Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for August 29, 2014

Also takes care of certain high maintenance dogs.

Ya gotta watch Paul, if he can’t find a stump to grind, he finds an axe to grind. Either way there are a lot of blinds being pulled when he passes by.

All the dogs in the neighborhood hide when they hear the slight squeak of those shaky wheels….. or the ominous rattle of Paul’s many-bladed contraption.

Head down on trembling paws… or crouching like a puppy behind a safe human…or even bravely peeking from between the almost-drawn curtains…

They remember the ghost stories, told around the campfire at night, in Puppy Scouts…. Those blades! Those shiny blades! And the legends their Mother whispered, when they misbehaved…about what happens to dogs, when they fail obedience school, and their owners send them to….

ROGER!

In a dozen packs, all around the city…they ask each other…Scooter’s missing brother…. Lester…whatever happened to Lester…the night Paul had a … project to do at the Hillebrand’s house?

And what happens to bad puppies who follow Roger down the street?

Bwah Ha Ha….

Roger, by the way, has no clue about his stature in the dog pantheon of evil…

Roger, it would probably suffice to say, has no clue.In general.

If you were to ask him what happened to Lester, the Hildebrand’s dog, on that moonlit evening back in ’02….

He’d say, “Huh?”

And then he’d say… "Well, might as well pack it in for tonight….

How about a beer at the Tiki Bar?"

Sounds good, Roger. Sounds good.

I know it’s late… I’ve been working in the back….

But x_Tech…. if you’re back in one of the booths…I found you a beer to try….

Hope you you’ll like it!

Roger’s waiting for us to carry this stuff… I’ve heard they have some good strong ales and porters…

But they’re waiting for their license, so I can’t find a bottle, and we don’t have it on tap, yet.

Hi Dog…. would you like a Big Stump?

I wonder how that gadget works on child molesters and terrorists?

I’m stumped … what’s next?

Mrs. Stump, however, was not amused…

The pool is interesting, but aside from the overkill and expense of so many large pumps, I’ve decided that at my age, I’ve better ways to occupy my time than maintaining a pool (and its equipment).

The underground house (like many I’ve seen on Extreme Homes) is something I’d consider.

I assume that Paul’s stump remover flips over to operate (although I don’t see just HOW). And it could also be used to till the surrounding ground.

If ya wanted me to get up all ya had to do was say so. Geez……

Paul’s contraption would SCARE anyone and anything but some business.

Send him over to my place. I’ve had a stump in the front yard since the day the semi took out both the utility pole and the tree on the corner of the lot. It’s been years.

WOW I had no idea such a thing existed!!

A handsome job.

I got an overtime run today. I could have spent four days up at my cabin if not for that extra work… … and the fact that I don’t own a cabin.

Hear, hear, ESSEX!

Great stump carvings ESSEX and BEV. Sort of reminds me of the dueling violins, except you are using chisels.

Good Night Ballard Ears. Er, Dears.