My Own Marley

Sarah and I decided to go see Marley & Me last night as we had been talking about it since first seeing the previews months ago and yesterday was the first chance we had since it's release.

Without giving away any of the movie to those who haven't seen it or read the book, you have to see it if you're a dog person and even if you're not it's good fun.

For us, they could have subbed out the adorable golden lab who portrayed Marley with a stubby little Jack Russell / Pug cross and it would have been like watching our life on a big screen... with Owen Wilson starring as me and Jen Aniston playing the role of Sarah.

Maybe it's all dogs (I doubt it though) but Cool Hand Luke sure does share a lot of similarities with the silver screen's Worst Dog in the World:

• A willingness to steal and chew just about anything
• The ability to eat and eat and eat and eat without stopping or getting full
• No regard for personal space
• A unique curiosity that only comes up when his parents are trying to get amorous

As much as we spent the entire movie laugh (and occasionally crying) about the similarities between Marley and the little butt-waggler we would be returning home to, nothing prepared us for the shining Marley moment we would walk into.

Note to Self: Never - I repeat - NEVER leave a garbage bag in the house with the dog.

We knew something was up when there was no barking as we keyed in the code on the door. We definitely knew Luke had done something wrong when he came out all sooky and cuddly; normally he's a big ball of energy.

Turn on the lights and VIOLA... garbage everywhere.

Coffee grinds mashed into the carpet with a little cranberry sauce on top.
Week old turkey devoured.
A quarter of an old ass Christmas fruitcake gone.

From the carnage, it honestly looked as if the little terror had eaten as much as he could and then crashed because he was just so full...

As angry as we were - especially considering this is the second such occurrence - walking into the mess after Marley & Me was the only way this dog didn't spend the night in his crate.

Instead, he got a nice long walk to poop out the garbage, a little scolding, some laughs when he wouldn't leave Sarah and I alone for "Grown Up Time" and his usual spot cuddled up between us on the bed for the night when it was time to go to sleep.

Why?

Because even though he's a little brat, he's our little brat and we wouldn't change him or trade him for the world.