Celtic Engagement Rings

Irish Mist Whiskey

Irish Mist Whiskey

My Dog Can Talk, the Story of Charlie, the Talking Dog

(Have you ever known anyone who thought his or her dog could talk?)

My phone rang and awakened me from a really good dream.  Unfortunately, it dissolved with the mists and was gone (the dream, not the phone).  It was forever lost in the ether, like the really good ideas you get when you are going to sleep.  You promise yourself you'll remember them in the morning, but you never do.  Like that.

It was my brother John, my one and only brother, my boon companion, my fishing buddy, my lifelong friend.

"What the heck are you doing calling me at this hour?" I angrily demanded.  "And on a Saturday to boot!"

"I have something amazing to show you," he said.

"It can't wait until the sun is up?  It's not like it's fishing season, John.  Unless it's fishing season there's no reason on earth to get up this early on a Saturday morning."

"Just get over here as quick as you can.  This is an emergency," he said and hung up before I could get more information.

Twenty minutes later, I walked into his kitchen and was greeted by Georgia, his longsuffering wife.  She stood in the kitchen in her bathrobe, with a look of long suffering on her face.  She handed me a steaming cup of coffee and retreated toward the living room.  "Just remember," she said over her shoulder, "I had nothing to do with this."

John was seated at the table, his dog Charlie sitting in a chair beside him.  I guess at this point I should give a little more information about John.  He loved dogs and they loved him.  He seemed to be able to communicate with canines just using telepathy.  He could get dogs to do incredible things and seemed to be on their wavelength.  His dogs always seemed to be smarter than other dogs.  Charlie was a good example.  Charlie was a Husky, German Shepherd mix whom John had rescued from the shelter.  

Charlie sat at the table and looked over my brother's shoulder while he read the paper.  In fact, whenever we sat at the kitchen table, Charlie sat in a chair just like a human, with an intelligent look on his face, and seemed to follow the conversation.  He always looked at the speaker and seemed engrossed in the conversation, hanging on every word.  I suspected that he wasn't as smart as he appeared, but John said he was smarter than he looked and questioned my intelligence.

The first sip of coffee hit my brain and the steam seemed to revive me a little, too.

"Okay, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing is wrong," John said.

"You said it was an emergency," I said.

"It is, in a way.  I need a witness," he said.

"Who is suing you?"

"No one is suing me, Bill.  Why do you assume that someone is suing me?" he asked, testily.

"You just said you need a witness," I said.  "You said it was an emergency.  Why else would you need a witness?"  

He looked at Charlie and Charlie looked back at him in that knowing way.  Charlie raised his eyebrows, well what passes for eyebrows on a dog.  Charlie smiled.  Did I mention Charlie could smile?  He did.

"You know," I said.  "It's bad enough that you dragged me out of bed at this hour by telling me there was an emergency, when there obviously isn't, but if you and that dog are going to sit there having your private little joke at my expense, I'm leaving."

"He's always been like this in the morning," John said to Charlie.  They exchanged more knowing looks.

"You should feel honored that you're the first person we chose to share this with," John said to me.

"What is it you want to share?" I asked.

John's face lit up like the kid who just found the pony under the Christmas tree.  "Are you ready for this!" he said and paused for dramatic effect.

I waited.

"Charlie can talk!"  He waited, watching my face for a reaction.

"I told you," Georgia called from the living room.

"Charlie can talk?" I asked incredulously.

"Yup."  John grinned at Charlie and then me.  Charlie grinned back.

I immediately thought of the classic cartoon about the guy who finds the frog that can sing and dance, only it won't sing and dance when anyone is around.  It's one of my favorite cartoons.

"But he only does it when no one is around?" I asked suspiciously.

"No.  He'll talk in front of almost anyone," John said.

I drained my coffee cup and studied Charlie.  He was a nice looking dog and a friendly dog.  I liked Charlie most of the time, except when he got that smug look on his face once in a while.  In our family, dogs are considered family members, but this was stretching it.  Charlie didn't have a coffee cup to drain.  He just sat and studied me.

"Well, why didn't you have Charlie call me with the good news this morning?" I asked and didn't try to hide my sarcasm.

"He hasn't learned how to use the phone yet," John said.

"Okay, John, and Charlie," I said,  "Let's hear it, speak boy."

First Charlie looked at me and then he looked at John.

John said, "He's a little shy and needs a little help to get going sometimes.  It's better if I ask him questions."

"Okay, sure, why not?" I said.  I got up and refilled my coffee cup.  That gave me an idea.  Uncle Stan sometimes came by in the morning and he and John had Irish coffee together.  Sometimes they had lots of Irish coffee together.  I didn't see a whiskey bottle in sight, but you never know.

"Has Uncle Stan been here?" I asked.  "Have you guys been hitting the Irish coffee again?"

"Don't be ridiculous.  Have a seat and watch this," John said.

When I was resettled in my seat, John said, "Okay Charlie, how old are you?"

Charlie said, "Er-roo-roo."  Then he smiled and panted.

"See," John said and beamed at Charlie like a parent who just watched his seven year old play the Nutcracker Suite on the piano.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"He said five and a half, Bill," John said, disappointment creeping into his voice.

"Sorry, I missed it.  It sounded like he said er-roo-roo, to me," I said.

John sighed.  "Okay, Charlie, tell Bill who is president of the United States."

Charlie said, "Er-roo-roo."  Then he looked at me and I swear he winked.

"See?" John said.

"Still sounds like er-roo-roo to me," I said.

"Gee, Bill, will you listen for heaven's sake!" John said.  "I'm sorry," he said to Charlie and rolled his eyes.  "Okay boy, what's five plus five?"

"Er-roo."

"He never was too good at math," John explained to me.  "No," he said to Charlie, "It's ten, but that was close."

"John," I said.  "Everything he says sounds like er-roo-roo."

"Well, Bill, he's part German Shepherd.  What do you expect?"

"Eh?" I asked, failing to comprehend.

"He has a little accent," John explained.

"Accent?"

"German," John said.  "He has a little German accent."

"John, why would a dog born and raised in the United States have a German accent?" I asked.

"Maybe he picked it up from his parents," John said and shrugged.

"Well greyhounds usually say roo roo," I said.  "He sounds more like a greyhound to me."

Once again, John grinned proudly.  He said, "Well, I never thought of that.  You know what?  I think you're right, he's bi-lingual, too!"

"You really believe your dog can talk, don't you, John?" I asked.

"What do you mean, I believe it?  Of course I believe it, you heard it yourself," he said.

"I heard your dog making dog sounds," I said.

"You should hear him do imitations," John said.  "Show him, Charlie."

Charlie said, "Er-roo-roo-roo-er."

"Well that was certainly different," I said sarcastically.  "Who was that, John Wayne?"

"Very funny," John said and chuckled.  "It was the poodle next door.  You can't understand him because you don't want to believe a dog can talk and might be as smart as you," he said in exasperation.

Charlie said, "Er-roo-roo."

"You're right, I'm sorry, Charlie," John said.

"What did he say?" I asked suspiciously.

"Never mind, Bill," John said.

"Did he just say he was smarter than me?" I demanded.  "I didn't like the tone of his voice."

"It doesn't matter.  I'm sure he didn't mean it, Bill, he's just getting frustrated, that's all.  But this proves one thing doesn't it?"  John said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You understood him that time, didn't you?"

"Call me when fishing season starts," I said and headed for the door.

Charlie said, "Er-roo-roo."

"Same to you, Charlie," I said and left.

About the Author

You can read about the adventures of Lacey Blue Days, the greyhound and all Bill Hart's stories at http://lacey-blue.blogspot.com/

Summer Fruit Preserve With Irish Whiskey $7.99 Summer Fruit Preserve With Irish Whiskey

Irish Whiskey Loaf $24.99 Ultra moist and delectable, this favorite Irish treat is filled with raisins, pecans, and real Irish whiskey. 17 oz. USA.

Irish Whiskey Barbecue Sauce $11.99 Made with real Irish whiskey, this dark and thick barbecue sauce is also delicious as a dip. Product of Donegal, Ireland. 16 oz.

Irish Whiskey Parlour $39.99 Irish Whiskey Parlour - Giclee Print

Mileeven Irish Whiskey Marmalade $7.99 Turn ordinary toast and scones into a sensational treat! Made in Ireland. 8 oz

Jameson Irish Whiskey $25.99 Raymond Campbell Jameson Irish Whiskey - Art Print

Crawford's Old Irish Whiskey $44.99 Crawford's Old Irish Whiskey - Giclee Print

Jameson Whiskey Marmalade $6.99 Turn ordinary bread into a sensational treat. Made in Ireland from premium fruit and Jameson Whiskey. 12oz.

Jameson Whiskey Cap $16.99 Embroidered on both front and back, this cap salutes your excellent taste in whiskey. Adjustable. Designed in Ireland.

Whiskey $15.95 A Manhattan or a Sazerac; neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of soda—no matter how it’s served up, whiskey is synonymous with the poet’s inspiration and the devil’s spirit. Be it bourbon, rye, corn, Irish, or Scotch, whiskey has an infamous and celebrated history from a sometimes lethal, herb-infused concoction to a high-quality, meticulously crafted liquor.             In Whiskey , Kevin R. Kosar delivers an informative, concise narrative of the drink’s history, from its obscure medieval origins to the globally traded product that it is today. Focusing on three nations—Scotland, Ireland, and America—Kosar charts how the technique of distillation moved from ancient Egypt to the British Isles. Contrary to popular claims, there were no good old days of whiskey: before the twentieth century, consumers could never be sure just what was being poured in their cup—unscrupulous profiteers could distill anything into booze and pawn it off as whiskey. Eventually, government and industry established legal definitions of what whiskey is and how it could be made, allowing for the distinctive styles of whiskey known today. Whiskey explains what whiskey is, how it is made, and how the types of whiskey differ. With a list of suggested brands and classic cocktail recipes for the thirsty reader, this book is perfect for drink and food enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

The Irish Spirit Cookbook $24.95 This book combines Ireland's favorite dishes with a touch of ale, stout, cider or whiskey, creating such terrific new flavors as Jameson Irish Whiskey Cake, Chops in Locke's, and more. Also includes stories about food and drink traditions, as well as photographs. USA. 9 x 8 x 1/4. Paperback, 159 pages.

Irish Mist by Humphrey, L. Egaire [Paperback] $89.22 Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Irish Mist is a brown Whiskey Liqueur produced in Dublin, Ireland, by the Irish Mist Liqueur Company Ltd. In September 2010 it was announced that the brand was being bought by Gruppo Campari from William Grant, only a few months after Grants had bought it from the CC Group.It is made from aged Irish whiskey, heather and clover honey, aromatic herbs, and other spirits, blended to an ancient recipe claimed to be 1,000 years old.Irish Mist used to be 80 proof, or 40 alcohol by volume, and is now 35 or 70 proof. Author: Humphrey, L. Egaire Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 108 Publication Date: 2011/08/09 Language: English Dimensions: 9.02 x 5.98 x 0.26 inches

Irish Whiskey Makes Me Frisky Sash $4.29 Irish Whiskey Makes Me Frisky Sash

Instant Irish Accent Mouth Spray $8.99 A wee bit of Irish fun just in time for St. Patrick?s Day! Just one quick spritz activates invisible language receptors in the mouth. The spearmint flavor is fresh on the tongue like mist off the Cliffs of Moher!

Irish Whiskey $16.79 Before you can say "Erin go bragh", Dermot finds himself doing the legwork on yet another historic mystery....

The Labels Decorating Bottles of Dolphin Hotel John Jameson Irish Whiskey $79.99 The Labels Decorating Bottles of Dolphin Hotel John Jameson Irish Whiskey - Premium Photographic Print

Paddy Whiskey $66.91 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Paddy Whiskey is a brand of 80proof blended Irish whiskey produced in Cork, Ireland, by the company Irish Distillers. The brand is Irelands third best selling whiskey.Paddy Whiskey was first produced by the Cork Distilleries Company in 1779, although it was originally known as Cork Distillery Company Old Irish Whiskey.In 1881 the company hired a young Corkman called Paddy Flaherty as salesman. Paddy travelled the pubs of Cork, buying drinks for the customers. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Timpledon, Miriam T./ Marseken, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 84 Publication Date: 2010/06/24 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.20 inches

Irish Whiskey Baby Jr. Raglan by CafePress $28.5 Irish Whiskey Makes Me Frisky funny St. Patrick's Day t-shirts and gifts featuring a bottle of Irish whiskey as the reason for your amorous demeanor. Baby Jr. Raglan Our Jr. Raglan from American Apparel is body contoured and baby soft. Made of 100% superfine combed cotton baby rib, this raglan provides the perfect look for any season. 5.8 oz. 100% Ultra-fine combed ring spun 1x1 baby rib cotton. Size up

Irish Mist $5.99 Dermot Michael Coyne isn't sure what he's gotten himself into. Nuala Anne McGrail, that beautiful and vivacious "Celtic witch" has finally agreed to marry him. But they've barely tied the knot when Nuala's psychic "spells" begin again. Visions of a burning castle, the captain of the infamous "Black and Tan" police force, a wild woman from Chicago, and bloodshed--all somehow connected--lead the two to the remnants of a mystery long buried in the mist of Ireland's turbulent and violent past. How did Kevin O'Higgins, the murdered leader of the movement to free Ireland, die? And who among the living will do whatever it takes to keep Nuala and Dermot from finding out?

Whiskey (Hardcover) $27.79 A Manhattan or a Sazerac; neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of soda—no matter how it’s served up, whiskey is synonymous with the poet’s inspiration and the devil’s spirit. Be it bourbon, rye, corn, Irish, or Scotch, whiskey has an infamous and celebrated history from a sometimes lethal, herb-infused concoction to a high-quality, meticulously crafted liquor.             In Whiskey, Kevin R. Kosar delivers an informative, concise narrative of the drink’s history, from its obscure medieval origins to the globally traded product that it is today. Focusing on three nations—Scotland, Ireland, and America—Kosar charts how the technique of distillation moved from ancient Egypt to the British Isles. Contrary to popular claims, there were no good old days of whiskey: before the twentieth century, consumers could never be sure just what was being poured in their cup—unscrupulous profiteers could distill anything into booze and pawn it off as whiskey. Eventually, government and industry established legal definitions of what whiskey is and how it could be made, allowing for the distinctive styles of whiskey known today. Whiskey explains what whiskey is, how it is made, and how the types of whiskey differ. With a list of suggested brands and classic cocktail recipes for the thirsty reader, this book is perfect for drink and food enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

Whiskey Island $4.5 Once a struggling community of Irish immigrants, Lake Erie's Whiskey Island has a past as colorful as the patrons who frequent the Whiskey Island Saloon. A local gathering place for generations, the saloon is now run by the Donaghue sisters, whose lives and hearts have been shaped by family tragedy and a haunting mystery. When an act of violence sets the wheels of fate in motion, Megan Donaghue, a woman unwilling to trust in love, and Niccolo Andreani, a man unwilling to trust in himself, are determined to learn the truth about one fateful night in the family's long-forgotten past. As an old man struggles to protect a secret as old as Whiskey Island itself, a murder that still shadows too many lives is about to be solved--with repercussions no one can predict.

Irish Whiskey St. Patrick's Day Novelty Black Graphic Tee Shirt $9.99 Original Irish Whiskey St. Patrick's Day Novelty Black Tee Shirt. This tee is perfect for St. Patrick's day! Reads, 'On the eighth day, God created whiskey to keep the Irish from taking over the world.' 100% Cotton.

Irish Whiskey Makes Me Frisky Humor Women's T-Shirt by CafePress $22 Irish Whiskey Makes Me Frisky t-shirts and gifts in all caps green text. Does Irish whiskey make you frisky? Humor Women's T-Shirt Tee, TShirt, Shirt Our 100% cotton Women's tee is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed. 5.6 oz. 100% cotton. Standard fit.

Irishmen and Irish Whiskey $22.42 No Synopsis Available

Whiskey In The Jar $4.99 By Irish Folk Song and The Dubliners. For easy piano. Celtic; Folk; Irish; Traditional. 2 pages. Published by Hal Leonard - Digital Sheet Music

WHISKEY ISLAND $19.59 Once a struggling community of Irish immigrants, Lake Erie's Whiskey Island has a past as colourful as the patrons who frequent the local saloon. A local gathering place for generations, the saloon is now run by the Donaghue sisters, whose lives and hearts have been shaped by family tragedy and a haunting mystery. When an act of violence sets the wheels of fate in motion, Megan Donaghue; a woman unwilling to trust in love, and Niccolo Andreani; a man unwilling to trust in himself, are determined to learn the truth about one fateful night in the family's long-forgotten past. As an old man struggles to protect a secret as old as Whiskey Island itself, a murder that still shadows too many lives is about to be solved -- with repercussions no one can predict.

Jameson Full Print T-Shirt $26.99 Complete with a Gaelic motto that translate ?Without Fear? the name is well known to connoisseurs of the exceptionally smooth whiskey created over 220 years ago in Dublin. Designed in Ireland. 100% Cotton

Irish Whiskey Humor Dark T-Shirt by CafePress $26 Irish whiskey makes me frisky. A cute simple design great for that t-shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie or mug to help you celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Humor Dark T-Shirt Tee, TShirt, Shirt Don't waste time deciding on which shirt to put on each morning. This dark shirt t-shirt will never go out of style and hides stains better too. This high-quality t-shirt is pre-shrunk and 100% cotton, which makes it both comfortable and durable.

Jameson Irish Whiskey Seal Green Graphic Tee Shirt $19.99 Officially licensed Jameson Irish Whiskey Seal Green Graphic Tee Shirt. Features a classic Jameson logo design and red seal printed on the front. 100% soft cotton.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 6th, 2007 at 4:14 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.