A VACATION FROM THE DOGS

From our fourth floor balcony I look out over downtown Austin.

A bit like Paris in its beige understated two-story existence. I have

had my breakfast, showered and gotten back into the comfy Driskoll

Hotel robe. No creeping down the steps to see if I can catch my

little dog sleeping in his doghouse, all curled up and snuggly in the

back and deep within the cushion. Some mornings he stretches in the

doghouse and sometimes he barks without getting up. Without lifting his

head he barks good morning. I can even pull him out while still on his side

like I was unloading a torpedo on a ship and he remains on his side once

out of his house and on the apartment carpet. He sits at my feet as I

move about making coffee but once I speak to him he's awake. He gets

lovingly shoved outside until my morning time is up and I have to go to the

office in the main barn and give the other dog her medications. Itchy,

scratchy, neuroic meds. Hopefully before she has had a chance to make a

huge doggie mess because she was not let out in time. My dog barks

hello and the other ranch dogs appear, if they are not already sitting at

attention at our door. In the office everyone gets cheese. Cheese with the

meds for one and cheese because I have to be fair with the others.

And now out and across the pasture and to the pond where geese have

rested on their annual trek. The winds blow and its cold and thank you

for the ranch jacket with hood and the scarf and mittens.

And it's a vacation from my dogs barking for what anymore I don't

even know. He has been fed, petted, walked and he pooed. If he

could speak english it would probably be something like "Hey you

petted someone else and not me." No more calling back the herd of

dogs when the UPS or FEDEX truck pulls up. Then there's the bark that says

time for another walk and no we won't venture out alone. And the bark for

work day's over and time to go. And just the rustling of paws near my

desk chair that says I love you and want to be touched again please.

Nope none of that. This is a vacation from the dogs.