Angel Chuck Billy was all about efficiency. Periodically, he would summons me to his corner office for a performance review. Now I’m inhabiting that corner office as CED (Chief Executive Dog). On this 2 month anniversary of him crossing Rainbow Bridge, I thought I better give myself a performance review to update Chuck Billy.
Emergency Preparedness: For full disclosure, I’d like to begin with the area that I need the most improvement. Chuck Billy, you may have heard that there was a 3.9 magnitude earthquake in Maine last month. I still have my suspicions that it was caused by you and your littermates celebrating the start of your birthday week, but that is beside the point. I accept responsibility for not following your protocol of getting Mom and Dad outside in the event of an emergency. In fact initially I didn’t even react at all. Whereas you would have raced downstairs urging everyone to follow, I just lifted my head from my nap, made sure Mom and Dad were accounted for, then went back to sleep. That is until I had time to think about it, and rushed downstairs to see if the house shaking was due to you doing your barrel roll across the dog beds in the living room. You always did make the house shake. Sadly though, I was mistaken, and you were not there. I promise moving forward, I will react in a more timely manner to earthquakes.
However, Mom deserves a gold(en) star in her personnel file for remembering what you taught her in regard to beeping. Oh Chuck Billy, you detested all beeping noises! Recently when a medical show was accidentally on the television, as soon as Mom heard the dreaded beeping she dived across the room, grabbing the remote to hit mute, so you wouldn’t get upset. Not sure if you can hear the beeping on our tv all the way to Rainbow Bridge, but she promises that she will not let that noise happen again.
Neighborhood Patrol: I feel like you’d give me high marks for neighborhood patrol. Neither rain, nor snow, or actually lots of snow, will keep me from my appointed rounds. Although speaking of snow, I was asked by a few friends if you could cut back a little on the snow making. Don’t get us wrong, we love that you are thinking of us, and have taken up making snow as your new hobby at the Bridge. But it is getting a little deep here, to the point that I need paths to do my business. But I’m not one to tell you how to do your job, Chuck Billy, so please carry on as you see fit.
Your favorite neighbor misses walking with you. She’s joined me a few times, but she prefers not to hold my leash like she did with you. You’ll be surprised to know that there have been walks where no one held my leash! Now before you go writing me up for insubordination, this was all Dad’s idea! He’s been working with me walking at a heel without a leash! I have to admit that takes a lot of concentration on my part, to not get ahead, behind, wander off, or tap dance. So I haven’t been able to monitor squirrel activity as well. However with limited distractions, I can walk off leash at a heel! Surprised? Yes, me too! Only time will tell if I can still do this during warmer weather when there are more distractions in the neighborhood.
Time Management: Unfortunately this is where you’ll give me a failing grade. Dinner alerts continue to be an issue. I can’t always remember dinnertime, and have decided for my own preservation will let Mom and Dad be in charge of meal alerts. Ok, I admit most days they surprise me when they get my bowl, and announce it is time to eat. I know this is a great disappointment for you, because you kept everyone on a tight schedule. Now dinner is served anytime between 5:00 and 5:30PM, but one day last week Mom served it at 4:30! So a round of applause for Mom who is remembering this evening routine, without your staring, stomping, and growls. *sigh* The house is so much quieter now without you. Even a couple of Dad’s coworkers have commented that they miss hearing your dinnertime growls in the background.
And while we are on the topic of food, Mom is disappointed that I don’t keep the kitchen floor as spotless as you did. After meals I forget to do this chore, and instead continue my old routine of checking on my stuffie friends in the living room. There’s been a lot of changes here without you, and I don’t want them to feel neglected. But don’t worry! No kibble goes to waste! Mom gathers what I spilled, and gives it to me. But crumbs are a different story. Mom has had to invest in a broom since your departure. I promise I will try to do better, but I have a lot of responsibilities for one dog, and humans are very messy with their food!
However, you’ll be pleased to know I have mastered the midday potty / fetch break! Chuck Billy, if you recall, I rarely if ever alerted Mom and Dad to when I needed to go relieve myself. Instead I left that decision making up to you. Now when I have to go out, I will stand and stare at Mom, walk behind her office chair to the window, but rather than sit and daydream, I immediately walk between her and the desk pushing her away from the keyboard. It took a few tries, and a bruised knee on Mom’s part when she didn’t move out of my way fast enough. Yet with consistent training, she now knows that is my office signal of when I want to go out. Dad, as you can well understand, is slower to learn this new signal, but I’m working on training him too.
I guess that addresses the major points of concern for my 2 month performance review. Angel Chuck Billy, it seems like so much longer than two months since you set off for Rainbow Bridge. I miss you a lot! But rest assured I have everything under control, well sort of, and I know I just have to listen to my heart and you’ll be right there guiding me. Love you!
