Of Mornings and Fur Family by Konnie Enos

Bark! Bark! Bark!

Roo! Roo! Roo! (Seriously, she sounds like that.)

Bark! Whine! Scratch. Bark! Whine! Scratch.

Reeses, Mable, and Xavier want some attention and Xavier is making it worse by scratching at Tina’s bedroom door.

All this wakes me from a sound sleep. I roll over in bed hoping someone else will let them outside. I can hear his squeaky chair so I know he’s up.

Mable, who must have noticed me moving, comes and roos in my face. I open my eyes. The sun is up. I’m not sure of the time yet, but it has to be after seven for them to be making such a fuss. I do not see or hear Melinda.

“Seriously! Go away! Find Tina!”

She is unmoved by my protests and continues to roo at me with Reeses and Xavier adding their voice to the matter. Jerry, at his computer, has his earphones in, not responding.

I get my glasses on and see my bedroom door, and the bathroom is open. And to further make the point of the time, Tiger is on the bathroom counter eating his breakfast. (That’s where we feed him so the dogs don’t get his food.)

And if that’s not enough evidence to the time, Melinda walks past my bedroom door. And with Xavier still whining in Tina’s bedroom, it’s clear she isn’t awake yet.

To further make the point, the clicking of dog tags against the metal bowl starts in Melinda’s room. Meaning Gunner is now eating his breakfast. I can’t hear him, but I assume Ivan has been feed too. Three down, five to go.

Tina and both boys are asleep, Jerry is still not listening.  

With a sigh, I plod to the front of the house, which gets Mable and Reeses to shut up and follow me into the kitchen. First I get a scoop full of dog food and reach down to drop it in Reeses’ bowl. He decides to again drop his toy into his bowl, getting his head in my way. About half his food hits the floor.

I use my foot to push it closer to his bowl hoping none of the other dogs help themselves to it. I get another scoopful for Mable and turn to her bowl with her watching my every move. She waits for me to drop it in before she dives for it.

I glance at the clock. “It’s not even five after!” I glare at Mable as she now ignores me in favor of gobbling up her food. I grumble as I scoop up Xavier’s portion though Melinda takes it from me and goes to feed him herself. Xavier finally shuts up when he hears the knob turning.

But that isn’t the end of it because Hmwun and Bubbus have decided they want to eat too and are now barking to let us know they are hungry too.

Somehow this ruckus got through to Jerry and he comes out and fills both their bowls and takes them to both dogs. Eight furry family members are now fed and peace can reign.

While Melinda makes sure water bowls are full I hurry to the bathroom because I’ve been up at least a minute and have yet to use it. Running water would not be a good idea.

After using the facilities, I go back to my bed.

Now the only sounds are slurping and the clinking of tags on a metal bowl. I assume not Tiger because he, being a cat, doesn’t make much noise getting a drink.

Mable is now comfortably curled up beside me and I can assume Ivan is in Melinda’s bed, probably with Gunner and Melinda since I don’t see or hear her in the hallway. I haven’t seen Xavier yet so I assume he is still in Tina’s room, with her. Hmwun is outside with Jerry because I can hear them. It’s not Bubbus because he doesn’t have any tags on yet. Then the clinking stops though Xavier is whining at Tina’s door again.

Before I can move I hear it swing open. Then I see Melinda go past my door. The next thing I hear is the back door opening. Mable suddenly jumps off my bed and runs for the door. Most, if not all, of the dogs, run out.

There is no point in going back to sleep now. I not only have plenty to get done today, but it’ll only be a few minutes until one or more dogs want back in.

With another sigh, I opt for taking my blood sugar and getting some breakfast though I wish they didn’t have to wake me up like that.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.