Not a good start…

Gretchen woke up grumpy. She had yucky dreams then woke too early. I tried to ignore her, but then weird things started happening. She dropped stuff a lot. She forgot things. She was in a hurry. She forgot to eat breakfast. She forgot to take her blood pressure meds.

You get the picture.

The day improved once we started walking. Good thing because she was starting to make me grumpy. When I realized she had to go to the dentist, I worried that the improvements in her mood that I was sensing, would be about to end when she showed up at the dentist, but luckily Gretchen really likes her dentist so I was relieved that the appointment lifted her spirits a bit.

And then we walked around Queen Anne. Actually, we walked up Queen Anne and Gretchen’s mood shifted from grumpy because she forgot her camera and there were all sorts of great photo opportunities and happy because the sun was coming out, the view was incredible, and she was with me AND with Monty.

But the appointment made the day kind of packed and while she got a stellar report from her favorite dentist, she felt rushed most of the day. Good thing Monty and I stayed back while she ventured off to walk Oshi and Perrito. Luckily, they lifted her spirits a bit as well because the brothers were very laid back and happy to go on a walk. They even complied for the photos, which is something that’s often hard to get them to do!

Since Monty had just eaten lunch, he hung back at the house with Ann, while Gretchen and I picked up Saber and headed to Zoe’s house. Saber was excited to see us — since we arrived earlier than usual — and even more excited to meet Zoe who was, in turn, thrilled to meet Saber! Luckily their liveliness subsided on the walk and we all complied in the shade for our photos.

And then Saber got to come to our house and this is when Gretchen’s dark cloud of a mood lifted, though at first she was really worried. She opened the back of the car, told us to wait, and like a good boy I obeyed. Saber usually obeys, too, but today he leapt out of the car, jumped over the parking strip, and barreled his walrus body down the sidewalk. “Oh no!” I barked, worried that Saber would take off, which he did, but right to the gate of our house where he pushed the gate open wide and raced to the back gate to the backyard. Once there, he woofed and woofed and woofed waiting for Gretchen to “open up the gate!” so he could barrel into the backyard for fun and frolicking.

Oh my. I guess he likes hanging out with us. I like it and even though Monty has to stay relaxed and not get into the fray, Monty likes it, too!

The day ended with a surprise. Quillette and her mom, Jessica, joined us for dinner and while they dined on salmon, asparagus, potatoes, and frozen custard for dessert, Monty, Quillette, and I ate dinner and chewed on marrow bones on the lawn. Yum, yum, yum!

It was nice hanging out with my two best friends. It felt like the perfect ending to a rather grumpy start.

And you know what? Gretchen’s bad mood was no where to be found! Whew.

Until tomorrow,

Rubin