For most of the summer now before John leaves for work in the morning, I have one important question I ask. “Are you working by Cleo today?”
About mid-way through this summer, I received a text from John asking if I could bring his shop vac to the job site as he’d forgotten it. It just so happened that the job site was where Cleo lives. I was more than happy to oblige.
I’d been hearing about this sweet dog from John and a photo or two he had texted me of Cleo hanging out with him while he remodels the family’s kitchen and living area.
Walking through the front door to deliver the shop vac one late morning, the sweet and graceful Cleo came prancing toward me. After petting her and rubbing her ears for a few moments she returned the love by totally leaning into my leg. She stuck there like glue for quite a few minutes while I chatted with the homeowner, Renee, and how Cleo came to be in their lives.
It’s hard not to be smitten with a dog and Cleo definitely wiggled her way right into my heart. Exactly why I’ve been asking the question most days of what job site John will be working at for the day. Though I have to say at times I’ve been a bit jealous when I know he gets to hang out with Cleo!
Even with the noise of a nail gun, hammers, saws, and a loud shop vac, Cleo stays close by watching John work. But when other subcontractors like the drywallers and plumbers have shown up, Cleo does not want to be near them. It’s almost as if her heart belongs to only one contractor. And that is John.
It got me thinking that perhaps Cleo is a magical dog.
Because it just so happens that the talk of bringing another dog into our lives began a few months ago. Well, for me, it began about two and a half years ago, but alas, that is another story I suppose. But the short of it is I have missed the companionship of a dog.
The other side to this though is that I’ve really appreciated the deepening of my relationship with John and the more time we’ve been able to spend together. That has definitely been a big bonus!
There have been many times my heart has ached for another dog. While I’m also grateful for the time I’ve been able to spend concentrating on myself also.
While staying at a campground in Florida for a month this past March there were dogs on just about every campsite. A few kitties too! So in one way, I got to be around dogs, but in another way, that ache would return again at times.
It was at this same campground that I began to open to the possibility of a larger RV – which had been a dream of John’s – and one thing led to another and we’d end up finding a great deal on a new to us motor coach we purchased a few months ago.
And that is when the talk of bringing another dog into our lives began. So we shall see. There are some days I’d really like a dog now, while there is another part of me that still wants to wait. So I continue to trust that when the time is right the stars will align and we will find the dog that is meant for us.
But for now. I think maybe….just maybe…Cleo is a magical dog who is opening our hearts to love again.
XO
Barb
