Back in Black

I'm considering a song title theme for this month. I've always liked how episode titles of "Grey's Anatomy" are song titles, and since I need a little shove in the creativity department, hey what the heck?

So it's been a few weeks. Christmas happened and all the craziness that accompanies it. But now kids are back in school, hubby's back at work, my enormous pile of laundry has been washed and folded, and I'm all ready to start writing again. So there's the "back part." How about the black? I'm wearing my black boots, but not sure if that is really significant to write about. I'm sure not depressed, I've got a new daily regimen of exercise, medication and yoga/meditation that's been great at keeping my moods up. So how is my life black right now? What stands out most clearly is Berry, my lab-pit mutt. He's black, except for a flash of white on his chest. And now that kids are in school and Jon is at work, he's my number one distraction at home. And with Berry, there's always some bad with all his good. He's been happy as a lark that we have been going on off-leash walks at the dog park, but when we are at home, I can't get him to go outside and pee. He is the most stubborn dog I have ever known. He simply stands at the door, or walks out onto the front walk and stands, sniffing the air. I'm practically yelling "go potty!" a thousand times, and he just rambles around.

Perhaps that may lead one to assume that he doesn't have to go. Let me assure you that this is not the case. My lovely little pooch is incontinent. If he has a full bladder, it drips out. And even when he doesn't have a full bladder, he will pee when he is relaxed (mostly sleeping). Thus, his kennel always stinks and I'm constantly washing his beds and blankets. So I try to make him go every few hours. But as I said, he refuses. I'm pretty sure he is refusing to waste his precious marking material on his own yard where no other dogs come to smell it. Because he LOVES to mark. Leash walks can be maddening as he tries to stop and squirt on every third mailbox. I tried to discourage his marking by not letting him stop, but then he just keeps hoarding his pee, only to let it slip away in his sleep.

Going to the dog park in the morning is wonderful for both of us. I get my exercise without constant stopping by marksy-dog, and he gets to run as much as he wants, play with other dogs, and mark as many trees, rocks and clumps of grass as he pleases. This will be a win-win situation until it's 20 below weather. Then I think I'm just going to release him in the wild, load up "Gossip Girls" on Netflix, and take my walk on the treadmill.