Old Dog

Old dog sleeping on the couch

Hello to all,

There is an old expression that goes, “Dogs used to be wild, free, and independent. Then they discovered we had couches.”

It’s my job to lock up the house at night. This starts with barring the patio door, ensuring the garage door is down, and turning off all lights, except for the hood, which acts as a security light. I check the thermostat to make sure it's ready for a good night’s sleep. My final step is to round up our dog, a thirteen-year-old dog who thinks she is the queen of the house.

Rarely, she is already upstairs in her bed for the night. Some nights, it takes me calling out to her to go to bed, and she groans like a petulant teenager at having to move. Most nights, I find myself taking the extra step of petting and jostling her to wake her and send her to bed. Disturbing the old dog queen brings moans of protest in words I will not use in my posts.

She slithers off the sofa like bread dough as her butt drags the rest of her off the couch before she regains her feet. There is the obligatory stretch with a “oorrannn,” coming from deep in her gut—a side eye glance to put me in my place before she stumbles her way up to bed.

I say goodnight to my human daughter before entering our bedroom. Our old dog moans out her discontent at me for keeping her awake and not being ready for bed. Then Tammy tells me about her day as I prepare for bed. When Ginger has had enough talking for one night, she snorts out a grumble to shut us up.

I empathize with our old dog, for I, too, dislike being disturbed after I settle in for the night. Ironically, it is Ginger who wakes us in the middle of the night, needing a late-night stroll in the yard. Tammy complains that she walks around for several minutes before doing anything. However, we cannot say anything because she is the self-proclaimed queen of our house.

Grace to all,

Danny Mac