Sometimes It's Better To Be A Dog!

About a week ago, we noticed that the water seemed to be running down the sidewalk in front of our house. We waited for the town water department to come and look at it. They did come out and inspect it, and then delivered the news that the water leak appeared to be on the pipe on our side of the shut off instead of theirs and that we'd have to replace the pipe ourselves. That was not the news we were hoping for, but we called around and finally found a contractor willing to come out and take care of the problem. Yesterday was the day when they were finally able to work on the pipe.

It started out simply enough. They used a large saw and cut through the sidewalk so they could lift it out. Then the scary part came for me. They went in our basement and cut a hole in the foundation of our house near the water meter. Surprisingly, the dogs were mildly curious when he came in the house, but after the disappointment of not being petted, they returned to the living room and went back to their regularly scheduled naps. The hounds were completely unconcerned by the fact that the water was now shut off. I was less calm about this fact than they were as I went into the bathroom and realized that they'd shut the water off before lunch and I'd used the last flush of the toilet. Still, I told myself that things would be alright.


My husband arrived home for lunch and he and Bunny went out to inspect the hole they'd dug. Bunny was pretty curious about what was going on. We had lunch and tried to go about life as usual. I will say that it's very easy to forget how easy we have it with running water most of the time. It's something that you take for granted. Still, I was hopeful that we'd simply have a few hours of inconvenience and then be ready to move on with life. The men returned to work after they had lunch and the dogs blissfully slept through the noise and commotion. That surprised me a bit, to be honest. People tramping in and out the back door, drills and saws going off, a backhoe running outside and they were all chasing rabbits in their sleep. The only thing that roused them all day was the sound of the doorbell ringing, but that proved to be merely a minor inconvenience to them. As soon as they realized it wasn't someone delivering stuff for them, they were completely uninterested. I no longer hold any delusions that they will put up even a token effort to defend me should we become victims of robbers or other nefarious criminal types. In his younger days, Hawk might have stood up for me, but he's too old to be too concerned with heroism now. Bunny couldn't even dream about being ferocious. Lilac could scare someone with her deep bark, but wouldn't go to the trouble. Blueberry might notice that they came in, but she'd soon get distracted by fluffing a dog bed and forget about it. So, I now know with certainty that I'll be on my own if the time ever comes.

As the afternoon wore on, I began to really appreciate the convenience of modern bathrooms as well as really missing having my own in working order. Maybe having a spare outhouse wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I remember how ticked off Treat was that she didn't have a special place to go inside when it rained and I wondered if somehow this was some cosmic joke of hers. In due time, Hawk and Lilac came over to let me know that it was time for turn out as I sat holding my bladder on the couch.

Me: Just hold on a little bit, guys!

Hawk: No, this is urgent!

Me: You think it's urgent five minutes after you just went out!

Lilac: We're old and we aren't going to hold it for you, or anybody!

Me: Guys, you really want me to walk all the way out to the pens in this condition?

Blueberry: You're kidding right? We have to go out there in snow, sleet, rain and heat! My Gosh, the heat! Suck it up, will ya?

Me: If you really loved me, you'd wait until I can get in the bathroom!

Bunny: I'll share the dog pen with you if you let me sniff your butt!

Me: Fine! You guys have it so easy!

And so, I realized that sometimes it really might be better just to live the simple life of a canine. Most of the time, I enjoy being a human, but sometimes I experience a pang of envy as I see them all camped out, enjoying the morning sunshine as I go off to work. They really do have it made, even if they don't have indoor plumbing!

At the end of the afternoon, the contractor rang the doorbell and informed me that they'd done their work. The pipe on our end was replaced and the hole in the basement was mortared in. The city came by and realized that the pipe on their side of the shut off was bad, too, so the joy is that now we have orange cones and sawhorses in front of our house along with a piece of plywood over the gaping hole. And we get to do the whole thing all over again when the city decides to fix their side of the pipe.