Puppy Duties Cause Writing Pause~ SOL#12~2017

| Shari Daniels

All my daughter, Gracie, wanted for her birthday was a puppy.  She’s 24, a nurse and lives in an apartment.

“How is she going to take care of a puppy?” my husband asked.

“I don’t know,” was my response, “She’s an adult. I’m sure she can figure it out.”

I didn’t really think I’d find one and that would be the end of this idea.

Sitting down with my laptop two days before her birthday (yes, I procrastinate everything), I decided to just do a little search.  In the span of five minutes, I’d found one within two hours from our home. I texted my 25 year old son to see if he could go check it out.

“Why does Gracie need a puppy?” he asked.

“Because she wants one,” I replied in my Mother Voice.

“Geez,” he grumbled.

That same night, he bought the puppy, had to refrain from also buying the lone yellow lab left by himself, and we now had a secret to keep.

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(How did my kids turn into such dog lovers?)

Her birthday was not for two days, so I had secret puppy duties.

I didn’t sleep.  I cleaned up messes. I was on constant watch.  We snuggled. We took naps.

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No writing happened.

“I sure hope you are doing the right thing,” my skeptic husband kept shaking his head.

“Well, if she wasn’t supposed to have a puppy, it all would not have unfolded so easily,” I told him.

This, I believe.  I somehow felt Gracie’s angels nudging me to do this work and honestly, there was not a glitch in the system.  No canaries in the mineshaft.  Not a bump in the road. That’s gotta mean something, right?

“Whaddaya gonna do if she can’t take care of it?” he asked.

“I’m not going to worry about that,” but really, I was anxious.

Two days later, Gracie’s birthday arrived.  Puppy went in a box and we told Gracie it was just a box of liquor from Happy Harry’s.  She’s 24 remember. . .

She was a little surprised.

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“Well, it looks like you were right again,” admitted my husband. “I think she’s a keeper.”

“I think I had a little help,” I confessed.

(Those pesky angels.)

So, I’m out of the running for prizes on the SOL challenge for this year. That’s ok, I’ve been here before. The little breather was worth it and I’ve got some new writing material.

Life is good.

Shari 🙂

I’m participating in twowritingteachers March Challenge of posting a blog post every day for the month of March.  To check out other writers, visit here.

 

14 thoughts on “Puppy Duties Cause Writing Pause~ SOL#12~2017”

  6. Okay. I cried at your post. Maybe because I got myself a yellow lab puppy this past summer when I turned 40 and moved across the country with my family. Maybe because I love that you did this for your daughter. Maybe because you did it even though you didn’t have all the answers to the “how will it work?” questions. Maybe because it WAS meant to be because it fell into place so easily! So sweet. LOVE IT! Happy birthday to your daughter, and welcome Wrangler!

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  9. Priceless pictures, priceless story. What a joyful thing to bring into your daughter’s life! Congratulations and enjoy that fuzzy, adorable ball of goodness.

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  14. What a story! I’m not a puppy person (oh my gosh they are so much work) but that is one cute puppy! And your daughter’s face is pure joy. Does she have a doggie daycare place near her? My elderly girl wouldn’t enjoy it now, but she loved doggie daycare when she was young. I loved the use of dialogue in this piece.

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