You know how when you were little there was always one kid who was kind of annoying, but you tolerated him or her because they were kinda cute at times and when no one else was around they were OK company? It may have been a younger sibling or a neighborhood kid.
You know…the one that some days you just go out of your way to avoid because you’ve got things to do and this person would just get in the way and distract you? Kind of like Steve Urkel.
My dog is that kid!!!
Don’t get me wrong – I love my Brutus. He’s an 11 year old 135 lb. black lab. But…he’s NEEDY. When my daughter is here, he acts just like her little brother and follows her everywhere. When she’s gone, big sister duties fall to me. He wants to be stuck under my desk breathing his hot dog breath on my leg. Or licking my hand or shin trying to get my attention. He’ll scoot closer and closer until I stop what I’m doing and just pay attention to him. If I go outside, he wants to go outside. If I’m in the bedroom, he wants to be in the bedroom. Close the door before he gets there and he lets out a HUGE sigh and sinks down to the floor while pushing his body at the closed door. You can’t not know he’s there.
This morning I woke up and actually snuck out of my bedroom. The door to the back deck goes out from my bedroom. My husband had put Brutus outside and I just wanted to get up and have a relaxing cup of coffee…ALONE. So I snuck out of my bedroom and quietly slinked into the kitchen to get my coffee. Sometimes I swear the dog’s hearing is going and other times (like this morning) I swear he has bionic hearing. Just like Jaime Sommers in the Bionic Woman.
Brutus NEVER barks. Only if he’s chasing another animal out of his area or he wants to come in. Even then, half the time he just watches an animal go through his area and doesn’t even bother to get up.
So…what do I hear as I’m tiptoeing away from the coffee pot with my cup of coffee in hand like a thief in the night?
WUFF Just like Steve Urkel showing up at the most inopportune moment. And there’s no way to ignore him. He wouldn’t have barked if he thought I was still sleeping. So I set my coffee down knowing if I don’t go get him, he’s going to bark again, this time louder. Just like Urkel knocking on the door. You can’t hide.
So…I let him in and he sits at my feet breathing his hot doggy breath on me while I sip my coffee. He’s content as can be now…
Thankfully my daughter will be home tomorrow. 
Did I mention I love working from home?
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Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
What will you do with it?
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