Norm Stories: The Exciting Conclusion To "Norm The Landscape Architect"

And, now, for the exciting conclusion of our episode of Life With Norm: Norm The Landscape Architect.

So what happens when one of Norm's rawhide chip burial spots is discovered right after Norm has completed his burying and his meticulous landscape work to hide the hiding place? This happened during the year that Daniil the German Student was living here. Norm had been given a rawhide chip that, according to his specifications, then required an immediate burial. He raced out the door into the backyard, ran to the side of the house, and buried it there, under one of the side windows. Unbeknownst to Norm, the window was the window for Daniil's bedroom. And Daniil was in his bedroom. Watching Norm during his burying and landscape work.

When Norm finished smoothing out the rocks so the burial spot would avoid the detection of anyone except those with a hound dog nose, Norm looked up. And with a look of shock and horror, he saw Daniil standing at the window. Looking back at him.

Daniil came out of his room to tell me what just had happened. Norm had come back into the house and I closed the door behind him. But then Norm started pacing around the family room, very nervously. After a few seconds -- which in Norm years probably felt like a 1000 years -- I opened up the back door and Norm ran out, around to the side of the house. I don't know for certain what happened, but Daniil and I could the sound of rocks moving around. I told Daniil: "You are not going outside to see where Norm is re-burying his rawhide." Daniil, no fool, absolutely agreed: "No. Of course not."

I caught a quick glimpse of Norm being active in the back corner of the backyard, but it was a quick glimpse. After hearing Norm root around in the rocks at the back wall, he came back inside. His snout was filthy. But he was relaxed and happy.

Mission accomplished.