This week I went to dinner at a sports bar. I’m not the type, but there are no fine dining choices unless we drive into town. Two of the big screens had rodeo on them. There was a rope horse who got some rough handling when he refused to back into the box. The horse … Read more
The leftovers are gone, the pie plates back in the cupboard, and Parental Peas, Parker and Penny, have headed back to Texas. If you ask Jolene, it’s tragic news. She would’ve been fine if they had stayed forever. They spoke her language. They played her games. We took a hike while the Peas were here. … Read more
It was a bathroom sort of week here, in that way that the entire universe can fit in a small space sometimes. And Jolene ran the gamut of emotions about it. She is almost nine months old and a very big girl with very big feelings. It used to be that a small plush toy … Read more
Saints preserve us. This weekend, Jolene is having her friend, Tachi, sleep over. I’ll believe the sleep part when I get some. They have been running out the dog door, letting it slam-slam behind them. Then barreling back through in a gray cloud of leaves and dirt with another double slam. Like a pair of … Read more
In what most would consider the middle of the night, Jolene goes off like one of those alarm clocks with twin bell ringers on top. She wakes up early and with a hunger none of us can survive. Mister would never say no to a meal, but he does like to lounge a bit. Like … Read more
I do not know how long I will survive Jolene’s social life. She thinks I’m her chauffeur. Probably right. Last Friday, we went to Pub Dog Class. I put a clean shirt on and grabbed her harness. She was really fussy and even faux-limped. It was fine the day before when we went to test … Read more
Jolene would like you to believe she is very mature for her age. And by that she means listening bores her. She already knows everything. Unburdened by rules, she is a free spirit. She will let her freak flag fly. Is she just like me or what? Nostalgic, I thought about when I was certain … Read more
It’s still dark out, and I’m sitting on the edge of my bed trying to pull my pants on. Isn’t there an idiom about one leg at a time? It’s something about humility, that everyone still has to do the same basic, mundane tasks. I swear I’m not looking for special consideration. One leg would … Read more
Jolene, Mister, and I have returned home. Just in time for Jolene to transform into a charming but unrepentant hellion rebel. At 22 weeks, she is the dog equivalent of a ten-year-old who bullies ants. If anything drops to the floor, she grabs it and bolts. No amount of cajoling can get it back. If … Read more
We just got back from a clinic in Wyoming, a place where the weather controls the landscape and there are more animals than people. It was heaven. And they gave us a special welcome. This was Jolene’s first work trip. It’s not a simple job for a pro like Mister, so it’s a big ask … Read more