“Remoted” – Day 495 (Saturday)

Sometimes he actually goes out.

The morning featured the usual business of feeding the Canine Overlords, and trying to coax Moose outside so he doesn’t choose to use the rugs to potty. There used to be a set of identifiable signals when he wanted to go out, which took me years to decipher. One or more cues would be chosen from the repertoire of standing at the door, staring at me from across the room and tilting his head toward an exit, staring at me from very close, and/or barking a bark that sounds exactly like “out, out.”

Now, after the heavy investment in training me to respond to his signals, it’s like he’s arbitrarily tossed out the play book. He will stare from across the room and get me to follow him to the cookies. He will go to the door, and when I meet him there to open it, he retreats to plant himself halfway across the room, unbudging. Sometimes he just disappears into another room and the only “cue” is the sudden sound of a stream hitting the floor or the aroma of poo. There may be several failed attempts before he finally goes out, and even then, he often turns around to come back in, having done no business. It's more fun because he has a hard time with the stairs now, and I carry him down and then back up. It's a great free home workout.

After the morning charade with going out, not going out, it was coffee and relaxing before heading out to my sister’s house for my niece’s birthday party. On the way to the party, I stopped at my favorite consignment shop and got a pair of capris, a white cotton blouse, and a shirt perfect for hiking that claims to repel various bugs for up to 70 washings. If only I knew what the wash count was before it landed with me. The treasure cost the teeny sum of $8.

Birthday girl party crown!

The party featured big party pizzas, macaroni salad with teeny tiny shrimp, ham salad rolls, and birthday cake and cupcakes. The birthday girl sported an inflatable Chuck E Cheese birthday crown. There was a plastic candelabra birthday candle holder but every time three candles were lit, they would all blow out in a breeze. 

We chatted, we hung out, and the niece living in Vegas attended her sister’s party via the wonders of technology and Facetime. We learned it has cooled off a bit and was “only” around 100 degrees there today, which sounds funny coming from someone who wore shorts and no coat during most of the New England winters before she moved.