Song Lyric of the Day:
I’m walking Too far ahead You’re calling To me I can’t hear What you’ve said
Quietdrive / “Time After Time“
9:46AM.
Success! I just got an email from my AnySoldier contact, thanking me for the care packages Rich and I sent. He also requested Resident Evil and Madden Football video games, so I’ll have to hit McKay’s soon. While I’m thrilled he and his unit finally received the packages, I’m really just glad to hear that they’re okay.
Later today: The hubby returns!
8:32PM.
I don’t know how I made it through the day. Work was crazy busy, and I was — and still am — crazy tired; I had a congested, seemingly hot flash-filled night. I swear, you’d think I was going through “the change” several years ahead of schedule. Of course, 90+ degree days don’t help when you’re already feeling overheated.
Anyhoo, as I mentioned earlier today and via Twitter last night, Rich got home last night around 7PM. Caleb was beside himself with joy, Snoops was thrilled, and I was pretty happy, too. Although I didn’t show it in the same manner as Caleb did: I couldn’t find my tug rope or my headless, musical doll with which I could’ve shown off for Rich. We caught up, including Rich sharing lots of photos of his trip and visits with relatives. Of course, none of those photos were taken with our camera, which seems to be playing dead at the moment. Here’s hoping it’s not really dead.
***
As if a tiring, stressful day wasn’t enough to deal with, no sooner had I turned onto our street tonight than I noticed Rich’s car parked in the cul-de-sac a few houses from our own, and him running across the neighbor’s lawn. I stopped and rolled down my window. “What’s wrong?” I asked. His one word reply: “Snoops.”
Seems our 12 1/2-year-old girl snuck out through the garage when Rich turned his back for a minute (he’d left the door that leads from the backyard into the garage open). He’d been driving around for several minutes by the time I pulled up, asking neighbors if they’d seen her and trying to track her through the neighborhood. I drove straight up the street, past our house, fervently hoping that Snoops, being a very regimented dog (running away notwithstanding), had followed our normal walking route. Sure enough, several houses up the street, she was following the curb (she was even on the right side of the street), visibly wilting in the 95-degree heat. I stopped the Xterra, hopped out, and grabbed her by the collar. She didn’t seem surprised that I’d found her, deciding to focus her efforts on barking at a dog in its fenced yard nearby. I called Rich, who drove up to us, we harnessed her up, and put her in the Xterra for the drive home. Snoops looked out the window on the drive back to the house, likely noticing yards she hadn’t yet gotten to during her great escape.
So while Caleb may seemingly get more attention because he’s the “puppy” of the two, make no mistake about it: Snoops is the brains of the operation. The stubborn, wily, sneaky brains of our two dogs. Once home, Snoops lay down, panting from the heat and exertion, and smiling from ear to ear, no doubt proud at having pulled one over on Mom and Dad.
And that’s how our dog became a 20-minute runaway.
