Thanksgiving 2023

Wishing all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving!

Anyone else getting "American Gothic" vibes?

Bob Ross

Some days, I have trouble falling asleep. I don't know why.  I mean, evenings are the same as always around here: I bark and carry on as soon as my humans sit down in front of the television after dinner and refuse to stop until I'm given a new toy (which I kill) or a PB&K (which I eat).  Once done, I rub my snout in approval, demand to go outside to do business, then insist that Ma give me a hoist up onto the couch where I snooze until dessert time.  After dessert, I curl up on my pillow and nap until it's time to go to bed at which point I collect my good boy treat and, ideally, go to sleep.  

But over the last few years, I've found myself occasionally feeling quite manic after my good boy treat and, as a result, just can't seem to lay down and go to sleep.  Instead, I start pacing and panting and, if left to my own devices, barking.

At first, my family had no idea how to curtail my restlessness and tried everything they could think of including limiting my roaming area, offering to sit/sleep on the floor with me, tiring me out with activities, trying to sneak into the bedroom without waking me up from my post desert nap, and sedatives.  None were successful.

Then one evening, Ma discovered the secret to soothing the salvage beast:  Bob Ross.

Now, whenever I feel restless at bedtime, Ma brings me out into the living room and has me lay down on my pillow (she, meanwhile, stretches out on the couch).  She then turns on the TV and sets it to the 24/7 Bob Ross Channel.  Within minutes, I'm out cold.  After waiting about thirty minutes just to be sure that I'm not faking, Ma quietly gets up, turns off the TV, and sneaks off to bed.

And there I spend the night, dreaming of happy little trees and wondering why Bob had such a fondness for pocket squirrels.