Pets, they are great

The kids are grown, have families and pets of their own, and are making their own pet stories. The pets of childhood are a pleasant and distant cherished memory. The photo above is from Unsplash, by a lovely lady, named Krista Mangulsone whom I do not know, but admire her taste in photography.

This picture is a perfect depiction of pet harmony, I get a sense of peace and calm while writing and visualizing it. This story somewhat deviates from the theme of the challenge, so I hope you roll the dices with me on my preferred pedagogy journey.

THIS IS THE PET STORY THAT POPS INTO MY MIND FROM A LONG TIME AGO~~~~~~~

So, we have decided to adopt, purchase or otherwise obtain an adorable puppy, and a cuddle perfect kitty cat.

The children will be so happy and amazed when they return home from school and find the delightful surprise that you have waiting for them. You bought the cutest doggy bed and kitty blanket. You bought doggy bones, doggy food, kitty food, chewing accessories, scratching gizmos and animal treats. You purchased kitty litter, pooper scoopers and pooper bags. Whatever else you forgot you will get later. You found the perfect Veterinarian for health and emergency care of your pets.

You have thoughtfully worked out the routine of responsibility that each member of the family will assume in order to make the pet acquirement a joyful contribution to the family.

Impatiently you wait in anticipation of the joy on everyone's faces for the huge sacrifice of extra responsibilities that you have incurred upon yourself.

Finally, here they come. They fling their bags away and give you big hugs.

"We have pets at last. Oh thank you parents, We will be forever grateful for this wonderful surprise. We will love and cherish them."

"What shall we name them, mommy." Asks Asriel, aged five.

"I wanna name one too". Ckris chimes in, not wanting to miss any of the fun.

"Let's name them tomorrow. Ok. Go wash your hands and lets get some dinner."

That is all except the child, the teenage child, who knows that she will be the one called upon to perform the pooper scooping, the feeding and the walking of the doggie. The two younger kids will only be required to do the cuddling and the loving of kitty and doggie. So she ruins the moment a little by sulking and locking herself in her room, ignoring everyone, with great shouts of 'I hate you all' ringing out her anger and frustration. All attempts to mollify her is ignored, so she is left alone to sleep off her anger.

Teenagers, right. You love them, yet you love them. Sigh.

You awake the next glorious morning to find your expensive pair of heels chewed up. Daddy's slippers are no more. The couch is chewed up, and doggie is sitting there looking at you with innocent puppy eyes. You stand there in great disappointment and wonderment, scratching your head, and you finally realize what you have let yourself in for. You totally commiserate with your teenage child, who emerges from her room with a smirk of 'I told you so' satisfaction written upon her face.

Father is making breakfast and mother is getting the young ones ready for school, when there is a loud commotion and a great bang and crash emanating from the living room.

Everyone comes running, bleary eyed, half dressed, toothbrush and one shoe in hand, spatula in another, to find out what the fuss is about. The younger kids think it is quite funny and are jumping up and down in elation.

Doggie is chasing kitty who is escaping by swinging, jumping and flinging herself upon, atop and into anything, The result is smashed lampshade, smashed keepsakes, smashed snow-globes and ornaments of many a trip to your favorite thrift store. Books are scattered all over the floor.

Daddy grabs doggie by his collar and locks him in his cage. Kitty finds a lofty haven and curls up to catch her breath.

"It just keeps getting better," Commented Cassidee, the now usual smirk of satisfaction of being right written all over her face.

"I know, lets name the doggie Chewy." Says Ckris.

"Chewy it is then." Laughs daddy. "And kitty will be named by Asriel later."

"Oh, I know, I will call her Storm. She made a messy storm." Asriel was happy with the name he choose.

"Agreed." Cassidee said Laughing.

Daddy had taken Chewy out earlier in the morning and , yes, it fell on poor Cassidee to take everyone walking after school. Doggie, kitty cat and siblings. She poutingly agreed. She was wondering how does one walk a cat. But she decided to figure that out later.

Know that the have been many a war between children and pets. The many moods and variations of wanting and needing the pets, based on what each wanted or needed at a particular time, made for many a temper tantrum and headaches. Over the years it seemed like a coin toss-up about the pet decision. But, in the end, fur and purrs prevailed.

Mommy worked from home and kept a watchful eye upon everyone during the days. Kitty kept mostly to her pedestal, eyeing doggie with a bit of malice. They were learning a little at a time to tolerate and get along with each other. Daddy was in charge of the training of Chewy. It was going well. He was a fast learner. Storm was now well adjusted to her litter box located in the far away washroom.

Pooper scooping will remain a bane to everyone involved. There were a lot of heated arguments all around, this was not a favorite pastime for anyone. But it was a grin and bear it type of situation. It just had to be done.

Being a writer can bring joy, brain fog, strain, writers block and downright stress at times. But kitty could sense the moods and jump on mommy's lap to curl up and purr soothingly, bringing a sense of calm healing for her torrid thoughts. Storm was a very intuitive cat.

As if not to be left out Chewy would lie down by mother's chair and immediately fall asleep. Mother was getting the benefits of having her furry feline, and hairy companion around. They initially got them for the children, but they were bringing fun and laughter, lightheartedness, positive moods and stress relief to everyone, even the skeptical Cassidee.

True confession.

Although I do not personally own a pet right now, my tiny apartment does not allow pets, regrettably, for now. So, I am living vicariously through the many pets of individuals who pass through and spend time where I work. I get to meet many furry adorable ones. (Boy can they be furry and hairy, sometimes they shed their hair like a tree releasing their leaves in the Fall). If you have allergies to pet dander or horse hair. Beware.

We get visits from gerbils, snakes, birds, worms, rats, cats, lizards, large dogs, medium dogs and tiny chihuahuas. Kids come toting their carefully held jars with little bright eyed fishes. Whatever the minds of individuals can dream up for a pet pays us visits from time to time on our country farm hotel.

Even horses form a part of this ever moving and changing tide of welcome part-time visiting menagerie.

I do not have one specific furry full-time co-worker. I have the opportunity to meet a myriad of part-time, just passing through, temperamental, loving, sniffing suspiciously at my hands, crawling, flying, riding, barking (friendly or otherwise), swimming, purring and 'I get angry if you get too close to my family', group of fleeting friends. A great big wonderful mish mash-like assortment of nature's gift of extraordinary companions to help keep us centered.

They all deserve the title, every single one of them. How can you choose which one type of happiness is more deserving than the other to bestow upon our individual emPAWyee. In their own unique way each one contributes to the happiness and all around peace and contentment of the collective consciousness.

Introspectively, (I again digress), I marvel at the architect behind the construction of the innumerable frameworks of designs that encompassed the models for the makeup of the totality of creatures, human or otherwise that was made to represent living beings on the planet.

Some of them are amazingly beautiful, some are downright scary, and some, although still beautiful in their own way, you want to run as fast and as far as possible as you can get to away from them.

But again, what a master architect and planner. What an imagination, from which all modern designs have been copied, whether deliberately or unconsciously.

So, I lift my hat to the ultimate co-worker, the Mastermind behind the sculpture and mechanics of life that allows us so much pleasure. To the master creator of all EmPAWyees.

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT.