Double Dog Dinner

It finally happened.

We aren’t a scheduling sort of family.

We are a helping sort of family.

The dogs are fed dinner between 5-6. It is not anyone’s particular assigned duty.

You see where this is going.

Here's how it happened:

We aren’t a scheduling sort of family. 

We have different jobs, activities, and lifestyles. There is no set time for meals or family check-ins. We don’t routinely gather at a certain place or time of day to spend time together.

No, we don’t eat meals together and we don’t even eat the same thing. (I know, I know – you do your family your way. This is our way.)

We are a helping sort of family. 

If someone sees a task that needs to be done -- taking the trash out for example -- they do it.  I believe that in a family, everyone shares the work. Obviously in a previous life, I was a herding dog.

I have worked hard to make this happen. Since my children were toddlers they were expected to help. As toddlers, their “help” often created more work, but I was investing for the future.

After grocery shopping, everyone carried a bag into the house. Usually, I had to rearrange the bag contents, overloading the adult-carried bags to make lighter child-carried bags. But everyone helped.

Caution!  Three year-olds are enthusiastic helpers, but the eggs might not make it into the house intact. It happens. ¯\_()_/¯

So double dog dinner was inevitable. 

I fed the dogs their dinner.

I made my dinner: scrambled eggs on toast. I had some leftover, so the dogs got a little bonus treat.

Then I went about my evening tasks.

 

Sandy

Arya

My son and granddaughter came home. He made her dinner: steak.

While it  cooked, he fed the dogs.

Naturally, the granddaughter didn’t finish her steak. So you guessed it, the dogs get a little extra after dinner treat.

Caught you! 

Enter me. I see the dogs licking their bowls.

I ask my son, “Did you feed the dogs?” 

“Yes.”

“So did I.”

I turn to the dogs. “Sandy? Did you get a second dinner?” Sandy avoids all eye contact.

“Arya? Did you get a second dinner?” Arya avoids all eye contact.


And in case you were wondering: 

Neither dog displayed any remorse.

The next morning, both dogs feigned near starvation when I was delayed getting their breakfast. Poor things.

I love my found family.

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