As I headed to the gym Monday evening, Hubs mentioned that he planned on taking the kids and Daisy, our rambunctious Aussie pup, on a walk. This is nothing  unusual, mind you, except that this time I felt compelled to remind him not to let Tootie walk the dog.

While Daisy isn’t even yet a year old, she’s fully grown into a 50ish-pounder with a fondness for chasing cats and squirrels. Let’s just say that if the other end of the leash is held by a child, well … there’s no question as to who will win.

But Hubs just shook his head and sighed. “I know what I’m doing,” he said.

This remark, of course, prompted a flashback to the time in 2007 when he said, “You have to learn to trust me,” as I prepared to leave town. Less than 24 hours later, he called to say our daughter had cut off all her hair and now sported a ragged Mia Farrow ‘do.

So you understand my skepticism.

When I got home from the gym, I found Hubs slumped in a chair on the front porch, clutching a glass of wine.

“Tonight,” he said. “Not good.”

Turns out that toward the end of their walk, Hubs decided to let Tootie walk Daisy home.

“The dog was tired,” he explained. “I figured it was safe.”

And all was well until, as they neared the house, Daisy spotted a squirrel and found her second wind.

She shot off, ripping the leash from Tootie’s hands.

Tootie, oblivious to traffic, took off after Daisy, sobbing hysterically as she ran. The E-man, meanwhile, simply stood in the middle of the street, stunned.

Hubs ordered him to head on to the house before pursuing Tootie and Daisy.

At some point, the pup caught the leash on something and, in her eagerness to finish the chase, ripped her collar in two.

By the time Hubs caught up, Tootie was circling Daisy, who by now had treed the squirrel  and was circling the tree. They were across the street from our house, in our neighbor’s front yard.

Each time Hubs tried to catch Daisy, our agile puppy sprinted just out of reach.

Meanwhile, Tootie cried, “Get her, Daddy! Get her!”

The E-man watched in fascination from our front porch.

Finally, Daisy trotted up to our neighbor, who was sitting on her own front porch, watching this drama unfold.

She caught the pup and all was well.

I waited until the next day to say, “I told you so.” Because I’m considerate like that.

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And now, bit of randomness:

Check out this cool bookcase Hubs built. The back of it is an old wooden door.

Hubs already sold one of these. This one is going to a man who wants one. He’s also been selling farm tables. The next table, however, is for us. Hubs got the wood from an old barn on his family’s land in South Arkansas. Very solid and very heavy! Can’t wait to see it in our dining room!