Pat Bean's blog

“Weekends don’t count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless.”  — Bill Watterson

Not What I Had Planned

This is Bobo. He misses his family most of all the animals. He usually finds a place near me and just mopes. He’s old, too. Zip is my daughter’s youngest dog, and he keeps Pepper exercised. He and she usually run around the horse arena while I’m feeding and watering Hondo. My daughter’s husband is Bobo’s favorite pet.

My Tucson daughter and her family headed up to Rose Lake high up on Mount Lemmon for the Labor Day weekend. They took both their SUV and truck, with both crammed as full as a VW Beetle holding a mob of college students.

This is Tara. She’s long past the average age of a great Dane, but still, despite her growing infirmities, is full of joy. Age, however, has shortened her bladder control. So it was that three or four times a night I would feel her cold nose on my sleeping face, requesting that I get up and let her outside. Of course I did. She often would also stand in front of me to lt me know that she wanted the blanket on her bed straightened. And iif I didn’t immediately comply, she would lay her head on my lap and drool all over me. It’s a good think I love her.

What they didn’t take were their horse, Hondo; their dogs, Tara the great Dane, Bobo the yellow lab and Zip of origins unknown; their cats, Rocky and Miss Kitty; and a fighting Siamese fish, whose name, if it has one, I don’t know. As I have done many times previously, I stayed behind to take care of the animals.

So it was that last Thursday, my own canine companion, Pepper, and I drove across town to spend five days in a huge home, with TVs in almost every room, which is far different from my own small, but beloved, apartment, which does not have a TV.

. The three dogs mobbed us at the door, greeting Pepper and I as long-lost friends whom they hadn’t seen for a zillion years. They love both of us.

With me, I had brought my computer and plans to get a lot of writing done, my art supplies  to use as a break from the writing, and of course several books to read. I should have traveled more lightly, because all these items, except for an audio book, “The Deeds of Paksenarrion,” saw little use.

First I discovered that there was a “Lord of the Rings” marathon on TV. I had been meaning to re-watch this trilogy for some time now. Then there was the two-day NCIS marathon. I love NCIS. So there went another two days.

Then there was the fact that I wanted my own desk, which looks out on trees and a red-tiled roof , from which to do my writing. I also wanted  my own,  tall, granite-like table top on which to do my art work. It was as if I couldn’t write or draw, or at least wasn’t comfortable doing so. in a different setting.

Or was this just an excuse to do nothing for four days?

I suspect that was the case. But now I’m back at home and have no excuse – and thankfully no TV. So how went your Labor Day weekend?

Blog pick of the day.

Bean Pat: Matador Magazine http://tinyurl.com/lkkw6pe Although I prefer to give a pat on the back to non-commercial bloggers, I couldn’t resist this article about America’s 25 most picturesque mountains. I noted that I’ve personally seen 18 of those on this list. I always knew I was blessed. Enjoy.