* * *  COUNTDOWN:  24 DAYS TO LA/XC-4  * * * Most of you know the deal.  LA/XC, the series of Beagle Man cross-country road trips, originated back in 2011.  It started as a joke, turned into a promise, became a journey, and evolved into a ritual.  When Robby, back then still a senior at Staples HS…

The other night we’re watching the Westminster Dog Show, and I know exactly what the Beagle Man’s thinking:  First, the Beagle’s gonna win the Hound group, he figures.  Then the Duck Toller’s gonna win in the Sporting group.  Dilemma:  Who do I root for to take Best in Show???  I swear this is the…

I’m telling you this story, even though it has almost nothing to do with me, as a public service.  Because if I don’t, you-know-who most definitely will — and then it’ll be 1,000 words long, and The Greatest Story Ever Told.  Okay, so last Friday morning, Beagle Man and Kemba are down at Burying H…

I know, you haven’t heard from me in awhile — but I’ve still been keeping tabs.  Looks to me as if things are going just fine between Beagle Man and The Pup.  Oh, sure, on the one hand he might be a little rambunctious, and on the other, a little too eager to please.  But I think you’d have to adm…

“Write about him,” Derr said, nodding in the direction of Harry, the low-slung, fruit-sniffing beagle.  We were clustered around the baggage carousel at JFK, last stop on the Zermatt 6 Ski-the-Alps Tour, when Harry made his presence known by poking his snout into Geiger’s duffel.  “There’s your co…

Obviously, I knew I’d be socked in watching Ravens vs. Pats and Panthers vs. Seahawks on Saturday.  And, of course, UConn hoops — vs. Cincinnati.  Robby was still home from college (drove him back to the airport last night), and when Robby’s home there’s no such thing as a football or basketball…

Saturday afternoon in Vermont it snowed — and kept snowing into the evening.  Kemba, being Canadian, was oblivious to the weather (see photo, right); in fact, we were able to gauge the snowfall by how much accumulated on his red coat.  By dinner time, the snow had turned to rain, and then . . . th…

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It’s the Sunday morning of Thanksgiving weekend.  Kemba has just gotten me up, as usual, with his polite but insistent mewling — at 6AM.  As those of you who know the Beagle Man are well aware, this is not my time of day.  Not by a long shot.  It is, however, Kemba’s. By 6:20 we’re heading over to…

Remember back when Beagle Man wanted a German Shepherd, and Mrs. B wanted nothing bigger than a Beagle?  And this Duck Toller was the Great Compromise — a nice, medium-sized dog?  Hah!  Have you by any chance taken a look at Kemba lately?  Did you happen to notice the length of his limbs?  Steve…