just a few minutes before

I cut my finger the week before last, I thought about the dogs being outside.  It was a cold, wet day and I wondered if they'd rather be inside.  I went over to the back door to let them in and nothing.  They were gone.  We went outside and found the escape route, a hole they dug under the back of the fence.  I put the back seats down in my car and spread out the vinyl tablecloth.  It's like "you know the drill".  We drove around back and nothing.  We drove through the back of the neighborhood.  There they were, like "HEY! There you are!  What's up?"  It makes my blood boil.  Cosme gets it now.  So they were nasty and dirty and jumped in the car... front passenger floor board.  We got them back home and Cosme blocked their hole and I cut my finger.  The next few times they were inside, those sad "donate money to the dogs or they'll die" commercials came on.  I made them watch and said that would be them if they kept getting out and I won't donate any money.  I also told them if they like it so much out there on the loose then maybe they should stay.  Everything seemed fine after that.

We did realize one thing though.  Cosme was looking out the back window and saw Maggie walking around and Archer was back by their patched escape hole, DIGGING.  All this time we assumed it was all Maggie.  Every time we'd yell at them, Maggie would be unfazed with her butt wagging while Archer would barely make eye contact with his head hanging low.  It's like those dog pictures where you know one of them made the mess and it's always the one who won't look at the camera.  We've been fooled.  I'm not saying Maggie's innocent in it all, I'm just saying Archer isn't as innocent as he makes us think.

Oh well.  Yesterday I thought I'd let the dogs inside so I opened the back door.  Nothing.  They were gone and the new hole was right next to the old one.  They got out but I didn't find them anywhere.  After circling the neighborhood a couple of times, I came home and they were in the backyard.  I looked on FB and saw there was a post in the neighborhood group about two loose dogs.  So now we know the dogs will sneak out, go cruising, and then come back home and sneak back in.  It's so frustrating and something else needs to be done.

ugh.

In babysitting news, it's all going well.  Knock on wood.  I also need to buy more wipes.  Paige works a half day tomorrow so I'm making a list of the things I need to get done.  A Clicklist at Kroger is definitely one of those things, right after turning the heat on in Brazoria and maybe a pedicure.

I planned on chicken fried steak for dinner last night and invited Eric and Paige over to eat.  It all happened but I needed ibuprofen with a hot bath at the end of the day.  I also have some dirty dishes that lingered around for me to finish this morning.  On the plus side, I was very happy with the gravy I made and there was some leftover so I'll have rice and gravy for lunch... and possibly breakfast.

For now, I need to let the dogs out and hope they don't leave while I get chores out of the way.  It might be easier and less stressful to sit out there and wait.  I guess we're back to that.  Awesome.