Detox

I was greeted last night with puppy kisses, puppy head-butts, puppy whining, puppy scratching, puppy jumping, and puppy hysteria. Eight days away apparently felt like a lifetime to Ruby. I left her in good hands with the kids all taking turns with walks and daily care, but mainly with Allan and Emily splitting the week. They did an excellent job, house still standing, dogs fat and sassy. The cat is still here, so that's a downer, but I'll take what we came home to any day. When you tell people that you left your home in the primary care of two 16-year-olds, you get a range or responses. It is obvious that none of them have kids as great as ours.

A special shout-out to the boy, Allan for not only becoming Ruby's number one for 5 days, but for updating this blog as well. I think he did a fine job. I didn't get to see the blog until we landed in Atlanta yesterday, and got quite a chuckle out of both posts. The slug post explains Ruby's even greater obsession with objects on the ground. First bunnies and squirrels, then toads, and now slugs! My goodness she must think her world is an amazing place.

While my liver, my skin, the bottom of my feet, and my sleep pattern continue to detox today, so does Ruby. She always seems to pick up some rather annoying habits while I'm away.

This time it's 'I don't have to listen to Mom when:

• She says "GET OFF THE BED".'


• She says "GET OFF ME!" at 3am.'


• She says it's too early to eat and I should go back to bed at 4:30am.'


• She says "GET OFF DADDY!!" at 6am.'


• She says "SIT".'


• She says "HEEL".'


• She says "DOWN".'


• She says "SSSSSSIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".'


• She pulls the choke chain.'


• She pulls the choke chain REALLY REALLY HARD.'


• She tells me to stop racing through the mud.'


• It's time to get in the bathtub.'


• It's too early to get OUT of the bathtub.'


• It's time to stop racing through the house.'

We walked 1.25 miles this morning and it was a struggle until about the last .25. She is better behaved while in the house than outside. And she has not let me out of her sight, except for right now when I had Kevin lock her up after her bath (a direct result of racing through the mud in the back yard) because she was doing crazy puppy run and I'm afraid she's going to break something. Plus, during her psychotic dash in the back yard, she managed to cut one toe with the next claw over (which is not even long and in need of trimming) and it's bleeding, and I don't want to have to clean blood out of the carpet.

Phew. I missed her terribly, love her to death, but she's exhausting today! A couple of walks and she will get the hang of things again. It is wonderful to be greeted with such excitement and puppy love. I looked forward to that greeting all day, and I wasn't disappointed. I expected her to be bigger than she is. I don't see much change. At least I didn't until I realized she can look out the bedroom windows without stretching and has no problem counter surfing now. So I guess she is taller.

On Monday, Ruby will have her girl parts removed. I teetered briefly, thinking about having a litter of pups in a year or two, but let's face it, our life is crazy enough. When she gets past seven months, she will no longer be able to play at camp unless she has been spayed and that date is coming soon. I made the appointment before we left on vacation. Will drop her off at 7 Monday morning, and pick her up after work Tuesday afternoon.

Since I'm completely without new pictures of her, I'll leave you with a shot or two of Jamaica. And a guarantee to have new pix of Ruby soon.