Had a little treat last night...

Since it was Saturday and our weekender neighbors S&L were around, Ghost disappeared yesterday afternoon without notice. I figured he'd headed over there, and planned to call and verify that before dark. But when he vanishes without trace on a weekend, that's always where he goes.

Little Bear was on his cable outside enjoying the positively balmy afternoon, when around 4:30 he started barking like there was really something to get excited about. I came out of the Lair, and a minute or two later a pickup I didn't recognize came into the yard from the wash. This was unusual.

Unusual is often unwelcome, but in this case it turned out to be SurvivalDave, a rarely-seen neighbor who has a place between Landlady's and S&L's. He'd come up with a friend, and they'd decided to have a New Year's bonfire and wanted to know if I wanted to join them.

A bonfire? In December? I should point out that exactly one year ago last night, the temperature hit a 30-year low of 21 below zero.

What the hell: This time around the weather is almost preternaturally pleasant, and even with the clear sky it'd take a while to get too cold. I told them I'd be along, and even filled their pickup bed with a bunch of junk wood I'd hauled from J&H's place that was too twisted or fractured to make good stovewood, and not worth dulling a chain on. It's fine for a bonfire.

Normally, when it gets dark, the boys and I cocoon inside till morning. So LB was a bit unnerved to get a Jeep ride after dark, and to tell the truth he wasn't any too crazy about being close to the big fire or in the presence of masculine strangers. But he did enjoy the cheese and meatballs, and we sat around yarning and drinking wine until about nine when S&L showed up with their daughter and grandkids. I was getting tired and cold, and LB was getting antsy, so as soon as it was polite we said our goodbyes and headed back to the Lair. Poor LB racked right out, which indicated he'd found it a bit more stressful than he'd let on at the time, and he let on that it was kinda stressful. It's easy to be a hermit's dog, unless he has to go somewhere and not be a hermit for a while. Poor guy - but I had a good time.