Doug Van Pelt

You STINK!!!

When I arrived today, I hustled inside, because I was getting to the office five minutes after Amanda was to interview Hayley of Paramore. I had batteries as backup for the micro-cassette recorder. I noticed it smelled skunk bad outside the office -- worse than it's ever smelled.

Once inside and after inserting fresh batteries, I went outside to water the new / old tree I planted yesterday. I decided to let Biscuit go under the building to scout for the skunks. I've done this dozens of times with no results, so I didn't really think about the consequences. I heard him barking. I walked around to try to locate him, then lifted some skirting to see where he was. He was just below the office where Amanda was interviewing Hayley (thru an international phone call to France) ... and Biscuit was barking. He was jumping up towards an opening in the fabric underpinnings of the building. A skunk must've been peeking out through the hole, because Biscuit was madly trying to get at it. I think the critter got more scared and sprayed him a little bit. It doesn't smell like a direct hit, but the entire office is almost gag-reflexing smelly. Oooh, it's bad! Biscuit needs a bath -- maybe in smoke or tomato sauce or shampoo or something. He's going to be in the car with us for a 12-hour trip this Friday. Good thinking, Doug.

sigh.