Bed

For her entire life our dog Zoe has loved sleeping. We’ve had her since she was six weeks old, and had to take out her hips as a pup but she grew her own and can corner around a tree faster than any retriever.

She herds us, which is why she likes the bed or being under the bed, under my pillow. Of course I take her out during the week, but on weekends I take her out, feed her early and place her back on the bed with my dear husband.

She stays close to me because I’m her “food wench.” Yesterday she came up between pillows and placed her entire spine against mine just to prevent me from leaving without her. She hasn’t done that in a while. She stands by the door when I leave to get groceries.

Herders are interesting creatures. Years ago I lent some boys an AKC breed book so they could look for the best kind of dog that fit their family. They chose a Jack Russell Terrier and named him “Sparky.” If living with a herder makes doing laundry difficult (being in the path) those kids are probably now in college and heaven knows how Mom is doing with old terrier Sparky.

The kids came to my door and returned my book, and introduced me to their new dog the day he was brought home. I’d told them when they were younger to not get into the tot lot because they were climbing fences and there was a lot of rebar as the tot lot was refurbished. They hated me.

A couple of years later I caught them in the home of a meth dealer and summoned them all to my yard because she was giving them expensive gifts. I said do not ever deal with this woman again. If I see you there I know where you live and will tell your mother.

When my dog died suddenly, the kids in the tot lot did not call out her name as they did every afternoon. Instead, I ran into the boys who’d hated me years before and told the younger one, who really loved my dog, that she had died.

We went behind the bushes and the dear boy, perhaps eight years old, cried but made me tell him exactly how she died. We spent a few moments together and I told him to tell his older brother and friends that I yelled at him for something to explain the tears.

After a year of marriage we adopted a dog from a shelter. Ten years later everyone knows her name. She was a sleeper then, but certainly no-one can interrupt her beauty sleep now. As it is after midnight, I wish I could sleep with no concerns. By now she’s already taken my pillow.

It’s OK, I’m not that tired. Big day tomorrow. I’ve changed the coleslaw and will let you know how it turns out and give you the recipe. Dee