A Day with the Neighbor Lady
Yesterday was my husband's company picnic. Because the morning is spent on rented boats in a middle of a lake, dogs are not allowed to come. We'd be gone a long time, about 8 hours. Although I think Cabana could have held her bladder all that time, our neighbor two doors down adores Cabana and had been offering to watch Cabana for us, so I decided to take her up on the offer.
This neighbor is an older woman who used to have two doxies a while back. So she has some dog experience, but I was still really worried about leaving Cabana in her care. On one hand, I thought, why am I acting like an overprotective mother leaving her infant with a babysitter for the first time? But on the other hand, my excessive worrying made me realize that I was letting this neighbor watch Cabana as a favor to HER, rather than feeling she was doing a favor for us.
But I had already made the arrangements, and I knew this woman was REALLY looking forward to watching Cabana. I typed out a page of instructions and asked her to PLEASE not give Cabana too many treats (this neighbor keeps a whole tray of Milk Bones on her coffee table--I don't think any other dogs come over to her house, so I guess they're just meant for Cabana, in case we stop by). 
I also told her that we had walked Cabana already and that I'd prefer that she not take Cabana anywhere (I had horrible visions of Cabana getting run over while in this woman's care, and then we'd have to move away because I'd be much too distraught to live near this neighbor anymore.)
We got home and picked Cabana up--and guess what? Cabana was fine! She wasn't road pizza, she hadn't swallowed poison, and the neighbor was all in one piece, too.
On our way home from the picnic, we passed this winery. It made me think of our little yellow dog, and I stepped on the gas pedal a little more firmly. Just a little.
