Orion To The Rescue
December 2005

Last week the morning temperature was zero degrees (F) here in Northwestern CT. I had to bundle up to take Orion for his walk, get the newspaper, and bring in a load of wood for the stove. I put on my long, wool coat, a wool cape over that, leather work gloves (with shearling lining), cashmere scarf, and topped it all off with a new hat, sheepskin with the fur on the inside, with a huge shearling brim around the outside. Looks like a Swedish kind of hat, or maybe Russian. Now take a moment to form a picture of this spectacle in your head.

I take Orion to his pen for his morning "chores", then up to get the paper. I hand him the paper to carry down to the house, which he takes and runs off at full speed down the driveway. The driveway having icey spots, I was walking slowly and carefully. Orion noticed I wasn't keeping up, so he stopped, turned around, took one look at me and dropped the paper. Bummer, now I have to remove my gloves to pick it up and it is soooo cold outside! I take off the gloves and bend down to pick up the paper when Orion jumps up, grabs the hat off my head, SLAMS it on the ground, and backs up to see if it was still alive! I was laughing so hard at the thought that he just saved me from having my brains sucked out. Now I have this really warm hat, and I can't wear it!