Dog Sitting by Grandma Harrison......

A Tail at Christmas Time, by Grandma Harrison

Son Mark, wife and their two boys booked a week in Cancun for a Mid December Vacation.

They asked me if I would keep their two large chocolate labs while they were gone to Mexico. I could not very well turn them down as they have been keeping my little Jack Russell Terrier whenever I go on one of my trips back east to visit family.

They brought the dogs with them when they came for Thanksgiving dinner just to see if I would be able to handle them. They brought the dog kennels with them so they could sleep in the garage at night. The dogs went home on Saturday, all went well.

On Thursday evening before their Saturday departure they brought the dogs over to me but left the kennel at home. Instead they brought the large fluffy cloth dog bed. Mark and family left Friday evening to stay the night in Portland for a very early dparture to Phoenix, headed to Cancun. (Which ended up being a flight to Phoenix, then to Houston, then to Cancun!)

Meanwhile all went well overnight. I left to go to SAHS for swimming for one of my 4 mornings a week senior exercise class. Since we have a fenced yard but cattle in the adjoining fields and three pit bulls next door, I felt it prudent to leave the dogs confined in the garage until I returned, not quite 2 hours later. I had put their dog bed in the garaga for them to lay on.

When I returned I let them outdoors for awhile and then picked up the dog bed to put it in the house and discovered a 2 inch square hole in the bed, I patched it up. On Saturday while I was reading the older dog (Bailey) got up and nosed around knocking a glass lamp top that fits over a glass candle jar on the floor. The top and matching plate were both broken. I cleaned up the mess and thought, oh well, no use crying over split milk, RIGHT!!

Sunday morning found me in church and both dogs with their nice soft bed in the garage, again for about 2 hours. This time I opened the back door to let the dogs out their stuffing from the bed was all over the garage floor and there was a 2 by 2 foot hole in the dog bed. I again patched it up....in the meantime one of the dogs rushed to the living room window knocking over a small poinsetta plant on to the floor and spilling dirt on the carpet. Oh well, why did I leave the plant there anyways......

Monday morning, I put the dogs in the garage before leaving for swim class, without the dog bed, which they seemed intent on destroying. Besides, they had a nice piece of carpet to lay. I returned home to find dirt all over the floor whre they had knocked over flower pots that I had brought inside for the winter. Broom it up and forget it Shirley....OKAY!

Tuesday morning, same procedure, I head for swim class. When I opened the kitchen door leading to the garage, I nearly cried, but just had to laugh. I got my camera and took a picture before cleaning up the mess. They had somehow gotten a hold of a complete pkg of 8 rools of paper towels, and a partial box of kleenex and a wrapped plastic pkge of dining room seat cushions. They did a pretty through job of shredding the paper towels, kleenex and one chair cushion. I put the dogs out back and cleaned up the mess and got on with my day.
Wednesday morning, I had an invite to go to breakfast with some friends. I left about 8 am, putting the monsters in the garage again. NOTE, my dog remained in the house during these episodes so she was never a part of these shenanigans. After breakfast, and running to the grocery store, I was gone less than 2 hours. In to the house I go and feeling like nothing else could possibly happen. Wouldn't you know it, they have decorated my garagee with some of my christmas tree decorations that were left on the floor in a plastic tote. The tinsel rope was neatly severed into much smaller sections. The stuffing was extracted from the from hand made ornaments. Thank goodness there were no glass bulbs in the box. A long handled dry west mop was added to the decorations just for an added touch. I got out the camera again and nearly dampened my underwear I was laughing so hard. This decorating job took a little longer to clean up and it looked as if they had begun as soon as I left the house.
What surprise will Thursday morning bring? I head off to swim class and leave Molly in the house and the 2 labs in the garage. Nothing bad can happen today, I say to myself as I leave the house. I arrive home about 10 AM, again being gone about 2 hours . I put the key in the door and I am greeted by one of the labs. The kitchen door is wide open and the bottom panel, that was a puppy door, has been bent so Remi can get thru.
Ok, I say to myself, this isn't too bad but I better check the garage. A large plastic planter is upside down on the floor, the contents, dirt, is scattered and there is a chewed up pari of crocs (shoes). A older pair of leather shoes I use for gardening and lawn work are added to this offering.
I return to the house to get my camera, laughing all the way. I had expected they might get into the plastic christmas tree in the box but no, the tree needs to be replaced, so they left it alone. Perhaps, they are saving that for tomorrow!

Friday is the last day, same routine. It is cold so I take pity on them and put the dog bed in the garage with them. I am expecting it to be in shreds when I return, but when I get home the bed is still intact and nothing destroyed.

I will most likely be in church when the kids get home on Sunday, perhaps they will be greeted by another decorating job.

Donna warned me not to leave food on the counter as they might get it, but not only food they might get, I think........

SIDE NOTE: I think Grandma might have had an easier time if we had left the kids and even though they did not destroy the tree, we surprised her with a new one. We did/do appreciate grandma keeping the monster while we were gone!!!