Gracie and Me

Off we go into the car, I have no idea what kind of adventure awaits me yet Mom packed up my food, treats, leash, and outdoor balls.  We were in the car for quite some time.  We ended up at Gracie’s house. I’ve been there before and received lots of attention yet part of me feels like this was bit underhanded, after all she forgot to pack my platypus toy for indoor play.  Does that qualify as neglect?

Upon arrival, they begin to busily gab mostly about me: feeding schedule, walks, potty breaks and so forth.  It never ceases to amaze me that they just talk about me while I am present as if I don’t understand. Unable to get their attention, I make a mess on the hallway carpet runner. Gracie picks up the odor first and they fly into action….Mom – mortified Mom – is cleaning up the mess; Gracie is taking the carpet to the washer before I could shake my tail twice.  Granted, this accident has guaranteed me at least two walks a day. Surely you don’t think I did this deliberately, do you?

When Mom leaves, I go to the door and mournfully whimper as the car drives away without me. Then, the sound of food into my bowl distracts me and I adjust to my new circumstances.

I continue my doggie duties just as if I was at home:  run to the kitchen when the refrigerator door is opened, oversee food preparation as one never knows when a morsel will drop to the floor; unflinchingly staring while Gracie eats hoping that remorse will overcome her and I will get some of whatever she is eating.  It matters not if I like it or not, it’s the principle!

Gracie smiles as she ponders the possibilities of the dog vacuum.  She makes a mental note:  postpone housecleaning until the dog heads home next week.

We go for a walk and at the end of the sidewalk is another dog looking in horror that I came out of Gracie’s house.  She says, “That’s my Aunt Gracie’s house, what are you doing in there?” I enjoy the reaction and explain that "I will be there for quite a few days."  "Who said dogs can’t be catty?" We engage in the “you sniff me, I sniff you” routine and then Gracie and me go for a walk. 

My metronome tail will set the pace. She gets a big kick out of the automatically retractable lead and I sniff joyfully at all the many different scents in this somewhat new environment. There are puddles which I splash in and enjoy a quick drink.  There are bushes, grass, and best of all there is entertainment: other dogs to meet and greet, bikers, walkers and joggers in their colorful costumes.  When we get home I get a treat.  Gracie expresses in great dismay “This is a treat? They are hardly bigger than an M&M.  You will have to get at least two.”

The day goes on and Gracie heads out explaining she would return shortly as if I couldn’t put the clues together.  I bark happily at the sound of the key in the door and give an enthusiastic display of affection upon her return. There’s no doubt I’ve got her wrapped around my paw now.

 

It’s evening and yes, I am getting that second walk and therefore, second batch of treats.  Soon it is time for bed. I am incapable of getting up on the bed so Gracie shows me how to get up on the chair, then onto the bed.  That bed is so high I hope I don’t get a nose bleed. 

I like Gracie's Unicorn

In the morning, Gracie claims that I dream and snore in my sleep.  I could say the same of her. It is a new day and I feel confident that all is well for me at Gracie’s house.      

Yours truly, the happy dog,  Millie

It is with heartfelt sadness that Gracie reports that Millie died on July 29, 2015.  The Vet said it was a heart attack.   Gracie is comforted by a Prophet who stated that when an animal crosses over "it is returned to the state of their felicity." 

Copyright © 2015 Martina Sabo

Gracie Enjoys More of Illniois

This is a state of sights to see as well as a state of a joyful reunion.

The message on every Illinois license plate reminds Gracie that she is in the Land of Lincoln. They are rightfully proud of the largely self-educated 16th President of the United States who led the country through its bloodiest war, reunited the union, and orchestrated the abolition of slavery.  Small surprise that many historians consider him one of the greatest presidents this county has ever seen.

Mural by R. G. Larsen with permission by the Dickson Indian Mound Museum.
Illinois about 16,000 years ago during the last major glaciation period.

Gracie decides to revisit The Dickson Mound State Park - as it is a truly remarkable museum.  She enters and begins an extraordinary journey into the past of a unique, ancient, ice age people which inhabited the Illinois River valley. Gracie is a proponent of glaciation and finds their survival fascinating.  She begins by taking an elevator to the roof to look out over the beautiful landscape. She then descends through the exhibits of  pottery, cooking, and agriculture; continuing until she reaches the area set aside for spirituality. “Reflections on Three Worlds reveals the world of Mississippian people whose 800-year-old sites surround the museum today.”* This award winning exhibition depicts the complex life and culture of these people. The entire museum is informative and uplifting, and is laid out in a way that contributes immensely to the experience.  Gracie thinks this museum is a crown jewel for Illinois’ state museums, well worth more than one visit in a lifetime.

Gracie's trip to Illinois also gives her an opportunity to visit some friends who moved from Gracie’s town.  They are the first of quite a few friends who now live along Gracie’s route and have kindly offered food and lodging as she winds her way across the country.

It is such fun to enjoy their beautiful home and spend time in their happy family circle.  One of the children just blossomed with the move.  She was so shy when Gracie first met her, she would barely speak to Gracie. Now she talks incessantly and invites Gracie into her room to meet her dolls and stuffed animals.  What a turnaround! The other children are also thriving.  Gracie appreciates the noisy taco dinner with all the chaos a family provides. Chaos is always more enjoyable when someone else is in charge.

The next day, Gracie heads to a mechanic to resolve an issue with her car.  She is concerned going over many of  the 2,200+ reasons an engine light can go on.  She is happy to discover that the light only appeared because the gas cap wasn’t securely tightened.  She knew about this car quirk, but had forgotten that soothing bit of information. “Look on the bright side,” Gracie lectures herself, for she is also aware that negative thinking is a destructive habit of hers.  It's paradoxical that we forget what we know, but knowledge is what makes forgetting possible. 

A gift from a fine young man from his visit to Nauvoo

Encouraged by one of her hosts' children, Gracie decides to visit Nauvoo, an historic site which has great significance for Latter-Day Saints. The years between 1837 through 1846 were tumultuous for the Saints who exited Ohio moving westward into Illinois because of persecution. In 1840, the Saints bought the small community of Commerce, IL, and renamed it Nauvoo meaning “beautiful city.” The town's population grew to 12,000 in a less than five years - rivaling Chicago in size. With their own militia the surrounding areas begin to fear that a voting block may come from the expanding group.  This makes Gracie chuckle as she know quite a few Mormons and they run the gamut of conservative to liberal on any given subject. Unfortunately, the Saints were forced to abandon Nauvoo following the murder of their first prophet, Joseph Smith. Today, Nauvoo's predominately Roman Catholic population stands at 1,100.

After her visit to Nauvoo, Gracie must move on, so she says good-bye to her friends and to Illinois.

*Dickson Indian Mounds web site

Copyright © 2015 Martina Sabo