THE LOST WEEKEND!

The dogs are home!  The dogs came to stay with us for the better part of a week.  I was not looking forward to the stay, as I was not looking forward to the nightly walks. It was more a mindset than anything else. If I had dogs, or even a dog, I would be happy to go out last thing at night and walk it or them, but as I do not actually parent dogs, I do not go out last thing at night to walk it or them!  However, they have been returned to their home and parents.

My daughter did not come to England this year.  They decided that they would not make the long trip and instead would, perhaps, (and I did suggest it might be a good idea, so I am partly to blame for my own predicament,) go for a long weekend, somewhere.  'Long' weekends, in my book, are three days.  It would appear that a 'three day weekend' is just a 'longer' weekend.  "We are leaving very early Thursday morning", she said, "And coming back late Monday night".  How early Thursday, and how late Monday?  The answer was "very, very!"  The very on Thursday morning was a five o'clock flight, so the dogs would be left on Wednesday night, (night number one of the late night walk) and the very on Monday was actually very early on Tuesday morning, at just past midnight, so the dogs would stay over on the Monday night.  Six nights!  That is more like a short week, than a long weekend!  How could I say "No!"  I know, put tongue to the top of my mouth, form the sound "nnn" and let it flow from there! It did not happen!

Although, sometimes, accompanied by my husband, I usually prefer to take them out on my own.  We have a 'difference of opinion' on the length of walk they need before bed, and whilst they appear to thrive when he has them when they are left alone with him, I like to think I 'wear them out' before bed. However, each night is different, and one night a very long walk may wear them out, whereas another night a very long walk will wake them up!  They are dogs!  Walking two leaves no hands to hold a flashlight, and I found a headband with a light came in quite handy!  However, despite the obvious 'pro's' of having free hands and the ability to see in the dark (or darker) of the late evening, it does have 'con's'.  Every shadow is perceived to be something hideous, and bugs tend to fly towards me.  I spent most of my time swatting beasties and blinding my neighbours!

The clocks 'fell back' in England on Sunday morning, and I was now only five hours behind the rest of my family.  I got a bit confused and called my sister thinking it was six thirty, rather than four thirty.  I called my mother and woke her from her nap.  I was working on seven hours that than five.  I blame the dogs!

Dana popped out on Sunday evening for about twenty minutes, leaving me with the hounds.  The smaller of the two is the eternal puppy, who bounces around and is always alert; the older of the two is the eternal old man!  The older pup is the one who whines until Dana returns, unless I can get his attention and take his mind off the fact he has been abandoned by yet someone else!  I sat with them both on my lap and started to sing.  "How much is that doggie in the window, woof woof".  They both stared at me as if I was trying very hard to explain something to them, that they would never, never understand.  "Okay", I said. "Now it's your turn.  Let's go in rounds.  I will start and you continue".  Of course, they did not sing.  They are not 'performance' dogs in that respect, but it either kept their attention or scared them into submission!  The older pup stopped whining and stared at me with his head cocked to one side, then the other.  I must have sung the chorus at least fifty times, and when Dana returned, both ran to him for comfort.  

I was concerned that the storms would prevent the flight from landing, but they did not last into the night.  I happily took the animals out for a final walk, and came home having been successful in getting them both to complete their 'duties' and ran upstairs shouting, "I am off the clock!"  They were now all Dana's and he could take them to work and although I might have to walk them during the morning, I was free from obligation!  

I had a certain skip to my step on Tuesday morning, and cleared away all the doggie stuff.  I took some dinner out of the freezer, and was quite happy.  The plane had landed about twenty past twelve, but the baggage had been delayed, and they did not arrive home until nearly two.  I knew I would not see my daughter until later in the day, but it mattered not.  I was 'off the hook'!

Storms were predicted for the end of the week, and the mornings were much warmer than we had been experiencing.  I watched with apprehension as the winds blew on Wednesday and my car was out in the open.  The beautifully clean vehicle was at risk!  Would I make it home in time to prevent the precipitation from making her look drab? I think the rain was probably the least of my concern!  I had to prevent her from being pummeled into a block of scrap metal! The drivers on the road were obviously blinded by her spectacular shine! I do not remember a time when I was so 'challenged'.  I was not in a race; everyone else on the road was in a race!  I was not on a demolition race track; everyone else on the road was on a demolition race track!  Thankfully, I avoided the rain, and all the other contestants!

Storms came and went and the temperature dropped, again, slightly. "I had a dream that you married someone else", said my husband, in a very nonchalant way on Saturday morning.  "I can't be sure it was you who left me though, as I did not see your face".  I continued with what I was doing.  "You took my house".  Could have been me.  "You took my business".  Could have been me, perhaps?  "You came to see me because you wanted to take the dog".  No!  That was not me!  I can't believe he thought that was me!  "So you would take my house and my business?" he asked, with a slight grin on his face.  "What happened to mine is yours and yours is mine?" I asked him.  "Apart from the dog.  That was yours!"  

Our clocks 'fell back' this morning, and the time difference between me and the rest of my family returned to six hours.  I could cope with six hours!  I called my mother and my sister, and all was well!  

Suddenly, we are in November!  It does not seem possible, but
obviously, it is!  Thanksgiving is around the corner.  However, Christmas is still a while away, so the shops should not be playing festive music just yet.  Should they?  That should be, 'should they!'  Storms are due again tonight, but as I do not have to go on a late night walk, I am not too perturbed.  I still have an afternoon ahead of me, which looks like it is going to be sunny but the day will fold into night quite a bit earlier.  With a long (three day) weekend ahead of us, due to Veterans' Day on Friday, who knows what I shall have to write in ............ another story!