Morning was pickleball at the community center. Usually
there’s a fun contingent of new/newish players, but yesterday the majority was
more serious, full of what looked to be athletes trying to recapture earlier glory days. I
ended up in a foursome, and the partner I drew had the unsmiling air of a
corporate CEO. The couple on the other side of the net was a mixed bag – the
husband had a wicked serve and the wife flubbed shot after shot. As though
underscoring my inexperience, my partner kept reminding me of the score before
I called it, but amazingly, most of our winning points were my doing. So there!
Mamie’s been
a bit too fluid lately, in spite of the rice and boiled chicken I’ve switched
her to, so in the afternoon I thought I’d treat her to a ride while we did
errands. She and I waited in the car while My Guy picked up his prescription,
and then off we went to Home Depot to pick up some flowers for the porch.
I’m always
startled when I’m in Home Goods and turn to see someone’s dog staring at me
from a shopping cart, and swore I’d never be the person who thinks their dog is
so adorable it should be allowed everywhere with them. I never see this in Massachusetts,
but in Florida all bets are off.
Really – all those dogs are comfort/therapy dogs??
Still, we
were only going to be in the plant section, so we put a towel in the bottom of
a cart and plopped her in. As we pushed, she rode around happily (I guess- her
tail was wagging) with two feet up on the front, looking for all the world like
Rose (Kate Winslet) “flying” at the front of the Titanic.
We charmed
the customers, the lady at the register, the person behind us at the register,
and then sailed off all smiles into the parking lot.
As we passed
a loudly idling delivery truck Mamie suddenly did a full gainer and leapt out
of the carriage, easily a four-foot descent. Just as she was about to skitter
off across the parking lot I grabbed her and snapped her leash on.
Am I bad because I won't take my cat anywhere? Now that would be a scream.
ReplyDeleteCats aren't renowned for their love of travel. That's how we ended up with a dog. 30+ years of cats but once driving to Florida entered the picture, neither of us wanted to be in a car with a cat for two 12 hour days!
DeleteI love that picture and seeing Mamie in my mind's eye "flying" like that. It charmed me and I didn't even see it for real. :-)
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd gotten a picture of her in her magic shopping cart.
DeleteWe had a Yorkie once I thought liked riding in a bicycle basket. He was cool and complacent around the block. So I took him to my girlfriend's house, about four miles. I had on his leash, hooked to the basket, "just in case". A quiet ride, until we reached her house. I unfastened the leash from his collar, and before I could blink, straight to the ground. Some jump for a four pound dog. I called my sister to come take him home.
ReplyDeleteSome of the jerks who play in a fun league can certainly spoil all the fun.
ReplyDeleteA four-foot flying take-off! Glad you had the leash handy and quick reflexes.
ReplyDeletesometimes I take Minnie with me since she likes to go for rides and different places. she really likes the feed store. sometimes if the place isn't dog friendly she waits in the car but not in the summer...way too hot here for that.
ReplyDeleteOh, man! I'm glad you caught her before she streaked off into the sunset!
ReplyDelete:0 Glad it ended well:)
ReplyDeleteYour pet must be adorable. This post made me smile.
ReplyDelete