Family Fun Time

Setting the table. Preparing a home-cooked meal. Praying before we indulge. Eating and talking over a delicious meal.

All of the characteristics of a family dinner. This is the type of dinner I wish I had experienced in my childhood. But sadly, I only had evenings like this when I ate at a friend's house. The feeling of a family atmosphere. It reminds me of a Nick at Nite commercial that used to play describing the importance of a family mealtime. It gave a statistic like 80% of families that eat together, stay together. I can see where the idea comes from now.

Lisa and Ryan have been wonderful hosts. They have treated Eryn and me like family members. I couldn't have asked for a better place to live. They are amazing people and I am truly a blessed girl.

Lisa and Ryan have a four-year-old puggle named Roxy. Lately, she has developed a barking problem, so Ryan recently bought her a shock collar. The collar has a box that sets on her vocal chords and emits an electric shock if her vocal chords vibrate. Since Ryan bought the collar, he has been curious how intense the shock is on the dog, but has never actually tried it.

This brings me to the highlight of my evening: Adam and the shock collar. He held the collar to his vocal chords and proceeded to make barking and grumbling noises. Nothing happened. We were all convinced the collar did not work, though I have seen it work on Roxy in the past. Determined, Adam barked with an increasingly higher pitch until he hit the sweet spot.

Immediately after he made the perfect bark, his eyes widened, face became stiff, and his body went limp, causing him to land on the floor. Knowing he was not seriously hurt, all spectators were laughing until they cried. Adam stayed on the ground with the collar for a good minute before he gained composure to stand up. It was more of the initial shock of the shock that scared him than actual pain from the collar.

Needless to say, Ryan quickly took the collar from Adam and fastened it back around Roxy's neck. Shock collar-1, Adam-0. Better luck next time Adam. Though I have a pretty good feeling there will not be a next time.