TUCKER'S TAIL (Part 3)

Is the Honeymoon Over?

Tucker here, and boy do I have a tail (ha!) to report.

Some of my furry friends told me this might happen. At least I had three full weeks until I saw my first frown on Bert and Erma’s faces.

They were plenty patient with me and I got lots of rewards while learning that “outside” was the place to do my business.

When I dragged my bedding into the living room, I only got a “no, Tucker.” To help them put the cushion back into my crate in their bedroom again, I sat on it the whole way.

Though it was great fun for me, they weren’t excited to see the stuffing from the “It’s Autumn” pillows all over the floor. Then, I surprised them when I jumped up onto the island (yep, all sixty-three pounds of me) and ate a cube of butter. But I don’t think I’ll do that again. My tummy wasn’t too happy afterward.

The next day, the doorbell rang and strangers entered the house. Bert and Erma sat at the table with them, totally ignoring me, and played cards with these people. I tried to tell them I could learn the game, but they led me to the socks I’d taken from their laundry baskets and expected me to entertain myself with them. Now, don’t get me wrong—I like their socks. They smell like the walks we take every morning. But I could chew on these smelly things any old time. Cards. I wanted to play cards.

Photo by Miroslav Jonas on Unsplash

Since they wouldn’t let me in the game, I did the only thing I could. I grabbed a handful of the black, red, and white papers with funny symbols and chewed them to pieces. That’s when their smiles turned upside down. Bert checked to make sure I didn’t have little pieces in my mouth (good thing I brushed my teeth that morning!). Then, the worse thing happened. He said “no-no, Tucker. That’s naughty.”

Naughty. Imagine my humiliation. In front of company, no less. Forget about the honeymoon. It was time to schedule group therapy.

Erma gathered the last of the torn cards, threw them in the trash, and said, “I’ll bet you’re bored.” Dah, you think? She went in the pantry and came out with a new chew toy – a red Kong. She showed me how it squeaked, and I had a blast with that noisy plaything!

Their friends left, and Bert asked if I’d help make dinner. I tried to show him that I could better assist while on the island, but he said I had to keep four paws on the kitchen floor. Even with my minimal assistance, dinner still turned out great. In fact, I’ll share the recipe with you.

My Favorite Meatloaf
3 cups of chopped meat
2 eggs
1 cup finely chopped/diced veggies (it’s better if I don’t know they’re in my food)
1/2 cup cottage cheese (get the good stuff)
1/2 cup quick oats (I like Bob’s)
Top with a bit of ketchup (yep, only the kind with no sugar added)
Mix all the ingredients together and form a loaf on a baking sheet. Cook at 325 degrees for about an hour or until the meat thermometer says it’s safe to eat.

For now, happy tails to you. :)