February 19, 2013

White Dog noted that on Steve late nights that the rest of us tend to keep a little bit closer together, to crowd more tightly into the same room. Tonight we are all together in the office. I worked and the White Dog Army kept vigil and watched the clock for the hands to approach 11pm.

The space is not huge, about 10'x12', and has two computer workstations plus all the usual office sidetables and printers lining the perimeter. There is not a lot of room. Once YoYoMa is curled up on one side of my desk and Quinn on the other, the others are forced to sleep under Steve's desk (Siku's spot), in the closet (Oso), and in the open crate (Nuka). Sometimes Puff will curl up in the corner but usually she sleeps across the doorway.

The arrangement is nice and cozy and generates a fair amount of body heat in the room...Until some pup needs to stretch or take a potty break, then the calm orderly randomness becomes a bit challenging. The pup in need must find a path of least resistance around the other sleeping or unyielding White Ones, trying not to step on or raise the ire of anyone in the way.

Puff's gatekeeping becomes a special challenge but the White Dog Army, even blind YoYoMa and tipsy Quinn, have become very adept at simply jumping over her. Every now and again our little old lady gets a paw on her tail or some one stumbles but she is a tough bird...not moving, simply shifting to untangle herself.

Coming back in is usually not so subtle or graceful. Puff is expected to move from her position then and if she doesn't she faces the pup shuffling past pushing her out of the way or standing over her hrrrrmmmmpppphhhhing until she gives in. Once she is rousted, she tactic is to try to find some one's vacated spot in the room to take over.

Finally every one settles down again. But when Steve arrives there is a tidal wave of white all pushing to get through the doorways first and get out to the front room. In less time than it takes for me to announce, "Dad's home!" I am left alone and abandoned with my keyboard.