Getting Back to the Old Normal By Pocket

I am a dog who needs normalcy.  For most of the year I know what to expect day to day.  But then comes Christmas season and there is nothing normal about Christmas.

I am used to breakfast, chase ball time, a walk, lap time, sun time, supper, lap time, snack time, lap time, big bed time, and sleep time.   That is all I want.  I understand there are unscheduled times my parents have to leave the house.  But at Christmas, the entire schedule breaks down.

To signal the beginning of this period of great unrest my parents bring in the Tree of Unease and decorate it, then put lights on it to remind them that the Troubles are ahead.

Then comes shopping days.  These are one of the days I am crated.  Once the Tree of Unease is erected the shopping day grow longer.  The more my parents are the more anxious River becomes.  When anyone in our home becomes anxious I feel it, for I am an anxiety conduit.  And when I become anxious my tummy does flip flops.

But no one becomes more anxious than my mom.  With three children, their  spouses, and fourteen grandchildren to buy for, Mommy grows more frazzled every day, as she strives to make sure that every child feels equal and gets what they want.

First comes the buying, and then comes the dreaded wrapping, a tradition I do not understand.  I have seen the unwrapping, done in a few seconds time, while the wrapping can take several minutes.  I am going to spend time in my kitty condo this year working on some packing camouflage that does not involved scissors and tape.  I am sure Mr. Wonderful will back me when I appear on Shark Tank.

There have been some spectacular days during these troubling times.  We have so many terrific friends.  Koda, Josie and the Boyz; Marshmallow and her pack; Leo; Cali; Angels Tupper and Max and their pack; Freddy, and others who I apologize for not remembering, who send us wonderful gifts and treats.  These gifts fill my heart with love and eases my trouble tum-tum.  But, as more gifts are wrapped, and mommy grows more anxious about money, the anxiety overwhelms the era of good feeling.

The baking began on Friday.  I hate the baking.  The stove’s timers constantly beeping, the banging of pots and pans, the wicked microwave spinning and radiating.  I look for somewhere to hide but there is no escape.  I skipped both breakfast and supper that day.  The Tree of Unease signaled the three days when River Song and I would be left alone for a longer than normal period.  That time was upon us.  I did not eat either breakfast or supper that night.  When my parents returned home safely five hours after departing I had a small plate of turkey and kibble then a large smelly poop.

On Saturday there were bags and boxes of gifts removed from the front room.  My tummy began doing flip flops as soon as I saw them.  I was going back into my kitty condo while River nervously roamed the house.  This time we were there for four hours.  All I wanted was my mom’s lap.  When she got home I happily snuggled with her.

Sunday morning there was more baking, beeping, radiating .  Mommy was tense as she tried to do several tasks simultaneously.  Then came the packages, the kitty condo, and unwanted isolation.

Our parents were only gone for three hours, but River’s separation anxiety kicked into overload.  She knocked over several items jumping from tabletop to tabletop and she even spent time on my crate.  When my parents got home I still had my appetite, but my tummy was suffering from Post Christmas Stress Disorder.

Monday morning I left several small deposits around the house as I flushed this disorder from my system.  I have been doing better since then but I am worried what will happen in June.

That’s when my Pre-Christmas Stress Disorder kicks in.