We are the Bumpus Household

A Christmas Story is one of my favorite films.

As we were watching it this evening, I came to the conclusion that we are the Bumpuses.

You know who I’m talking about, right?

They’re the unseen family who lives next door to Ralphie’s family in A Christmas Story. They’re the ones with all of the hounds who are constantly barking and in the way.

Incidentally, did you know that the Bumpus Hounds have their very own Facebook page? They do! How cool is that?!

Well, we have three dogs. Two are hounds. Sure, they aren’t bloodhounds, but they are hounds nonetheless.

Okie regularly makes the same face as the dog on the left of this photo.

We always have some kind of ruckus around here. One of them is always either whining, barking, being in the way, or snoring.

Fun fact: He was alternating between snoring and whining the very second I took this photo.

I couldn’t help but think about how we really ought to have that hound theme music with the bass harmonica playing in the background at our house constantly. I holler their names enough, I might as well be yelling, “BUMPUSES!”.

Here we have Avery cleverly hiding from the cat.

It’s quite the chaotic existence, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I bet the Bumpuses were one happy bunch of folks.

Mittens was less than thrilled by my use of the flash. Also, she was snoring.

Anyway, sometimes life can be chaotic and loud and messy. But if you can manage to harness your inner Bumpus, you’re sure to get through it all right.

Amazon Strikes Again (resulting in a Pup-Cicle)!

I’ve never had a dog that seemed cold. In the past I’ve had a Maltese with an abundance of hair, a lab/pit mix who was all muscle, a dog whose exact breed we never figured out but appeared to be golden retriever/Akita mix, a black and tan coonhound/lab mix, and another one whose exact breed we aren’t sure of, but she appears to be some kind of shepherd/blue heeler mix. They’ve all been quite comfortably warm.

Now, though, we have poor, little, skinny Avery. Bless her heart, she is so thin. And… She is SO cold. She constantly feels the need to snuggle as closely as possible, and if it’s anything less than 70, she shivers.

I’ve recently discovered that if she is able, she will attempt to climb into the oven when it is on. She doesn’t seem to comprehend that it will burn her. No matter, it is warm. She has taken to laying down outside of the oven as long as she can, since I (in my meanness) won’t let her take up residence in a 400 degree oven.

Aside from her fascination with the oven, Avery also is fascinated with the fireplace. Again, as with the oven, she is constantly attempting to climb inside. Flames? No problem. She just wants to be warm. Literally, when I need to adjust the fire logs, I have to have somebody restrain her, else she will burn herself to a cinder.

The poor baby. It’s not even mid-November, and she is cold. She even goes so far as to lean her little rear end directly against the metal screen — and she likes it! Whatever will she do come January?

Well, poor little cold Avery has received a gift. I have become that person. You know… that person who buys clothing for their dog. But what else was I to do? She’s cold and attempting to bake herself!

There’s just one problem.

Good old Amazon.  Somehow, despite careful measuring, I’ve managed to order an XXL sized dog outfit that would fit… maybe a toy poodle?  So, for now, poor little cold Avery will have to continue trying to warm herself in the traditional manners.