Today's Blog Courtesy of Facebook

Last week, I blogged about how I’d asked my Facebook friends what to write about here on Killer Hobbies. The consensus was that I should propose more specific topics than just asking a general question.

So, this week, I asked if I should blog either about how my dogs run my life, or how my writing does. More people posted about wanting to hear about my dogs’ being in charge than my writing.

As a result, Lexie and Mystie are my main topic this week.

First, let me say that my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are adorable, lovable lap dogs. They’re always around during the day, and in fact as I write this Lexie is lying on the floor beside me. Mystie, to my surprise, is sleeping in their crate (almost always with an open door) in the kitchen. She often chases sunbeams and sleeps where the sunlight reflects on our floor through our skylight. Otherwise, she sleeps under my desk when I’m writing.

Oops. This took a little while to write. Now Mystie is in my office and Lexie is roaming. My pack is ever on the move.

So how do they run my life? When I’m at home, they want to go outside and romp probably every hour or even more often. They seem to take turns needing to do something while they’re there--what my husband calls “maximization of treats” since they both get small treats when they come in, if even just one has accomplished something. Lexie will bark to tell me she wants out. Mystie will jump onto my lap and hug my face. Either way, they’re hard to ignore.

Then there are play times. Mystie loves to have squeaky balls tossed or kicked for her to chase. Lexie, not so much--so when we’re playing with Mystie she wants the front door open so she can see the world pass by, or as much of it as there is on our street. Both tell us when they want their own form of nirvana.

Sometimes, they just want a snuggle. One at a time, they’ll sleep on my lap as I’m writing. Of course the one who’s not up there will often demand equal time.

Mealtime? Lexie has a built in clock, although she starts telling me it’s getting close to dinner maybe an hour before she knows it’ll actually happen.

Nighttime? They sleep in our room, mostly in two dog nights in another open crate, although they also have dog mats elsewhere on the floor. Should they need an outing in the middle of the night, they’re not shy about waking us to tell us so, but they usually sleep till morning.

Then, in the morning, they take doggy bets on my husband and me, trying to figure out which of us will be dressed first and into the kitchen to feed them, jumping around to hurry the one they’re banking on.

There are times I tell them that they’re just being pesty--but would I change their behavior? I’m encouraging Mystie to bark less in her shrill voice, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing.

Oh, and how does my writing run my life? Whatever time during the day that isn’t doggy-related, I’m on the computer, generally writing the stories for which I’m under deadline. And when I’m not engaged in that kind of writing--I’m often writing a blog post!

What occupies your time the most?