I’ll never walk alone

Kodi and Buddy are keeping a close eye on me, Samantha has other things to do.

By Jacque Estes
| 11:00 a.m. January 15, 2016

Samantha has better things to do than follow me around the house. Photo Jacque Estes

"Tony," Doug Spence's cat, has to keep an eye on the plastic rodent they call a mouse. Courtesy photo

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

A chuckle from my husband resonates down a hallway in our home and I turn around. I don’t have to, I know the source of his amusement, but I turn anyway.

I am leading a parade of sorts, Kodi the corgi, followed by Buddy the Jack Russell, followed by Samantha the cat – a straight line, falling in behind me.

I doubt Samantha was intentionally a part of the parade, the rest of us were just in her way between point A and point B.

“Not in Front of the Corgis: Secrets of Life Behind the Royal Curtains,” written by Brian Hoey, refers to the fact that the palace staff knows when Queen Elizabeth II is nearby when they see or hear her dogs. I know that feeling. These days I am never lonely. In fact when I’m not tripping over the pups I go in search of them, convinced something has happened.

Buddy is following me because he is in a new place, after a long trip, and still adjusting to the massive changes in his life. Kodi needs to keep an eye on me – well, because there’s Buddy taking my attention.

There are some other commonalities, besides needing to know my exact location, and that is falling from the sky as I write this.

Neither is fond of heavy rain or thunder. Across the room Buddy is curled up under some sofa pillows and Kodi is at my feet. Kodi will go out in the rain if he has to, Buddy will not. Hurricane season is going to be a problem.

Years ago I absolutely refused to have dogs on the bed at night. That silly rule was abolished when Kodi came to live with us and chose not only to sleep on the bed, but on my side as well. It’s not uncommon for me to wake up with a dog at my feet, one pressing against my back, and the cat on my head. Thank goodness Rosie the African Grey is in her cage.

Now, if only Buddy didn’t snore.