My Stinky Valentines
“Love Stinks!” Remember that tender, romantic ditty from the ‘80s? Ah, the J. Geils Band – what troubadours they were.
Then again, maybe they were on to something.
On Valentine’s Day, it’s only natural to consider the ones you love and be grateful for their presence in your life. And I am so very thankful for my prince of a husband and our two most beloved children. Everything pretty much starts and ends with them – my greatest joys, my deepest concerns, my most fervent hopes, my best days.
Beyond that, there is my extended family – my amazing, supportive brothers and sisters (all six of ‘em!), my nieces and nephews, and my wonderful and gracious mother- and father-in-law. There are also the treasured memories of my own mom and dad, gone but remembered with love every day.
But there is another kind affection that abides at my house – one that dare not speak its name.
It barks.
Here and now, let me declare my love for my three girls – Bonnie, a black Labrador/Beagle mix (what we in these parts call a “Legle”), Penny, a long-haired dachshund, and Zoe, a tri-color Shetland Sheepdog.
I am an inveterate, incurable dog person. I find I need at least two in residence at all times (three is better). Any space in my house not covered by an actual canine may be adorned with a dog statue, picture, pillow, etc., etc.
In many ways, dogs are remarkable creatures. They provide unconditional love, cuddles and adorableness 24-7, asking very little in return. Some food, “out” several times a day, a place to sleep, the occasional Milk-Bone or rawhide chip.
Yeah, yeah, I know about $700 puppies and heartworm medication and unscheduled trips to the vet and strange lumps and surgeries. Dogs can be very expensive. They can chew things that aren’t meant to be chewed. They can smell funny and have aquarium breath (if you have a dog, you don’t need to ask what this is). And they can mistake “in” for “out” when it’s time to do their business.
Yes, I know all these things. But for the most part, it’s a good bargain. I can’t put a price on having a family member who will run and greet me every time I come in the door, and always, ALWAYS be really glad to see me. I can’t place a value on a kiss anytime I need one, or one who will come and find me wherever I am in the house and lie beside me just to be near.
I’ve become accustomed to those things. I need those things. It’s love in a furry, stinky package, but it’s love just the same.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
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