This "mothering" business is hard work...

It's not that I don't enjoy it...I really do..


But when you have a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a grouchy-grumpy 17 year old, one can get .....


worn out.

Spent..


Pooped...


Just plain tired.


But they have me by my heartstrings...I love them...all three...the girls..Lulu & Bones and of course the boy - the Mama's boy - Braxton.


Yep, these babies of mine are of the furry kind. And adorable. And smart. Too smart.


Braxton whines...he doesn't bark...he actually whines...and crawls up my leg for me to hold him. (guess that beats what dogs usually do with your leg...)

It's really hard to type with one hand while holding him...


Then there's Lulu. Lets me know when anyone is in the yard...or on the street...or in the neighborhood...or in the county....

She can count. I know she can. I try to give her just one carrot in the morning when she KNOWS there should be 2 - well, she looks at the carrot, then to me, then back to the carrot, until I cut one more up for her.


And she can tell time. She knows when it's time to go for the morning walk...she knows when to start looking for Mr. B to arrive home , she knows when I should be done eating my dinner so I can get her "after dinner treat" and when she should be going for her evening walk. She's one smart dog.


Oh, and another thing that makes me crazy - she was groomed and looks like she lost weight - a lot of weight. She looks fabulous... I, after being inspired by her, shaved my legs, plucked my eyebrows, waxed my lip, trimmed my split-ends and it doesn't look like I've lost an ounce...


Go figure...


She's had a little tickle in her throat for a few days now and of course it has us both worried. We took her to the "emergency room" on Saturday when we realized it was not just your ordinary fur-ball-coughing.


The Doc couldn't figure out what was up, normal temp, and all, and to look down a dog's throat requires them to be anesthetized.


I never thought about that. You can't ask them to "say Ahhhhh"...can't really look down their throats, but he didn't feel it was necessary at this time. He gave her a shot and a bottle of antibiotics and took all the money for my college education and sent us on our way.


If it's not better by Friday, she's going back. Guess I'll have to take out a second on the house for that one...


Then there's Bones the cat. Tough old bird...well that sounds stupid when you're talking about a cat...huh?

Anyway, she's got one ear folded down from a fight she had in her youth. She still looks very young...way younger than her 17 years. Maybe I should have one ear folded down...


So, since Grandma is still on vacation - in the warm, beautiful, sunny, did I mention warm, San Diego, we have been cat sitting. I go down (Grandma lives in a "Mother-in-Law apartment downstairs..) and visit Bones during the day, you know, to keep her company, turn on Animal Planet, clean the box, and give her some good treats. The usual.


After I go up, she BELLOWS for me to come back. Cries. Brakes my heart..and annoys the heck out of me. I tell her "Wait until 7 o'clock and I'll be back down" which I'm certain she understands, but at 6:45 she starts again...


Ah well. Little price to pay for a lifetime of love and loyalty. Aren't we blessed to have this unconditional love in our lives??


Un-conditional ??...oh yeah, as long as I give 2 carrots, hold while typing and turn on Animal Planet for them.


Now, who has who trained??

-me