How Things Work

A surge of energy this morning hoping to make everything shiny and clean just uncovered new issues. After moving furniture out from the wall and getting every last bit of dog hair out of the crevices, we discovered the lamp between our chairs no longer produced a light. Logical solutions like changing the bulb and plugging it back in had no effect. After ruling out a blown circuit or a worn out plug, a trip to the local big box or home improvement store was required. Belle the Swell, the chocolate labrador retriever was sorely disappointed as we left just before her usual walk or ride time. She works very hard to keep us on a schedule. She eats at 5AM and 5PM, walks Ol' Abner whether he needs it or not at least twice daily, and campaigns for a ride within the city limits of our tiny town on the lake. Leaving the confines of "Dogpatch" causes howling and wailing along with loud sighs and fidgeting from the back seat. We left her standing crestfallen at the door. She accepted her treat and settled to wait. ("Stay" in her language) She will just have to understand that reading the newspaper and tv guide are higher on the urgency scale at this moment. Returning home with miscellaneous parts for lamp repair, we were met with such good cheer and delight that a stroll around the circle seemed like the natural thing to do. However, now that all the new parts have been added to the ailing lamp, it still won't produce the proper glow for reading. It might have been cheaper just to replace it. Meanwhile, Belle is already campaigning for her afternoon ride. Gadgets may not work as expected, but one Labrador Retriever consistently guides us through our day. She will be ready to eat when we return whether the lamp lights or not.