Good to be home

 

I took this out my window over lightening filled skies as we neared home last night. 

We are back and it's good to be home.  With the initial homecoming, comes the mega greeting.  There is nothing like it when you've been away for a while.  Many people say that dogs have no sense of time.  But if you are on the receiving end of a home coming greeting after a week or more, you know that is not true.  When we FINALLY (travel day from hell*) got home last night, Elsa gave us quite the display.  Standing at the top of the steps smiling, head bobbing and waving with gusto.  This type of greeting is typical for Elsa but the intensity was different. 

The length of greeting is longer and each separate action holds more oomph..  From the squint of her eyes, the degree of lip curl and wave, it is clear that this is no ordinary greeting.  The typical greeting has within it, lightly squinting eyes, usually a one lip curl reminiscent of Elvis and maybe a mid-range wave or two.  Last nights greeting was filled with all of these but with larger displays.  Her eyes were squinted almost completely; but with her brow down as well.  There was no half smiles, this was a full frontal.  Elsa flashes her teeth so hard that it causes her to snort/sneeze like dogs do when they are playing with friends.  And the arm waving?  Well, it couldn't be any higher or she'd have been standing on her hind legs. 

As we made our way up the stairs to the landing the body wrapping began.  As you all know, Elsa has a full tail that I adore and it is times like these that give it more impact.  She circles us like a cat; leaving her tail to linger; touching whatever it is wrapping on us.  There is nothing like it.   A great deal of snorting can be heard as Elsa displays her sheer pleasure that we are indeed home. 

Having left her in amazing hands; our trip away was relaxed and without worry.  But there is still nothing like getting your hands back on your dog when you've been away.   As we settled in for the night in the wee hours of the morning; Elsa snuggled and sighed.  Ahhhhh, it's good to be home. 

* Yes a travel day from United hell. From one cancelled flight, more delayed flights, rude employees, poor service and an airport of filled with insanity; United Airlines will not be seeing us anytime soon.  Awake at 7:00 am EST for our trip home; arriving in California at 5:00 am EST.  Tired to say the least.  We will be skirting United like the plague at all costs. 

Home again

 

Good to be home. 

I was away for a few days; away from Luke and Elsa.  As much as I hate to be away, it is good to get away now and again.  In fact I don't get away very often; so when I can I enjoy it to the fullest.  Of course this means that someone needs to take care of my dogs.  We have a couple of great sitters; so I consider myself very lucky to be able to leave Luke and Elsa in the comfort of their home when I have to be away.  I can't even imagine boarding them at a Vets like some folks do.  Left to sit in a cage until my return?  Uh, no.

Even though Luke and Elsa are happy to be with their sitter; there is nothing like coming home after being gone for a few days.  This time was no different; it is like there is a huge celebration party.  As Luke is getting older his big greetings are changing; this one was very different and had me smiling from ear to ear.  As soon as we walked through the door the excitement began.  Thinking that we were the sitter coming in; they were over the top elated that it was indeed Mom and Dad.  Elsa started to smile and continued smiling for the entirety of the home coming event.

Luke was on the couch; which is where he stayed for most of it.  He was so excited that he could not contain himself; he tried to run up and down the couch but his old legs kept giving out.  But that was not enough to stop him.  Resembling a seal on the beach he flopped around; half up, half down.  With my assistance he got to his feet once again, only to be down once more.  He had his happy sideways head on and was a huffing fool.  Our faces met as he felt the need to deliver some "WELCOME HOME" chin nibbles.  We had many eye contact connections; Luke's way of saying "Mom, you're home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

Luke and I were caught up in our moment while Elsa circled; her tail whipping us both as she passed by.  She continued her smiles which were very appropriate one sided Elvis grins.  She does on occasion do a full mouth smile but that is typical the first few.  Then she moves to the Elvis look; the left side of her mouth pulling up with excitement.  Her tail is lethal which we have all learned to keep at a distance.  Her whole body wags along with her tail; making her look like she is hinged in the middle.  With her head dropped, eyes squinted and lip pulled up, she is quite a sight.  A sight for sore eyes. 

We had a second greeting yesterday.  We had been at the gym very early and when we opened the door they were once again happy that it was Mom and Dad.  It was a much larger than the normal "oh hi you're home;" greeting but not as big as the one the evening before.  It's good to get away, good for us and good for our dogs.  Not ever going away is a big mistake; our dogs need to learn that we will return and be okay with our absence.  I know a lot of people that are never away from their dogs, but we should be; everyone needs a break once in a while, even our dogs.