The boys were with my ex, my daughter was at a friend's house, Sweet Hubby is in Chicago on business and last night, that left me alone (gloriously alone) in the house overnight. This is such a rare occurance that the only time I can remember it happening before is Thanksgiving two years ago. Don't get me wrong. I love my family. I love our wild times when we gather around the table talking and carrying on. I love the games we play, the work we do together, and the quiet Sunday afternoons watching football. (Quiet is relative. I suppose I am not the most stoic football fan around.) As much as I love all we do as a family, I absolutely treasure my alone time. I'm grateful for the time I get when the kids are at school. I use it wisely in between doctor appointments, grocery runs, volunteering at the school or with scouts, etc. But nothing, NOTHING is the same as a whole evening stretching out in front of me. Something about the dark, getting to soak in the tub with a glass of wine and a good book, and going to sleep whenever I want - with no stories to tell, breaths to check for the telltale toothpaste smell, or permission slips to sign - that's just heavenly.
But last night was even better than my night alone two years ago. Last night, my furry buddy Wasabi padded along from room to room with me. He slept at (and on) my feet as I wrote. He stretched out companionably in his cave under the bathroom cabinets while I took a bath. He kept watch out the windows, peeking his head between the curtains when I read in bed. He gnawed quietly on his rawhide and looked up at me adoringly. That's right. I totally caved and gave him a forbidden rawhide. I just paid $100 to the vet bcause of some strange allergy. The vet said it could be an allergy to his food (even though it's the good stuff) or it could be to grass (GRASS? The green stuff that is EVERYWHERE???) It could even be to fleas (which he doesn't 'have' as we are religious about the frontline) - but it's something. Some strange allergic reaction is making my dog chew the hair off of his back legs and tail. We got new food, and ointment, and even have finally had to resort to one round of steroids to break the allergy cycle. And we got told not to let him have anything (ANYTHING) except the new kibbles. Wasabi is on a strict diet - NO exceptions. But I guess his diet (like mine) is just going to have to start on Monday because I absolutely couldn't take it. We'd walked through the kitchen about six times and every time my sweet dog had looked hopefully at his treat drawer. Now, if he'd been obnoxious or tried to make me feel guilty - it wouldn't have worked. But he wasn't expectant, just hopeful. He'd been the perfect buddy all afternoon. He had even barked quietly, like whisper barking, when he saw squirrels outside. He totally deserved to munch away on a sticky, icky rawhide for the rest of the night. And I totally deserved to be adored by my dog. Monday may suck for the both of us - what with no treats for either of us and rawhide-slimed patches on the carpet to clean up - but it was so worth it. So. Worth. It.
(Remind me of that tomorrow?)
Peace.
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