"Fine! But... don't expect me to smile....."

The Where Are My People Discussion

"But, you said my people are coming today..."

"And they are, but not until closer to dinnertime."

"But, don't they know I'm waiting for them noowww?"

"I imagine they might think you must be napping right now, since that's what you generally do at this time of day."

"Who could nap with all this WAITING??!!!"

"Seriously, Day, it's going to be a few hours yet. Gramma is at church, Norma is at church and Auntie Nan had some errands to run but don't you worry, they will all be here for dinner."

"And Derby, too, right?"

"Of course Derby, too, and you'll both have LOTS of fun!"

"Yup, 'cause we'll play and then we'll run and then we'll wrestle and then we'll eat treats, lots and lots of treats, and then  he'll pee where I pee and then I'll pee where he pees and then we'll have a drink and then we'll play some more... and....."

"Sounds like you've got it all planned out."

"But why can't they just be coming noowww? Did you even tell them I don't like to be waiting??"

"Trust me, we ALL know you don't like to be waiting, Day."

"But I really just want to hug all my people and my Derby..."

"And you will, once they arrive... a little closer to dinnertime."

"My people are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Raincoat Discussion

"But, I didn't saaayyyy I wanted to try on my raincoat..."
"I know, but you needed to try on your raincoat."
"But, it's not even raining! Look behind me, do you see rain??"
"No, I see sunshine but..."
"No, there is no 'but'! You see sunshine!! I'm in a raincoat, a RAINcoat!!!"
"I know it doesn't seem fair right now, Day, but I just finished making this raincoat for you. I need to make sure that it fits you perfectly and needs no more alterations before we do find ourselves in rain and then you start complaining about how you hate being wet."
"But, it's taking my tiiiiime... and, and, and I wanta be playing and I wanta be exploring and I wanta be zoooooming and..... I wanta be eating apple pie!"
"We all want to be eating apple pie, Day, I'm just asking for a quick minute to try on your new raincoat."
"But, this is MORE than just trying on 'cause now you're taking PICTURES! And you knoooowww that I don't like having my picture taken when I'm upset; I don't like it just as much as I don't like wearing a raincoat when it's not even raaaiiiiiininnggg..."
"I know, and I totally understand... but I just need one more picture, okay? Smile biiigggg!!"
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Mean Old Tumor Discussion

"WhoooooooooOOO's feeling under the weather???"
"Not funny, Owl."
"Sorry, Day... I was just tryin' to make you smile....."
"It's okay. I just don't feel like smiling today."
"Why did you get a hurt?"
"Mama said I had a dangerous tumor and that I needed a surgery."
"That sounds awful."
"It was awful. It wasn't even a little bit fun and now it just really hurts and I'm really tired and I just really can't get comfy to have a good sleep like I need."
"Was it scary?"
"Yeah, it was scary. I had to be there all by myself and then I had to have an IV needle, and I don't even like needles... And then I felt all woozy and I don't even remember what happened after that except that I woke up and everything hurt and I just wanted to be at home."
"We really wanted you to be at home too, Day, everybody missed you... it was so quiet and boring without you to play with."
"Thanks, Owl... I missed you, too."
"And, all this pain and sadness is because of that mean old tumor that had to go??"
"Yup... all because of that mean old tumor."
"Tumors are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Hosting-Gig Discussion

"But, Derby didn't saaayyyy he wanted to sleep on the bed..."
"Well, maybe he didn't say he wanted the bed, but what I asked was whether or not you had offered to him."
"But, it's really only a one-pup bed and you KNOW that I love my naps up here!"
"Still not what I asked, Day. Derby is your guest and guests always deserve to be first-invited to make themselves comfortable."
"Oh, I think Derby's comfortable enough. Come on, have you seeeeeen the padding already on him?? I mean, seriously, take a look at ME... I'M the one who actually neeeeeeds this bed softness!"
"Still, he might appreciate a squooshy place to nap. Did you offer him another spot? Like maybe one of your daybeds, or your chaise?"
"Well... but, those are mine, too."
"So, that's a 'no' then?"
"Um, well... we didn't actually really talk about it."
"Well, I would like for you to talk about it now."
"Why would we need to do that? Clearly we're already settled... it'a aaall goooood, Mama!!"
"Actually, it's not all good. Come on down and politely offer your guest a comfortable spot to nap in."
"But..."
"No 'buts', Day. Get moving."
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Dusting Discussion

"Really? You had to take the feather duster while I answered the telephone??"
"Umm... I was dustinnggg?"
"Yeaahhh... I can tell; you got a lot done. I'm going to need that back now, please."
"No, but wait! ... There's nothing else to play wiiith."
"Day, you have a ton of toys to play with. Seriously, look in front of you, and these ones here don't even amount to one tenth of the toys you have... Annddd since these ones were all put away this morning you obviously had fun in bringing them out to play with....."
"But, I'm just so over them now..."
"Good thing you still have lots more to choose from then!"
"And I choose this one!!"
"Well, that one's not a toy and to be honest, it's a little gross."
"And I'm okay with that."
"Day, I would really like to finish cleaning... paw it over please. "
"Relaaax... we're taking turns here,  just like you taught me; it was your turn, now it's my turn and when I'm done, it can be your turn again."
"Do you even get why it's called a 'duster'? It's because we use it to dust things, it collects dust which ulimately means that since I have been using it this morning it is now filled with DUST...."
"And it feels 'duuuuuust' right for a cuddle-nap....."
"Greyhounds are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Entourage Discussion

"But, Derby and Cali keep whispering about me..."
"I'm sure they're not whispering about you."
"But, they aaarre whispering about me... look at them; they're not being very nice to me and they're not letting me in on their funny secrets!"
"I doubt they're actually trying to be mean, Day. Maybe they're just trying to figure out the easiest way to get to know you."
"But, they do already know me... I told them everything they need to know about me! I told them about how I'm a professional athlete. And I told them about how popular I was back at the track and how all the other athletes there tried to be just like me... And I even told them just how LUCKY they are to get to be my new entourage!"
"Now, see that right there, might just be part of the problem. Friends don't like to be referred to as an 'entourage'..."
"No, but I meeaaant it as a compliment!"
"Well, an actual compliment would mean saying something nice about each of them rather than just about your own self."
"But, there wasn't really enough time for any of that..."
"Building friendships means making the time, Day."
"But, they still shouldn't be rude and whisper about meeee."
"And, I'm sure that they'll stop... just as soon as you show a little more interest in being actual friends with them."
"But you're not even helping me or making them stop."
"But, I am helping you. I'm explaining how you can help yourself make changes that will make your new friends feel like you appreciate them."
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."