When he cares enough to forget the very best.

Once the stress and hoopla of Christmas pass, there seems to be a new feeling in the air. It is hard to put my finger on it, but it feels like I have been on a roller coaster, about to be sick, and then they let me off and I'm walking around the amusement park with my head still spinning.

Oh, and I've had way too much cotton candy.

I keep thinking I will start putting away some of the decorations or maybe start a new project or maybe even get all the laundry done. Then the Hershey's miniatures and my daughter start calling me, and somehow none of the projects get done. I now know how the Egyptians maintained focus to build the pyramids; they hadn't invented Hershey's miniatures.

We've also had other things going on. It isn't just about the sugar highs.

We have been taking care of our neighbors' dog this week. Caring for a dog is different than caring for a cat. You don't walk a cat.

Well, you could try, but I'd like to read that post.

Plus, cats (whether indoor or outdoor) are easy to care for when it comes to potty issues. You either let them outside, or they go inside in a litter box. If you are lucky like us, you train your cat to go outside in the garage to go in the litter box, but then she has a mid-life crisis and goes inside anyway. On the rugs.

Joy.

Here's another thing about cats. Cats aren't hyper like dogs. Kittens have a lot of energy but then they have their first birthday and they get over it.

As my daughter says, "Maggie looks bored all the time."

I told her that this is how cats look cool. Cats think that dogs look stupid always jumping around and wagging their tails and hanging their tongues out like idiots. All the while, there is a cat on a porch all excited and dying to let it out, but having to stay cool and look bored.

Come to think of it, this could explain the neurosis of cats. They are just big balls of nervous fur.

So we've been feeding and walking the neighbor's dog. The first time we went for a walk, I went prepared with a bag for scooping. We didn't need it. She just walked and sniffed and peed.

The next morning we took her for a walk, it was very cold and I grabbed my husband's coat as we headed out the door. Halfway around the block, our little canine friend decided to leave a little something special in someone's yard. I didn't have a bag.

I started to rummage through the neighbor's trash but decided against it. It was the day after Christmas. They'd think I was a thief. Or just weird.

Then I reached in my husband's coat pocket and found a tiny piece of paper, a list he had taken to the store. Hmmm... not big enough for that. I reached in another pocket and found a Christmas card- for me- still in the Wal-mart bag. He had forgotten all about it. No matter, I had forgotten to give him his, too.

I took out the card and used the bag to scoop the poo. Then I read the card. It was sweet. Heartwarming. Unsigned.

And very timely.

Merry Christmas, Honey. Here's to another Hallmark moment.