Besides the standard household items etc that need to figured out when you break up with someone, we also had a dog. Maddie was the family dog from the evil twin’s first marriage and when his son got a new dog at his mom’s house, I got to keep Maddie with me full time. We’re pretty good buddies. I give her too many treats, pizza crusts and crackers; let her sit on the couch, take her for rides to the places that give treats and get her some at the places that don’t (ie – McDonald’s – who doesn’t love a fry?), buy her more toys than some toddlers have and let her go outside without a leash on. I think she appreciates it, she sticks pretty close to me. But she’s not mine. She belongs to Steve’s family and Steve is her person. She gets more excited to see him than anyone else. And sometimes I thought he loved her more than anyone else.
So being the person I am, I was conflicted. Do I jockey to keep the dog with me, knowing that is just another thing that keeps me tied to this relationship I so badly need closure on or do I let her go back to her people in order to try to make a cleaner break? I don’t want to keep her and Steve apart but I also don’t want him coming over to see “his” dog once all the moving is done. After thinking and talking and thinking some more, I realized the best thing to do was to send her back to her first family. So tomorrow, she too is moving out. She’s going to live with Steve’s oldest son who will take good care of her and walk her and love her, but most importantly, she will able to see all her people regularly. I’m hoping she’ll come by and visit sometimes. I’m keeping the good cookies just in case.

I’m going to miss her so much but I’m trying to focus on the benefits of living dog free. For example, she is a shedder and black lab. There is probably enough dog hair around here to make like 6 wigs for dogs with male pattern baldness. I’m not going to have to start my day anymore by picking up a huge pile of warm dog crap with only a thin plastic bag to protect my skin from actual direct contact with said crap. I will be able to forget to put the garbage can away and not come home to the entire contents of the garbage can displayed on the kitchen floor as my punishment for leaving the house with out her.
I’m at the point now where I can see the end of all this clean up crap- the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak- Things have been moved out – not all – but some- enough to notice. I’ve been able to start taking over more spaces and spreading out and it’s working out nicely. It’s actually fun to start moving things around and decorating my way ( read as pink and flowers EVERYWHERE) The books, dishes, towels and most other things have been split up. I’m optimistic that this will all be done in a week or two and then I can really start finding my new normal. And once that happens, its only a matter of time before I can put all this stupid crying and sadness and anger behind me and really just focus on living my own best life.
But if you know me at all, you know that once I’m done being sad, that’s when things are going to get super amusing. Now it’s been like 7 years since I’ve been “dating” and I can only imagine the sweet, sweet cringe worthy stories I will have for you when I do get back out there. I can tell you this with certainty though – all other traits aside – all of the men I consider for dating are going to eat cheese.