Three days ago the bulldog left the building. After five weeks of baby bulldog care and cleanup I was ready for her to go to her new home in the big city. The first day of freedom I just took off…. did errands…. honestly I can’t remember what I did exactly…. but it was good to get out of the house and not have to be back within a few hours for puppy parenting. The second day I spent mostly at my sister’s having a good visit and a nice meal. The third day I crashed from exhaustion and couldn’t rest because I had to clean but I couldn’t clean because I was too tired. Trying to visit with a friend who I’d met for lunch, I declined food and only sipped on soul restoring hot tea.
By the end of that day I had swept up dog hairs, vacuumed, washed down surfaces but only in a haphazard way. The vacuum still sits in the livingroom as I need to really go over things again. Window cleaning materials are at hand and floor mopping equipment is waiting in the wings.
From the emails received I hear she is nervous of the big city and still adjusting to her new apartment. As much as I would like to help with things and this adjustment I will stay out of the picture and just give advice from afar. Just yesterday ,I sent cleaning advice by email to my very adult son on how to clean dog pee from a mattress. Oh, they grow up so fast.
An Embarrassment of Freedom 
I’d love to have another dog but it would be too much like having another baby and I enjoy being able to come and go as I please too much for that.
The wee dog was so ashamed of peeing on the mattress that she hasn’t done it since , nor puddled on the floor. She has learned to deal with going on the elevator to get outside and is managing ok away from Gramma.