Taking things into my own Hands

OK, I admit it. I made a mistake. But that hissing hoise from the shower really did sound like something dangerous, and I really felt I had to bark and bark and warn Bracha that something was really wrong. And Bracha listened to me, because I never bark unless there is a darned good reason. I know she was proud of me for barking, because she petted and praised me afterwards. After all, even the man who came said he thought there was a snake in the shower – that is, until he discovered that the strange noise was nothing but air in the pipes.

Sometimes, though, Bracha just doesn't get the hint. When I want a run through the fields or even in the basketball court, I show her. I stop at the corner to go to the basketball court, but she pointed me home. On the way I stopped at the point opposite the dirt road that leads into the field, too. I turned and put my front paws right at the curb. We've only been there once or twice, but I remembered the exact point where we have to cross the road and go into the field. No go. We headed home again. So yesterday I decided to take things into my own hands. We were sitting on the patio and Bracha was drinking coffee, and hadn't tied me up. I guess she wanted to see if I would stay with her. But when that cat took off towards the back and ran into the avocado orchard, well, that was it. I was off. I did get in a good run before Bracha came out with her whistle and called me back. She should know by now that I will always come back to her, even if I eat some fallen avocado on the way.

But I did have a good time yesterday when we finally did get out for a long hike. We went to the fields, and I ran and ran through the tall yellow flowers and there were white butterflies, too. Those poor dogs who live in the city! They don't know what they are missing!

But I miss Saoirse. Nuala comes home in the evenings, eats with me, and then lays down in her place by the couch, but she's not as sociable as Saoirse was. And I think Bracha misses Saoirse, too, despite the fact that she was always getting her up at night and she had to always be mixing medicines and pills into her food. And every evening Bracha takes a watering can and we go and water the flowers and the little plant on Saoirse's grave. The little seeds are starting to come up.

Tomorrow Bracha has promised that we will go to school again – this time all the way to Rehovot! I hope she gets off the train in the middle for a break. Two and a half hours of train travel is, er, a long time. But she's always considerate of my needs, so I think it will be OK. But I know what's coming this afternoon…a thorough brushing and more of that combing and perfume stuff. Ugh.