Nothing like a nice hard slap of reality...

Robin and I returned home from our "get away" yesterday.  For her, it was three and a half days of  classroom crappola and for me, it was time spent laying out, working out, playing  "Words with Friends", and watching a lot of BRAVO TV.

We haven't been anywhere overnight in about a year basically because we (more like I) didn't want to leave the dogs.  They really are a handful, all joking aside.  Maxx must be separated from Bodi and Baxter at all times, so there is a lot of juggling.  It's not an ideal situation, but since I'm not willing to part with Bodi, we do whatever it takes.  In addition to the "when this dog is here, this dog goes there" rules,  Bodi cannot merely be let out like the others.  She's a fence jumper and has to be on a leash or tied up to a thingy we have in the yard.  Keeping the dogs separated is Rule Number One, and keeping Bodi on a leash is a close Rule Number Two.  It's just a lot.  We had an awesome sitter in Miami and were really spoiled.

Long story short, we befriended a nice family about six months ago.  One of the daughters, a mature 23 year old, watched our dogs this week and did an amazing job.  Robin and I have said that she is more mature than Robin and me combined.   When we got home, the house was a lot cleaner than we'd expected and everything was great, despite the fact that our water was turned off while we were gone.  Thank God when we were threatened by tornadoes a few weeks ago, I stock piled  the H2O.  There was plenty of drinking and flushing water.  By the time we got home, it was too late to get it turned back on.  Robin was concerned as to how she was expected to wash her "special area" and since it was raining, I suggested she take off her clothes and go hang upside down on the fence. 

So we get home and all is good.  Exhausted Robin went to bed early.  Plus she had a headache from hanging upside down on the fence.  It went from raining to pouring cats and dogs.  Thunderstorms, in fact.   I opened the kitchen door that leads to the back yard for some fresh air.  Didn't worry about Bodi taking off beacause it was raining so hard.  I've done this dozens of times before and she just hangs out on the porch.  Well last night, she hauled ass out the door and ran around the yard like a wild horse.  I watched her for about 30 seconds, just knowing that she'd come dashing back into the house.  I was in my nightgown.  All of a sudden, she jumped the fence into the neighbor's yard.  I ran to the fence and she was evidently eating some cat food that they feed their outdoor cats.  Kept calling her name, thinking she's come home once done.  Did I mention it was pouring?  Then she took off to the other side of their house and was out of sight.  I didn't panic just yet.  Ran inside for my robe and a lantern.  Why we like lanterns over flashlights, I'm not sure.  Guess it's from camping.  Grabbed her leash and ran for the other side of the neighbor's house.  Saw her, called her and she ran toward me.  Then flew right by me.  Ran through our front yard and down the hill and across the street.  Panic was now setting in.  This is a busy street and cars go waaaay too fast.  Running after her, I'm screaming, "BOOOOOOOOOODI" at the top of my lungs louder than  a doped up Elene Benes mimicking Stanley Kowalski's, "STEEEELLLLLAAAAAA".  Doing this on a busy street in a fluffy pink bathrobe in a thunderstorm holding a lantern.  I wish I could have seen me.

Not knowing where she was, I ran home and got in Robin's car.  I drove around and around, looking for her, for what seemed like an eternity.  Windows down, raining pouring in, I'm screaming her name over and over.  Kept driving by our  house, thinking she'd be on the front porch.  Not a chance.  By now I am hysterical.  I just knew that I'd never see my girl again.  Why had I left that door open?  I know dogs are unpredictable.  This was all my fault.  I was bawling, it was pouring, I couldn't see a damn thing.  I finally went home to think about what to do next. 

Guess who was at the backdoor waiting for me.

...THEN... 

Today, just as I was getting out of the shower, Robin screams, "KIM!!!!!".  I knew Maxx was in his room, so I wasn't worried about a dog fight.  Come to find out, we had the windows open and Bodi poked at the screen and it fell to the ground.  She jumped out the window and took off again.  Quickly put on my still wet from last night robe and ran out the door.  This time she went to the other neighbor's house.  Robin was on one side of the house and I was on the other.  As long as she didn't head for the street, we were fine.  We did finally catch her and Robin said how exhausting it was.  Little did she know what I'd experienced last night while she slept. 

I had felt a little guilty about going away with Robin because I needed a break.  A break from what?   

Now I know.

Damn dogs.