Day 284
Once upon a time, in the far away land of Habit, there lived many creatures.
If I were writing a fairy tale of my day it would start as such … but I’m writing non-fiction and though a fairy tale might be more interesting, I’m writing this nonetheless.
Everyone in my house is a creature of habit … the dogs, the cats and certainly myself. It’s almost embarrassing.
I noticed it with the animals long ago. I can feed them breakfast at noon and the clock chimes 6:00 pm and they are all over me for dinner.
I let them outside (Oscar, the cat, too, as he thinks he is dog #4) one last time before bed and everyone races back in to the kitchen for a liver pop dog treat (yes – the cat gets one, too. He’s a riot!).
If I find myself wanting to snuggle with pets all I have to do is sit on the couch and immediately I am surrounded. I am flanked by pugs – Dori and Gertie on either side … Mobes is on the floor at my feet and Oscar is nearby trying to figure out how to get passed a dog and into my lap. This configuration seldom varies … creatures of habit.
Today I needed to stretch out and so I laid face down on the couch trying to get the electric jolts that were going down my back to stop for a bit … however, since I was lying down and not sitting the animals didn’t quite know what to do – so, Gertie and Oscar decided to jump onto my back. Adding a 28 lb pug dog and an 18 lb cat onto your spasming back does little to quell any pain or discomfort. It only adds to it. They were trying to get “into position” but I wasn’t sitting and I could tell that these creatures of habit were confused as to where they should be! Mobes added into the lunacy by licking my face so hard my glasses fell off! It was a lovely moment.
So, there I was stuck under 46 lbs of animals – Gertie standing on my back like Rin Tin Tin with a tabby sidekick, blind, with a face full of slobber when the phone rang. It’s not an easy thing to get off the couch with animals standing on your back. I not so gracefully rolled off the couch, grabbed my displaced glasses and dumped animals as I did so in a heaping jumble of hissing fur onto the floor and yet somehow they all beat me over to the phone!
It was some guy saying I’d won some sweepstakes. Imagine my excitement and joy! I told him he should be ashamed of himself for trying to con people and/or acquire their private information. I speak my mind … creature of habit.
So, after hanging up I decided I really should make some business calls and the first four calls I said my name, company and that I was in Denver. Hello?! I’m no longer in Denver. I’m having a hard time not saying that … creature of habit.
The other day I removed a mirror in the hallway and replaced it with a picture one of the kids painted. I like it better there. Except I keep passing by it and expect to see my reflection. The first time I looked into the non-mirror I thought I had turned into a vampire.
I am not vain and yet I keep finding myself fixing my hair or checking to see if I have a piece of lettuce stuck in my teeth in that spot! I wonder how many more times I will check my makeup or teeth before I realize that mirror is no longer there. Creature of habit.
And, the other day I had my car worked on and in the process my radio anti-theft mode was reactivated – so I no longer have a working radio until I reprogram. In the last two days I’ve probably turned that non-functioning radio on 15 times! Major creature of habit.
So, it’s 6:00 pm and time for dog dinner … they are already (no pun intended) hounding me. And as I go into the kitchen, no doubt I will look at that non-mirror and have a good laugh at myself for we are such … creatures of habit.