Have you ever heard the expression "anything that can go wrong will go wrong?" That is 'Murphy's Law,' and I believe it is as irrefutable as the Ten Commandments, the Constitution, the Magna Carta or any body of statutes ever passed by any legislature or governing group.
Not long ago I decided to give my living room a bit of a face lift. I carefully measured ceiling and wall space, laid out brushes, rollers, corner paint pads and visited the local hardware store, buying the ceiling paint (latex of course,) two colors for the walls and some extra plastic tarpaulins to protect windows, blinds and my modest furnishings.
I carefully covered everything with the tarps, opened up the ladder, the ceiling paint can, re-stirred, and started along the edges (where ceiling meets wall.) I successfully painted six feet on either side of the corner and about 10 inches from the wall when the phone rang (Murphy's way.) Paint pad in hand, I carefully stepped down from the ladder and pressed the speaker phone button to - 'Hello, we're offering a special this month on any home improvements including carpentry, painting or bathroom remodeling.' Declining and disconnecting (only one small paint smudge on the phone button - probably not more than 10 points added to my blood pressure - not bad) I prepared to resume my project, reclimbing the ladder, and actually got two more feet (this over my big window) painted before the door bell pinged away.
Now I have a wonderful female German Shepherd, usually calm and relaxed, wonderful with kids and people, but who goes bananas, and nuts (and anything else edible), etc on two occasions: 1- any other female canine; 2- when the doorbell rings, regardless of who it is (I'm still trying to get her to bark before the bell rings, or someone knocks for which (I'm using a great training package) which I hope you'll try too)) I yelled out to the caller to wait just a minute, carefully set the paint pad straddling the paint tray, climbed down, grabbed a rag and wiping my hands, opened the door to my neighbors bearing a delicious smelling apple pie and their equally wonderfully friendly male German Shepherd. Although both dogs had romped and stomped, smelled and gelled, worked and perked together a few dozen times, the initial meeting - mating ritual is, as you know, always the same. They each started their circling, checking out and playfull chomping directed at the other, both oblivious to any and every thing and person but each other. OK - So use your imagination! The bumping and jumping crescendoed as they bounded around through the entire room.
Alas, I was but an instant too slow -the savory anticipation of home-made apple pie goes right to my reflexes.
Down came ladder, flying went 3/4 full paint can, off came the tarps and up probably another 10 points went my blood pressure (forget about my cholesterol.) Have you ever seen two shepherds - usually black and beige in varying degrees ( with some white on their coats) - now coated substantially with white paint, not letting their greeting ritual alter in any way. 'Cutting to the chase' it took almost 3 hours to clean up house and hounds - you had to see both of them shaking that paint off (although the paint on the carpet was actually a bit of an improvement), restore relations with the neighbors and, of course, take just a small bite of the pie.
Please , please tell me how a German shepherd can invoke Murphy's law.
That is Murphy's Law at it's full meaning and magnificence. Don't ever doubt it. And when this law impacts like a judicial decree, going shopping (on the 'net or at the mall) repeals the law however temporarily by giving me that diametrically opposite, positive mind set.
Not long ago I decided to give my living room a bit of a face lift. I carefully measured ceiling and wall space, laid out brushes, rollers, corner paint pads and visited the local hardware store, buying the ceiling paint (latex of course,) two colors for the walls and some extra plastic tarpaulins to protect windows, blinds and my modest furnishings.
I carefully covered everything with the tarps, opened up the ladder, the ceiling paint can, re-stirred, and started along the edges (where ceiling meets wall.) I successfully painted six feet on either side of the corner and about 10 inches from the wall when the phone rang (Murphy's way.) Paint pad in hand, I carefully stepped down from the ladder and pressed the speaker phone button to - 'Hello, we're offering a special this month on any home improvements including carpentry, painting or bathroom remodeling.' Declining and disconnecting (only one small paint smudge on the phone button - probably not more than 10 points added to my blood pressure - not bad) I prepared to resume my project, reclimbing the ladder, and actually got two more feet (this over my big window) painted before the door bell pinged away.
Now I have a wonderful female German Shepherd, usually calm and relaxed, wonderful with kids and people, but who goes bananas, and nuts (and anything else edible), etc on two occasions: 1- any other female canine; 2- when the doorbell rings, regardless of who it is (I'm still trying to get her to bark before the bell rings, or someone knocks for which (I'm using a great training package) which I hope you'll try too)) I yelled out to the caller to wait just a minute, carefully set the paint pad straddling the paint tray, climbed down, grabbed a rag and wiping my hands, opened the door to my neighbors bearing a delicious smelling apple pie and their equally wonderfully friendly male German Shepherd. Although both dogs had romped and stomped, smelled and gelled, worked and perked together a few dozen times, the initial meeting - mating ritual is, as you know, always the same. They each started their circling, checking out and playfull chomping directed at the other, both oblivious to any and every thing and person but each other. OK - So use your imagination! The bumping and jumping crescendoed as they bounded around through the entire room.
Alas, I was but an instant too slow -the savory anticipation of home-made apple pie goes right to my reflexes.
Down came ladder, flying went 3/4 full paint can, off came the tarps and up probably another 10 points went my blood pressure (forget about my cholesterol.) Have you ever seen two shepherds - usually black and beige in varying degrees ( with some white on their coats) - now coated substantially with white paint, not letting their greeting ritual alter in any way. 'Cutting to the chase' it took almost 3 hours to clean up house and hounds - you had to see both of them shaking that paint off (although the paint on the carpet was actually a bit of an improvement), restore relations with the neighbors and, of course, take just a small bite of the pie.
Please , please tell me how a German shepherd can invoke Murphy's law.
That is Murphy's Law at it's full meaning and magnificence. Don't ever doubt it. And when this law impacts like a judicial decree, going shopping (on the 'net or at the mall) repeals the law however temporarily by giving me that diametrically opposite, positive mind set.
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