Blog Post: The predictability of craziness

The predictability of craziness

One of my favorite things to do is hang out with my dogs. Most days I can't wait to get home from work to play with them.   We have our silly rituals and they love them as much as I do. 

So on Saturday when I was at home, sick and crabby, my sole consolation for missing a race was the puppy love I soaked up all day.  My four legged nurses stayed by my side and even upped the cuddle factor.  I can always count on them and the extra love feels extra good.

I can also count on mornings to start the same way every day.   It goes like this. 

The moment I am awake, Maggie stands over me, and smacks her paw in the middle of my face. After doing this once or twice she then sandwiches her little body lengthwise next to me,  as tight as she can and lays her head on my chest.    Ellie rubs my face with her cold wet nose, and after a few minutes of this will start to do Tigger circles.  This involves spinning and jumping at the same time, progressively getting closer until she lands on me.  Maddie, the most awkwardly beautiful klutz I have ever seen,  simply flops herself on the bed, lays lengthwise on top of me and then  paws at me endlessly if there is a split second I stop petting her.  After 5 minutes of pretending to be annoyed with this, but secretly loving the sameness and fun of it, I ask them who wants food.  Before I can even finish the question, they are in a flying leap off the bed and waiting  by the bedroom door. I then maneuver myself with acrobatic footwork just to open it.  Once the door is open they race down one flight of stairs, then the second, skidding to a stop just shy of the door.  Well most times it is just shy of the door.  Maddie has been known to slide into it.  Headfirst. 

Once business is taken care of outside, they skid back in the house and into the kitchen.  A new routine starts all over because it’s time to eat.

Night time is just as fun,, they wait until I am almost ready and then race up the stairs claiming their spots as though somehow there is a chance they won't get the same exact piece of space they lay in every night. I love the silliness, I love the routine, and I love how predictable it is.  Most of the time anyway.  Except at nap time. 

The only time I ever take naps is when I am sick.  And I have to be pretty sick for it to qualify as nap worthy.  Today was nap worthy and I didn’t feel one ounce of guilt about it.  Snuggled in with my girls around me, I was excited about the thrill of tucking in. The result?

 I got exactly zero minutes of sleep.  Part of the reason was anytime I got remotely close to sleep I started to cough and would then have to settle back in.  The other contributing factors? Ellie, who lay tucked right up against me snores like an 80 year old fat man.  You may think I am exaggerating however I can provide audio proof.  Her little 50lb body actually shakes with each inhale and exhale and each snore seems to linger in the base of her throat, making the individual snore last just a little longer than it seems it should.  Occasionally she will snore so loud she wakes herself up and any attempts to wake her or reposition her head are met with an offended stare and an immediate return to her musical throat rattles.  This was topped off by two separate barking fits from Maggie my poodle warrior as she fought to save me and the house from an apparent imminent attack of invading but invisible forces. Add to this Maddie, who has no tolerance for tension of any kind, hearing the irritation in my voice when I wake Ellie or tell Maggie to be quiet, flops herself on me and paws incessantly at me.

I should have predicted this this is not the first time an attempt at napping has been derailed by canine loves.   But from the paw smacks in the face at 4 am to the complete inability to get a nap, I wouldn’t trade the craziness for a minute.