Faithful companion

Took the dog for a walk on this rainy, chilly Saturday morning. When I got back to the house, I sat in the rocker on the sheltered side of the deck because even if it's cold and rainy I like to sit out on the deck a little and enjoy the back yard. My dog looked at me, silently asking, why am I here on the cold cement pavers instead of inside on a warm couch cushion?

His tail as at less than half mast because he'd rather be inside. Although he likes to go outside to go for a walk, when he can smell things and pee on things, once that excitement is over, he wants to go stretch out on the couch, or curl up there, as the case may be. His preference to be warm, dry, and comfortable shows him to be a sensible animal. He cares nothing for watching birds or appreciating the slow increments of spring. In terms of the beauties of nature, he is an utter Philistine--except for the smells.

When I stood up to go inside, his tail immediately curled up over his back, as an expression of his happiness.

When we got inside, I dried off his muddy paws and belly with a towel I keep by the door for that purpose. He got on the couch and draped himself over the arm because that end table surface is where my breakfast plate rested earlier. He was checking for crumbs, another highly interesting hobby of his. If there had been a half-drunk cup of cold, old coffee sitting there, he would have lapped out of it.

But because I know his ways, my coffee cup was cleared away.