the pay off
both kids are home with me today, this hasn’t happened for quite some time. since i’ve been flitting from room to room, picking up stuff, throwing stuff out, and sorting stuff, boo has been keeping herself busy with all the toys in the living room. the buns has been happily kicking on the floor rolling from his back to his tummy and shoving his fist in his mouth.
as boo has gotten bored throughout the day, she’s taken more and more toys out. she did really well the first hour when i wasn’t overwhelmed by everything and when i told her to pick up her current toy and put it away before taking out a new one, she was a little angel and for once did what she was told. then something happened, and i must have spent too much time in the kitchen putting things away and paying bills because when i cam back to the living room it was clear that the toy bomb had gone off and i was not at my post.
i figured i’d clean up while he was asleep and she was eating lunch. that didn’t happen. then i figured that i’d clean up after i got her down for a nap. that didn’t happen either. and i’m sorry to say that it’s still a mess.
the dog however has been a champ. all day he’s been getting squeezed out of the living room bit by bit. the more toys come out, the more he retreats to unfamiliar space to lie down. he was over by the door a minute ago giving me woeful glances and sighing a lot. then i spilled the cheerios snack mix and his slow and steady eviction has been worth it. with the speed and agility of a much younger dog, he traversed his way through the toy wasteland to be rewarded with yummy floor cheerios and pretzel sticks. which proves the old saying - put up with someone’s shit long enough, and you will be rewarded.
now, happy as a clam, he’s given up on the living room altogether and is asleep in the hallway. good dog.