When we returned from our overnight stay, it was obvious our animals missed us. We had to spend quality time with each of them to let them know they are special and that they did nothing to cause us to flee.
Today on the way home, we stopped and picked up some steaks. This evening I fired up the grill and sat outside to enjoy the waning light from the setting sun, while waiting for the coals to get grill-ready.
I'd poured me a glass of Merlot and as I settled into my chair, I felt a fuzzy presence to starboard.
I looked down and Caillou was nuzzling up. I petted him and told him how much we missed him....but then I said, do you see that squirrel?
His ears shot up and he was on full alert. He became stealthy as he scanned the back yard.
I whispered -- over there, he's eating your pine cones.
In an instant he was like a shot from a gun and he chased a squirrel over half the yard, always a few steps behind.
The squirrel shot up a tree, went up about 12 feet and then barked chidingly at Caillou as if he were a misbehaving child.
Caillou ran around that tree for ten minutes. I could almost understand what he was saying: "Come down here you bushy-tailed rodent, and I'll kick your ass."
Of course that never happened.
I smiled at the exchange. Because that's how life is. You have things that stick in your craw, and you'd love nothing better than to put a good butt whuppun' on it, but that rarely happens.
Life is messy. The lesson for us, I think, is to fight the battles we have a shot at winning, and when the squirrel runs 12 feet up the tree and chides us; we smile and say...one day my fuzzy friend, one day.
Today on the way home, we stopped and picked up some steaks. This evening I fired up the grill and sat outside to enjoy the waning light from the setting sun, while waiting for the coals to get grill-ready.
I'd poured me a glass of Merlot and as I settled into my chair, I felt a fuzzy presence to starboard.
I looked down and Caillou was nuzzling up. I petted him and told him how much we missed him....but then I said, do you see that squirrel?
His ears shot up and he was on full alert. He became stealthy as he scanned the back yard.
I whispered -- over there, he's eating your pine cones.
In an instant he was like a shot from a gun and he chased a squirrel over half the yard, always a few steps behind.
The squirrel shot up a tree, went up about 12 feet and then barked chidingly at Caillou as if he were a misbehaving child.
Caillou ran around that tree for ten minutes. I could almost understand what he was saying: "Come down here you bushy-tailed rodent, and I'll kick your ass."
Of course that never happened.
I smiled at the exchange. Because that's how life is. You have things that stick in your craw, and you'd love nothing better than to put a good butt whuppun' on it, but that rarely happens.
Life is messy. The lesson for us, I think, is to fight the battles we have a shot at winning, and when the squirrel runs 12 feet up the tree and chides us; we smile and say...one day my fuzzy friend, one day.
yep and that's pretty much the way it happens! ;)
ReplyDeleteHa! Well said..I have a squirrel in my tree of life right now that is just asking for it...one of these days...
ReplyDeleteDr. X is the squirrel in my tree. He'll get his.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Lola
a fun piece about picking our battles:)
ReplyDelete