June 9, 2015

White Dog learned when she was just a puppy to lie patiently across the room when I am painting. When she was only months old, she managed to steal and chew open my cerulean blue acrylic paint in the process "painting" her mouth, her beautiful white furs, the bedspread. She left tiny footprints on the carpet which in hindsight I ALMOST wish I had left.

Zsofia, our current Baby, watched until her patience gave out (about 15 minutes). She went into the office but Steve was busy working on assembling geometric cones out of colored paper. "Zso!" I heard him say in exasperation, "you cannot keep bumping my arm! Be a good girl!"

So our Darkest White Dog came to investigate the interesting bright green stuff I was spreading with a sponge all over sheets of foam. "What does it taste like?" she asked as she nosed her face closer for a lick. I pushed her away. She wooed her desire to help me. "No, green paint is not good for dogs," I explained as she thrust her head under my arm attempting to see for herself. "LEAVE IT!"

She sighed and left the room only to return with her tennis ball. She dropped her head into my lap. "Sweet One, momma's hands are full of paint, I promise we will play just as soon as I am done." She circled and brought the ball back to me and dropped it at my feet. "Soon, Baby Girl."

Back in to check on Steve. I heard her sadly begging for attention and Steve's warning to stay out of the glue. Zsofia came out of the office carrying her rings. "Now? Can we play with these?" "I am nearly done. Wait right here and we will play in a few minutes."

She sank to her belly and stared at me with the most pathetic eyes. Head resting on paws, looking up, she was a poster child for the puppy unloved. She succeeded in making me feel very guilty. I hurried and completed my task and did cleanup.

Finally, I reached for the tennis ball and called for attention. Then I tossed it into the kitchen. Zsofia slowly stood up, stretched and sauntered out to the ball. She sniffed it, looked me in the eye, and walked away leaving it.

The next sound I heard was the dog door banging.