I think the cable idea would be the most practical for us. I can't build a fence by myself, and my husband is in Iraq. We also live right on bedrock, so the fence supports would have to be set in rock, which would be very expensive to hire somebody to do.

I just hate it. We're in the freakin' middle of nowhere! We're down a pothole-filled dirt road and everything. Our only neighbors besides Big Dumb Jerk are way across the hayfield, and I talked to them before we moved in to see how they felt about dogs. I didn't think he would be there often enough to worry about him. The neighbors have really old dogs, and they said they've never lost a dog to an accident or an animal attack, so it did seem pretty safe here.

My stepdaughter works for a guy who knows the jerk, and he says "Be very careful of him, he's mean." Grr.

I know bear attacks are rare, and normally I wouldn't even worry about them. We've had them in our campsite and night and everything. But the bus stops at the same place where we're supposed to set out our garbage and they do love to get into the garbage. I'd hate for him to accidentally take one by surprise - or scare a mother with her cubs. It stinks that this guy is deliberately attracting them.

I'm just being a big baby, I know. But Max doesn't even chase deer.

Sorry for blabbering on and on. It's just that we bought this place with Max in mind.