So James went off to work and I went on the run. Instead of breakfast, I grabbed a Belvita bar and multi-tasked by eating while walking Tucker. Then I tucked him back into his crate and scampered off to the grocery store: first Publix for twofers—I grabbed yogurt there, too, since Kroger is so erratic—plus a treat for Mother's Day, some lamb shanks, and buy-on-get-one Hallmark cards. I still had to go to Kroger for my sandwich buns and the Edge shave gel I forgot at Publix. Picked up some stir-fry beef, burritos for James, and the newspaper.

Good work—did them both in a bit over an hour!

Once the groceries were shelved, we were off on an excursion, "we" meaning me and the ADHD terrier. He sat in the passenger seat of the car, cool as you please, on his hind feet looking out the window. Of course he was less thrilled at our destination: Unleashed, where it was time for him to hit the dogwash. Surprisingly, considering it was Mother's Day, there were a lot of mothers giving dogs a bath. One had just finished; the other two tubs were taken up by a patient-looking Golden Retriever and a nondescript curly-spotted mutt. We had to wait for the third tub to be washed out, as apparently it had contained two small but very shaggy dogs.

As always, when he was wet and soapy he looked like the saddest, most abused puppy in the entire world, tail between his legs, head down, a picture of abject misery, continuing that way through the rinse cycle. It was so warm out I only gave him a cursory dry, which he appreciated because the dryer is so loud. As we checked out and paid, the cashier gave us a whole small bag of dog treats! He was very appreciative, although he was only allowed to eat one.

Well, he'd eaten and I hadn't, but I still needed to feed the car. The QT at the corner of Austell Road and South Cobb Drive was over fifteen cents cheaper than anyone else, so we went the long way round and "fed the car" there. It was only when we got home, wayyyy after two, when I got something to eat. Watched an episode of Elementary, worked on a story, played "red dot" with Tucker, talked to Snowy, made the bed, and, of course, cleaned out Tucker's crate and put his bedding to wash.

A funny thing happened. We have an old folded towel in the crate, with a remnant of fleece on top of it. On top of the crate, I've always put another old towel, so he has a little dark cave. Well, the top towel was in the washer, and I left the spare behind in Gatlinburg, so I just put the fresh bedding in the crate and to my surprise he went in there and slept all afternoon instead of going into his "cave" under the table! Can it be he's never liked the covering?

We had ziti and homemade gravy for supper—mmmn, nice tender pork!—and I had bought a slice of chocolate decadence cake for James and I to split as it is Mother's Day.

Oh, he gave me the cutest present: it's a book of cartoons called The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes, done by a long-time Holmes fan who finally was invited to become an official Baker Street Irregular! The cover cartoon sets the stage: the front of 221B Baker Street with a welcome mat that says in large, friendly letters "DO NOT CLEAN YOUR BOOTS."

Watched Murdoch Mysteries and tonight's episode of Call the Midwife (another tearjerker) until it was time for bed.

Labels: birds, books, dogs, errands, food, pets, television

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 10:46:00 PM

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