The Splash...or Uh Oh!

It was so hot today that I decided to head out into the Rose Garden with the dogs.  Both Ezzy and Sunny love to cool off in the kiddie pool that Mark bought for them.  I thought that while they were out romping and splashing, I would water the flowers and tomato plants.  I watched the dogs for a few minutes then picked up the hose.  For some reason, the spray nozzle would not turn!  I could not get any water to squirt out at all!  Malfunction number one was underfoot and if I could have foreseen the future, I would have stopped right there, gone inside and stayed there for the duration of the day.  Instead, I laid my camera (I am never without my trusty camera!) on the chair and started fiddling with that hose.  After a good ten minutes or so, I was able to get the thing at least turned on so I set to watering the tomatoes that are actually planted in the far corner of the Rose Garden. My camera remained on the chair..or so I thought.  I was only about twenty-five feet from the thing and, to be honest, never thought twice about leaving it sit.  Nothing had ever happened to it before when I would set it down for a spell..nothing should happen now..right?  A lesson in responsibility was about to slap me right in the forehead!  Splash!  My goodness!  Those dogs are having fun!.....After about five minutes of watering the three tomato plants, I turned my attention to the zinnias.  Those poor plants were wilted flat!  They looked pathetic...oh, no....for some strange reason, both dogs were sitting by my side..looking pathetic.  I tried to shoo them away..no good..they did not budge.  Both sat staring up at me with big, brown, puppy-dog eyes..I suddenly got the strange feeling that something was not right.  Those dogs looked far too guilty to be innocent! My camera!  I whirled around to look at the chair and what did I see?  A chair..an empty chair! The emptiest chair that I have ever seen in my life! Oh, no!!!!  I frantically scanned the Rose Garden...nothing.  Then I got the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I gingerly stepped toward the kiddie pool and there dangling from the pool was the black strap of my camera.....ARRGH!  My camera!  My trusty camera!!

Could Ms. Ez be the camera thief?

No..the camera was not in the pool..at least not at the moment.  It was on the outside but still in enough water to do major damage!  I snatched it up and took out the batteries...please..please do not have let it been ruined!  I looked at the dogs..both were now laying flat on the ground looking sheepish.  I stared at one and then the other trying to decide which animal swiped the camera.  Was it Ms. Ez, who has an penchant for anything that I have touched?  Or was it Sunny, who loves to chew on everything?  Ezzy got up and slid under the table. AHA!  The culprit! My goodness, Ms. Ez..how could you do such a thing?  Then I looked at Sunny who was already sniffing the camera strap as if to say, "Give me back my toy!"  Ezzy???  Sunny???   Ezzy???  Sunny???  I was not sure..they both looked guilty as sin!

Would Sunny steal my camera?

I am still not sure which dog grabbed the camera.  I am still not sure if the camera went into the pool or stayed partially dry.  I am still not sure if it is ever going to work again.  Michael told me to not put the batteries back in for a few days to allow any moisture to dry.  In the meantime, I suppose it is definitely time to muster up enough courage to experiment with the new camera that Mark bought me at Christmas.  It is still in the box as I am totally intimidated by it!  He was just fussing at me the other day about not using it so maybe he won't be too upset about my old trusty camera biting the dust...err...drowning in the kiddie pool.  Me?  I just hope that I have learned a lesson and will remember to take better care of my equipment.  I take responsibility for this as neither dog recognized the camera as any difference from their other toys that are scattered about the Rose Garden.  How will this affect you as my reader?  Today's pictures have been pulled from my files as will most will be for the rest of this week.  I promise to practice hard with the new camera and, hopefully, I will be back on par with fresh photos soon!  Now..you make the call.  Which precious pup do you think stole my camera and decided it was a pool toy?  Or do you think it could have been a joint heist?  Let me know in the comments section!