Dogs of Our Lives: Molly & the Wooly Worm Prediction

:: Heard off in the distance:: 

Grammy? Hey, Graaaaammmyyy! Where are you?

Ah, here you are! We've been looking everywhere for you. Gosh, we should have checked here first - you seem to spend a lot of time in this room.

Don't be rude, Nash. She doesn't have a doggy door so she uses the tiny room instead of the back yard. Now, let me tell her our concerns.

Okay, Molly. I'll just listen in, though, to be sure you tell her everything she needs to know.

That's fine, Nash. Anyway, Grammy, we are concerned about the weather. It is all wrong according to the prediction we saw last fall.

Prediction? What do you mean, Mama? And could we have this conversation elsewhere? After I am finished in here, please??

:: Several minutes pass and Grammy emerges from the tiny room.::

Now, tell me about this weather prediction that you believe is wrong, Mama.

Well, remember that wooly bear we found last Fall at the park? According to trustworthy wooly bear sources, its coat predicted an average winter. Here. 

:: Molly hands Grammy some papers.:: 

Compare that picture we took of the wooly bear with this wooly bear prediction key that Nash and I found on the internet.

Mama, were you and Nashie on my computer again?? No wonder the chocolate chip cookies on my desk disappeared!

Sorry, Grammy. I did eat one but I shared the rest with Nash and sharing is good, right??

Sigh. I suppose so, Mama. Anyway, let me see this chart you've printed. Wait, you know how to use the printer, too?

:: Molly smiles sheepishly and nods.::

Hmmmmm. According to this chart, our wooly bear predicted an average or even a mild winter. So, what bothers you about that, Mama?

This has not been a mild or average winter, Grammy. We have had a lot of snow and ice.

We've already dealt with extreme cold weather once this winter,

and if you look at today's forecast, there is another cold weather advisory (it feels like -3 outside at the moment.) Plus, more snow is on the way tonight.

Hmmm, I see what you.... Wait. Mama, are you using my phone, too??

:: Another sheepish nod and smile.::

It just seems as though we are constantly having either snow, ice, or very, very cold weather. And we don't have a tiny room like you; we dogs have to go outside in all that bad weather.

Why, it was so cold one day that Tammo's ears froze open!

I can see you were going through the photos on my phone, too, right, Mama?

:: Sheepish nod once more.::

Sweetie, Tammo's ears did not freeze open. Trust me. He turned his head quickly just as I snapped a photo of him. His ear flopped open right as I took the picture.

:: Molly nods in understanding.::

Wooly worm prediction aside, I can't do anything about changing the weather. But I can do a couple of things if you are feeling chilly in the house.

I can adjust the blinds so that more sun is let into the house making bigger and better sun puddles, enough for everyone to get one.

I could pull your bed out of the dining room and into the range of more sunlight. Or give you a fluffier blanket on your bed. How about some hot water in your water bowl instead of the usual cool tap water? If you are feeling chilly, I would be happy to make some changes for you.

Thanks, Grammy. No need to move my bed; I'll just borrow Pepper's when I am feeling cold and wanting a bed in a sun puddle. Hot water in my bowl sounds lovely (could you add some beef or chicken broth to it for taste, too?) 

Your Lab breeding is showing, girlie...

There's one last thing you could do. 

I'm listening, sweet girl.

Could we dogs get our own nice and warm tiny room so we don't have to go outside in the snow and cold?

:: Smile.::  Sorry, but not a chance, Mama. Not a chance. 

:: Pat, pat, pat.::