Bouchard got irate with something Luigi did this evening. You can see the steam coming out of his ears if you look closely enough, squint, and blow puffs of air from your mouth when it’s below 40 degrees.

I didn’t see what transpired prior, but when I stepped outside, Bouchard was prancing and ready to take some action on the “innocent” Luigi. I told him to knock it off, but he had a bug up his butt and continued to strut around Luigi, trying to egg the Italian on. Luigi ignored him because whatever he did to get Bouchard in this state of mind was done, and so was Luigi’s work. That boy can focus when he has a job to do.

Luigi loves to get Bouchard in trouble. Loves loves loves it! And Bouchard keeps falling for it. And so it goes, Luigi got Bouch in trouble again. Bouchard had to go into a crate behind an ex-pen closed room because he wouldn’t stop his posturing. He barked. I told him to stop. He stopped. A few minutes later, we went through the same thing. Eventually, when he was quiet, I let Bouchard out of the crate and he had to stay behind the ex-pen for a few minutes. When I let him out, he still had the bug up his butt for Luigi.

He walked around Luigi and Luigi ignored him. Luigi just kept his eyes ahead and held onto his blue Dino Cuz ball. Bouchard held his chest out like a peacock, walked around, peed on whatever needed pee, came back to taunt Luigi, who was the image of innocence through this whole dance he choreographed.

I had to go into the kitchen, and Luigi came with me while I doled out dinner. Bouchard strutted back and forth a few times, and Luigi put his blue Dino on the top of a bin. Bouchard walked by, stopped in front of the blue Dino and poked it straight on as if saying, “I could take this if I wanted to.”

Sister did that make me laugh! Though I couldn’t laugh out loud, or Bouchard would be hurt. Bouchard had a very real bone to pick with Luigi and was trying his best to set Luigi straight on his feelings while obeying Fort Doberdale’s premier rule – absolutely no fighting.

After the Cuz ball poke, Bouchard settled down. That was his triumph. He also hung around the kitchen a little more than usual while I fixed dinner just to show that he could be anywhere he wanted to be, even if Luigi was there. And Luigi acted the cool cucumber with the sausage snout and (not so) innocent looking, big brown eyes.

They’re my boys, and boys will be boys.  Sibling rivalry is a very real part of their relationship, and my keeping one step ahead of them is what keeps the peace.  Now where’s the Rescue Remedy?

Helen