And this is why the dog shouldn't play baseball

Normally when we eat our meals, we first put Dieter up in his "house." It's quieter that way. Usually Dieter thinks that when we're sitting at our dining room table it is a good time to play "Gate Ball." Gate Ball consists of Dieter dropping a slobbery ball over the top of the gate between the kitchen and dining room and a human either tosses the ball back to him over the top of the gate or through the cat pass through.

Tonight, Dieter dropped a lime-green bouncy ball over the top. "Hmmph. The stupid humans are still shoveling food in their mouths and are ignoring me." He then tried dropping his fire hose/ Red Thing fetch toy over the top.

Again, poor Dieter met with the same indifference from his humans.

We learned a lesson about why it isn't a good idea to ignore an evil genius dog. I was just finishing off my hamburger when all of a sudden--Ka-thunk!

The lime-green bouncy ball flew over my left shoulder, ricocheted off my plate of food, and ended up across the room by Lloyd.

Last time I checked, that dog did not have opposable thumbs or fingers that would facilitate a pitch such as what landed on my plate. He has pinpoint accuracy. I dissolved into laughter, and Dieter stood with his paws hanging over the top of the gate, grinning from ear-to-ear.

I think I should get a radar gun and see how fast Dieter can pitch. And I'm for sure not letting him get his paws on a hard ball!