Don't Feel Like It

When you get up and get going of a morning how do you motivate yourself? Most will offer up the coffee angle. A cup rejuvenates and jump-starts the body. At times my dog is my motivator. The last thing I want early in the morning is a sloppy French kiss from my dog. I just want to turn over and grab another few winks. Not to happen. This toy poodle with the quickest tongue in the West is persistent. She'll sit as close as possible and tongue jab until her point is over-driven home. I can never say to her, "I don't feel like it."
I know the dreaded winter wake up calls are coming. Ten below and we have to go out and clear an area of the front yard of snow to allow her to daintily add color to the turf.
Don't get me wrong. This ten-pound dervish is as much a part of the family as am I. She rules the household and is fully aware that she does. If I don't have a treat for her at the proper time the whiner queen lets us know. Her favorite is peanut butter. A dollop on the end of my finger is whisked away with the aforementioned mouth tool. My wife and I can never say peanut butter in front of the dog. And even the letters 'PB' are verboten. That tongue flicks out and we are given the sob stare. A stare guaranteed to bring a sob because she looks so forlorn and my wife believes the dog's heart is breaking.
I have to hand it to that dog. She has even survived a death-defying wake-up call at 2:30 am. If ever I would be tempted to do severe harm to her that was the morning. I groaned and whined, but trudged down the stairs half-dressed and grouchy. We returned to bed and I was rewarded with one more thank you. A slobbery good night kiss. She is so precious.