Dear Reader.

I’ve been away for a while–and I hope you enjoy this oldie but goodie post. I will be posting much more often going forward.

Thanks,

Kathy

I’ve being subjugated , put down and ordered about—by my 15 pound dog, Sparkle. Perhaps it’s the name. If I had called her Wendy or Cutie or Moxie or, well, just about anything else, perhaps she would not have assumed the role of the Queen of the Household.

I think her power has increased dramatically since my husband passed away. After all, she had him well trained and then she was left with just me—the one who thought that she was in charge. So now Sparkle has a real challenge on her paws. How to get “mommy” (yes, I answer to that) to do the Queen’s bidding.

It started out slowly. First it was demands to be petted for long periods of time. Okay, I could do that once or twice a day. Now, I get a few minutes off each hour from the petting duties.

I used to like to sit on a recliner to read. I can’t do that anymore. Why not, you ask.

Well, it’s because Sparkle wants me to sit on the end of the couch with her while she lolls around so I can pet her and give her tummy rubs. If I don’t—she sits at my feet and whines in a tiny, annoying voice. (Thank God I never let my daughter whine like that! H-m-m. Do you think I’m onto something?)

Of course there are also the required walks—I do try to exert some control over that—until she comes up and bends her expressive ears back and cries and vocalizes her approximation of “out.”

Off we go for our half hour to 40 minute jaunts while she does all the regular doggie stuff and sniffs every square inch of the route.

A few times I’ve tried to encourage her to try to wait a while. Do not do this at home if you have a dog!

There’s an emergency doggie “pee-pee” pad in the utility room. For a while, it seemed like there were a lot of emergencies—at least according to Sparkle.

When Sparkle would see the tell tale evidence, she would  look up at me with her big innocent eyes , cock her teddy bear face my way as if to say, “Who did THAT?”

We usually top the day off with a very active play session which consists of me cheering her as she catches various toys mid –air, runs around—and get treats. Many, many treats.

I’ve thought of getting her one of those cute little doggie shirts and having “She Who Must Be Obeyed” emblazoned on it. But I think she would fight wearing it and then chew it up. Just like the adorable red dress I got her for her first Christmas and all the bows and scarves the groomers put on her. Sigh.

But, when we finally turn in for the night, she cuddles next to me, gives me doggie kisses –and I’m happy to know that I have her with me.

Of course, I curtsy before I get into bed—royalty you know.