How Did I Get Here?

Quote of the Day: “One time a guy handed me a picture of himself, and he said, “Here’s a picture of me when I was younger.” Every picture of you is of when you were younger. Here’s a picture of me when I am older. You son of a bitch, how’d you pull that off? Let me see that camera.”

Last Monday when we left, we decided that it would be best if Buster sat this one out. The kennel we normally leave him at had gone out of business. I was sure of this when they stopped answering their phone and I stopped by to see the actual structure had been abandoned and was most of the way to being demolished.

So Carrie found a couple of other potentials, on being my personal favorite just for the name: Furry Farms (a take-off on “Ferry Farms”, a well-known place here in Bucktoothistan). But they were full so we found another place that gave him a clean blanket everyday and a “visit” four times a day. Or at least that’s what they said. Who knows, they could beat him senseless as far as we know, although that wouldn’t take much.

When we dropped him off, he was all happy to be going for a ride and the reception area was definitely interesting for him. The new smells and the matted fur intertwined in the carpet provided plenty of olfactory stimuli. Of course the place came with the most stereotypical “animal-lover” lady at the desk who sent him into a happy dance. She, of course, fell in love with him instantly and I had to chuckle at her cliché existence. Long, gray hair, frumpy, scattered personality. My guess: 10 cats at home… at least.

All was good in Buster-World until she opened the door to the main kennel area and then there was an instant realization that this wasn’t Funsville for good old Busterdamus. He pulled back and we had quite the time trying to shove his dumb ass through the door. Yeah, just what you want to be doing in front of the kids who were already convinced that this was akin to Death Row for the knucklehead.

Today, we arrived right at 5:00 PM to claim him and when they brought him out, he was, as I guessed, near insane with happiness. Whatever dark thoughts he might have had at being abandoned for 7 days evaporated when he came wagging out of the kennel, looking skinnier than when we left because the dumb animal refuses to eat when we are not there.

We got him home and the first order of business was a bath. Ode-de-kennel was not the ideal scent so he got a good scrubbing. It was amazing how fast his happiness turned to perceived harassment.

For the rest of the day, I dealt with email. Jeez people, a cubic butt-ton each day.

OK, OK, let me get back to it so I don’t get hate mail on top of it complaining about the mail that’s yet to be answered.

At least Buster was forgiving and we were all glad to be home. Overall, it was a great vacation and I couldn’t have asked for more. We saw everything and everyone we wanted to and we stayed just short of overstaying our welcome at any one place, making each day an adventure.

I would have done nothing different.

Free Advice for Today: “When reconvening after a conference break, choose a chair in a different part of the room.”