SURVIVING WHILE Y’MOMMY WAS AWAY

Several people have asked me how Rufus and Jesse fared while Brenda and I were away on our vacation to New Mexico. Some really thoughtful people asked how the genius made out as well. Here’s the scoop.

In our upstairs hall, there is a greenhouse window in which I killed many plants before deciding to turn it into a window for colored glass. I have filled it from top to bottom with various sun catchers, bottles, stained glass panels, etc. The bottom shelf belongs to the dogs because it is such a good place to see down the street and driveway.

I mention this because the genius reported that Rufus made this spot his “home” on the day I left for the Wide West. He remained there almost the entire day waiting for me to return.

Then he settled down to his fate of being mommyless and lived a more or less normal life for the next nine days until I returned. One day the genius said that Rufus jumped up on my side of the bed and sniffed all around and then went out with his tail hanging down. When I accused him of exaggerating about the tail, the genius finally admitted, “Well, I know he felt like it, and besides, it makes a good story.”

I checked in with the genius several times a day to see how he was doing with the dogs. He was on his spring break and could stay home a good portion of the day with them. He was doing fine but did mention how much time they required. Of course, he admits that he made it hard on himself by taking them for walks much more often than I do just to take breaks from his work. So I don’t have a lot of compassion in that area.

However, I do very much appreciate his staying with them so I could take that wonderful trip. We could have taken the dogs, but it definitely would not have been the same.

About five minutes before I was to arrive, I called the genius so he could tell Rufus that I was on my way home. He said that for the remaining five minutes Rufus (and of course Jesse, too) ran from the upstairs lookout window to the front door, then to the back door and to the downstairs window. Over and over again. When I finally got here, he was at the front door waiting.

The welcoming ceremony (jumping all over me) lasted at least five minutes. Jesse was glad to see me, also, but I’m just another person to her; to Rufus, I’m his mommy and that makes all the difference.