DAY 69 - WANNA GO FOR A RIDE?

"Come on, Mom. We'll drive!"

I love Saturdays! Great days to sleep in a bit and get a ton of stuff done. Just enjoy the day, right?

   Well, I had quite a few errands to run – including getting dog food. And since PetSmart welcomes dogs as Shopping Guests too, I decided that today would be a great day to take the dogs for a Ride. The word alone, “Ride”, gets tails wagging and excited prancing – and a million little click, click, clicks as their puppy nails bounce on the hardwood floors.

   To be quite honest, I’m not sure Pippa quite knows what it means, this word “Ride” – but Sierra does, and when Sierra gets excited … well, that’s enough reason for Pippa. Of course, just as I say the word and get their little Puppy Engines revving – that’s when I realize a few things I need to do before I can leave the house. So as excited puppies circle around my feet, I wrap a few things up. And as soon as I head for the Garage, Sierra takes off way ahead of me – while Pippa decides whether she should follow her or me.

   I can’t get the Garage and car doors open fast enough for them, and while the door is still opening my driver’s seat already has two passengers – one with paws on the steering wheel, very ready to go. Apparently Sierra called Shotgun, so Pippa hops into the back seat – and we’re off. I open the back windows partway, and little black noses stretch to catch the breeze coming into the car. (The sneezes that it created will have to be cleaned off the inside of the windows at a later date.)

Two Dogs, One Leash
My version of a Pushmi-Pullyu (push me, pull you)

   We get to PetSmart, and I make them stop outside to “take care of business” – because I remember the last time we were there, and Pippa pooped in the middle of the store -- and a customer walked in it, and there was poop throughout half of PetSmart. 

   As we walked in, two male Shih Tzus, greeted us at the door – since they were just leaving. They were the exact size and coloring of Pippa, and they sniffed each other for a few minutes in the doorway. Then we headed in and met a few other dogs – or at least Pippa did. See, Sierra is afraid of EVERYTHING and Pippa is afraid of NOTHING. And since they share one leash, it’s a little like the Pushmi-Pullyu of Dr. Doolittle fame.

   Now I’m pretty good at getting the dogs out fairly regularly. During the summer we go to the Provo Farmers Market a few times each month. I frequently “picnic” dinner up the canyon, and puppies love it up there. We go for a walk every week or two. And if I’m just running to the bank (or other drive-thru establishment), they get to go along for the ride. But we only go to the pet store about twice each year – because it takes them quite a while to go through a 40-pound bag of dog food. I mean, they’re just little dogs.

   Especially small compared to some of the dogs they met today – including the ginormous Mastiff. And there was poop, but fortunately our little Pit Stop meant it came from another dog – and we took the long was around it. (The poor kid/employee cleaning it up had a Gas Mask on – it was pretty ripe!)

   We looked at toys and treats, but most of the toys are too big for these two – so I typically get Cat Toys for them (please don’t tell THEM!) And they’re wayyyy to spoiled for Dog Treats – even the samples of Pup-Peroni there today weren’t interesting enough for them.

   Finally done shopping, we loaded back into the car. It was a beautiful day, and none of us were quite ready to head home yet – so we took the scenic route home, by way of Bridal Veil Falls (which is only about 5 miles from home). I’m not so sure the dogs appreciated the beauty of the canyon, but I sure did – and it was nice to have company along for the ride too.

   Ironically, a little later this afternoon I got a text from a girlfriend asking for a ride. Since I was back out again running more errands, it was perfect timing. Admittedly, Kerri didn’t stick her head out the window nor snort on the inside of the glass – but it was nice to have a few minutes to visit with a friend. And she was happy to not have a second car to have to drive around as she spent the rest of the day with her family.

   I may not get as excited as the dogs do for a ride. And sometimes rides are strictly Point A-to-Point B events. But sometimes, like this afternoon, going for a ride just to enjoy the fun of a ride is a great thing. Getting excited about just being somewhere new and different is fabulous. So if you ever just want to go for a drive for the heck of it, just give me a call. And I promise to not snort on the inside of your windows.

DAY 58 - MY PUPPY WELCOMING COMMITTEE

Sierra and Pippa

Living alone has its perks – and its challenges. And for someone as social and people-oriented as I am, living solo is something I struggle with. As I fly around the country, I have no one to tell my flight plans to. If (heaven forbid) a plane I was on crashed, it would likely be a day or two before anyone realized that I had been on that particular flight. Sure, it’s nice to not have to check in with anyone when I want to change my plans at a moment’s notice – but I also have no one to say Goodbye to when I leave, and no one to Welcome me when I return.

Sierra and Pippa, not liking the suitcase

   No one, that is, except for my Puppy Welcoming Committee. It’s why I’m a dog-person and not a cat-person. When you get home, even after a long stretch – you can walk through the door and barely get a glance from a cat. But with dogs, oh they notice you’ve been gone. Pippa is usually the first to hear my approach and runs to the window. Then Sierra figures out what is going on, comes to the window to check – and then runs to grab a toy to greet me with.

   As I walk through the door, there is a flurry of fur wrapping in and out and around my feet. Tails wag so hard that the entire body swings back-and-forth in response. And that I need to get through the door and empty my hands for an appropriate greeting can truly not happen fast enough.

Pippa with her heart-shaped birthmark

   With rather extensive travel this past year, it has heightened the response of the Puppy Welcoming Committee. They know what a suitcase is, and they begin to get “Puppy Depression” as soon as a suitcase appears. (Sometimes even my Temple Case bums them out.) They will hop up on the bed and lay down, heads down, forlorn look on their little puppy faces. As I wheel my suitcases toward the Garage, tails wag slowly – almost begging me to not leave.

   Last night, as I returned from another week-long adventure, the familiar noses-at-the-window appeared – jumping up onto the glass to stretch to get a better look, to somehow get closer. Then, as I open the car door, they know to run to the Garage Door – certain that’s where I’ll be heading in a moment or two.

   Puppy enthusiasm is contagious, and within a few minutes I’m in the Living Room – taking a few minutes for Puppy Snuggles and lots of tail-wagging and tummy rubs. Because although I technically live alone, each and every time I return home – whether after a 3-week stretch or just a 5-minute errand, I am always greeted with warmth and happiness.

Sierra

DAY 29 - EATING IN BED

As a chronic insomniac I have HORRIBLE sleeping habits – and I’m not exactly a morning person, so I wake up a bit slowly. And this morning, I didn’t wake up alone – I rarely do. As soon as they know it’s safe, the Puppy Welcoming Committee enthusiastically engages in Puppy Snuggles – truly the best way to start the day.

   Unfortunately this morning’s snuggles came with a surprise, and not a happy one. As I petted the puppies, something warm and gooey – and brown. Ick! And it wasn’t just on the puppy, it was all over the bed.

   I did what we all do – I smelled it. I don’t know why it’s what we all do, but even YOU smell stuff. But it didn’t smell bad. In fact, it smelled delicious! (But, no, I didn’t taste it.)

   I have a bad habit, a very bad habit: I eat in bed. Usually just snacks, often at 2am – only occasionally healthy. There’s that old song “You Can Eat Crackers in My Bed” – but who wants to do that? Crackers? But chocolate on the other hand . . . .  Yummmmm!

   So, yes, this morning, I was greeted by Chocolate-Covered Puppy. Now usually I would be happy with Chocolate-Covered “something/anything” – I’ve even eaten Chocolate-Covered Ants before. But Chocolate-Covered Puppy isn’t edible – so what’s the point?

   After a quick Puppy Bath (not an appreciated gesture), then my bath (no picture will be posted of that), I stripped the bed – a huge hassle and a huge bed, and 2 loads of laundry to clean it all.

   Oh well, at least tonight I get to sleep in clean sheets. And tonight I think I’ll stick to a Midnight Snack of Gummy Bears – or maybe even crackers.