"Stuff Happens"

I am a self-described "dog-wrangler" in this suburban cul-de-sac where we reside. I do not know, exactly, when it began. Because frankly? I do not remember. Was it several years back, when Zeke, our next door neighbors' black and white St. Bernard/Border Collie mix often escaped as a puppy, perhaps? That never occurs anymore, by the way!! Because. I have since grabbed Puffy the-escape-artist Pug's collar, and lead him back home. On a nearly daily basis. I have since helped my poor frantic neighbor avoid Sammy, her Schnauzer mix, from running toward traffic. Which is a lot less scarier than it sounds, really, because I was walking Rose. And Sammy followed her everywhere!! I have since helped a bewildered Gary find Roxie, his yellow Labrador Retriever. Who never, ever, ever strays far!! I have since brought home a wandering, aggressive chocolate Labrador Retriever. It actually frightened me a bit when "he" growled, but I'm afraid that I may have scared "him" with my approach!! Well. The other day--on a fleetingly sunny Spring-like afternoon--I was promoted to "kid-wrangler"!! And all because of Rose!! I had been sitting on this very flat-screened desktop computer writing. Suddenly Rose jumped off of "our" bed, ran toward the front door and barked. Ferociously. Rose {Who, amazingly, has never been an excessive barker. Even though she is part Beagle!!} possesses twain very different barks. Both are loud. Both cause us all to jump and/or scream. However. When somebody has actually stepped foot on our front porch as opposed to neighbors slamming their car doors, Rose's bark, I have observed, is much more ferocious-sounding. So. Upon hearing it the other day, I instantly knew that somebody was at our front door. But who? I stood up from this very chair. With my wrenched right knee injury which, yes, I am still recovering from, I'm like "the little engine that could" these days after sitting for awhile. {Grunt, pant, grunt, ow, grunt.} I feel like an old lady already, as opposed to a thirty-year old!! When I reached our front door, I felt shocked at what was innocently looking back at me. The cherubic face of my next door neighbor's two-year old granddaughter!! I opened our door. I expected to see my neighbor, Debby, as well. Perhaps she needed something? Nope, it was just the toddler!! Instinctively, sans even thinking, I took her chubby little hand to walk back toward next door. Barefoot. And I smiled. "Did you get away from Grandma Debby's?" I asked her. She did not answer. Although I'm fully aware that all children develop and learn at their own pace, my two year old niece, "Amethyst", is speaking in complete sentences!! So. I expected this little girl to at least answer "Yeah". "Amethyst" would have!! But I am just glad that this sweet little girl did not fight me or attempt to run away. "Amethyst" probably would have. Because my niece is most definitely two!! That girl I love seems far too much like me, I'm afraid. Strong-willed. Stubborn. And obstinate. I pray for "Amethyst". Avoid my laundry list of character defects, please!! I found Debby--who had been outside washing cars--and gave back the toddler. "We had ourselves a little visitor," I announced. To which Debby shot me this terrified expression. "She was sitting on my front porch a minute ago," Debby explained. But no need. I understood. With children, sometimes you have to "watch them like hawks", as that phrase goes. Because it happens so fast. And "in the blink of an eye", as that phrase goes, children can cause mischief!! Now. Lest anybody wonder. I do not expect this to occur again, for Debby is a responsible Grandma. But "stuff happens", as my Dad oft casually says. I am just so very grateful for Rose who alerted me of our little visitor!!

And they say that Lassie was great....