Just me and the dogs

For all intent and purposes our morning routine is pretty much the same.

Resident Teen has to get up at 6:30 and Little Man at 7 am. The weeks before the surgery I was the main driver as my old car, the Taurus, finally decided to die in the middle of El Camino.

We were down to one car, not an issue right now because I'm not walking for 4 weeks and who knows what will happen as soon as this cast comes off.

However, my husband is not a morning person, at all.

He rarely goes to sleep before 1 am, not easy if you have to get up at 6:30 am.

So for 45 minutes there is the slamming of cupboards, complaining about homework needing signing and the general angst that is inherent with having an almost 16 year old girl in the house.

It's tends to be quite the dramatic exit at 7:15 by Dad and daughter with the quieter departure of the younger one 45 minutes later.

We have three dogs, all Bouvier des Flandres. There's Iris (13) Barend (4.5) and Miss Izzy (4). We've always had this breed and as dogs go they are my kind of dog. A bit big but very calm and quiet when needed.

As soon as the activity and the flurry of the morning has faded the dogs get down to some serious nap time.
By 9 am there is a chorus of snoring, occasional fart and when they really apply themselves there is the running in the sleep.
Ah bliss.

Iris (top) Isolde aka Dizzy Izzy (bottom)  

Last night wasn't a good night for Iris, she was up every hour and at some point got stuck in the bathroom and kept us awake for hours.

I have cursed her backyard breeder every day since she was 5 years old for breeding too many puppies too soon.

Now we  have a dog with severe hip problems.

As a result of the restless night I'm dragging today, my foot is warm but the toes cool to the touch.

I'm feeling the misuse of my right calf muscle, am stretching the left when I can.

So in general the day moves on, I get up every hour to do something, keep the blood flowing and the rear end from falling asleep.

By 3 pm something triggers in the dogs brain, the kids are slated to come home soon. It's an event I now look forward too.

They get up and check the back yard for squirrels.

And then the kids are home and there's life in the place.

Another day has passed, repeat it tomorrow again.

Ah, the life of a dog.