There Seems to Be an Art Critic in the House

Rummaging through my painting stuff, I came across these mutilated attempts. I can't decide if Bailey chewed on them because she liked them or hated them.

Which reminds me of a story. Early in our marriage, we acquired a dog--a Beagle/Brittany Spaniel mix. Juno was a puppy and, as puppies will do, she chewed up things. Including our checkbook. When John and I went to the bank to get a new one, the teller asked why and John said, "My wife chewed up the checkbook."

 The look that teller gave me was priceless.  It took a moment, but then John realized what he'd actually said and quickly corrected his mistake.

 I treasure the memory.

That's Juno, our first of many dogs, below--painted by John's uncle Robert Skemp--a well-known portrait painter and marine artist. Right good at dogs, too. It took him about twenty minutes.