It has been a big week in my world. Tonight there are many things I could write about that are big topics, but I am going to stick with the one that entered my mind this morning shortly after 6 am when I returned home from my workout.
How does my lab Dutchess discern what is unfolding?
When I come home from my workout, she barely wakes up. She never moves, and I only hear a wagging tail on my bed. She merely stretches and invites me to rub her belly by rolling to her side and throwing her legs up. Now, remember, this is her action every morning after my workout.
But whenever I come home from somewhere else in the morning, she greets me in the mudroom, but if it later in the day or evening, then she greets me and hugs me at the door.
How does she know?
And then there is the thing she does with her food. When we come and go from the house, she walks past her food dish every time. But when we come home between 5 and 6 or so she turns towards her dish, pulls it out of its holder and flips it around on the floor until I come to fill it.
And at the office, every day, she begins to get restless and rings the bell to go outside about 430 pm. She waits all day and somehow knows when we are thinking about wrapping up the day.
Dutch has spent many hours in the car with me. She comes and goes all day long with 
me. She is content either with her head out the window or sleeping in the back seat. She can be snoring, but when I approach the street before my parent’s home or the corner near my house, she is instantly up and has her head out the window.
How does she know?
And then at the office, Dutch knows which Caregivers will greet her with love and scratching or even a treat and which caregivers rarely acknowledge her. How does she sort out 60+ people and respond accordingly when they walk through the door?
In all of the energy that went into living well this week, I find a simple joy and sense of peace when I am with my crazy, dear, loveable dog Dutchess.
I may never understand how she knows, but I am grateful for her kind nature and her 
oddly keen senses. This dog and I are pretty attached, as often friends or family will try to take her somewhere, and she knows I am in the office, she will plant herself in a sitting position and refuse to move. The only way she will go is back towards me.
What can I do, but admire her love, her loyalty and her commitment to enjoy the life she has been given!
You are blessed. So am I, to be accepted so lovingly by Dutchess in October! I want a dog! It God….has convinced me there is only one Dutchess and I am so grateful HE gave her to you! Love you both!
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Years ago our dog Patty, knew when it was Sunday. We were at a cottage with family. She would cry when we would leave for the beach, and if we took her to the beach, want to go back to the cottage. What were we going to do come Sunday and not be able to take her with us? Come Sunday we got ready, not in our usual Sunday clothes. She jumped up on the bed and did not make a peep while we were gone. How did she know?
God’s creation is amazing!