Our house is quiet today. Abby, our Barney Fife of a daschund, is in Ankeny at my brother and sister-in-law’s house. Ever since Anne left for college in August, Abby’s been lonesome. On her best days she’s a needy dog, but now she’s much more so. She’s been staying with my brother and sister-in-law whenever we’re out of town, which has been often this fall, and all of us noticed how much calmer she is there. Their two other dogs (Ellie, one of them, is the bigger dog in the photo above), keep Abby company so even when the humans are gone, she’s is never alone.
My sister-in-law offered to adopt Abby, but Anne isn’t ready to let the dog go completely. So we’ve worked out a joint custody arrangement. Abby will live with us on weekends when Anne is home, during the holiday breaks, and during the summer. But for most of the year, our barky little dog will live where she has lots of company.
It’s a little weird today without her around. There’s nobody to bark at the dishwasher when it clicks on and off. There’s nobody to lick the sweat off of Hiram’s bald head when he’s done jogging. And there’s nobody to bark at the rabbits that bait her, sitting just beyond her reach when she’s outside on her leash.
It’s awfully quiet around here, but I’m getting used to it. But I don’t plan on taking Abby’s place on sweat removal detail. Sorry, Hiram.
