Friday, February 23, 2018

A night in my bedroom

"Jimmy do you want to take her out? Jimmy, JIMMY!, JIMMY!!",  I hear Cindy's voice saying as I slowly wake up, Man I was sleeping hard, I roll over and look at the clock and the red numerals staring at me through the dark look like a fuzzy 3:23am, 3:24, JIMMY!!, "What is it Cindy?" I ask, "Dixie is crying I think she needs to go out." She tells me.

"Oh Ok" I say as I throw the covers back and sit up on the side of the bed, I have learned the hard way to sit up for a few minutes before I stand. Dixie is now snuggling up against me wagging her tail like she is really happy that I am there.

Dixie our Dachshund lying on her back on top of a pillow on our bed.
Dixie sleeping on her pillow right where my pillow should be.
Yes folks Dixie sleeps with us, usually at the foot of our bed, that is unless she gets cold then she moves up above my head, which puts my feet to hanging off the foot of the bed, but that is a whole different story.

"Don't fall" Cindy yells as my knee hits the floor, "OK, I won't" I say as I stand back up and feel for Dixie to lift her down to the floor. I hold onto the bed and let my hand slide across the top of the footboard of our bed, after that I can reach across and touch the door to the bathroom, where once on the other side and after waiting for Dixie and closing the door I can "Let there be light".

Dixie and I go to the back door where I unlock the fortress and let her outside to go forth and pee.

3 dogs sitting together looking upwards.
Photo by Nancy Guth on Pexels
But instead she stands there and admires the stars in the sky, that is until I remind her why we are now outside, she is fourteen so sometimes a little reminder is helpful, heck sometimes I need a reminder as to why I am just standing there.

After making her "pit stop" aka going pee we come back inside where instead of turning left to our bedroom, she turns right towards the kitchen where she drinks what sounds like about a gallon of water, I guess you have to replace what you let out.

Now I'm trying to coax her back to our bedroom, but instead she heads towards Ray's (Cindy's Dad) bedroom door to check on him. Ray gets up anytime from about 2am to 4am and sometimes Dixie decides to get up with him, but right now there is no light showing underneath his door, so to cut down on time I lift Dixie and carry her back to our room, I shut off the bathroom light and stumble into the darkness of our bedroom where the only light is the red numerals saying that it is now 3:48am.

I place Dixie back onto the bed and it is then that I realize that I too should have made a "pit stop", so I make a u-turn and feel my way back to the bathroom door. Folks I am terrible at finding my way around in the dark, but out of the goodness of my heart, I have practiced maneuvering my way into and out of our bedroom without turning on the lights, I do this for Cindy's sleep health, not to wake my bride, for my own health, simply because it's easier not to wake her, I heard the line on TV once "Don't wake her, she'll maul you like a rabid wolverine!"...yes folks I'm scared of that possibility...

Seriously though she can walk throughout  our whole house without ever turning on a light, myself I figure there is a reason that I pay the electric bill, and that is to keep me from snagging my toe on the furniture, or ending up walking unnecessarily into things, or even worse ending up walking into the wall in the dark. Yes folks normally I have no problem turning on the lights, or leaving them on. Except for at night in our room, I try my best to leave the light off when I get up, because Cindy works hard taking care of her Dad, so I do my best to let her sleep.

Once I shut off the bathroom light and start feeling my way back around our bed, Cindy says "Dixie is crying again, you want me to get her?" "No" I say, "I'm already up." So again I lift her off the bed, stumble my way to the bathroom door and wait for Dixie, I close the door, turn on the light and make my way to the back door where she is standing, I once again unlock the fortress and allow Dixie out into the backyard where she stands admiring the stars.

"Come on Dixie, What are you doing now?" I ask as she comes back inside and heads for the kitchen. I leave her this time to wait for Ray and I head back to our bedroom listening to the lapping sounds of Dixie drinking water, I have learned from past experiences that she is now going to plant herself against Ray's bedroom door until he gets up.

I shut off the bathroom light, step inside our dark bedroom, and feel my way back around the bed. Just as I sit down and prepare to lay down Cindy asks "Do you want for me to turn on the light?", "It's a little late now, I'm already back in bed, and I didn't want to wake you!" I say to her. "Oh it's OK, I was already awake." She tells me. "Already awake! Then why did you wake me up? You could have taken Dixie out, yourself!" I point out to her.

Cindy then says to me, "Just look at the time Jimmy, you should really try and get some sleep." I could almost feel her smiling in the dark.

34 comments:

  1. I think Dixie might be ahead of you in the pecking order of your "pack."

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    1. This has been obvious to me for a while Val, I fall in somewhere below Dixie and the grandson. ha ha

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  2. I've been wondering all along why Cindy woke you, when she heard Dixie crying. Being awake herself and knowing her way around more easily than you in the dark, Cindy could have (should have) taken Dixie out.

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    1. I never did figure out why she woke me that particular night, but seriously she does get up with Dixie as much as I do, even last night she went out with Dixie and let me rest. I am also happy to say that this is not an every night occurrence.

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  3. It was clear to me that Cindy woke you even though she was awake because letting the dog out is YOUR JOB!

    Mrs. C works evenings, comes home around 10 and at 11 reminds me to turn out the front light. She could turn it out when she comes in, but apparently it is my job.

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    1. Joe it was definitely my job that night, there are a lot of things that work this way isn't there? Like you turning off the light for Mrs. C, you do it and knowing well that she could have done it herself, but secretly like me you don't mind.

      Your comment has given me an idea for a post...Thank you Joe.

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  4. That's what we wives do!

    I used to dread full moons with our old dog, Harvey, as he loved to go and stare at it.

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    1. Liz, you wives do it well too I will say.

      One thing about having an old dog is you learn to slow down and see things that you normally wouldn't.

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  5. Once again I am thankful that my taste in pets runs to cats, not dogs! Despite the unpleasantness of taking care of litter boxes, at least there are no nightly trips in the dark (no pun intended). Except for myself.

    I feel for you, Jimmy. And you are a good husband and pupper-dad to take care of Dixie in the middle of the night.

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    1. Thank you Jenny, they say it takes a village to raise a child, but with a dog it takes the whole household... We all get our turn making things go bump in the night. "nightly trips in the dark" ha ha I loved that!

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  6. I adore all animals, but I serious love my cats because they go to the potty when they're ready, and I only have to get involved with the cleaning of the box. It would be rough to have to get up like that with a doggy. I'm glad you rose to occasion and that Cindy smiled as you were doing your job so well. (lol) What a fun story! Happy Friday and Hugs...RO

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    1. RO, Cats do make wonderful pets but I have always been more geared towards dogs, we have had cats in the past but overall way more dogs over the years. Like you said someone had to rise to the occasion and this particular night it was my turn, Cindy was smiling because she keeps track of whose turn it is. Lol

      Have a great Friday my friend.

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  7. Now you have got me tired.
    I think Cindy and Dixie have you around their little finger.
    Lisa

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    1. Yes indeed Lisa, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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  8. When my dog was alive she had a remarkably great bladder. She could tell cycles too, if she knew I was going to work, she'd never pee or poop in the floor. But she'd usually go twice at night, wanting to go outside after being let back in. Never made much sense there

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    1. Dixie doesn't get up like this every night, and I think a lot of times it's more that she gets hot or wants to check on Cindy's Dad, but when she gets up she knows that she has to go outside first.

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  9. Cindy cracks me up. What a playful thing to do. I'm sure you took it that way. Right?

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to Dixie. ☺

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    1. Sandee, Yes I definitely took it that way that's why I made light of the situation in this post. Cindy and I have a lot of fun, even taking the dog out to pee...

      You both have a great weekend also.

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  10. I figured that since Cindy works outside the home, and you are a stay-at-home caregiver and all-around good guy that it's your duty to tend to Dixie's night time needs. LOL Have you tried nightlights? I have auto-come on nightlights in every room in the house except the bedroom. But I can't sleep with one in the room. I keep a small flashlight on my bed stand and use it often.

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    1. We have those nightlights in both Ray's bedroom and bathroom, I suppose the rest of the house would be a good idea too, but as you pointed out I'm not sure if they would work in our bedroom or not, would definitely have to get used to them.

      Yes getting up with Dixie is sort of my duty, but Cindy does help me out every now and then.

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  11. We sleep with our 60+ lb dog once a week now. We need a kingsize bed and she does tend to do the same thing and its rough on the husband when he hasto get up to work. So I can relate to just about ALL that the said. Too funny.

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    1. Debby, Isn't it amazing how much room a dog can take up in your bed, we have a queen size and joke that come nighttime our Dachshund turns into a St Bernard.

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  12. The things we do for our dogs (but I draw the line at the dog sleeping in my bed--she has her own bed at the foot of ours).

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    1. Dixie has had her own bed for fourteen years, she stores her toys in it and sleeps at the foot of ours. But if she were a large breed dog I don't think we would have ever started this.

      It's good to see you Sage.

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  13. Laughing fit to drop here... oh how I remember those happy doggy days and nights. Aren't wives wonderful and sooo clever at organising their men. I'm not sure if its due to cold weather but Charlie the cat has started sleeping next to me in bed. What bliss!

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    1. Valerie you hit the nail on the head with this statement, "Aren't wives wonderful and sooo clever at organising their men." I have to agree with you 100% on this one.

      It sounds like Charlie has it all figured out, in his mind he is keeping you warm and he also knows that he has it made and knows it.

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  14. I had to laugh because often Slim (she is 12) will scratch to be let out and when I open the door for her, she will stand and stare at nothing then turn around and come back in the house. Sometimes she scratches and she is only wanting me to let Frankie (she is 2) back in. We work for our dogs:-)

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    1. We definitely work for our dogs Annie, this is so funny that you mentioned your dog Slim scratching to be let out and just standing in the doorway staring at nothing, Dixie has recently started doing the same exact thing. lol, it is nice that Slim scratches for you to let Frankie in though. :)

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  15. Our old dog would sometimes just "Have to" go out in the middle of the night. Then we'd let her out and she'd just be looking at stars too, seemingly thinking "I wonder why I'm outside at this hour?" But we love our dogs, so what can you do?
    But like RO mentioned, we just have one cat now. He'll wake us up for whatever reason, but no one's going to escort him outside!

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    1. Abby, When they stand and stare like that makes you wonder what they are thinking, and "why I'm outside at this hour?" could absolutely be the answer. ha ha Yes we do what we can for our dogs, and you are 100% right about cats they are a whole different ballgame.

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  16. oh my that was hard for you i can imagine !
    Dixi gave you tough time that night and i truly appreciate the way you helped her peeing and drinking twice .

    our old cat back in my native town used to sleep near mom's foot in her bed and mom alway left window of room little opened to avoid such problem

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    1. Baili, I think this comes with being a dog owner, especially when you allow then to sleep with you and they can't get off the bed by themselves.

      I can almost picture your Mom's old cat lying at the foot of her bed near the opened window, this along with being a nice picture is also a win for both your Mom and the cat.

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