Doggone It

This just hasn’t been the weekend  for fun with pets. On our walk yesterday, Maizie and I came across a friendly little cocker spaniel that was out with its owners and their kids–it was very interested in us, and came trotting over to say hello. As we got closer to its family, another cocker spaniel came out to play.  I’m trying to keep Maizie from tromping the small dogs, as well as keep her from jumping all over the small children, meanwhile, I’m smack dab in the middle of dog-pile playtime. While trying to avoid stepping on a spaniel as it bounced around underfoot, I took a nice tumble. In a skirt. In front of three adults and three kids. I came away with just a couple knuckle scrapes, and the mom told me I “fell very gracefully,” but it didn’t do much for my ego.

Skip to hours later, when I come home from dinner and drinks with friends to find that Maizie has eaten the leaves off of one of my plants. And not just a couple “I wonder what this tastes like” nibbles–more like “I’m going to make myself a nice salad” out of my poor plant. I’m flabbergasted–she’s never done this before–and mad. As I’m scolding her, I notice a pile of Maizie throw-up. And then another one. At which point I just gave up, cleaned up all the destruction, and went to bed, thinking “Tomorrow is another day.” Hopefully puke- and plant-eating free.