12.10.2013

December 9, 2013

White Dog and the rest of the White Dog Army quickly get used to changes in Steve's teaching schedule that allow him to be home more. Because of the quarter's end, he actually had last Friday, Saturday and Sunday to spend with us without the interruption of work or his own MBA pursuits. It was blissful to be able to play zoomies in the yard, go for car rides to run errands, to have attention on demand, and to party.

Today, he had to return to school...both as a teacher AND as a student. And to make things worse, this quarter has brought a slight shift to his schedule...he has late night classes on Tuesday and Wednesday and continues to teach both morning and afternoon on Saturday.

The White Ones, still bummed out by the cold greyness, are not doing a very good job at being stoic. Granted, twenty-degree F weather for more than a day is VERY unusual here in ABQ and the remaining snow is no longer fun to plow through as it has hardened into a thawed and refrozen crust. The cold is making our Little Old Man, Oso, achy and confused. It is putting strain on Puff's delicate lungs. And it makes it hard for me to get around as well.

Excitement is still generated by the delivery trucks dashing down our street and sometimes even stopping. And of course, the daily ritual of greeting the new mailman helps provide entertainment (especially since the new guy has not yet figured out to have our mail sorted from his bag BEFORE he comes up the drive instead of standing on the stoop with White Dog clawing at the window Bella leaping like she has springs for feet, and everyone else crowding around the door singing at the top of their lungs). Those moments, however are brief and infrequent...rare enough that Michael got greeted as a stranger just so the WDA could make noise and practice their skills when he came home.

Fortunately, tonight Steve was home by seven; early enough to wonder about the intensity of his greeting...not that he was complaining. He had ample help changing out of work clothes; Oso and Taiko followed him around the kitchen like baby chicks as he prepared leftovers for dinner; and EVERY pup wanted to sit touching him. The real test of Eskie endurance will be on Tuesday, Steve's return to late night classes when he does not get home until after eleven.

I best have some diversions waiting...maybe a big bowl of popcorn and WDA movie night as we wait...or gift wrapping and cranberry oatmeal cookies...or maybe Steve could take the entire Army to class for a first day show-and-tell (they would LOVE that)!

5 comments:

Tweedles -- that's me said...

popcorn is the perfect deversion
love
tweedles

24 Paws of Love said...

I hear ya! Mark is still working 12-13 hour days at least three days a week. Makes for a long day. :(

So sorry WDA isn't enjoying the snow anymore and that it is so cold.

The 24 Paws can't stay out of the snow, except they want me to play out in it all day long with them! They can't get enough of it and I can.

Thank you so much for your comment about breeding Silver and Brut. I wrote a reply if you'd like to check it out.

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

Sorry you have the cold and ice as I can imagine how hard it is for you to get around. Hope it thaws soon. I smiled at the vision you gave me of Steve taking the white dogs to school for show and tell, I am sure the pupils would love it too. I hope the popcorn and movie night pan out well. Hugs Carol. PS Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog. x

KB said...

It's tough getting used to such a crazy schedule, for both you and the WDA. I hope that the popcorn works well as a diversion.

haopee said...

Make a Pawcard! Make a Pawcard! It's like a postcard but with all paws and a list of things Steve's missing out on.