Thursday, October 22nd.
11:30 am
The pick up was quick and easy. I drove, but the rain had stopped, and it didn’t look like it would rain anytime soon. The guys jumped right in the car (the Alpha needed help) and we drove home.
Buddy was at the gate when I walked into the groomer, on his back legs jumping up and down. I like to think it’s that he’s super-excited to see me, but it might just be excitement over being released from the Gulag that makes him so joyful.
The Alpha was in the back room, facing the front of the shop, with his back (tail) to the wall. There wasn’t anything going on there. It looked odd. I worried about why he might be cowering in the back. But when he saw me, he came out. He wasn’t in a rush. He strolled out casually, got into the mix with several lab/retriever sized dogs with no issue – so he wasn’t afraid of anything. He was just choosing to stand there for some reason.
11:02 am
We walked to the groomer. The storm had changed directions and started heading north, and the blue sky came back, so we walked. As I finished up the last log, I thought my washing machine had broken open and water was spraying inside the house. But it was rain. HEAVY rain. My balcony is flooded – and I just realized the outdoor pee pad is still outside, so that’s going to be swamped.
Unless this passes by soon, I’ll definitely be driving the guys back.
10:24 am
I’m home. It was an interesting journey to the groomer.
Buddy wanted to get out as soon as I picked up the leashes. I thought he might resist, especially since he’d just been on a walk less than 2 hours before, and Bubba was sleeping. Instead, he was excited, kept bouncing between the front door and putting his face in Bubba’s face. I had to scratch Bubba’s belly for a bit to get him in motion, but he got up and walked to the front door. This was the closest we’ve come to having a problem getting out on spa day. Until now, they’ve continued to confuse me by being immediately ready to walk. Today, half of them were. Bubba needed a bit of encouragement, but he still went out voluntarily.
Buddy started running as soon as we went out. He had to poop, and he did on the island on the way up to the PCH gate. It wasn’t urgency that made him run. He just wanted to run. After we dumped the poop bag, we were running up to the gate. Bubba started the walk looking very tired, and I thought I’d be carrying him much of the way. Bubba gradually woke up more and more as we walked.
PCH was dodgy. The landscapers were trimming everything, and tossing the cuttings onto the sidewalk. Buddy wasn’t careful about where he walked, so I had to constantly steer him away from stepping on a bunch of rose clippings. Bubba kept seeing plant cuttings where they didn’t belong, and had to stop to mark them.
Today there was no fear out of either guy approaching the groomer. They both just walked right up, and into the shop. Buddy was a little hesistant once inside, but not trying to escape. Bubba marched into the back area with all the confidence in the world. Buddy paused, but then walked in. Nobody tucked their tail. Nobody had to be dragged or picked up by staff. I didn’t recognize the girl that greeted them, but she announced that they were her favorite chihuahuas.
9 am
I’m already home. I had to change my shirt. I went over to hang out with Buddy and to try to not disturb the Sleeping Alpha. Buddy was immediately excited, and we played a a regular game that’s similar to peek-a-boo around the door frame. He would start to “run away” like it was chase when I’d open the screen door, then when I would close the door and hide out of view, he’d run back to the door and cheat by sniffing me out. When I finally came in, he ran up, stood on his hind legs and tapped my knee with his paw, just once. Then he ran to grab the bunny.
Bubba woke up briefly, but looked pretty out of it. I usually do the first log after I get back from dropping the guys off, but I had to come home to change my white dress shirt that had coffee on it. It had nothing to do with the guys. I just didn’t have the lid screwed on correctly on my travel cup. Today I learned that my pear-shaped body is not only good as a seat for Chihuahuas being carried, but the protruding gut catches coffee spills and limits clean up to myself, and not the floor.
Heavy clouds are rolling in from the east and moving out towards the ocean. It was sunny out 10 minutes ago, and quite cool, and looked like perfect walking weather. But now it looks like Storming Soon conditions, and I think we’ll drive over.