Simple Thanks

The other day, on an uncommon Pacific Northwest snow day, momma and I got ready to head out for our early morning walk and then make a quick stop to shovel our elder neighbor lady's sidewalk. "We have to get you all ready," said momma as she snuggled me tight, like a sausage, in my doggy snow suit. "Come on little suit," she said as she struggled with the zipper; and then sang an off-key, and somewhat wobbly version of "Hot Legs" while she strapped on my snow booties.

Waddle, waddle, waddle.  Off we went, down our drive way, out in to the gloriously cold and snowy, sunshine-filled morning. I sniffed at the little blades of grass struggling to lift out from the freshly fallen snow, careful to select just the right one in order to relieve myself. Sniff, sniff, sniff... Hey, I thought to myself, I'm pretty sure that Benny, the neighbor's Boston Terrier had already been here this morning!

All the while my momma is talking to me about all that she sees. "Oh Mattie, look! The snow has covered the Miller's squirrel feeder. I wonder if the squirrels will be able to find some food? What do you think Mattie?" Before I answer she is off on another thought. "Wow! Look at the mountains in the distance, they are all covered in snow! Beautiful! Don't you think they are beautiful Mattie?" I look up and... "Lets go see June, you remember June don't you Mattie" Wha? What happened to the mountains, I think to myself. But before I can be sure that we have completed our mountain conversation, momma steers me toward June's house and I listen as she ponders aloud, "I wonder if we should have brought June some scones or something for breakfast."

We quickly make our way across the street and walk up June's back steps. Shovel, shovel, shovel, my momma tossed snow and sang a song while I watched her clear a path to June's front door. As momma finished, June peeked out the front door, laughing a bit and said, "oh my, look at the snow" and warmly invited us in to her little house. We gladly walked in to June's warm house and momma unzipped me out of my snow suit and I wander off, determined to find Roxy, June's tiny 6-pound mixed-breed dog. I hear momma and June's faint chit chat as I make my way over to where Roxy's bed is normally stationed, and sure as it is cold outside, there's Roxy snuggled all warm in her little green and brown striped bed.

Roxy spots me as I make my way over to her bed, stationed securely by June's rocking chair in the antique-filled living room.  Roxy's little wire-haired face peeks out from under the blanket she had coiled in to her doggy bed, and I see her white little stubby tail wiggle, slowly at first, back and forth to welcome me in to her home. I look at Roxy and shake my big, fluffy tail at her, a signal that I'm glad to see her; and Roxy makes room for me as I climb in to her doggy bed, cuddling up to her to keep warm.

Just as Roxy and I start to fall asleep both of our little heads pop up from the bed as momma and June come in to the living room. June bends over, carefully bracing herself, holding on to the rocking chair as she stoops closer to us; and pulls out two little doggy biscuit, one for me and one for Roxy.  Roxy and I nibble on the yummy gifts brought by June, sharing the little pieces that break off as we chew our morning treats.

June sits in her wooden rocking chair and momma sits cross-legged on the floor next to me and Roxy and gently covers me with some of the blanket that Roxy drug in to her doggy bed. Momma and June softly continue their conversation. My eyes close. I can hear the hum of June and momma's conversation slowly fade as I drift off to sleep, snuggled up to Roxy, and feel momma's hand softly resting on my back.  I quietly fall asleep, thankful for this moment.

With love,
MattieDog