Home Alone 2

Well, Wayne's been gone four days now and Dora and I are getting back into the swing of things. 5 am morning walks, lunchtime pee breaks and mail pick-up, apres-work walks, weekend trail explorations and Wednesday/Thursday doggy daycare (Dora <3 Lazy Acres!). While she did soothe herself Wednesday morning by sucking on my new leather slippers while I took Wayne to YVR, she has yet to run around frantically looking for him or stare at the garage door after I come home, alone. Or chew anything else, thank God.

She really is a blessing to me while he's gone. Sure, she tracks in dirt, creates dust puppies of white fur on our espresso floors, and has holes in her lips (or so it would seem) after she drinks from her dish and walks away. And yes, I have to get up an extra hour early on the three days of the week she doesn't attend daycare to walk her, I have to pick up her poop, dab up her piddle (she has incontinence and her meds seem to be losing effectiveness of late), wrap her foot for a month when she gets pieces of dead thorn trapped in her paw, and get down on said dirty/dusty floor to play tug-of-war with her. But the look of love that dog can give, the nuzzle of kindness, the yawn of the fuzziest, cutest sleepyhead you ever did see, is enough to make me want a whole farm of these little lovebugs! Right now, she's sitting on the stairs with a puzzled look on her face as if to say, "Hey, Mom, I gotta poop. Stop pretending you can't tell and TAKE ME OUT ALREADY!" :)

If I didn't have her to clean up after, feed, walk and groom, I can't imagine how BORED I'd be while Wayne's away. Not to mention likely despondent. I suppose I'd get a lot of reading done, I'd get more sleep, our budget would be bigger, and I wouldn't hate dust so much. That all sounds great! But I wouldn't trade all those things for knowing I'd never see her adorable face nudging my cheek every morning, or for knowing I'd never cuddle with my 35-pound lapdog again.



Having Wayne gone so soon is kind of surreal - I know we won't see one another until at least late April, and even then, it could be only for a weekend. Because I travel on standby, my chances of getting there in the summer months are slim. However, God could have a few aces up His sleeve in terms of travel, time and accommodations, for which I am desperately praying. (If you could, too, I'd be very grateful!) But while I am here, I am keeping myself mighty busy and am learning to say no and enjoy my quiet time (which is usually spent baking, cooking or cleaning, but whatever). This weekend, it's being spent on a new contract project that will hopefully turn into an ongoing relationship with this client - another prayer of mine! We gotta pay for this new Mac somehow!

So, I guess I should be working...