I'M NOT SCARED.

I went out to dinner tonight. A friend invited me, her treat! How could I refuse?!
I had taken both Blue and Jimmy with me to work and since I worked all day... I decided to just leave them at the kennel.
I mean, why drag them home just to leave again and then come back and go to bed and then off we would go to work again.
Tomorrow I have to do both the morning and the evening shift so I won't want to leave them at home so it makes sense to just leave them...right?
Anyway.
I had a very nice dinner and good conversation and then I came home.
I realize that I am not out at night by myself much anymore. When I was younger, life didn't seem to happen until after dark. But now, well I'm kinda the early to bed, early to rise type of girl.
So I came home and as I unlocked the front door I felt glad that I live where there are people so close by.  Glancing around me, I felt comforted by the TV lights flickering through the neighbors curtains.
I walked through the house and shooed my little tiny dogs outside. I stood outside in the backyard and pulled out my cell phone. I called my sister to say I was home and told her a bit about the evening. Then I hung up and called to the "gang" to go inside. I used the glow of the phone to see my way back in.
It's funny how we fall into a routine and I missed the big nose nudging my hand to rub his head. Blue always goes about his busy outside and then comes back to me and leans HARD against me. Sometimes if I don't have my footing, he even makes me stumble. But not tonight.
Why does it seems so dark?

I go inside and fill up the water bowl and the little ones play as I get on the Internet to research how to make a toilet stop running. I go upstairs and jiggle and pull some stuff inside the toilet tank and eventually it stops. I have no idea why. But I am happy.
Now all the dogs want outside again.
I go to the backdoor, the weather is still warm, high 60's, maybe even still low 70's. The last of Indian summer. In weather like this, I usually leave the back door open. I let everyone out and then look outside and close the door and lock it.  After a short while I open the door and call to the little ones to come in.

Is that really my voice?
Suddenly I sound like such a "girl".
Yep, a girl. Not a brave strong woman.
Where is Griffin? He's my old old dog. I'm not really sure how old but at least 13. Officially he's a Shih-Tzu but I know that he's really a raccoon in disguise. He can get groomed all soft and fluffy and the next thing he's out in the dirt. Or pulling over the garbage or eating dog poop.
Yeah, I know it's GROSS but I have actually chased him around the yard trying to get him to drop a piece and he will get a BIG burst of energy and sprint under some lawn furniture, out of reach, where he lies in leisure and savors his "treat". His teeth look like Hell. I've tried the gels, spray, special bones and such and he still has NASTY teeth. But why shouldn't he? When he eats shit for dessert. I have spent so much cash on "dental's" for that dog but I won't be doing anymore. The last dental he had, he "died" on the table for a scary moment or two. Doc brought him back to the living, but it took some work.
So I digress.
Everyone has come in but Griffin. Dang that dog! I shut the door and lock it. I'll check back later.
I look out the door window. I've been working on enclosing my patio with fencing. It's not done, but it has created a semi-enclosed area within an enclosed area.
That should make me feel better. Double enclosure. Someone would have to go through quite a bit of work to get in my backyard right now....
so for now, I have created a "space"... a kind of walkway behind the new fence and the old fence. It's just a space, I mean WHAT would be back there?

Finally I open the door and YELL -"Griffin!"
I'm thinking if I sound mad and forceful maybe whatever WOULD be behind the fence, would decide against coming around it. Why would it want to come out from back there and scurry across the patio towards the house.

Talk about scurrying... Griffin the little dirt-bag comes running out of the darkness and up the steps into the house. I don't EVEN want to be smelling THAT breath!
Everyone is inside now and we are locked in tight.
I'm on the computer and I hear something in the kitchen.
I switch on the light

and Griffin runs out of the room. He's pulled open a cabinet door and has spilled Malt-O-Meal on the floor. I had forgotten I even had Malt-O-Meal.
I clean it up and come back to write a post. To get my mind off of being in a house full of dogs but the biggest one being only 18 lbs. 
I miss my Blue.