Someone informs me his jury duty may come to close this week sooner than expected – good news indeed! Alas there is no parallel in blog-land as “The Great Strike” drags on. I dissuaded The Board of Directors Here at Spo-Reflections from doing their usual solve-all solution of setting fire to as many public buildings as possible. They have noticed there are a good number of comments coming in despite the strike, so I fear they don’t have a great incentive to negotiate a close.  Divine inspiration – who needs it? Well, I do. I can only go on writing up things about the house for so long.

This morning I woke up this morning to a miasma next to me in bed. Harper’s been doing that a lot lately. I suspect it’s her new type of treat. Lately she smells a little too much ‘like a dog’ which means it is high time for a bath.  Harper does not care for baths. When Someone turns on the taps she has a terrible intuition it’s for her and she goes into her house looking like a prisoner on death row. She puts up with the washing-up with pained dignity.  She perks up during the drying off; she finds the rub down with towels jolly good fun. Oh how excited we are now ! She smells quite clean afterwards. I like to put my nose up to her back or belly and take deep breaths.

I recently read in the medical journals frequent bathing (daily) may not be all it’s cracked up to be. It hurts the immune system and it removes essential oils from the skin exposing us to bacteria and it washes away the ‘good’ bugs that defend us from the bad ones. There seems to be some data to support bathing only every 3-4 days as more salubrious towards our health.  Really now.  I am one of those unfortunates who soon develops the redolence of a old goat if I forgo regular wash-ups.  This is especially true during the summer months in Phoenix when rinses become necessary every six hours or so.  I would be a bust on camping trips as I would quickly attract buzzards and bears while simultaneously scaring off my tent-mates.

I may be an earthy old bear but I am not one to attract mosquitoes.  I seldom get bites for which I am grateful. Apparently I don’t emit enough carbon dioxide or there is “Off!” in my antiperspirant.

In contrast to bugs Harper finds me quite delicious. She will lick my face, forehead, and scalp too if given the opportunity. She doesn’t do that to Someone, much to his dismay. Apparently I am a tasty treat – better than a snozberry.

Well that is enough on this sordid topic.  I need to take a shower now as I am post-workout. There is nothing so nice as to wash off the day and get into bed among the flannel sheets and feel warm and clean. Harper makes a good hot water bottle and she smells of Johnson & Johnson.  Now to do something about her breath…….