I'm just another working mom seeking a few moments of Zen and zinfandel between soccer practice and supper. My former beach bartender husband founded 
This morning during those early hours before dawn when you’re body is lapping up the last bits of good sleep I was rudely awakened by Mother Nature and an impressive thunderclap. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that act would magically lull everyone back to sleep but I waited for it…Miss C’s pitiful voice pleading, “Mommy!”
I shuffled across the hall, crawled into Miss C’s bed, and a few minutes later there was another loud thunderclap. This time I could hear our dog Bailey barking from across the house so I got up, not wanting her to wake anyone and also not wanting her to attempt to climb the stairs that lead up to our kitchen since she is in recovery mode with her back and loopy from pain medication.
The hubby was also getting up at this point and offered to go check on her. I gladly crawled back in bed with Miss C. A minute or so later the hubby’s shadowy figure darkened the doorway. He was holding Bailey, all 38 pounds of her, like a baby. “She’s a little bit wet,” he said. “I’m going to put her in our bed if that’s OK. She’s really nervous about the storm.”
Normally I would protest this, but I was half asleep and mumbled OK. It was just a few days ago that I was preparing myself for that horrible decision that no pet owner wants to make about their aging dog. So I was OK with a little damp dog on my side of the bed. Bailey is terrified of storms and there was no sense in leaving her alone as she might hurt herself by trying to crawl underneath a table or chair.
And then it dawned on me, because I was tired and because I am mentally a little blonde…he said Bailey’s fur was wet. This meant at some point in the night she had managed to go through the dog door for the first time since injuring her back on Sunday.
I will put up with the wet spot.
I will love her as long as we still have her with us.
I will still get irritated with her when she barks at the table, though.
Oh poor puppy. But it’s good she was able to go out by herself! (I’m dreading this something awful with our 13 year old dog.)
.-= amy2boys´s last blog ..Morning Commute =-.
Oh, poor doggy! And poor mommy.
.-= Jerseygirl89´s last blog ..My Lovebug Is Four =-.
Adoration and irritation go hand in hand, with pets and with children, don’t you think? Bailey’s barking at the table just makes you love her more when she’s being sweet. At least, that’s how it works when my pup barks at the UPS man and wakes up the baby. =>
.-= Stacia´s last blog ..Odd Mother Out =-.
Ahhhh… I refuse to even think about the day that my Reba gets too /old/arthritic…. I know it will eventually come (she’s 9), but I love her too much to think of how much it will break my heart….Poor frightened Bailey girl…
.-= Mommy D´s last blog ..Random late night thoughts =-.
There is this stuff called D.A.P. – doggie pheromone plug in air fresheners- the first time I heard of it I thought it was a jokebut it has really helped our dogs storm anxiety alot.
Thanks ya’ll for the kind words. She does get completely freaked out over storms.
She is doing much better but still walks like a drunken sailor. She can’t feel her back paws, but she can feel her back legs. But the steroids she is on are really helping. So…we’ll continue to spoil her and she can continue to get on my nerves.
We’ve had her for 12 1/2 years. She was our “baby” when we first got married. I still remember the day hubby called me at work to tell me he’d found the perfect dog at the Humane Association!
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..The Wet Spot =-.
Your old dog love has been pulling my heartstrings. I already told you about my sweet cat. She was our “baby” before kids, too. We were so goofy with her for so many years, and then she loved us even after we became parents and stopped pretending she could talk. I’m glad your girl is hanging in there. I think you’ll love her forever. It’s awesome that she’s a shelter pet.
.-= Rebecca at Toothwhale´s last blog ..Life, March, Twenty Ten =-.
Maybe that’s a good sign that she got out the pet door? I mean, that shows she still has her fight and determination to be independent, right? I will keep your sweet dog in my thoughts.
And on a side note—you have a pet door? Aren’t you scared other animals will come into that pet door? Hee hee
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Review: LeSportsac
I would look at it like it’s a good sign! It sounds like she is healing
awww, sounds like she just wanted you near her. Hope her back heals quickly, always hated when our pets were sick as a kid. Haven’t had one yet in my adult life.
.-= homemom3´s last blog ..Snow, Snow, Go Away! =-.
[...] getting a massive old evergreen tree cut down in our backyard. And then there’s the whole geriatric dog issue. Bailey is doing much better but it’s a struggle for her to go through our dog door and I [...]
Sorry to hear this news.
Le lifting brésilien, quesaco ? C’est en fait un garde au cacao et aussi à la kératine 100% sain qui au séjour de modifier le tif du domestique, comme l’action un lissage officiel et également nippon, le péricarde et le gain’au prix de le rendre mieux souple tout comme beaucoup plus docilement coiffable.