LADY BUG AND JERRY
My shih tzu, Lady Bug has found a new friend. I’ve dubbed him “Jerry”. I’m not sure if Jerry is a male or female mouse, but the two of them are loads of fun to watch. Jerry moved his home into our patio greenery this spring, as he loves the leftover seeds the birds drop onto the ground. Jerry’s a fat little gray field mouse. (I mean fat!) and . . . he’s as smart and elusive as Jerry in “Tom and Jerry”, the cartoon.
Lady Bug runs out to the patio every morning in expectation of spotting Jerry, and he never ever disappoints her. Almost immediately . . . the dog and mouse games begin. It only takes a few seconds for Jerry to appear, peeking out from beneath the ivy. When Lady Bug spots his little head, she pounces at the greenery with full gusto, barking and snorting. Meanwhile, sly Jerry, long gone, has skittered away to hide in another spot. After thoroughly sniffing the spot Jerry was just in, pawing at the ground and whining, Lady Bug looks around the yard, bewildered. Then Jerry makes his appearance again . . . just out of her reach . . . and the games begin, again and again. Jerry runs into and out of holes, (and I swear) he has a smile on his face as Lady Bug chases him, runs into pots and shrubs, and digs frantically in the dirt to unearth the little guy. This little game goes on until Lady Bug gives up with her pink tongue hanging onto her lower lip, her face all dirty and spiked with small leaves and grass. Her face looks so quizzical in her frustration to catch the little guy. I never fail to laugh at her, which somehow provides the challenge to try again and again to catch the evasive fellow. I think it’s good for her to have a morning challenge, and I wonder every day what would happen if she accidentally caught the little guy. Probably spoil all the fun for the three of us. The two of them begin my day with a lot of laughter, and I find my day moves along more smoothly after my little “Lady Bug and Jerry” morning cartoon plays itself out.