Not to Jinx this, but he stayed alone.....again.....!

With all of the bad news and things that have been happening in my life, I took a big step today.

Actually it was Winston who took the big step.

This morning I prepared to go to church as I usually do.  When the time came, I reached down and Winston... for the first time... realized that I was about to put him in his kennel and he actually made an attempt to run away.  He still growled and nipped at the latch as I closed and locked the door.  But he was secure in his kennel and I could attend church without worry.

Today I was going to a  luncheon with a little group called the Social Butterflies.  It is mostly single ladies, either divorced, widowed or never married.  Every time I go there are a couple that are repeats but mostly new.  We were just meeting for lunch at a place that I had never been to, so I went to try out a new place to eat.  I had to meet my friend, Annette, at her house at around 12:30 PM and we were going to go together.

Church usually gets out around 11:30 AM.  So, after the drive home, I had close to 30 minutes to let Winston out and snuggle with him.  And, of course, this morning he seemed to snuggle closer and his eyes told me how happy he was to have me home.  So it really pained me to have to think about putting him back into the kennel.

So, I decided to give leaving him alone in the house without being in the kennel.  He followed me to the kitchen, I grabbed my keys (I had left my purse in the car) and Winston began to dance thinking he was going for a ride.  I told him 'no' and set the alarm and closed the door.  The last time I did that, he began digging at the inside back door like he was going to dig his way out to follow me.  This time he just stood quietly looking st the door.  I stood quietly for a minute or so and no digging.  I quietly went out the actual back door and still no digging sound.  I walked slowly and could not hear anything.

I worried all the way to the Bistro on 10 and got out my phone to get online to see the tale of the cameras.  This was another time I was happy to have those cameras working in my house.  The back door was intact.  I could not see Winston anywhere, so I assumed that he had curled up inside his kennel to sleep.  I checked off and on throughout the lunch and never did see him.

When I walked into the back door after a lovely lunch, he was on the couch.  For the first time since he came to live with me, he hopped down off the couch and walked into the kitchen, tail wagging, happy to see me.... and I am assuming... also happy that I had not locked him in the kennel.  So, I will have to try it again.  I keep having to remember that Winston is still getting used to being here.  But I think I am winning him over!