Miro's first Seder

The family Passover Seder was a week ago. I forgot to bring my camera but I did bring Miro. My sister-in-law had incautiously invited me to bring him. Because they have a year old cockapoo, I was glad of the opportunity for Miro to meet more dogs. He reacted the same way he had with Alanis, cautious at first, approaching, then running away, approaching again. Soon they were running all over the yard (and through the flower beds), slamming into each other, wrestling. Sammy the cockapoo did some humping to show who was boss while Miro went, "Okay, okay already; you're the boss." In a few weeks, Miro will be bigger than Sammy and then we'll see.

When we were ready to sit down at the table, I crated Miro at one end of the house; Sammy was put behind a gate at the other. More than 24 people sat down to take turns reading the service in voices raised over the doggie opera. First Sammy barked, then Miro bark-howled, then they quieted to catch their breath. Again the barking and gnashing of teeth from one direction set off the yowling from the other. Miro quieted down; Sammy set him off again. I didn't keep score but even my sister-in-law admitted her dog had made the most noise.

I don't know if the non-family guests were too polite to allow disapproving expressions on their faces or if nobody really minded. The Seder is meant to vary year by year. I'd say last night was one of our more various.