Long, Long Day...

I've been up since about midnight. I may have drifted back to sleep periodically-I seem to remember fragments of dreams, but whether they're from last night or a previous night, my brain seems unable to recall. All I know is I'm tired and it's gonna be a long, long day.

I've had this cold for going on a month now. Truly. I thought colds were only supposed to last seven to ten days but this bugger just won't quit! I've been stuffy and coughing, lost my voice for about a week. It appeared to clear up for a day or two, then my throat got to scratching again and it's not improved a bit. I've given up on my Alka Seltzer Plus fizzies and eat honey lemon Halls hourly throughout the night.

So, I looked at my clock just a little before midnight. Then it was almost one and then one fifty-five. Tucker jumped off the bed a couple minutes past three and started whining at the bedroom door. I tossed back the quilt and blanket, grabbed my purple leopard slippers from the dresser, and drug myself out into the dark too early day. Pea was waiting on the other side of the door, most likely the culprit who woke up Tucker. Ruby rolled her round white belly over and followed the other two out the back door for an early morning excursion. Back inside, I started the coffee brewing then began counting and sorting treats before rounding up the laptop and Bible.

Thoughts of an early shower and escape to Walmart briefly entered my mind, then realizing I'd only have to go back out later to grab Aldi's items, I wiped that thought away. Let the dogs back in, administered treats and chewies, then settled in for a little time in Isaiah and blog post readings. Leave it to Tucker to start the day's aggravations...

I always give Pea and Tucker the same chewies, otherwise they'll fight and argue like any brother and sister. Inevitably, same treats or not, there's still a squabble at some point every morning and on and off again throughout the day. Tucker just happened to be this morning's instigator. I know--you're surprised, right? Standing up on the couch, towering over Pea and Ruby on the floor below, he began barking his dissatisfaction over some self-perceived injustice. Pea, unperturbed under the coffee table, gnawed on her pig skin twist (aka Oinkie) Ruby, however, laid too close to Tucker's Everlasting treat ball and thought she might claim it as her own. Tucker would have none of this insurrection!

Mind you, two other humans are still trying to sleep this early in the morning, so I have to do my best to keep the canine childrens as quiet as possible. This apparently wasn't going to be an easy task this morning. I reclaimed Everlasting treat ball from Ruby, brought it to the kitchen and stuffed it with fresh Ol Roy biscuits, then quarantined Tucker into the kitchen with me while the other two entertained themselves silently and peacefully in the living room.

Too quiet for Tucker. He found his Nylabone (still in excellent condition after several weeks--a truly amazing feat for any toy at Tucker's disposal!) and thought it would be a fun thing to toss it around the kitchen, crashing and banging off the ceramic tile...Really Tucker? Took the Nylabone away, hidden on the top shelf of the bakers rack. He gave his best boo boo eyes as I sat back down to my morning busyness of blog perusing.

Tuck then climbs up next to me on the kitchen nook bench, I mistakenly take this as a ploy for ear scratches. His agenda, however, was to remove Christmas cards I have hung on and around the mirror behind me....

I'm out of chewies and Oinkies. He's bored with toys that don't squeak or crash when you toss them to the floor. I can't let him loose in the house, otherwise he'll go bed bouncing to wake up sleeping humans, or discuss the unfairness of still unchewed dog treats with the two peaceful ones in the living room...Finally, he does settle down and curl up quietly beside me, a mottled brown and black puddle, white paws tucked beneath him. If only I could find my way back to bed for a few more moments of sleep...maybe I will just head to Walmart after all and skip Aldi's this week...beat the rest of the pre-holiday rush for the day. Beats sitting here zoning in the dark...