Dogs...they are just like teenagers!

This morning shortly after Kevin left the doorbell rang. I had to do a doubletake. Was I hearing correctly? I got up, combed my hair and went to the front door, and it was my neighbor from the corner lot, still in her thick long green robe, telling me the dogs had gotten loose. Oh great!

"I tried calling them but they wouldn't come!" she said apologetically. I reassured her the dogs' escape was nowhere near her fault. They take off like this a few times a month and I'm quite frankly tired of their behavior. And I blame Sara. She's the one who likes to bolt outside at any opportunity and drags Sammy with her, Sammy who by himself wouldn't even know where to pee if it weren't for her being around.

Sweet Sara, my ass.

I threw on my shoes, went to the back yard to see a side gate wide open, and took my bad mood with me as I went down the dirt road calling out Sara's name. The neighbor told me the dogs had run down the street straightahead, which is already their favorite route because that is where the three Greyhounds live that Sara likes to harrass.

I called and called their names, shielding my eyes from the already-bright morning sun, vowing to banish the dogs both to the backyard for the rest of their natural lives. I saw two black dogs in the distance and knew they were near the Greyhounds barking and waking up the rest of the neighborhood.

I almost made it to the Greyhound yard when both dogs came toward me. Sammy had his usual sweet face but Sara looked guilty. Both stayed close to me and heeled when I told them to for oncoming traffic. As soon as I got home they went to the back yard. And they watched me the entire time while they laid on the shaded patio.

And that is where they are now, hours later in this hot sun. I vacuumed and steam-cleaned the dog-furred carpet and went over the carpet a second time. I made sure they both stayed outside despite their howls and whimpers. At this moment they have annoyed me beyond reason. I even cancelled the drive to Ash Canyon with them in the morning because they had annoyed me. They got their exercise, and if they go on a walk later today it will be with me to the post office to mail off the utility bills; we got the water bill today and I nearly had a cardiac infarction. (Lesson learned: stop watering the front yard!)