The Yellow Rug

"The Yellow Rug", or who is more commonly referred to as Magnificent, Maggot, Margaret (said in a British accent of course), Mags, The Magster, Maggie...etc., etc. is my family's puppy. Not only is she our puppy, she's a great source of exercise, a good listener, and her behind always wiggles with excitement to the point of almost falling over whenever you walk in the door. Even when I abandoned her for a whole year to go to Europe, she never forgot who I was. Walking down the stairs when I woke up the day after I got back from Hungary, I could hear her waggly tail smacking the wall before I even saw her. But here's the thing...I've been trying to get back into a consistent work-out regiment since I got home to offset all the extra cookies and Hot Tamales I've been consuming. In the morning after my "unemployed but upbeat" regiment of coffee and The Today Show, I head upstairs and get into my running clothes. With tennis shoes in hand, I come downstairs and perkily get ready. Before I come downstairs, Maggie can smell it. She can smell the trail which I rustle up with my shoes and clothes. Sure enough, it's not long before Maggie's in my face, tail wagging, putting on her cute "Can I go too?" face. Now, I'm sure some people would just pop the dog a treat and be on their way. Maggie however, has powers beyond what most dogs have. I finally get to the point where I give up my run and just take Mags for a walk instead. Why not run with Maggie, you ask? Oh, I've tried. But bless her heart, my dog loves to stop and smell the roses....then another rose...and then that excrement left behind by one of her friends...oh, don't forget that little speck of dirt touched by a rabbit 3 days ago! Today I walked downstairs and she was in the backyard, away from the sight of me and my shoes...freedom! Yet, somehow when I got in the car and looked in the rearview mirror, I was mildly brought down when I didn't see those yellow ears flapping in the wind...