June 9, 2010

Mamaw got me up early to remind me Bark Busters is coming this morning. Oh God—I could live without that! That means we gotta get me outside to go potty. Generally I only get the pee stuff done first thing and then a little later we go on the walk and I need to stop along the way to poop. Mamaw carries the plastic bag like others’ wear the badge of honor so no mess is ever left for others to see.

Poppy has a date to go play golf in Adel with John Swanson today. Oh, that John is my sweetie—handsome devil. They will have a good time and I know Poppy doesn’t enjoy the “dreaded training sessions” so he got lucky today.

Mamaw is in the office working her fingers to the bone. She’s putting pictures of Miss Betty everywhere so family and friends everywhere can keep up with her progress. Mamaw says she’s got to remember to bring her tweezers home from the hospital cause she has “hairy eyebrows.”

The doorbell is ringing—it’s gotta be Deb Boswell. Okay, get a grip Scarlett! Mamaw is on the phone and doesn’t shush me in time as she opens the door. The training has begun…she won’t look at me so I jump up on her—she says Baaaa and I sit down. Oh yeah—I remember her now! I got a new collar today and Mamaw dragged out the 6 ft. leash. We gotta go outside. Back and forth, back and forth with the in and out. I’m not doin it right. I pay strict attention to the Bark Busters though—she requires me to mind. I finally get out the door then it sit, stay on the deck until given permission to move and she makes me do it over and over again till I GET IT. Okay, are we done yet? Good luck with that!

Out in the driveway we go. We start out for the walk—I get ahead of her. She stops really fast and turns around. We start the walk again—I get ahead of her. She stops and turns around again. Ya know, this could get old in a hurry. I reckin I’m goin to have to pay attention or this will just go on all day long. And when I began to really pay attention it was a lovely walk—all the way around the circle. Gee—I hope I remember how to do that every time. Mamaw, ya gotta quit thinking the walk is for YOU and make sure I don’t get lazy with the rules and we’ll both enjoy this more.

But coming back, I saw the house and got ahead of Mamaw and was running up the grassy hill to get to the door. I found out in a hurry that was not the thing to do! We had to go over this time and time again. I am tired—I am hot—I want the couch. And finally, I get the couch—now everybody, just leave me alone for the rest of the day. And thank you Deb for the reminders of what Mamaw is doing wrong and what I am doing wrong. We promise we’ll work on it—tomorrow.

Mamaw can’t rest—she’s outside trimming the evergreen hedge. She got hot though, and wanted to come in and watch Dr. Phil so she told Poppy she’d wait until she came back from seeing Betty to pick up her mess.

Mamaw went to see Miss Betty. She took her clean laundry and put it away and helped with additional therapy. Alan Dale was there (no not Poppy, Allen—he’s my Poppy’s nephew) and they took her on “an adventure.” Mamaw says on the 8th floor, they have a wonderful roof garden. She wants them to hire her to just take care of the plants and trees cause it’s so nice and peaceful up there. Then they went to the 1st floor and found the chapel (healing prayer request left for both Betty and Darrell); then on to A floor where they have a MCDONALDS! I don’t get to eat human food but they tell me it tastes as good as it is fattening. Good visit…