Piggy and me at the USDA office

I wake up to the sound of Dad and Caroline moving around but usually lay there waiting until they are done using the bathroom and fall back asleep. This morning I walked the dogs and then lay down again. They left to start their days and I got up to shower. Caleb washed himself and the dogs. I had a piece of rye toast with passion fruit butter and bitter orange jam on it for breakfast.

We left the house at 10:30 for the dogs’ eleven o’clock appointment. What should’ve only taken 20 minutes ended up being six hours of running around between different Banfields and the USDA Wildlife Services office. While waiting on some paperwork, sitting on a bench by the check-in desk I saw a dachshund approach. When the owner neared I asked how many babies were in its belly. She assured me Pee Wee had a wee wee and no pups on the way. Oops.

A larger dog, with bows on, approached the scale and sat on it until she was given a treat. This went on about five times while a lady stood with a cat meowing in her cart and two girls dressed just as skimpily as their mother stood around waiting for their dog to be done at the groomers. Turns out the fat weiner dog wasn’t here to be seen (this time), he was waiting on his brother who made out with the veterinarian assistant in front of me – just another reason I won’t let my dogs lick things.

The same doggy nurse with the menagerie of dog poo on her face is the one that will help get our paperwork in order. At least when she hands it to us I don’t have to worry about her hands being dirty – or do I? The day cost some $200 for two physicals and a piece of paper saying as much. We finally got everything printed out, signed after returning to the office, and paid for in kitten souls, and got to the house at 5pm. I read to Caleb until Caroline got home 30 minutes later.

We began the debate about dinner, met Dad at the office at 7pm, saw Caroline play the keyboard and Rainy get hired at Timefire, then decided on True Food Kitchen. I said any spot in the restaurant would be fine and they almost put us in the lounge area, where the seats are bigger than the tables, which would be fine for drinks and cigarettes. I went to the bathroom as soon as we were seated and the sinks are located outside, trough style.

We split edamame dumplings, a kale crunch salad, a bowl of crudités, spaghetti squash casserole, and a tempeh sandwich with sweet potato bits and lemon kale. Dad ordered tuna and salmon. To drink we shared a medicine man, strawberry soda, kale juice mix, and an acai mojito. Dessert was a bowl of chia pudding, strawberry-rhubarb crumble, and a lemon tart with coconut whipped cream.

I left there three bites too full, but I wasn’t about to leave any sugary bite orphaned on the table waiting to be escorted to the trash by the busboy. I’d rather slather them on my taste buds and feel them slide down my throat where their joyous calories will give me the energy needed to find their family and eat them too.  I enjoyed the walk back to the car among the street lights, knitted poles, and stairs to where we were parked in the garage. Caleb and Caroline secretly decided to walk the dogs together, leaving Dad and I alone, only returning to cuddle with their spouses.