Just because it really needs to be recorded, I have another story about Rodney for your enjoyment. Enjoy.

I went to the bathroom and when I came out I saw Rodney lying on her bed (it's this rather nifty bed with a sewn in cover so she can burrow underneath. This is a bed that she loves dearly, so the bed alone is kind of cute.

To add insult to injury, though, she (the Dachshund) was lying in her bed on her back with her short stubby legs folded and lying there limp. Her eyes were closed and her tongue was sticking out. It should also be noted that Rodney has a slight under-bite so her tongue sticks out much of the time.

So I said (to R.M.), "you really have to see the dog, she's being cute again."

R.M. came over and Rodney noticed us after a little while, and roused, but didn't move much. So R.M. bent over and poked at the dogs tongue to get it to stick in, as it (the tongue) as a tendency to get all crusty and dry if she doesn't keep in her mouth.

This was generally an ineffective strategy: the tongue stayed out, and Rodney started to look with bewilderment at us because we were both starting at her, and poking her tongue.

So I did the only thing I know to get her to retract her toungue: I griped it gently between my thumb and index finger and pulled slightly.

Violia! The tongue retracted.

"Great, now on top of everything we have a dog with a slide projector screen tongue!" R.M. said.

Sigh. It's true.