Need some comic relief?

Then you should come and watch me try to walk the dog. Sydney is staying with us for a few days and is must be hysterical for anyone who gets the pleasure of watching me attempt to walk her. For all those who don't know, Sydney is getting on in years and is completely deaf. My parents keep trying to say that she's not totally deaf, but if that's the case I don't know what it is she hears... nothing that I scream at her that's for sure :) She's also a suburban dog... used to have wide open spaces to run in, leash free.

So we attempt to leave the house, this in itself is a struggle. To get Olan in his snowsuit, me in my coat with hats and boots, etc. all the while pretending that we're not going anywhere so that Sydney doesn't start freaking out and running around complicating things. Eventually we make it to the bottom of the stairs, with or without someone in tears by this point. Then comes getting the stroller and dog and me out of the house. I have to open both doors and prop the storm door open (which has a tendency to suddenly snap back and slam you in the face), at this point I give up on Sydney and let her fly out of the house... to keep her on a leash at this point would never work. I get Olan and I out of the house and look for Sydney. Usually she hasn't gone too far but since she's deaf it's hard to get her to come to you. So we take off after her, screaming her name all the while... mostly for other people benefit so that they don't think that I'm just letting the dog run around, I realize that she can't hear me. Before we get to the end of the block I'll usually have caught her, but this isn't necessarily a good thing.

Off we go again, this time with Sydney on a leash in one hand and the stroller being steered by the other. Have I mentioned that it is as icy as a skating rink around here right now? And that Sydney isn't used to a leash? I'm sure that you can picture the rest people... total freaking chaos, the dog running one way, the stroller the other and my feet barely touching the ground. By the time we make it back and I unwind us all it's all I can do to stand up.

Though on a more a positive note, I've discovered that my fancy new cupholder is perfect for holding bags of dog shit :)