While Gustavo lay comatose and drooling, curled up in a ball under a blanket, under the bed all night, Otterpop and Ruby blissfuly enjoyed a normal evening at home even though our house was under seige by professional grade fireworks and things that sure looked and felt like bombs for hours and hours last night. Start setting them off early! Keep setting them off late! Nothing says I Love USA like setting off made in China bombs in front of your house.

Ruby’s deaf. The entire month of July used to keep her shaking like a leaf under furniture, but hooray for a sound free existence! July is a happy month for Ruby now. Otterpop has always been of the BRING IT ON, MOFO school of thought of when it comes to the rocket’s red glare. All night. Bursting outside every window. Shaking the entire house. I hate my neighborhood in the summer.

Stuff that Otterpop is probably actually afraid of but stands her ground anyways:
When a yelling horseshoer is running after her with a large tool.
When a garbage truck dares to breech the gate and invade the parking lot.
When a large diesel truck dares drive by her on a road.
When an unknown worker man in shorts carrying a ladder stupidly decides to invade the perimeter to fix the roof or something.
When a UPS guy dares to bring a box perhaps containing explosives on to the porch.
When the most gangster, badass pitbull on the block dares to come over and say hello.
When pretty much any dog bigger than her dares come over and says hello.
When a drug dealer in a backpack pops up from behind a tree.

This is Otterpop. Who can march up to the biggest, meanest horse in a pasture and yell at it because it happens to be standing near her TENNIS BALL. This doesn’t always bode well for Otterpop, but  you know what? TENNIS BALL!

Fireworks? Ha. Otterpop says explode more stuff. MORE!