*  Although I am an IT Professional, I spend most of my life in front of audiences presenting.  So when last year Microsoft released its Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 I had to have one, despite the $130 price tag.  I loved it; the feel, the functionality, the reliability.  After little more than a year`s service Gingit decided that if Daddy likes it then she might too... though she was attracted to the taste more than what it can do.  I was NOT happy, but went out and bought another one.  The second one did not last a year... in fact I do not think it lasted a week.  The third one now resides in a protective case in a locked laptop bag out of reach

*  I spent a lot of time driving, and a lot of time on the phone.  The combination is not desirable so I bought a Jawbone Bluetooth earpiece... $120.  I was always careful with it but one day I wasn`t entirely awake when Theresa called for me to drive her to the office... and I forgot the earpiece on the table.  Gingit obviously really liked it, because it was hardly recognizable and had to be identified by dental records.

*  They just do not make furniture the way they used to... in the 50s they built things to last, and I have always loved the bedroom set that I inherited from my grandparents not only because it is a gorgeous set but frankly to buy a set of similar quality today would cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Gingit decided to ensure I could never sell it by gnawing at one of the legs of the 800 pound dresser.

*  Frankly the babysitter should have known better; we had told her that evening about the computer mouse but of course she is young and wasn`t thinking... if she was not reliable and so good with Aaron I would never have agreed to reimburse her for the cell phone that she carelessly left lying about that was completely unusable when we got home that night.  Have you ever bought a replacement cell phone without extending your contract?  $200 later we were square.

*  Jacob – our slightly older puppy – loves my shoes.  He actually loves the insoles (usually the right insole to be sure), and has eaten several of them.  However he has never eaten a shoe.  Gingit however could not resist the oh-so-appealing dress shoes that our babysitter wore one night – she had come from a job interview so was not wearing her usual sneakers.  When Gingit was done with them they were hardly wearable to drive home, and one more item I had to pay for.  Fortunately poor student babysitters do not buy expensive shoes

*  My remote control.  ARGH!

*  I have a CD rack in the living room.  When Gingit is bored she will select a disc to sample... not the music, the taste.  I am VERY happy that I took the time to transfer them all to my computer some time ago!

*  She is still trying to eat Jacob... Jacob is a 1 year old Boston terrier / Beagle cross who is fortunately twice her size... she latches onto his neck, cheek, or ear and just won’t let go!  Jacob deserves an award for the most patient big brother in history!

*  Working in computers you can imagine we have a few of them around.  Gingit actually ate three keys off of Theresa’s laptop!

*  Theresa doesn’t wear her eyeglasses often, but she has them for when her eyes need a break from her contact lenses, and (B.G. – Before Gingit) she bought a very nice pair for about $500.  Gingit... enjoyed them.

*  She must be a very smart and discerning dog because this is not a problem I have had, but Theresa has now lost more than half a dozen pair of unmentionables and is no longer enjoying my giving her free reign to go buy more underwear... this has GOT to stop

*  I have an exam superstition... I always have a pack of Jolly Ranchers hard candy with me.  Gingit has a superstition of her own... never leave available edibles alone.  The entire pack save for one blue one (I don’t love the blue ones either) were gone.

*  A plethora of pens, pencils, and other school supplies that our ten-year-old leaves about.  And yes, it actually has happened that Gingit did legitimately eat his homework.

*  As I am now in my second year of being a ‘Dad’ I got a very nice basket of goodies for my first Father’s Day.  I was savouring the goods and eating them slowly.  Thank you very much though, Gingit enjoyed most of a box of cookies!

*  Toilet paper, napkins, and paper towels are never safe.