Meet Ivan, our unplanned weekend house guest...

Saturday morning, I received a call from Mr. N's dad asking if I could help out with the dog while they were out of town overnight. Sure! Of course I can help with him.

I received my instructions and was ready to go. Just had to go over and feed him, make sure he potty-ed, put him in the house overnight, feed him the next morning, and let him back out. Easy peasy.

So, Saturday night at 8:30 PM I headed over to their house to hang with Ivan for a bit. I got there, and just as I was told, there were instructions on the counter for me, along with food for that night and Sunday morning. I read the instructions...this should be pretty easy.

So, I went out back to see Ivan. He greeted me at the door with a big 'ole string of saliva {I mean like 9 inches long or so big}. I quickly shut the door back. He shook and lost the string while I was safe on the inside of the door! Crisis averted! Phew!!!

I proceeded out back to feed this guy. Man...that was one hungry dog! He wolfed his food down. Then, I rinsed and refilled the water bowl. Things were ticking right along just has instructed. So, moving on with my tasks... dog bed inside {check}, bathroom fan on {check}, dog gate in place and ready to go {check, check}. This dog sitting business is easy. Maybe I should go into business doing this for folks who travel?!?

I decided to keep my new pal Ivan company while he "did his business". Tobie never gets much accomplished unsupervised, so thought Ivan would appreciate the morale support. Since all my other items were done, I headed out back to hang with the big dog. Since it was cold out, I thought I should shut the back door since this could take a while and I didn't want to run up a crazy electricity bill.

I was sitting on the porch, throwing his ball for him {he wasn't interested--so I fetched it a couple of times, re-threw it, and then gave up}, and just chatting away. Then, I thought I should go back inside to see if Jeff had responded to my text message asking whether Ivan needed water indoors {it didn't say in my instructions}.

I turn {wait, the knob isn't turning}. I try again. I turn {still...the knob isn't turning}. Hmm. I think I am locked out. Locked outside of the house, in the backyard where it is below 45 degrees out, with no jacket, and a big, huge {and thankfully nice} dog. OMG! Now...I remember a time when Erin told me that Jeff locked himself out back b/c their backdoor locks automatically upon closing it. Great. Why wasn't THAT noted on my instruction list, Jeff?!?! Do ya think you could have written in big, bold, red font on the top not to shut the door behind ya?!?!? Kidding...really...I think....yeah...I'm kidding.

So, I decided just to go out the gate back to the front in hopes that I left the front door unlocked. I go to open the gate and...can you guess what I find...really?...think about it for a second...what could possibly make this worse than it already is....yep....the gate is locked. Looks like I am climbing the fence. Oh well....at least I am not big, huge pregnant or anything....oh wait...I am big, huge pregnant. {sigh}.

I think about yelling for help, but think that if I heard someone yelling for help outside in a neighbors backyard I would call 911...I wouldn't want to get in the middle of any domestic tangle. I don't think I need the police here. I think about how long it might take for my dear husband to grow concerned about the length of time it is taking me to let the dog in. Geez, that could be hours...if not tomorrow morning. Crickey.

I guess I am climbing the six-eight foot fence.

Wait....the pad lock (which is on the outside of the fence) isn't actually closed. A tiny miracle. I pull the lawn chair next to the gate, reach over the fence, and voila....I am freed from the back yard. See you in a minute, Ivan!!!

I round the house to the front and, yep, locked door. Oh well. I couldn't have made this easy on myself. So, I proceed next door, borrow a phone, call my dear husband, and beg for help!

Within fifteen minutes we are all {me, Daddy Q, Owen, and Ivan} in the Jeep headed for our house. At least Ivan and Tobie liked each other!! So, an hour and a half later...we are all calm, in our respective beds, and sound asleep.

I guess it goes without saying that I am re-thinking going into business as a dog sitter. I'll just keep doing it for friends to avoid sleeping on a strangers porch!