so much for fresh banana bread

i made fresh banana bread the other day. its lovely smell permeated the kitchen. it was heavenly. the next morning, i cut a piece for clay for breakfast, and put peanut butter on it. then i went into the living room to have my morning cup of coffee. when i went back into the kitchen to make myself a piece, i couldn't find it.

"that's odd," i thought. i was sure i had left it out. then i noticed that the floor in front of the counter was dirty, and was annoyed because i had just swept and mopped the night before.

"what is that anyway," i wondered. and then i realized what it was. a great big pile of bread crumbs. where was the rest of the bread?

i looked at cody, nick's huge malamute, who looked back at me guiltily. she's tall enough, that she can reach the food on counters. if it smells good enough, she considers it fair game. in fact, one year she stole a pumpkin pie off of the dryer, where it was cooling.

another time, she stole a double batch of chocolate cookies that were cooling on the table. a whole friggin double batch!!!!

nick's solution to his kleptomaniac dog?

"don't leave food out where she can get it, honey..."

right. maybe i should just start hanging it in bags from treetops, like you do to keep bears from stealing your food.

knowing her, she'd figure out a way to get it. she always seems to find a way to get what she wants. in fact, most of the time, the way she moves, you'ld be convinced that she was old and arthritic and feel sorry for her. that is, until she sees a rabbit. then, she is able to get off the floor in a single bound, and clear the space between her and the rabbit in a matter of seconds. no joint stiffness there!

but, if you want her to go outside and answer the call of nature when its ten below zero out, she'll take ages to get up, then move slowly and stiffly across the floor, eliciting your sympathy and making you feel guilty for making her out to go to the bathroom.

i'm convinced its an act. most of the time, she limps around stiffly, putting on the "tired old woman with arthritis" act, but when no one is around, she does things she shouldn't be able to do. thus, when you come back into the kitchen and half of your pantry is missing, she is lying on the floor, looking innocent, and you wonder if you're going crazy.

or maybe that's her way of telling me i need to take the lower fat option.