It's Lovely Ratting Weather Outside

Yesterday it was in the 80s.

This morning it was in the 30s and falling.

Normal weather jumps for this time of year in North Texas.

Tom came back where I was reading while feeding the dogs. As usual Kaylee bolted her portion while Wash leisurely munched while taking occasional looks out the window.

I said, "Hey, we forgot to leave the dog door open last night."

"Did Kaylee go out this morning?" he asked.

"Right after breakfast and then she bolted back in, all frisky."

"Ahhh." And he grinned.

I looked at Kaylee, standing there near me. I didn't have my glasses on but she was looking at Tom, wagging her tail, and she seemed to have ... were those branches poking out of her mouth? Dear Lord, those were feet. And there was a tail draping luxuriously past them.

"A rat!"

"That's right," Tom said in soothing, cheerful tones. "And Kaylee's going out, aren't you girl? C'mon out!"

She'd dashed to the bathroom to show him which is quite sweet, actually. She loves Tom as her Alpha while still battling a general fear of men from her rescue dog days.

In a feat of calm I probably couldn't have matched, he coaxed her out and closed the dog door. He then got her to drop the rat. She, understandably, was loathe to leave her treasure out there for anyone to grab when her back was turned. She'd shown us her rats and squirrels before only to have them scooped up. This was staying firmly in her mouth.

Eventually, though, she relaxed. And Tom gave her a nice second breakfast as a reward. Hobbits aren't the only ones who love second breakfasts.

He then went out with the shovel, confirming her worst suspicions that he'd just wanted that tasty morsel for himself.