Today in suburban Chicagoland the sun shone once more and I had to face the inevitable...the back yard. Those without dogs or back yards will not have the foggiest of what I speak, but I know some of you out there will commiserate. You see we've had a very snowy and cold and weather confused December around here. We've had snowstorm after snowstorm and then wicked freezing temps and wind storms in between. Then starting this weekend we had rain and more rain and flooding and then a great thaw. Until yesterday and today when it was dare I say...somewhat mild and dry.
I had to go out there. It's been almost 2 weeks folks and with 3 dogs and multiple potty trips per day you know what was out there. Poop. And lots of it.
When I got my cute knee high plaid wellie rubber boots I pictured myself skipping along the English countryside jumping mud puddles like a J Crew model. I really didn't picture myself plodding along my melted back yard dodging doggie land mines in them like a drunk hopscotch player. They're too cute for that...alas there I was. Cuteness factor cut down dramatically by the ugly metal pooper scooper I was wielding like a weapon in the fight against poo-poo. I have had dogs for years and have long suffered the delusion that underneath the layers of snow the dog poop will just disintegrate. Poof! It's gone! Yet every thaw shocks me back into reality - that stuff does not go anywhere. It's like being a dog-doo-paleontologist as the layers of snow and ice melt to reveal little piles of history just waiting to be discovered and examined. "Oh my look here! That pile has some digested red cardboard in it from when Fiona ate an ornament box... must be early December era. Fascinating!"
Oh sure...some of you will get on your high horse and get snarky and say I should just follow the dogs out each trip and scoop as they go to avoid this Poopapoolaza. But did I mention it's been really cold and snowy and we've had wind and ice storms? Did I mention I have 3 dogs, none of whom poop in synchronicity? Did I mention how cold it is out?
It occured to me as I was out there scooping (as this took quite a bit of time and the mind does wander) that my backyard is like a metaphor for the nation and the change of presidents approaching. Sure my back yard may be snow covered again by the end of January and look pretty innocent and clean and like a clean slate of new beginnings, but underneath there will be a lot of poop to clean up. A lot.
I hope Obama looks as cute in wellies and has a bigger scooper than me.
LOL... I feel your pain on the poop scooping, but what must be done, must be done.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Obama has a lot of poop to clean up.