The US & Russia, aka: Conrad & Riley

(This is one of our favorite pictures of the boys. It was taken over 3 years ago, in Wyoming, at a cattle auction. Obviously they loved it.)

Conrad and Riley. I like to think of them as loving, caring, sensitive siblings, but in reality they are merely allies. Oh they love each other of course, and would kill anyone who ever hurt the other, but if I could liken them unto anything, it would be the United States and Russia.
They were allies, then enemies, allies again, enemies again and as of today they are both "friends," in a very loose sense of the term. The US and Russia can sit down to dinner, discuss the affairs of the day, and laugh and smile in public, but they both know they have nuclear missiles in their back pockets, they just don't know how many either of them have. But because they are allies, if anyone were to starts a war with Russia, the US would be there to fight for Russia's cause. Sometimes there are spies or double agents and the fight can go sour and then you see the US backing the enemy instead of the it's ally, Russia. and so it goes with my boys, bless their hearts.
Conrad and Riley have no problem sticking together if the enemy is a gaggle of unruly biker boys, a neighborhood bully, a teacher, or mom or dad (You know I'd like to think of Hans & myself as diplomats: people who are tactful and skillful in managing delicate situations, handling people, etc., but I think we would be viewed as terrorists). But when Hans and I use certain devices of torture (like no bikes, computer time or playing with friends) or interrogation (The "who did it" question), Conrad and Riley will rat each other out without fail.
In spite of all the shenanigans they pull and the emotional roller coaster they ride and make Hans & I ride with them, they are loyal and at times, truly at peace with one another. I suppose the term I should use to best describe them is not Allies, but Brothers.