One More Sleep....

Then it's Road Trip!! I'm so glad I took today off too, there is no way in hell I would have been ready to leave without a ton of stress. Today was very productive - bank, oil change, Target, groceries, Petsmart, hair trimmed, the laptop-and-knitting bag is all packed and I'm just throwing jeans and t-shirts into another weekender sized bag. I'm bringing the second Koigu sock that has been Snoring on Two Circulars for what, two months maybe? and the little Dulaan sweater I designed via Sweater Wizard, my Denise needles and the basic tools like a tape measure and yarn needle and markers and such, so I will be set to cast on nearly anything. And of course the laptop and digital camera and all that jazz. (Side note to KR picnickers - I will have a 5 day cooler in my trunk with bottled water and such. I bring frozen bottles of water as chillers, so we're set for a couple of days, and should you be moved to buy food products we could probably squeeze them in for temporary safekeeping.) The hotel is supposed to have wireless internet access - if it talks to my laptop there will be blogging from MD. If not, I'll upload a bunch of stuff on Tuesday.

Dudley is just wonderful, he's so bright, cheerful and adaptable, and he catches on to everything the first time. He already knows his way around the house and he's so confident, he's determined to make friends with the cats (they are not eager to make friends with him). He did get snapped at by Murphy just once, he was jumping on Murphy and biting at him, and Murphy gave him a very fast growl and snap - and Dudley ran down the hall and sat there looking back, like, "Whoa, I won't do that again!" and he hasn't done it again. Today they were all wags. Dudley eats out of Murphy's dish, they share the toys, and get along fine. Murphy just needed to lay down the ground rules - You Do Not Jump ON ME and bite me with sharp puppy teeth, I'm not your mother! - and Dudley learned immediately.

We took him to Petsmart today so we could fit a little harness on him (and of course he was fussed over by customers and clerks until his ego was quite inflated) We bought toys and a leash, and he doesn't mind his harness at all - I put it on him and he ran off to annoy Higgins and didn't even notice it. (Higgins hissed at him and he ran back to sit near me.) He has not scratched at it or otherwise cared that it is on him - which is great, because he hated the little show lead leash we used to take him outside. Now he's a big dog in a harness, and he's fine with it. I love this style harness, I am going to go back to buy Murphy one next week, it's even easier than the x-harness Murphy wears.

I can't believe Dudley is only 8 weeks old, he's so mature already. He knows his name, comes when called, knows "go get a drink of water" and where the water fountain is in the kitchen, eats out of everybody's dishes, and rarely has an accident - he's very good about going outside, and if he doesn't make it most of his accidents are right at the door on the tile.

Right now he's napping in his crate with his head on one of his stuffed animals. It's hard to believe he's only been here two days, he's totally at home already and acts like he owns the place. I was concerned that Murphy would have a hard time adjusting, he's been an only dog, and even though his attitude is "But I didn't ASK for a baby brother!" he's getting more fond of Dudley all the time. We were out in the backyard earlier, I had Dudley on the leash (because he's determined to fall in the pond) and I think Murphy realized that when Dudley is bigger he will have a lizard-chasing buddy/partner in crime. I could see him brighten up when Dudley was playing in the yard, like it dawned on him that Dudley really is a DOG, and that backyard time could be more fun with another dog. At first Murphy's bossy nose was a bit out of joint but when you realize that he's been an only dog all his life and is very set in his ways, he's adapting remarkably fast.

I feel quite safe going off and leaving the household in Girl's capable hands. I suspect that by the time I return the boys will be sharing a bed and gnawing on either end of the same chewie. I'll be on the road EARLY - like, 6 a.m. - and probably won't get into the hotel until after 8. (If I flew, between driving to the airport, parking, shlepping, flying, renting car, and driving the not inconsiderable leg to Frederick, it would cut about 4-5 hours out of the journey, but honestly, I'd rather have the car and listen to a book on CD for those hours - I want my cooler, my backseat, my CD books.)


Note that I did not post about the latest work shit. I'm putting that behind me and moving on. It was just more of the S-word insanity and more ranting about job dissatisfaction - very short version is I got to interview a witness and realized I hadn't had time to talk to a witness in months, because my secretarialization has taken so much time away from doing what I have been doing since, uh, the 80s, and Boss listened like a saint, but some days apart will be good for both of us.

Maybe I'll post before Tuesday - maybe not. It's in the hands of the wireless internet gods....