This is what has been taking up so much of my time, recently. I never really knew that having a dog would be so fun, so rewarding, so much work, or so much comfort. But it is and I am glad for all of that, and more.
About the time that we start to call Martin “Stink Dog!” we start thinking of taking him in for a shower and a pedi-pedi. I clipped a dog’s toenails as a child and hurt the animal and scared myself to death. I clipped my own nails short—right up at the finger. So that must be the way you do a dog’s nails, too, right? Uh, no. So since I am deathly afraid of hurting Martin, we take him to PetSmart and have Alysson or Nathan work him over. A pedi-pedi is about $10 or $12, I think. For that kind of money, I’d just as soon not have to worry about it. I mean, even when you’re dead broke you have $12, so let a professional do it.
We picked him up yesterday and I swear, he was walking a little taller, with just a hint of Doggie Swagger going on. Almost as if he was thinking “Wait till the Chick Dogs in my neighborhood get a load of me!”
I have wanted a dog for years. I thought it would be great to come home and have someone be excited to see me. It was nice to do that. It’s also nice to have someone to talk to during the day. Point-point-point, click-click-click, type-type-type… “What do you think, Martin? The Green ones or the Blue ones?” He’ll offer up an opinion and we motor on from there. It’s kind of nice.
This week I went to the dentist for a regular cleaning. We go to Antelope Creek Family Dentistry because we love it, there. They are kind, gentle, funny, friendly and efficient, there. The NOX is good, too. But before the appointment they took my blood pressure as they usually do. Then they took it again.
My blood pressure has gone down, since getting a dog. I mean, it’s gone down a ton, folks. I’m not in the best of circumstances here these days. It’s not fun being out of work. It’s even less fun looking. But I am in such a better place, as they say in California, than I was a year ago before the dog happened. In so many ways, life is just… better, now.
Getcha a dog. I recommend ’em.
Mark, I’m so happy for you that Martin has come into your life. Bless your sister for giving him to you. I so enjoy reading about you and Martin!