Thursday, December 03, 2009

The Beagle Strikes Again


Last month, I relayed how I was at our beagle’s beck and call. After she tore her ACL, she needed surgery…and I was needed to cater to her every whim for two weeks. The good news is that her fur is growing back nicely, and while she’s not ready for a long walk, she is definitely almost back to normal.

The bad news? She’s almost back to normal.

Yesterday was a busy day for me. I needed to finish line edits for Second Chance Hero, my June 2010 release, and get them to the FedEx office by four o’clock. We’d also promised to make a pot of soup for church-Advent has started, and our church hosts soup suppers, followed by a brief prayer service.

But was mostly on my mind was finishing up my sister’s Christmas present. My sister Kelley lives in Athens, Greece. Every Christmas I send her a few boxes filled with all kinds of gifts for her and her girls. This year, they asked for makeup and movies. And all kinds of American junk food. For the last month, I’ve been buying things and gathering it all. Tuesday night I ran to WalMart and bought candy and Poptarts and Kraft Mac and Cheese.

Yesterday, every time I read over forty pages or so, I’d either make soup or wrap presents. Phoebe slept, which she pretty much does about twenty hours a day.

At five o’clock, I was feeling pretty darn good about myself. Line edits? Sent off at three o’clock! Soup? Done! And there, sitting in the middle of my dining room table, was my crowning achievement for the day-Kelley’s presents were ready to go. I had the two boxes taped, addressed, and custom forms filled out. All ready for me to take to the post office this morning.

My husband and I went off to church. He served soup, I ate and chatted. We helped clean up. Then, just as we were walking into the sanctuary, my cell phone rings-it’s my daughter. Uh oh.

It’s cold and has been pouring rain all day. So, I tell my husband I’ll be right there and go take the call. Lesley’s upset. Uh oh. Immediately, I start worrying about car accidents and boyfriend troubles. Then I hear the news.

When she came home last night-not fifteen minutes after Tom and I had left-she found Phoebe and Suzy the wiener dog eating chocolate Santas on our basement floor.
Yes, you guessed it. Phoebe leapt up on the table, pulled a twenty pound sealed box off, dragged it downstairs, and together she and her buddy gnawed through the side of the box, chewed of f the wrapping paper and ate six chocolate Santas and a box of Milk Duds.

And the corner off of the Amazing Race, Season 1 Boxed Set, too.

To say I was upset is pretty much an understatement. After hearing that Lesley had everything under control and the dogs were outside, I went into the church service.
I’m ashamed to say that no matter how much the pastor preached about gratitude and forgiveness, I was thinking evil things about that beagle.

When we got home, the dogs ran around, happy as clams to see us. Chocolate doesn’t seem to affect them anymore than a can of Alpo. I looked at the destruction, thought of how I’m going to have to fix everything up again, and just about cried.

Yes. The beagle struck again…and won.

My husband poured me a glass of wine and told me to go take a bath.

Right now, it’s seven am. The beagle’s sound asleep, happily curled up on her sheepskin bed. I’m dressed and plan to go get my sister’s package ready again. By this afternoon, I know those boxes will be in the mail. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get them out of the house. See, I know they’ll be safer traveling to Greece than they will be on our dining room table.

Phoebe just better hope she doesn’t need surgery on her other ACL any time soon!

This is my only post for December, so I hope everyone has a blessed and peaceful holiday season…or at least no pet disasters. But if you ever have had a pet spoil a holiday, please share! I’d love to know I’m not the only one with a crazy, lovable, destructive dog!

Shelley

12 comments:

Linda Henderson said...

Oh my, she is quite the handful. Well at least as long as she is around life will not be dull. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

Pamela Stone said...

Oh wow, how funny. Gotta love dogs. My darling little pomeranean ate the insole out of my only pair of really expensive pumps after I'd worn them only once! When we first married we bought a spitz. My husband was so proud that he taught the dog to fetch his newspaper. The silly dog fetched so well that we had an entire porch full of newspapers on a regular basis. Never did break him. And our white cat loved to climb the Christmas tree. I uprighted and redecorated that tree three times that year. But you gotta love 'em.

Heather Webber said...

Oh my gosh, Shelley. LOL. You poor thing. And what a great guy you have--he knew exactly what you needed at that point!

No dog stories here, but have to say, I love yours!

shelley galloway said...

Hi Linda,

You're right, she's definitely a handful. Thanks for commenting!

Shelley

shelley galloway said...

Pam, just the thought of your dog fetching EVERYONE's newspapers will keep me smiling all day! That is too funny.

And, I've heard that lots of cats enjoy climbing those Christmas trees!

Shelley

shelley galloway said...

Heather,

Now that those packages are sent off and everything's in order again, I'm fine. And you're right, my Tom is a keeper. : )

Shelley

EllenToo said...

I've never owned an inside dog by my brother has a miniature snauzer (however you spell it)the lives indoors and the first year they had her she unwrapped a present or two from under the tree and all of them had some kind of food in them.

shelley galloway said...

Ellen, I guess no gifts of food are safe around dogs! I'm hoping last night will be our only present disaster for the season. : )

shelley

Marcie said...

Oh no! Maybe in a year or so you'll be able to laugh about this. Amazing what chocolate will make a person..er..dog do.
Merry Christmas Shelley!

shelley galloway said...

Ha, Marcie! You are definitely right. I've done all kinds of things for Sees Chocolates...though I haven't resorted to tossing presents down the stairs...yet.

Merry Christmas to you, too. : )

Leigh Duncan said...

Don't doggies know chocolate is bad for them? Our lab once ate an entire bag of Hershey's kisses...and left a neat pile of thoroughly licked aluminum wrappers beside the empty plastic bag. Like your beagle, the chocolate didn't do him any harm, but we did call the vet.

shelley galloway said...

Oh, Leigh! That's too funny about those wrappers. Neither chocolate nor foil has created a problem for Phoebe. If it can be placed in mouth, it is fair game!

Your lab must definitely be a keeper.