birthday gift shenanigans

my friend Jennie got me a cute solar powered yard tchotchke for my birthday, in the shape of a flower. She told me via text she got a similar one for herself and it 'lights up pretty good'. so I put it out temporarily in one of my flower pots on my deck until I figured out where I wanted it to go and then promptly forgot about it.

I came home the other evening and it was dark. I'm wandering into the house, not really paying much attention except trying to get lights turned on etc. Suddenly I was attacked by aliens (or so I thought)! The giant solar powered flower apparently has multi colored settings and they pulse off and on in different colors. WTF????????? Here's this colorful orb pulsing at me, heartbeat style, through my front window! It took those few seconds of fight or flight instincts before I realized what it was.

So over the weekend I decided I'd better find a proper home for it, so on Sunday I put it down along the driveway. Thought it would be a good evening greeting for my multitude of visitors.......(HA!)

Monday morning rolls around, early as usual. Got the harnesses on the dogs and decided that we would try something new; it was sorta light, so thought I'd let them run free until we hit the road. Big mistake. 1 second after we were out the door, they took off - hell bent for leather - in the opposite direction, down the driveway, barking all the way. I had to RUN down the driveway after them (I'm sure my neighbors love me hollering at the top of my lungs at 5 in the morning). Suddenly, they stop, pretty much mouths agape, and stare at the glowing, pulsing, orb...