History Was Made Today

Sunday morning started off with the normal two cups of coffee as usual but I had a plan today. In fact it was a project of a different sort. After checking a few pet shops in recent weeks and months, I decided to take a trip to Rural King. 

When I use to buy Diamond Naturals dog food there I noticed they had a big selection of dog toys and dog supplies.

The goal today was to buy three collars, including one for "no neck" Walter, so I could walk each of them. Walking is now back on the daily schedule since the temps have cooled off, especially in the mornings.

I soon changed my plan for dog collars after I saw this. I always wanted to try one of these and I liked the climbing rope lead. That small black thing near the loop, is a "stop" so you can instantly adjust the length of the "collar" after slipping it over the head of each hound or dog.

I know it is hard to believe but this one item made my dog walking expeditions so much easier ... no collars to put on, since my dogs don't wear collars, except Ava. They don't fight having a collar put on but they squirm a lot. They all stood there as I slipped this leader their nose and head. 

All of them EXCEPT Walter LOVE TO WALK !!! Walther has no interest in walking, never has and plops his 55 pound butt on the floor and doesn't budge while telling me "get this stupid collar/harness and leash off of me".

Henry and Watson got about a 1/2 mile in and Ava a little over 1/4 mile. Walter got 0 of a mile walking in.

The second thing on my list was a ball bigger than a tennis ball or baseball so Watson would not accidentally swallow it. On either of those size of balls, his mouth would make each ball disappear completing inside his mouth when we played fetch.

Well this one solves that problem. Too big to swallow, hard rubber so they can all chew on it but just enough flex where they can pick the ball up, get a good grip and carry it with them as they trot back to me. You will see below that Henry, Watson and Ava all like the new ball.

Let me split from the new lead, the new ball and the other three to show you how history was made today. Notice Walter's tongue is out as he laps up some cold water. I don't add the water to the bowl until I feel it is cold running over my hand. 

I will have to go back and look through 1000's of photos of Walter to confirm if history was really made today but today was the FIRST TIME I have ever seen him drink water from the outside water bowl ... ever ... and in any location.

Normally only filtered water inside bowl on the mudroom floor, otherwise he would die of thirst before he drank water from anywhere else.

Not today though ... he must have been really thirsty.

From this photo on you will see how they spent their Sunday afternoon ... IF they were not inside sleeping. After their walks this morning, rest seems to be at a premium throughout the day.

Mexican Central Bank put out numbers this past February where billions of dollars, BILLIONS, were sent back to families in Mexico in 2023. The average amount sent was $367. I know it is illegal to hire illegal aliens to work but it happens, laws mean nothing when it comes to making a profit for some companies. I also know that not all the sent money back was just illegals but also included US legal citizens and those with a work permit.

My question is, with Social Security going broke and not enough tax revenue since over 1 million US citizens are out of the workforce ....

Are federal tax and social security taxes WITHHELD from their checks to add to the coffers of the government? Especially those that are hired against the laws of hiring illegals. How many of those workers are paid in cash, non-taxable income for the worker with cheap labor, no health insurance payment or no company payment into social security by those companies that hire illegal aliens. 

Billions of dollars being sent out of the country amounts to a lot of taxes and social security withholdings ... that are missed. It would be interesting to see a percentage of those billions of dollars sent to Mexica by illegal workers. Anybody know what that percent that is?

The weather is absolutely perfect this week and coming weeks here in "the tropics" of Southern Indiana.