A Day in the Life of Tank
Living
with an author/homesteader always keeps me hopping. As head dog, I'm
required to keep tabs on mom and keep her safe. But as you can see by my
daily itinerary below, it's a full time job.
My little bro, Iko is absolutely no help. And now we have a grumpy white dog living with us too.
My work is never done.
My little bro, Iko is absolutely no help. And now we have a grumpy white dog living with us too.
My work is never done.
4:30am: Oh, lord. Mom's stirring. Go back to sleep. S-L-E-E-P. It's still dark outside for crying out loud.
4:35am: Good girl. She turned over. Wait. Nope. She's getting up. Damn!
5:00am:
I don't hear any dishes rattling. Just the tap, tap, tap of her
keyboard. Who the heck is she writing to this early in the morning?
Iko's gone to investigate. I'll just lay here a little longer.
6:00am:
So hungry. And I don't smell any breakfast. More tapping in the
distance. Iko is back and he wants to play. I like it better when dad is
here. Mom always lets him sleep in and I stay to protect him. :sigh: I
better get up. Stupid Iko will just keep bugging me anyway.
6:30am: Time for the Tanky-two-step. Look, mom. Aren't I cute? I
give her a big sloppy kiss. She pats my head and apologizes for being
late with breakfast. "Let me comment on one more blog," she tells me. I
nuzzle her arm and she gets the message. I am far more important than
any blog.
7:00am: Yay! Food. It's my favorite. Chicken and rice with a couple of eggs. Mom is the BEST cook.
7:30am: Official
daylight. She's off to feed the chickens and she lets me go with her
cuz I'm the good son. Iko is such a dummy. If he wouldn't run around
like a spazoid, mom would let him go with us too.
8:30am On
patrol. Mom invites me to ride with her on the golf cart, but I'd
rather walk. She inspects all her plants, digs in the dirt, or gathers
logs and branches into a big pile. I sniff for all the animals who
traipsed through the property overnight.
11:30am: Lunch
time. I drool patiently while mom eats. I don't think she's ever
finished a whole meal by herself--not as long as I've lived here. I
wonder why that is?
Noon: Lunch time tapping for her. Napping for me.
3:00pm: Dad's on the phone! She has him on speaker and he said Hi to me. I love dad! He ordered mom to give me a cookie. Did I mention how much I love dad?
3:30pm: Dinner. About time! I was wasting away to skinny bones.
4:00pm: Another walk around the property. Drat. She says we have to take Iko with us this time. At least he's on leash.
5:00pm: Mom sits down for her dinner. Yuck. She's having a salad and a potato. Oh, well. I can help her with the potato.
7:00pm:
Time for another chat with dad. He always asks about us. Actually he's
only interested in me, but he mentions Iko and that grumpy white dog
just to be polite.
8:00pm: I might as well go to bed. Mom will be tapping on that keyboard for a few more hours.
11:00pm:
There she is. Now I have to move over. At least I made her spot on the
bed nice and toasty. She turns on the tv. I hope there are no dogs on tonight.
It's my duty to warn them off, but I'm tired and want to go back to
sleep.
11:30pm: Mom shuts off the tv, then gives me a hug and a kiss. "Mommy loves you, baby."
Aw, shucks. (She says that to me every night.) I love you too, mom. Can we sleep in until six tomorrow?
Aw, shucks. (She says that to me every night.) I love you too, mom. Can we sleep in until six tomorrow?
Comments
I've been thinking about our Murphy, long gone to Rainbow Bridge. Sometimes it's hard not having a dog. But then I consider the absence of dog hair and muddy footprints and think it's not so bad.
Wow, you get up so early.
Does he grumble and talk a lot like some rotties do?
Angelina: It's not that I want to get up that early. Once I wake up, I can't fall back asleep. It's a curse!
Sarah: He's actually very quiet. But he does hug and puts his paw on your lap. Because he's so quiet, I know there's trouble if he starts barking or growling. Tank vocalizes only when he suspects danger.
Mel
Ref: He'd sleep in if Iko would let him. :)
When Barney (our cocker spaniel mix) was alive, he WANTED me to get up early. He loved our morning walks - just the two of us - and I never missed a day (even when it rained). In fact, he'd try and wake me early (I woke up to a cold nose numerous times) - I was the one who would tell him to go back to SLEEP!
Roxy is only interested in getting up that early if there's walk involved otherwise she'll stay curled up till 9am! But I'm like you, once I'm awake I can't go back to sleep.
Brilliant post!
The only reason he drags himself out of bed is because Iko won't let him rest until he does. Iko adores his big brother though. As far as he's concerned, the sun rises and sets over Tank.
Iko and the grumpy white dog should get one, too, but only so they don't bother you while you enjoy yours.
PS Glad to see you're blogging again!
Off to pay my "protection money".
The head dog's job is never done :-)
However unlike your Mom I can and do go back to bed once my Chihuahua Nikki goes out and both tabby and Tom are fed their morning ration. Sleep is hard won by me so at least stay in bed till 8am as from 5 to 8 is my favorite sleeping hours, plus the 14 year old Chi needs more beauty rest or he is grouchy all day! :-)
See, I got the point of his post ;)
***
Jackie: The only time I can go back to bed is if I'm sick and both Tank and Iko are GOLD. It's as if they know I'm sick and they ask for nothing--not even breakfast.
***
Jennifer: He does lead the life of Riley. :o)
***
Jenny: Bingo! You got his point exactly.
Shelley: People are always wary of him cuz he's so big, but he's actually a marshmallow. He just wants to be loved.
Jill: LOL. Dad talks to him on the phone all the time.
Rula: I thank you and Tank thanks you. :)
Tank is cool!
Tank is such a sweetie.
Melissa: Tank is normally the strong silent type, so I was pleased he elected to amuse us.
Marianne: I should let Iko appear, shouldn't I? I don't know if I could keep up with him though. :)