Shut the Door!

Yesterday, I picked up Dimples from her after-school care, which happens to take place in her school cafeteria, and drove the ten blocks home.

When I stopped the car in the driveway, Dimples said, “I have a Safety Patrol meeting at 5.”  In the school cafeteria.  It was 4:40.

After we spent a couple of minutes arguing in the car about whether she had ever mentioned this meeting to me (she says she did, and I forgot – which I’m pretty sure is true), and why she could not have reminded me this morning or, at the very least, before we pulled out of her school parking lot, we went inside the house.

Wonderbutt was, as usual, quite enthusiastic about our arrival.  He had managed to pull two cushions off the couch, and was proud to show off his accomplishment.

After I made a hasty bathroom visit to “freshen up” and Dimples gobbled down a quick snack, we did a u-turn out the door – leaving behind a completely befuddled bulldog.

When we arrived at the meeting, I sidled up to the Patrol sponsor to find out how long we would be there.  I knew Wonderbutt was not going to be pleased with our sudden entrance and exit, and I was pretty sure that leaving him alone for an hour would have disastrous results.  The sponsor assured me that it would be 20 minutes.

It was 15.  Feeling slightly encouraged by this unusually short meeting, and only somewhat put-out that I had wasted my time over-transporting Dimples, I drove us both quickly home.

“He’s not barking at us!” Dimples said, happily, when our feet hit the porch.  To her, this was a good sign.  To me, this meant he was far too busy doing dastardly deeds.

Sure enough, we entered the house to find shredded newspaper in every nook and cranny.

Ironically, the primary object of Wonderbutt's wrath was the Food section of the newspaper.

“Where did it come from?” Dimples asked in astonishment.

I walked into the kitchen.  The pantry door was wide open.  Inside our pantry are the recycling bins.  Mystery solved.

Except – who had left the pantry door open?  Surely not the person who, months ago, firmly taped this sign on the door…

We also keep plastic grocery store (H.E.B.) bags in the pantry. Wonderbutt loves to eat those.

Oh, and we keep snacks in the pantry.  Like the one Dimples ate right before we left for the Patrol meeting.

“Oops,” said Dimples.  Without a word, she began to pick up the mess.

Today’s score:  Dimples- 1, Mom – 1 (thanks to Wonderbutt )