Non-essential workers in Louisiana are asked to stay home. That’s me – a nonessential worker. I am trying to keep that order to stay home as best I can. Thus far, I have not been able to stay at my residence as much as I should, as I generally find an excuse to leave my house and mingle in the public almost daily. I know I can do better.
Yesterday afternoon, I picked up a foster dog from the local humane society. Maybe a dog around the house will help with my restlessness to leave the house. Daisy is a medium-sized mixed breed who is recovering from a hip displacement. She loves belly rubs above all things. I’ve had her less than 24 hours thus far, but aside from begging for belly scratches, she mainly wants to nap. I suppose the kennel at the humane society wasn’t a peaceful place to recover from an injury.
Daisy isn’t the prettiest girl, but she has a certain charm. She is affectionate, docile, and somewhat obedient. We are working on the obedient part.
We got up before dawn. I had set my alarm for 5:30 to prepare for a 6:00 a.m. prayer service online with my church. That gave me time to fix coffee and take Daisy out for a brief bathroom break.
After the thirty-minute prayer service ended, I read the news online a short while. Prince Charles of England has the virus. Our Dear Leader, Trump, wants to relax social distancing. His goal is to have the churches packed on Easter morning. I don’t think that’s realistic as virus stats for places like New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans are climbing quickly each day.
After reading the news, Daisy and I took a walk down the street. She’s pretty good on a leash, but she’s going to need practice to walk with me. She needed lots of prompts to stay to the right, but I wasn’t overly forceful, at least not yet. There’s time to break her into a proper leash walk. There were plenty of stops along our residential street, as she smelled the wildflowers growing along the ditches, and of course, mailboxes and light poles got a thorough inspection. Aside from a lawn guy cutting grass next door, we didn’t see a soul. Even my neighbor’s chickens were mostly quiet as we walked by.
Maybe my normal activities are considered non-essential, but at least for now, I have one essential duty. I am taking care of Daisy. And that’s good enough for me.
Gumbo Ya-Ya 
I often think of adopting a pooch, but then I remember they poop in the yard, and I quit thinking of it. I wish someone would invent a poop-less pooch.
Luckily, down where I live, no one is forcing us to stay home, so I don’t. I do pretty much what I’ve always done, which includes lots of staying home anyway. My wife and I eat in restaurants three times a week, and we get chicken takeout twice a week, which requires going out to get the chicken. It’s tasty. We walk in the plaza for exercise.
A foster dog? Does that mean you’ll be returning her? As you point out, she’s no looker. But I imagine the ugliest among us are more in need of love and hugs.
As you point out, the plague will likely not have calmed by Easter, but who knows? Let us pray so.
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Pooches do poop, no doubt about that. I am merely helping this dog get better in a calmer environment. I probably won’t capitulate and keep this gal forever. But who knows?
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What happen to your big dog in Honduras?
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He died after a long life. Bigger dogs don’t live as long as smaller dogs. He was 10 years old. I have fostered 2 other dogs before. I hope this one goes well.
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I like Daisy and I’ve never even met her.
Foster? That’s a dangerous word. I once volunteered to foster a little puppy someone had found abandoned on the shoulder of a road near here. So I took her home.That was 13 years ago. She is still with us I love Lucy and you’ll get to love Daisy too even if she’s no beauty queen. She’ll keep you warm during this crisis we’re going through.
P.S. What prayer service do you listen to in the morning? I could use some.prayer right now.
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I am unsure if I will keep Daisy. I don’t have a fenced yard so taking her out for play, exercise, and nature calls are a problem sometimes. She’s easy to love, though. Time will tell. As far as prayer, I am listening to Church of the King at 6:00 am on Facebook Live. More rewarding is a new one I found, Seeds and Souls, via Zoom at 6 pm daily. It’s more of a mediative approach to centering prayer. Again, it’s on Facebook Live.
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