I share my life and my house with three dogs - 2 Labrador Retrievers and a Cocker Spaniel - and none of them is what you would call a "lap dog" in the usual sense of the term. But that doesn't keep them from trying to be one.
Most evenings when it's time to kick back and relax before bed-time will find the four of us pig-piled on the couch, which is just large enough to accommodate all of us if we arrange ourselves strategically, listening to Janis Joplin or the like. With the three of them jockeying to get into a position to get a belly rub or a head scratch it can take a while for everybody to find a spot but we always manage to work things out. Given the limited space available the final arrangement invariably involves some part of a dog, and sometimes all of the Cocker Spaniel, on my lap. And generally everybody is quite content with their spot (until Thor the cat who thinks he's a dog shows up and wants a spot, but we can usually fit him in, too).
Last night, though, things took a strange turn of events which surprised me although things eventually worked out. Lance, the 90 pound male lab was the first dog on the couch (I was already sitting in my spot on the end); he sat down right beside me, leaned his full weight into me and just collapsed onto my legs, which were stretched out on a chair in front of me. So there he was with most of his considerable body directly on my lap, and he seemed intent on staying there. Of course this maneuver left a huge expanse of the couch open so the other two were able to sprawl out, with room left over for the cat.
There we sat, everybody as content as could be - Lance went sound asleep having secured what he apparently thought was prime territory for the evening and the other two seemed glad to have the extra room to spread out, so life was good. Until I simultaneously finished my glass of bourbon and lost all feeling in my legs - then it was time to get up and go to bed. But it really was nice while it lasted.
Hey Diri...
ReplyDeleteWe're back up in God's country - Grass Valley - where the sun is kind, the air (at 2,000 ft.) is pure, the swimming pool set at 79 per solar panel instructions and we share a king-sized bed with 2 enormous standard poodles and our two little black things.
We don't always have computer access but when I do, I try to comment on Sr. Rex and then catch up on some blog reading.
Your message today reminds me of the the task we were asked to do for a couple of weeks - i.e. puppy (dog) sitting. Your sofa encounter reminds me of our nightly rituals. Dinner prep starts around 6, Jeopardy at 7 where the shoving and jostling for sofa and lap space begins, dinner at around 8 with all 4 dogs whinning for an onion or some garlic to fall on the floor (and it does and they eat it!) outside to look at some truly beautiful stars (by the way, thought of you on "Cinco de Mayo" when that moon looked so unreal) then, with wine glasses in hand, we go inside (because the damn frogs are so loud and now the wild turkeys chime in)and vie for the best t.v. sofa space. All four are actually very polite. Curly and Moe - our two daschund/poodle mix - get first dibs at laps then Tara and Belle get either a leg or a shoulder. It's comical to see how they work this out. I won't even get into the bedroom scene. I haven't slept in a made-for-adult bed in days. Thank you out door lounge chairs...
We've always had large dogs but having these two little ones is something else. We take them everywhere - even to restaurants - and I can't imagine being without them at our constant side.
I pity the poor slob who doesn't like dogs, cats kor otherwie.
Stay good, laugh lots and I hope you find Marcia....
@Gill I.P., it was great hearing from you - I'm honored that you took time to check in on my humble musings! And like Jimmy Buffett said, "If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane".
DeleteCurly and Moe, huh? Sounds to me like you are one dog short of a pack.