When I was in high school, my class put on the musical, "Annie Get Your Gun."  A lot of the songs stuck with me.  In particular, I recall Annie singing to her suitor, "Anything, you can do, I can do better." 

I haven't thought of that song in years, but it cropped up in my head last night, and like the theme from Gilligan's Island, it won't leave. I thought of the song as poor Lily, my beloved Border Collie, sat on the 4Wheeler and watched Blue Heeler and Cowdog work the cows.  It hurt her.  She was a good girl, and she stayed where she was told, but it hurt.  She CAN do the job.  She IS better than the boys. 

I give you State's Exhibit 1 -

  She IS as tough as the boys.

I give you State's Exhibit 2 -

  She is as brave as the boyz.

I give you State's Exhibit 3 -

 She is as fast as the boyz.

AND . . . she listens and does as she's told!

Lily CAN do everything better than the boys.

So like Lily, you may be asking why this talented pup is forced to sit on the bench while 2nd String talent gets to work.

  "WHY???"

The answer lies with me.  I just love her too much to let her get hurt.  She is my sheepdog.  She is my goatdog.  She is my best friend. Because of that, she can sit outside and watch the boyz swing from the cows' tails and sing the song, "Anything you can do, I can do better!"

And every time I see her plaintive little eyes, begging me to let her play, I'll hear that song in my head.