A "Love Note"

Blogging Friends.... I have caught some head cold germ. Sigh.... Who catches these illnesses this time of year?! I love head colds, even though they cause me to feel woozy. As if I could perform a face plant, just by bending over. And head colds literally feel like there is some pounding drum within my scull. Some pounding drum. Yep. my heart and my brain are one together right now, and they're working hard against me!! But, still, I love head colds!! Why? As a girl who has suffered from asthma, I would take feeling like "the walking dead" over some nasty chest cold!! I'd much rather deal with that, over coughing and gasping for oxygen!!

"Staycations". Anybody, who lacks money, embarks on them. From camping in deep, pine-scented woods, to driving toward your beach for one day. Anybody, who does not lack an adventurous personality, needs a "staycation". For relaxation. Time away. A sense of recuperation. "Staycation". I love that made-up "word"!! Seriously. Which is rather uncharacteristic of me, liking some expression that's most likely not even in the dictionary!! But, what can I say? As a homebody who relishes nothing more than being at Rose's side, that "word" produces pleasure and excitement within my heart!! Every time. It never fails!! During a "staycation", in the end of our day, I can return to my little girl!! But.... When you cannot bring your canine along, even on "staycation", what is a loving, responsible owner to do? Board her? There are respectable kennels all throughout our area. Hire a house-sitter? People are paid for being responsible, trust-worthy caretakers of your dog. But really. How does a  loving, responsible owner place their dog, their baby, in somebody else's care, when you know that you're the best person for her? You know that you're the best person for her.... Some boarding kennel will, literally, cause Rose to become insane, even though she is already crazy!! I do not want that. I do not need that. See, Rose adamantly enjoys her freedom, and may transform into some frantic, abandoned, destructive beast under those circumstances!! I shudder at the thought. Shudder. Hiring some complete stranger to enter and stay in our house, under our roof, creates feelings of unease for everybody around here!! But that is just us. So, instead, on our Wednesday beach trip, we took a different route!! One that best suited our needs concerning Rose. We "hired" my Grammy and Grampa to watch her!! Twain people who I know personally!! They watched me evolve from a little girl into an adult!! And they are responsible!! Score!! I typed out some detailed instructions, and strongly told them: "You can't lose her. Don't lose Rose!!" For, being part Beagle, she will dart after something.... Anything. Cat, squirrel, some ghost.... In swift velocity!! Shudder!! Nonetheless, halfway there, I sat in our minivan, twiddling my thumbs. Worrying, worrying, worrying!! I mentally ran over my brief instructions for Grammy and Grampa. I wondered if Rose will be alright. I prayed for her. Hoped with all my heart that she will be fine sans me. On our drive back home, I pulled out a souvenir. This simple postcard. I found my red pen. I was going to write Rose a "love note" on that postcard!! Because we were driving, my handwriting was a bit sloppy in some areas where the road had bumps. There is also one misspelling, plus a few errors, as writing in pen is never forgivng!! Never.

Here it is:

Rose Elizabeth----

My prayer for you is engraved on an angel dog tag. Its words are a sweet sentiment. They express: "Watch over my best friend while we are apart." It is proudly being worn on a delicate chain around my neck. As our prayer. My wish to you. I like that. Every time my fingers touched this unique necklace, I thought about you, longed for you, wished you were by my side. I bought a bakery-made orange-colored yogart-covered treat and wrote your name in the sand.... Love Mama

June 13th 2012

Upon my return, Rose was hyperactive and excitable as to be expected. My mutt's mighty vocal chords let out that "happy sound" of hers, the "Beagle" bay. I smiled. I was excited to see her, as well!! Ecstatic, really!! I stepped foot into Grammy and Grampa's beautiful, wooden stained-glass front door. I immediately found Rose's red leash. I linked it to her collar. Then, we stepped outside!! I was planning a spur-of-the-moment walk around Grammy and Grampa's small cul-de-sac. To help Rose unwind. She had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at the moment!! However, I decided to actually leave Grammy and Grampa's cul-de-sac. Go on an adventure!! For reasons beyond my comprehension, I thought that we could simply walk around the block, like in our old city neighborhood. Wrong!! Rose and I turned the corner, and found ourselves in an entirely new cul-de-sac!! Oops. Oh well, we were on an adventure together!! So I kept walking, Rose's wet black nostrils sniffing everything. She left several "pee-mails", too, of course!! Then, we simply turned around!! I knew how to find our way back!! I am a "landmark person", and one of my grandparents' neighbors has this colossal, silver-colored anchor for their mailbox!! It is unmistakable!! Once I saw the anchor, I just knew that we had returned!! All was well now. Rose had settled down considerably. And we were together again....