Nightly Routine with Perry and Lily
This is my first installment of Just Write, an exercise in free writing your ordinary and extraordinary moments. {Please see the details here.} Actually, the founder, Heather of the Extraordinary Ordinary, has hosted the Just Write hop since 2011.
By Mary Hill
It is quiet in the living room in my house … finally. Lily, my small Papillion/Chihuahua mix is finally settled. She had to go out at 10:30 to do her last minute patrol of the yard. Her black and white, tipped tail held high, she ran to the door, dance wanting out. I looked at her and said my usual, “You had better be going out just to use the restroom, little missy.” She just wanted out to bark. I opened the door and her mostly black with white chest, toy dog body barreled out into the yard barking with all her might. My husband moaned, “Can you get her quiet?” My daughter tossed and turned unable to sleep.
I went out into the dark backyard calling for her; only to hear an insistent meow coming from the back door window. My striped tabby stood with his back feet on my kitchen counter and his front paws and his head stuck up against the glass window in the door, meowing for me. A practice he also does every night as I try to get Lily back in the house. I go back in and tell Perry, “Get off the counter. Get down.” I push him off the counter and hear another groan of protest from back bedrooms. Lily lets out another blast of piercing barks that echo around the backyard.
I go back outside and call for and then hear, “Meeeow…”
I repeat at least two more times and then Lily, feeling she had bravely defended the back yard enough, bangs on the back door with her usual signal she wants back in. She comes in and sits to let me wipe off her front and back paws with a paper towel, then prances to the couch hopping up, and doing a couple of turns lays down for the night. I finally sit down at my computer screen and being to type as Perry comes and curls up next to me too and purrs as I run my fingers down his back. I work late into the evening typing and writing as the rest of my family sleeps.
Participating in:
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| THINK or SLEEP |
I like free writing, it is my favorite type of writing. I enjoyed reading your tale. That reminds me of when our cat named Little Kitty wants to go out and we let her out just so that she could use the bathroom, because she doesn’t like to use the litter box, but then she disappears and we don’t see her for hours. : )
I love this because I am pining for a pet (as is my middle daughter). And getting the cat off the counter made me giggle because it’s such a funny ritual/routine you have.
What a lovely story. Popping over to say hello from Behind the Scenes.
Thanks for visiting and your support. 😉
When we had dogs I was never sure whether they were part of my family or I was part of theirs. One I expect thought it strange I didn’t cock my leg when he did when we went of walks together. I enjoyed your piece immensely.
Wonderful entry! I know the way of pooches and kitties. Our pug goes out and barks her little heart out but she has such a deep voice, no one can really hear her. Still, it seems to do her good.
Yes, our little Lily looks like she has conquered the world after a good barking. She seems to think she put someone in her/his place or something.
No pets but the writing heart never sleeps.
I know what you mean. I am dreaming prose in my sleep some nights.
I can identify with this post, having both cat and dog FurKids. No one here complains, as Stella very rarely barks…I know, unusual! It wouldn’t matter, as I am at their mercy. Good post!
Thanks for your kind comments. We love our fur babies too much sometime and put up with too much. 🙂
Hi Mary ~~ This is a neat little story, with very pretty descriptive words strewn in at just the right places. Our toy poodle also likes to go out in the late night, about midnight, our going to bed time. But she is afraid of the dark so she doesn’t go beyound where it is lit Good thing because we don’t have a yard fence.
Best wishes for your surgery tomorrow. It is like sweet and sour, nice to have the promise of better times and feelings but not liking the risks of going under and then having a painful recovery. (I got hooked on Vicodin my last time. Again pleasant but a no-no thing. I never did use all of my stash.)
It’s what moms do. Work into the night while everyone else sleeps.
Have a terrific day. ☺