Bob's New Year's Eve

Dear Friends,

This is Bob's mom writing to you today in his stead.

First, I'd like to wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and may the years ahead be blessed. That is the only time one adds an "S" to "year"  unless it is to add an apostrophe and an "S"  when one uses the possessive form as in "New Year's Day" or "New Year's Eve."  But, as the poster child for ADD, I digress in discussion of one of my pet peeves as digression and ADD are conjoined siblings.

Bob is recovering from a hard night. He gave us quite a scare, although our family tries to stay prayed up. My husband, whom Bob has referred to as "Poppa" and I were trying to be careful about his going outdoors on New Year's Eve. As Bob has stated before, he likes to go outside with Poppa.  Poppa also has the habit of standing with the family room door open so that he can watch the TV while he smokes outdoors and Bob plays in the grass or watches the water in a little fountain pond I made just off the patio. Bob comes in when Poppa comes in or he stays behind where either of us can see him from the inside for a few minutes until I call him in.

 Poppa and I agreed that when dark came, it would be best if Bob did not venture outdoors. Although fireworks are illegal in this parish, too often people who want to use them will buy theirs in neighboring parishes and bring them home to set them off. This is not a good situation for either Poppa or Bob. Poppa's a Vietnam vet and Bob is..a Bob. The noises have the same effect.

Poppa was getting in one last smoke for the evening before we were to go to church for watch night service. (I'm praying for him to stop smoking altogether) and must have been very engrossed as Bob slipped outside behind him in the darkness. I heard Poppa say, "Come on, Bob. It's time to go in." Then I noticed he walked through to the front of the house and called for Bob.

"He only comes in for you," Poppa called. So I went out into the backyard to do my special Bob call, which usually works if he's outdoors. If Bob is indoors he let's you know by doing absolutely nothing--except maybe continuing to nap in one of his favorite places. No Bob.

"Are you sure he's outside?" I asked Poppa. "The ground is wet. Maybe he slipped back inside and is napping somewhere."

"I didn't see him go in but check the usual places anyway," Poppa said while he continued to look and call outside. No Bob inside. No Bob outside. "If he's not answering you, perhaps he sneaked inside and has a new napping spot. We'd better get going for church."

We left my car in the drive and went to watch night service in my husband's car. On the way home we could see Roman candles cascading out of the dark sky and hear fireworks booming throughout the city. As my husband pulled into the drive I could see a super-size ball of fur curled up in the carport between my car  and the kitchen door. Bob was home and he was freaked out. If he'd had opposeable thumbs he would have taken the keys from my hands and open the door for himself. He dashed inside and ran to one of his favorite napping places in my daughter's (Pet Gurl) room. He realized he' not checked his bowl for a snack, came back to the kitchen to make sure a snack didn't magically appear in his bowl, then went back to the darkness of Pet Gurl's room for peace and quiet.

So that is how Bob's New Year's Eve went and why he's  will, from now on, mind when we call him from the outdoors.