Always the last to know…

Yesterday, Gretchen was cooking up a storm and I asked, “Why all the food?”

“Just making food for the week, buddy,” she said with a smile. I didn’t complain since she was making my food too.

Then she pulled out her computer bag and a bunch of books and started packing up those. “What ya’ doin’?” I asked again.

“Just packing up my materials, that’s all.” Again the smile.

All of this was normal behavior. On any given day she’s cooking and putting things into bags — towels for work at the pool, her camera in a backpack for dog walking, a ball for me to play with — it’s not unusual.

But then this morning she pulled out some luggage and started hemming and hawing about what to wear. Shoes went in the bag, an extra coat, but the clincher, the thing that made my ears perk up and my tail get a bit worried was when she packed up her bathroom kit. “Okay,” I said, “What gives?”

This is when I was informed that Gretchen was living for the rest of the week to finish her massage studies in Portland.

PORTLAND! 6 days and 5 nights. No dog walking, no playing fetch, no lying under the computer while she works, no swimming at the pool.

“Think of it as a vacation,” she said. I wanted to wipe the smile right off her face. In my book, it’s only a vacation if you get to GO ON ONE! Me, I get to hang out at home while Ann goes to work and Gretchen meets other dogs in Portland.

Why am I always the last to know?

Luckily, we still walked dogs today before she headed out for her long drive south.

Rosie and Tyson…

Gemma, Oshi, and Perrito…

Saber, Woobie, and me…

Yes, I got a long walk in the morning. Yes, I’m tired and very happy Ann is home with me. Yes, I completely understand, but why am I always the last to know?

Oh and the double clincher? She gets to see my Uncle Paul and Aunt Patti. Now is that unfair or what?

Until next week…argh!

Rubin