Most people go on vacation to some far off, magical place. Some of them travel in style, some travel with kids screaming in the backseat as Dad threatens to "pull the car over and give you something to cry about." I'm doing the "Staycation" thing this week, meaning I've escaped my work desk for two weeks to do whatever I want that doesn't involve work. I'm trying to make that include housework as well. Although May has usually turned into the "home improvement" vacation....
The only "kid" at our house is the infamous Boudreaux, a 105 lb. Chocolate Lab who is both enthusiastic AND laid back. You can't say "go" or "ride" in the same sentence because he literally scrambles for the front door...which can be funny on hardwood floors, unless you're the floor. If he could, I'm betting he'd yell "Shotgun!" on his run to the truck. He's SO enthusiastic, tail wagging hard enough to knock down a redwood tree, lip curled back and grinning like Elvis Presley. He takes a running leap into the vehicle, settles down on the backseat...
...and promptly goes to sleep.
I swear it's like there's a switch in his head connected to the gear shift of the truck: shift into DRIVE and he shifts into NAP. He'll stay that way until (a) there's a change in vehicle speed (b) someone says "Look at that!" or (c) he suddenly comes to the conclusion that he'd rather have his head out the window behind the driver.
So on this vacation, I know Bou will be the most laid back of us all. He's content just to be with his peeps, although I do get more popular come dinner time. And yes, his internal dinner bell strikes at 6:15 p.m as Hubby's shop is suppose to close at 6 p.m.. If there are still customers, Bou will get up and stand at the door, staring at it as if it will magically open. When customers inquire what's up with the dog, Scott will tell them. Bou will turn to glare at said customer, pitying how stupid people are who own watches. Funny thing is, it works AND customers often apologize to Bou!
I tell you all this to illustrate how laid back Bou is. Don't sweat the small stuff. Go with the flow. That's our boy. He has his rituals and nothing messes them up. It's like he's on a permanent vacation and can't figure out why humans get so antsy about....stuff.
On the back of my loveseat in the living room is an afghan Hubby had made for me after Bou's dad Smokey died. That story can be found here. The side which hangs off the back of the loveseat has a fringe on it. Every night I let Bou out to do his business and when he comes back inside, he walks UNDER the afghan so it can lightly scratch/tickle his back. Most of the time he just walks away, grinning like Elvis. The other day I heard a weird noise, then a sigh. This is what I found.
This time the afghan fell across his back. So Bou did what any laid back Lab would do.
He laid down and took a nap.
He was actually snoring when I snapped this. I was thinking how sweet it was that his "Dad" was covering him up as he slept. Then I giggled because I realized it's not often the phrase "I've got your back" can be taken quite so literally.
Excuse me while I go find Bou and let him teach me how to just let the world roll off my shoulders without a care.