After 22 years, we're finally remodeling our kitchen. The last time it was updated was apparently back in the 70s. While it was a much needed project, it has thrown the entire house into a tizzy. There are very few rooms that haven't been pressed into service for storing boxes of stuff. The dining room is now a kind of camp kitchen. The front hall has become a storage annex. The whole place looks like either an episode of Hoarders or Storage Wars.
I was worried that this much disruption would take a toll on Nicki. For a rescue pup, a secure routine that they can depend on is a tremendously reassuring necessity. To our surpise, though, Nicki is just breezing through all the changes! She doesn't really seem to notice any of it! That's been a real relief!
Even though it hasn't taken a toll on Nicki, it sure has taken one on me. This amount of disruption is not something I can handle easily. And - as I should have expected - it's dragging on far longer than I thought it would.
Because of all that, we thought it would be a good idea to take a little break. We decided to visit friends in Massachusetts for the 4th of July weekend. Because they live very close to a beach where the local folks do their own fireworks shows, we thought that taking Nicki with us might be a bad idea. Her reaction to the few pops and whooshes right here at home (from our neighboring amateur arsonists...) told me that a full-on fireworks extravaganza would be too much for her. So, Nicki went to stay with Boomtowne once again. She'd been there before, and she knows many of the staff. They greet her by name! And no, we don't board her that often! Still, she hadn't been boarded for more than a couple days. This time she stayed for four days. And that was a bit of a problem.
When Nicki got home, things seemed ok. She was obviously super happy to see us, but otherwise, all seemed back to the usual. The next day, though, as I tried to get on track with a new computer (my other one decided to enter a coma the day we planned to leave for our little vacation!) I had though Nicki was napping nearby, as she does while I'm working on the computer. I decided to check in on her - as I do - and didn't see her nearby. That's unusual for her, and for Aussies in general. They prefer to stay near their people. Going through a rescue situation intensifies that somewhat. So - where was Nicki? Maybe she'd gone to the door. Might be potty time. So I headed downstairs to let her out - and found that it was already a moot point. There was a little poop. Oh dear. But - as a parent and a pet parent - I noted the texture and moisture of it as I cleaned it up. (Did you just say "eww"? Hey - we moms know our job isn't all glamour!) Looked like our girl hadn't been too regular during her longer stay. Ah well....
That was the only hiccup in the boarding experience this time. Nicki is back to her happy routine again, and I'm back to trying to have a normal kitchen again - but there's still lots of work ahead. Instead of such a long time apart, maybe we'll stick to some prolonged trail walking.
To keep things fun, we still find new things to experience together! Just yesterday, Nicki learned to eat Edamame! And by "learned" I mean just that. She tried to eat the first couple of beans shell and all. But by the third, she had learned to pop the beans out of the shell and leave it behind! Hmmm - maybe chopsticks next?
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