Sadie's First and Last Time in Trouble

This story is a few months old...but it is worth telling for two reasons.

1. It's pictures are full of gardens, autumn, and warmer days.

2. It proves that Sadie has gotten in trouble...once.

It all started one October evening when I noticed that Sadie's breath smelled like fresh peppers and tomatoes. Not wanting to complain, as it trumped her normal breath, I let it go.

Afterall, you cannot scold a dog for doing something it did in the past- you have to catch them in the act.

Well, not wanting to make her mother look like a lax parent, Sadie gave me the opportunity to scold.

About an hour after the breath was noticed, I noticed that Sadie was MIA. Which was rare.

That's when I looked out of the 2nd story window and saw this:

I couldn't believe my eyes!!! And just when I thought it couldn't get
any worse, this happened:

Since Jim was distracted doing something unimportant like paying bills upstairs, I decided
I should take just one more picture as proof...

...before heading downstairs and out the backdoor to catch her in the act...
As soon as she heard the basement door open...

Sadie immediately knew that she was busted. She spent about 30 seconds trying to desperately remember how she managed to get into the garden to begin with...
...and how to get out once again.

She finally decided on a tiny 3" gap that she forced her 60 pound body through.

Please note the extremely stressed out look upon her face.

Also note: NO scolding had begun at this moment. I was merely standing there quietly,
snapping photos.

And that was that. She felt SO guilty for getting caught that I didn't even have to say a thing.

I didn't have to scream "NO!" or "SHOO!"

I didn't have to put her in a corner or shake my finger.

Since that warm October day, Sadie has not even batted an eye toward the devil on her shoulder.
Sadie's conscience is bigger than any punishment could ever be.

On the other hand, George is STILL trying to figure out how on earth she squeezed in there.

Try again in 2012, buddy. There will be other gardens to chase...