September 6, 2010

Walla, trois de la fourrière [translation: it's a Costco dog bed!]

Yes, it's hard for the dogs to stay put, what with the fun-house floors and all. They keep me awake all night with their rolling from one end of the cabin to the other [sigh].

Walla, I'll have y'all know, is not just an Indian suffix indicating a person involved in some kind of activity, or half the name of a county seat in the northwest. No, readers, "walla" is a loan word, and this most excellent spelling was invented by a west coast rancher and sheepdogger. He was headed to Canada to judge a trial in 2002:
For me it started getting on the plane from San Francisco, California, USA. I knew it was going to be a challenge because my passport hadn't come in and the officials said I needed 2 federal picture I.D.'s. After all the hoopla and dance the official asked if I had a Costco Card with my picture on it and walla, I had it and on we go. [From Sheepdog-L.]

Can't see that happening in today's police state land o' the free, now, can we?

But anyhow. I can't think of Costco these days without 1) saying Walla! to myself, or 2) thinking of cheap dog-beds. Huge, cheap dog-beds. Bounce was sleeping on one of them this morning, and then Smoke curled up next to her, and then the landshark came diving in for some Smoke-wuv, and there I was trying to aim over my shoulder with the little point 'n' shoot. Good times, good times ;~)

3 comments:

S. Serrano said...

T and G say, "We need a bigger bed!"

Anonymous said...

Myself, I say "viola," like the instrument. It started off ironically, but it's become a habit. I've got to watch myself around the kids lest they start to think that's the real pronunciation; that's all I need, is future letters from ticked-off high school French teachers...

And if I may recommend another source of dog beds, for the Costco-impaired? No picture IDs, alas, but plenty of great choices for every price point.

Amelia said...

"Walla" and Hatz off to the particular Oregonian and coiner of my new favorite fraize