Reflections at the End of the Day: Why the dog is woman’s best friend.

Well, you know sometimes best laid plans just don’t seem to work some days and that is not always bad.

Friday, I intended to go to Xenia about 30 minutes away (where my daughter, granddaughter and granddog live, and our new holistic vet is). My daughter had gotten me a gift certificate at Christmas from a bookstore in that town, and the books I ordered were in. (Dogs and Their Women; Woman’s Best Friend – A Celebration of Dogs and their Women; and Why Dogs Are Better Than Men – thanks to all of you for recommending.)

So morning dawned, and I typed until such time that the bookstore would open. I crated Xena, gathered up my cards showing that the books I ordered were in, gathered Sailor and a lead and thought I was ready. After a quick stop at the vet’s, I headed for the bookstore only to realize I had forgotten my gift certificate! Oh well, I decided to just pay cash (I was not making a second trip back).

It was 11:30 by the time I got back home and started working. My dad called, my dad came over, my dad stayed and played around on my second computer while I tried to work. My doggie friend Gerry called – 3 times. I wasn’t making much headway on my work! I did manage to get two tapes done before Gerry called again, and I called it a day. My hubby came home and we went to a movie with Gerry and her hubby.

My precious new books were still untouched. DARN! Well, after seeing Ransom we went our separate ways and I arrived back home about 9:30. I was planning on working on another tape, and changed my mind and instead got “on line” for an hour. Then I read two computer magazines that I bought at the store. I think I was saving my books for just the right mood and moment.

Finally after the news at 11:30, I picked up the books and went to the bathroom to fill the tub. I put the dogs out, crated Xena (poor unfortunate girl to be in heat), and decided tonight Sailor would not be in the bathroom with me while I soaked (he gets too hot in there). So, I took him to the bedroom and shut the gate across the door. Hubby was already sound asleep.

Well herein was the bright moment of my day:

I settled into my tub and opened Why Dogs Are Better Than Men (thank you Ann for advising this book) – it was humourous and brought many a chuckle. I read it cover to cover (BTW if you haven’t guessed yet – I am a fairly quick reader, not a speed reader, just quick).

Next I opened Woman’s Best Friend, and I was lost in the magnificence of the stories and photos. I think a bomb could have fallen and unless it landed in my bathroom I would not have noticed. Again, read cover to cover.

Lastly I opened Dogs and Their Women, more of the same. By the time I closed these books I had such a feeling of euphoria, a closeness with these women and their dogs – I felt they had touched a part of my life.

I drained the tub, stood up and dabbed myself dry. As I was putting on lotion I looked up and noticed the clock said 1:45 a.m. Darn! Xena would be telling me in five hours that she had been separated enough from the rest of the family.

But then, I thought of the relationships we have with our dogs and HOW MUCH they GIVE to us. And I am begrudging that she wants to be with us in five hours?? I thought of their devotion. They come up sometimes to us wanting a walk, a hug, a ball thrown, a cookie, whatever and we rush the other direction, mind intent on something we have forgotten. But they are still there for us later wanting that same hug. To wash our face with a kiss. To console us by their closeness. To just be close and breathe in our smells, they seem to love to do that (especially the boys, what is it with these boys?) They are forever happy to see us, be close to us – always smiling. They are truly the BEST friend we could ever have. They would die for us if they thought they could protect us.

I came out of the bathroom at 1:50 a.m. and felt such a love for my dogs. I turned out the light and walked across the hall to a waiting Sailor boy lying next to the bed, just inside the door so that I could not enter and be missed. He sat up and looked at me, I bent over and wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big hug and planted a kiss between his eyes and we walked around the bed to “our side” together. He is my buddy.