came back, laughing again. "OK, Sassy, let's go."

Then the barking began and did not stop until we were outside the door.

Sassy has the intelligence and independence of her parents - a Cattle Dog and a German Shepherd. She is remarkably intuitive, a mind-reader and emotion-reader.

Our grandaughter tilted the easy-chair backwards and laughed.
I asked Danielle to hold the post for a photo.
Sassy walked into the frame to photobomb Dani.