Legal lowdown, ice cream, and a ruff doggie bag

Culture

The Legal Lowdown: Bizarre Laws You Might Be Breaking Right Now

It's 2024... I think we all know not to speed on the road. How many times can you honestly think you will get away with speeding by telling the officer you have diarrhea? Your acting skills are lacking. Time to check in on how law-abiding we are. Buckle up, buttercup, and learn some rules you may not know about. Knowledge is power.
Disclaimer: The knowledge might lead to laughter and/or scratching your head.

• Greece - Ladies (and perhaps some adventurous gents), you’re banned from wearing high heels at Greece’s ancient sites. The reason is the sharp points of high heels may chip away at ancient stones. It's so much more comfortable to travel in flats anyway. 

• Switzerland - In some apartments, it’s illegal to flush the toilet after 10 PM. The reason is they prize their peace and quiet. Sleeping is key. I don't think my nephew would do well with this rule, bless his heart. 

• Venice - It’s illegal to feed the pigeons. The reason is because pigeons are known to be a menace so the key is not to lure them in. I wouldn't prefer a pigeon relieving himself on my head, so I'm good with this one. 

• Singapore - Chew on this: It's illegal to chew gum. Yes, you read that right. The reason is because they want to keep their streets clean and pristine. I think my city could take a note from this.

• UK - It’s illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. Pop those vitamins before you go. The reason is allegedly if someone dies there, that person is entitled to a state funeral. Sounds like a big ordeal. Leave your "Get Out of Death” free card at home. 

• Japan - Up until 2015, dancing after midnight in public places was strictly off-limits unless you had a special license. The reason is authorities wanted to crack down on the wild dance halls which they assumed included immoral behavior. Footloose, anyone?

Legal quirks? Sure. But, in many cases, they serve as an interesting lens into culture and what society values most. I personally like the one that prevents a pigeon from accenting my hair. Always a plus side. 

What We’re Testing

Several people have asked for updates on the items we are testing out. It seems they want faster updates on cool new stuff. Here you go.

Culture

Cone-fessions: The Scoop on You

Now that you've had time for your taste buds to remind yourself of your favorite ice cream flavors, let's have some lighthearted fun. Yes, look in the mirror, but also look around you - see if the flavors below match to their possible personality traits. Because I tend to have a handful of favorites, I should have quite a number of personality traits! 

• Vanilla - Classic, simple, traditional, and timeless. After you finish your black and white movie, you may crave reading a novel by the fireplace. You may be the only one of your crew who still sends handwritten holiday cards (to which you wonder why you are receiving the same via texts!). You have some proper and traditional, classy clothes. 

• Chocolate - Live, indulge, and indulge again. Reach for multiple desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth because you deserve it. You may pamper yourself with a spa day.

• Strawberry - Romantic. You may still have a mixed CD of love songs that you made that give you all the feels - or is that just me? Ahem, anyway, you swoon for some lovely homemade notes and enjoy picnics in the park. You may even secretly draw a heart over your i's. 

• Cookie Dough - Life of the party. You may break rules but, honestly, who cares. You embrace fun times and can be impulsive. You aren't afraid to try something new... hence how you stumbled upon savoring raw dough.

• Mint Chocolate Chip - Bold and rebellious. A bit edgy... I mean, you do eat green ice cream. You aren't afraid to stand out, including your karaoke confidence.

• Butter Pecan - Vintage and refined. You opt for the finer things in life. You may prefer vintage over modern. You're reliable for providing advice. You may enjoy your ice cream in a crystal dish at a mahogany table.

• Pistachio - Unique and unexpected. You routinely surprise folks with what you say and do. You're unpredictable, and perhaps a bit quirky. You embrace your unique side. 

• Rocky Road - Adventurous and spontaneous. Just like this ice cream with all the flavors in it, you enjoy excitement and you crave variety. You may take spontaneous road trips. 

So maybe next time you indulge, use a heated ice cream scooper for ease and pair some flavors together. I'm definitely chocolate, cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, and pistachio... how big is this bowl? As if you need a reason to eat ice cream, you are doing research into your personality traits. Go with that. I'm searching online for a giant bowl, yum.

Dog vs. spouse, smile for 1.25 minutes, and kaleidoscope architecture

It just flows: This seems entirely logical to me.
Dogs are so funny: The best 1.25 minutes.
How many hours?: And to think I never mastered paint by numbers!

What’s Wrong With Your Dog

Doggie Bag For When Life Gets Ruff

When we need to leave the house quickly, we usually grab our phone, the keys, and maybe snacks (just me?). When an emergency happens, your dog can't just dial 9-1-1 ruff rescue and pack his own crap. In fact, your dog may actually be interested in his next treat instead of focusing on what needs to be done. Here are some tips to help you prepare a dog bag should there be an emergency.

• Pack a sack - Tailor it to your dog's needs, but usually an emergency dog bag would include at least several days worth of food and water, meds, and #2 bags.  You may include collapsible bowls (which are also handy during hiking). Isn't it handy if the bag is already packed and at the ready?

• ID - Can I see your ID? These words may haunt some of us who have been pulled over, but for this purpose having a dog ID handy is helpful to display contact information, wellness vet, specialist vet, microchip ID number, and any other critical facts. This can be on a collar tag and/or in a pouch that your dog carries on his harness routinely that also includes his rabies tag and county tag. Some people just put it all on the microchip number and expect someone to look that up to get information. It is very helpful to display it where anybody can read it or get to it. 

• Comfort - Your dog will likely pick up on your stress. It is helpful to pack your dog's blanket, pillow, and toy. Not only familiar feel, but familiar scent. 

• Documents - For that extra measure, it is helpful to keep a digital or hard copy of your dog's medical history, medications, and special care instructions. This can be achieved by attaching a thumb drive to the emergency dog bag. If hard copy, helpful to include in the dog bag but contained in large freezer bags or something similar to protect them from elements. 

There are many wonderful options out there for pet IDs. One that we particularly like for more than a decade now is the license style, similar to this. The main info on the front and the critical info on the back. I'd also like to share our tip for how we store the tag. I don't prefer tags to hit against my dog as he walks (just personal preference) so we use a dog tag silencer similar to this. Pick your color. 

Emergencies aren't a ball. But staying one paw ahead of the game by preparing an emergency dog bag tailored to your dog's needs can put you at ease. When life throws you a curveball, you are ready to fetch. 

We LOVE Halloween!

The costumes, special treats, and of course everything that glows in the dark make fabulous parties in the evening.

Pumpkin spice lattes, caramel apples, and cider make the days equally fun. This is the time of year when we test our dogs’ patience with those costumes and photos so treats and toys are included for motivation.

We spent the past few weeks evaluating over 10,000 items on Amazon to find the coolest Halloween stuff this year. To save you from having to spend that much time, we compiled our absolute favorites in a free Halloween eCatalog.

It’s crazy that some items are already selling out of inventory so if you love Halloween as much as we do, now is a good time to browse for something new.

Happy Halloween 

Chuckle

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The fib is C. Some turtles can breathe through their butts. This process, known as cloacal respiration, allows them to absorb oxygen while underwater.

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