Oh Where oh Where has my Little Dog Gone ...

How can you lose a l00 pound dog??

We have recently had quite a lot of rain - which is great - making a huge mess out of my back yard and patio though.  We have discovered that water runs between us and the neighbors and across our backyard to the patio  - - mud everywhere - but anyway - - - tonight it was time to clean up once again.

I quickly grabbed the push broom from the small metal shed in our backyard and began a work-out of sorts!  Once the patio was swept - broom tucked away in shed - I grabbed a smaller broom and moved on to sidewalks and steps.  Checked the flowers - Checked on my big dog Roy who was playing in the yard . . . or wait . . . "Roy!" Now where had the big gray dog gone?  I quickled glanced all around the FENCED in back yard - and walked to the far side of the shed to see if he was sleeping there out of the way of me and my wicked push broom!  No Roy - No Roy anywhere in the yard - - - I began to look all along the fence for a hole he had made to slip under the fence - - - and although we have some loose areas - nothing had been disturbed big enough to allow him to make a run for it - - - I began a little panic . . . Had he slipped by me when I went through the garage side door to get a ladder??  I began to shout throughout the neighborhood for him - - - Usually when he escapes me - I can see him running in the field across the street from our house - or in the neighbor's behind us  - he never strays very far away.

I couldn't help but think . . . could someone have seriously stopped by and picked him up??  Had they been casing the joint and dognapped Roy??   Did he head down 8th street and someone picked him up - - - 

As I stood in my empty back yard - - - contemplating my next move - - - which was to jump in the pickup and go hunting . . . I looked at my shed . . . my little metal shed there in the backyard . . . AND I KNEW . . . the Big Dog had gone WITH me into the shed to get the broom . . . and he had decided to STAY - - - probably "cleaning" up our gas grill - - - which he likes to do - - - and I had shut the door on him!!!    Sure enough - - - opened the door and out he came.

Dog found - had to laugh.