a new breed of working dog

I'm gonna start breeding and training for a new breed of working dog. Those of you who've had an identity transplant into a Blackberry may be interested. A "dead battery alarm dog". Reena of course is the prototype.

I'm working in my office today and Reena comes in and stands in the middle of the room, pointedly staring at me. I attempt to greet her with a pet but she backs away, staring. Sure, this is normal so I didn't think much. Then she leaves, walks down the hallway, to the living room and lets out a big important bark. Roy jumps up on the couch barking, looking out the window.....where, where, who's here. I come out to inspect. But Reena is just standing in the middle of the room. Not at a window or door like I'd expect, warning of some going ons outside. I tell the dogs to be quiet because there is nothing out there. Reena stands in the middle of the room and barks real loud and sharp again. And then I hear this beep beep from the coffee table. My cell phone battery is dead. Reena must hate that sound. Everytime I have a dead battery and that phone is going off somewhere in the house - be it in a coat pocket on the dinning room chair, on the coffee table, or on my desk in my office - whether its during the day or she has to wake me up in the middle of the night - Reena comes and finds me, and "talks" or barks until I follow her. Then she goes to the phone, stands in the middle of the room facing the coffee table, coat, desk, etc. Usually, I am like "what Reena, what!" for a few minutes until the phone beeps, as it only goes off about every 5 minutes. But everytime, she determinedly stares at the phone until it goes off and I get her point. I just find it amazing that she pointedly brings it to my attention that the damn phone is going off again, apparently bugging the shit out of her, and I need to do something about it.

PS. I love government holidays. I'm unashamedly one of those lucky ones who gets to today off. And the same at least once a month :). I swear Mark used to have a day off every 2 weeks with the USDA. I certainly need today off too. After my 4 day weekend (you'd think that would be enough, but not when its 8.5 hrs of driving or an all day trial) I came home just in time for my not a moment to spare schedule for the rest of the week. I didn't even have time to check my emial, which was a blessing as I'd have only felt guilty about everthing I was letting slip. I had to work on Sat, meeting with a local group of volunteers who helped us build and install several Canada goose nest boxes on the WMA. All I want to do is veg.