Well, we’ll see. Tonight we’re going to my favorite Italian restaurant in NYC, what was formerly Da Antonio’s.

More when I get there.

See that little angel there? Would you ever guess after seven years of being Snickers the Wonder Dog that today she decided to be a bad, bad girl?

We can let Snickers out and she never leaves the yard. We’ve been doing that since the day we got her. She stays in the yard. At worst, she wanders next door. But she always comes back. Not today. Not for a little while at least.

Sheryl went out to look for Snickers after she didn’t come back to the door. We didn’t think much about it. Then Sheryl went to look more. Called her. No Snickers.

We got scared.

I jumped in the car and Sheryl ran up the hill behind our house. I found Snickers first. Well…kinda found her. She was walking along with two Chinese ladies who live in our neighborhood. From what they told me, Snickers decided that she’d go on a walk with them. After they tried to shoo her home for a while, they gave up and Snickers went on a mile-long walk with them. By the time I saw Snickers and her new owners at the end of my street, well, I was relieved and aggravated.

Apparently her royal highness knew where she was going and the ladies were going to walk her home. They did. Whew.

Today, Snickers the Wonder Dog is just Snickers the Dog. She has a lot of making up to do.

Matt is 18 today. Happy birthday, MattMan.

UPDATE: Matt, this song was running through my head this morning. I remember playing this one when I turned 18.

Sheryl and I went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Assed Sequel yesterday afternoon. When we got home, this note was there for Sheryl. It answered all her standard questions for Stephen when he’s heading out. It says:

Mall, the movies w/ Bobby and Sunny.

Yes, I have a movies pass.

Yes, I have money.

No, we’re not doing drugs.

Yes. I will need a ride home, please.

I have my permit w/ me.

Transformers 2 at 6:50 in IMAX to most likely answer your last question…

–Steve

P.S. We’re eating at the mall.

You never have to worry about your kids when they’re great like our guys.

If the video is too much, you can read this really great article called “Michael Jackson, world famous pedophile, dead at 50.”

Here’s my take: I don’t care about how talented anyone is if they molest children. Not one bit. In fact, I’m glad he’s dead because it means he can’t harm any more children and mess up more lives. Same goes for The Rapist Kobe Bryant. It makes me sick to see people celebrating him as a “hero” because his team won the NBA championship. He should be in prison. WTF is wrong with people who give sexual predators a pass just because they have talent? How would they like it if that were their kid or their sister that ended up with MJ or Kobe?

Hey, a little levity: Did you hear that the autopsy revealed that Michael Jackson didn’t die of a heart attack? Yeah, it was food poisoning that killed him. He ate 12-year-old nuts.

“I seem to have misplaced my car,” I told the attendant.

“Let me see your ticket,” he said. I thought maybe they cataloged the cars during the day.

“That in the parking garage on the other side of the highway,” he said.

[Blush]

You’d have to know the Wilmington station. It’s small. really small. And I remembered — belatedly — that I didn’t have to walk outside to get into the station. The one I went to required me to cross two major streets. Plus, I even tried to prepay my parking by using an automated machine. I put my ticket stub in three times to no avail. My thinking — hey, the machine must be malfunctioning. Never occurred to me that I was in a completely wrong garage.

Ugh. My sense of direction rivals Wrong Way Corrigan. Good thing my talk went well. It didn’t require me to give directions.

Matt and his friends are at the Shore. Eight of them rented a house for Senior Week. It was fun watching them pack up and get ready yesterday morning for their first adventure into Grownupland.

Sheryl and Snickers the Wonder Dog are still sleeping. Stevie, too.

Myself? I’m going to read the New York Times on my deck and finish the Sunday crossword puzzle. Not bad. I love days like this.

Matt graduated from Conestoga High School last night. He did great in high school (see all that bling around his neck?) and I’m certain he’ll do great at NYU. We’re really proud of him.

I must say that although you know your kid is growing up and getting older, going to his graduation put a fine point on it. This summer is going go buy so quickly, and then, wham! He’ll be moving out and onto a new phase in his life. We’ve been lucky to see him grow into the fabulous young man he’s become. I look forward to seeing what’s next.