After a long wait, activities are getting more interesting in the kitchen. There is an ice chest on the floor, near the sink. I caught a whiff of fresh meat, like the delicious turkey that I found on the kitchen table last year. I got into a little trouble last year, after I pulled this big plastic-wrapped, delicious hunk of meat off the table and began chewing my way into the legs. I am so disappointed that I couldn’t break into the ice chest. I heard them say that for food safety reasons, they decided to thaw the big bird in the ice chest. They said if it was kept cool, they were less likely to get “Salmonella”? I was so hoping for another snack on the thick drumsticks. Since all my peeps like white meat, they seemed OK with me having the legs.

All Those Tasty Smells!

Later this morning, I smelled fresh bread dough, thawing in the microwave. Yup two years ago, I found the bread thawing on the countertop. I got into real trouble for this. My humans were talking about how dangerous it was for me to eat the dough, mumbling about something called “bloat” from me snacking on the rising bread dough.

Then there were the little red things they called cranberries. I tried a few – they tasted terrible! I left those alone right away. I heard them joke that I was allowed to eat those – that they would help with my bladder? I hear they grow lots of these in Wisconsin, the land of cheese, my favorite training treat.

Finally, they were cooking pumpkin and sweet potatoes. I love both of these. I think I had them before, when I had an upset tummy. Somehow, they made me feel better. The pumpkin smells a lot like these round orange things I found on the front porch a few weeks ago, but then they had the smell of candles in them. They threw those out into the compost pile after I carried them around the yard and chewed them up. That was the same day the kids came home with big bags of chocolate wrapped in little packages. They told the kids that the chocolate wasn’t good for me. Those little wrappers smelled so good! I tried to sneak a couple but my humans got very upset. They told me that chocolate that the kids could eat would make me sick. I don’t understand why it is good for them and bad for me.

After the meal was over, they wrapped up the delicious smelling leftovers. They put the meat in the fridge, which I can’t open. And they took the other goodies out to the garage ☹. I heard them talk about all kinds of hazards. I LOVE the skin and trimmings. They said no, it would hurt my insides, causing me to have “pancreatitis”. I never had heard of such a thing. And all those delicious bones! I wanted to tackle them. After they cooked them into something called stock, they hid them from me. They said that bones could cause me to become “bound up” with something they called a bowel obstruction. I can’t imagine that they could do that – they always tasted so yummy the last few times I slipped into the garbage and chomped them down.

The best part of dinner was when the little people, the kids, were asked to sit at the small table. Why is this best? These little people are much more willing to share the food on their plates with me! I love the green bean casserole- almost as much as I love the pumpkin.

Can I Help Clean Up?

Once everyone was done with their meals, my peeps loaded their dishwasher. I used to like it better, before they got a dishwasher. I got to lick more goodies off the plates. Now I get yelled at if I stand on the door of the dishwasher, helping lick the plates clean before that machine starts making that funny loud noises. Standing on the door makes reaching the dirty dishes easier for me to lick clean. Sometimes, after I do that, my people call me “Soap” and my kitty housemate “Water”.

I was super excited when Aunt Sally and Uncle Fred arrived. The last time they visited, I got a little sip of their drinks. Aunt Sally loves this red stuff they called “whine”. It tasted a bit fruity. And Uncle Fred guzzles this bubbly stuff I heard them call “bear”. I thought “bear” was an animal, not a beverage. Fred drinks can after can of it. Not only do I think the “bear” is tasty, but the cans make great toys I can crunch up and carry around the house when he sets them down. My people chase me down to get the cans back – they worry that I am going to cut my lips or tongue on the sharp edges. The “bear” cans labels say something about the “Bear that made Milwaukee famous.” I live close to Milwaukee and I don’t know how a Bear would make someplace famous.

For some reason, they got pretty worried about me after Aunt Sally and I finished her “whine” cuz both Sally and I were a little unsteady on our feet. Fred said Sally and I weren’t allowed to drive when they went home.

Is Football Like Playing Fetch?

After dinner, we all sat in front of the TV, watching a bunch of guys wearing funny hats run up and down this green field, carrying a ball. I LOVE playing ball but there were no dogs helping carry the ball around.

After the game, all my people had sweets – that they put this fluffy white stuff on. This they were willing to share a tidbit with me. I only got a smidge, but it was delicious.

Once all was said and done, they talked about our next big dinner together. They drew names for Christmas gifts to exchange. They talked about who would make which kind of cookies. I think it all sounds great, especially when Aunt Sally sets her glass down, and goes to the kitchen to help wash the dishes. I am looking forward to the next family dinner!

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