When 80-Somethings Get a Puppy
For the past seven weeks since we brought home our eight-week-old chocolate Labrador retriever puppy we have been in “isolation mode!”
Now, don’t misunderstand, the puppy is cute and a joy, but normalcy and freedom have no longer been a part of our life. Forrest Gump’s observation, “stupid is as stupid does” has clearly introduced us to another learning experience.
You may ask what were you thinking to get another puppy at our age? Our answer is, we don’t remember!
There is no proper excuse for my “isolation” these past several weeks, but I feel obligated during a rare quiet moment this Sunday morning to offer a feeble explanation. We’ve been “captured by a puppy,” along with discretionary tasks such as our gardening, maintaining our lawn acreage, and hosting a family reunion which included four Labs and thirteen family kin! But, it’s the puppy which most explains our disappearance from the outside world!
First, we’re constantly sleep-deprived, with an uninterrupted night in bed having vanished for us. Try to imagine me walking around outside in the middle of the night wearing a bathrobe while holding a flashlight in one hand and a garden hose in the other hand. I had completely forgotten how much a puppy can poop at night which I must water down in our lawn. That explains the flashlight and water hose!
I had also forgotten a puppy demands total attention, constantly, both day and night. I don’t exaggerate. We are so trapped at home that I even went after “take out food” which we ate in our kitchen to celebrate my 57th wedding anniversary with my present wife!
Meanwhile, our garden preparation suffered with adverse weather this spring and my reduced aging productivity. Yesterday we spent seven hours rototilling the sweet corn, hoeing, weeding, and watering the damn thing.
Our only reprieve in recent days was the arrival of our kids with their three Labs, as well as my nephews from California over the fourth of July holidays! But, even that pleasant moment was joined with disaster when one of our water heaters failed and I had to rush to Home Depot on early Sunday morning to get a replacement. And, yes, I spent the morning removing the old one and installing the new one.
Could problems get worse? Of course, unless you’ve never heard of “Murphy’s law!”
On the fourth of July our central air conditioning on our first floor quit working. Fortunately, the upstairs air conditioners were still functioning and our daughters were in air conditioning comfort in my motorhome and their RV parked next to our garage. A mouse had chewed the wires inside our outdoor air conditioning evaporator which it had trashed. Naturally, we’re living in 90 degree weather right now!
So, what’s been my problem? There has been absolutely no time for either reading or computer emails for the past several weeks. While I’ve opened emails when I can, responding briefly in a few emergencies has been all I’ve accomplished. This is the longest email I’ve written in the past two months!
I apologize and we’re hoping to survive our recent plight with a return to having a life again. Sadly, we’ve become attached to Bailey even though we have had our moments of doubt.