Of Necessity

Our dog doesn't get a bath because it's been long enough since her last bath and it's that time again.   I  don't think that ever happens.   She gets a bath out of necessity, on short notice, when it's unexpected and commonly when there isn't adequate time for it.

Tonight was one of those nights.  My daughter and I had gotten from dinner with my parents.  I had finished going through things in my daughter's backpack and mail and my daughter had come downstairs with her completed homework in hand.

It was officially bath time.   My daughter didn't really want a bath but I told her one bath a week as she might prefer, wasn't going to work so get cracking and start running the tub while I brought the dog in from outside.  I left the bathroom with water running and my daughter putting her clothes in the hamper.   Things were under control.  The night was going to go to plan and everything all would end well.

Then I went outside.  There were two shadowy figures in the dark in the front yard and the dog was going crazy.   The shadowy figures were my best friend's husband and one of their daughters.  The dog was going crazy because Remy, their dog, was in the yard with her.

I've been through this before.   I know what to do at this point—just relax and let it happen.   The dog was already likely a mess.   It had been raining all day and the ground was soggy.   As the dogs ran around and flipped over each other they were collecting things that were going to stay there until washed out.   Their dog is brown and doesn't look that dirty even if he is.   Our dog is light blonde and everything shows and sticks.

I didn't take her off her runner because I didn't want to add leaves to the mess, dirt and grass would be quite enough to clean up from, thank you very much.   Matt and Ellie left with Remy and I walked Matisse inside and told her to go to the bathroom.   I opened the shower door and she walked in—which was an unexpected bonus, it was like she was ready to have a shower.   Only my daughter wanted her in the tub with her.

So we washed her together and then my daughter drained the tub and ran more water to get the mud off of her.  The dog shook herself again and again and I had to dry the entire bathroom floor as it was a hazard for slipping.   My daughter wanted the dog to sleep with her and it was bedtime so we dried the dog together with a brush and hairdryer to get some of the knots out of her hair.

The dog and my daughter went upstairs while I cleaned up the messy bathroom.   The dog got a bath out of necessity tonight, and it was untimely and a bit unexpected.   But she's clean now and smells good and I don't have to send her to the groomers for a while longer.

The Big Boy Update:  My son has just finished his meal at Be Our Guest at Disney.   He tried everything they served, which included, Bread, cheese, grapes, strawberries, pan-seared chicken, scallops, lamb chop, filet mignon, wild rice, cauliflower fried rice, chocolate truffle, white chocolate “chip” cup, & a macaroon".  

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter is trying to coordinate not one, but two sleepovers this weekend.   When Mimi told her she could do Friday night, my daughter said to her, "I need to talk to Madison."   She didn't want to let my mother wonder what would happen next so she finished up with, "We'll notify you."