My efficiency and planning thwarted YET AGAIN by AC Transit jankery.

#DaycareDay
#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog

Taking pictures of explosive 🐶 💩 for the vet.

This is what my life is now.

#LadyBachelorWithADog

Bestie walk with Benson to grab coffee and pastries was so good.

One must feed and water the Besties! She gave me a little token of Bestieship: a tiny ceramic finger bowl with a tiny spoon.

I love tiny ass bowls and spoons. And delicate teacups/saucers? Omg I die. Little things that fit just so in my small hands? I have a whole Pinterest board about it.

Prepping the livingroom so it's less dog-forward and my scheduled in-home massage appointment is soothing and relaxing for both of us!

#LadyBachelorWithADog

At the BART station, Schmoopie face and I were standing off to the side letting riders rush through the gates.

Benson stands in excitement, panting at the people, liking the sounds and smells of the station.

I'm just enjoying the sweaty break from our long walk through the parkway. Literally, the sweat is everywhere. It's gross.

A young guy in dreds lopes past, his attention caught by Benson who is in his 'noble' stance. The kid grins and moves on, still smiling at Benson.

Then he's back. With a small camera in his hands.

Him: Do you mind if I take a picture?
Me: Uh, sure.
Him: The hair, the glove, the dog. It's everything.

Huh. That was a nice lift to the end of the day.

#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog

You know you're a sucker Dog Momma when you wear your Bluetooth Galaxy buds so you don't wake up your dog with the scary sounds from the thriller you're watching.

#LadyBachelorWithADog

Happy place:

Reorganizing the dog tower.

Benson chewed through his leash in a car-ride frenzy yesterday (must remember to muzzle him for car rides) so I bought two more, and all the dog stuff just made me anxious. Hence the reorg.

That little wheeled tray comes in handy.

We're also running errands together later. It's going to be a full day of #LadyBachelorWithADog.

#BensonUpdate

Why I'm #SoPo and date as un-heteronormatively as I can. (Shout out to the Joyfriends+ Heaux I spend time with.)

Because *who* has time to be a Feminist Studies tutor for her partner at this stage? Not me.

Yesterday I told a girlfriend that at 53 I'm basically dating myself and shenanigans-ing who I want, when I want, if I want.

I've got a drivers license to get and a passport to renew. Nobody has time for comp het nonsense.

#FLR #FeministPoly #ENM #DatingInTheBay #LadyBachelorWithADog

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dMGhDx/

How is it that I walked LESS than yesterday. How.

#DaycareDay
#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog

If magic really existed, a corner slice of lasagna would have floated toward me the instant I walked through the door from daycare pickup.

For Benson, *I* am magic.

#Adulting
#LadyBachelorWithADog

Whoo! Not bad for a Saturday morning walk.

#Today 's tally:
💩💩💩 (we ran out of bags)
🐿🐿 (one flew over my head)
🐕🐶🐕🐶🐕🐶🐕🐶🐕🐶 (that's how many other dogs we saw)
🚫🥞 (i really wanted pancakes)

#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog

This is the sweet face of the BAD boi who got TWO timeouts for being snappy with other dogs at daycare today.

ALSO the dog who RIPPED Nestor the Lyft driver's backseat cover costing me all the cash I had on me to give the poor guy.

AND the animal who SPRAYED liquid 💩 all over the flora and fauna of West Oakland and Rockridge.

First, this animal is getting a muzzle for group settings and car travel (don't come at me -- this is CA and there are hella dog owner liability laws in this state) and, second, I'm scheduling another horrendously expensive session with Alicia the Fancy Dog Trainer.

😒Effing dog and his bullshit prior socialization (i.e, none) and prey instinct...😑

On the upside he was lovely again on the BART and the BART dude said I had a 'John Wick dog.'

#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog
#LadyBachelorIsTIREDT

Elements of a good date night:
They arrive on time
There is clear communication
Conversation flows
Dinner is delicious and cozy
Dessert is equally cozy and yummy
The world conspires to show you both to advantage
Consent and boundaries respected

You get home early to hug your dog.

#DatingInTheBay
#LadyBachelorWithADog

Thanks to Benson and his separation anxiety/codependence/whatever, I have a ready excuse to decline invitations to improv comedy fundraisers.

#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog
#LadyBachelorIsTIREDT
#FedIntrovert

Just finished vacuuming the living room and resetting it for the week. A true core workout. The kitchen floor is next.

Benson now thinks the vacuum is a unique challenger to his domain. Don't know if that's a win.

I have noticed he's not chewing at his paws as much since his oatmeal bath.

And I have an afternoon date in 3 hours. I did not think this through.

#LadyBachelorWithADog
#BensonUpdate

We went to Drake's again after work with Benson. He was such a good guy.

I gave him a burger with fries; we hung out and enjoyed the night. Another owner of a pittie waved at us across the patio. He wanted to know if our dogs could meet and I shook my head no -- not just yet.

When Benson started to bark his happiness, we left. And now he's on his new bed (his old chewed up bed is in his crate!) and he's going to sleep very good tonight.

#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog 💃🏾🐶

On my morning walk with Benson (which has been lovely):

He has chased pigeons
Eaten half my croissant
Listened patiently while the neighborhood unhoused man sermonized
Walked cooperatively throughout

And now I have him tethered outside the PetFoodExpress while we wait for it to open.

#BensonUpdate #LadyBachelorWithADog
#dogsOfBayArea
#DogsOfMastodon

This damn dog.
#BensonUpdate #LadyBachelorWithADog
#fitnessover40

I've been lucky to become friends with people I've met via social media.

A woman I know on Twitter just dropped off a ginormous kennel for Benson. She also has a grey pittie and saw on my Insta how I needed to start crate training Benson.

People are nice.

Also, this thing is um...BIG.

Yikes.😬

#BensonUpdate
#LadyBachelorWithADog
#NeedToRedecorate

If I had the energy, this would be a barn burning post about this weekend being the 50th anniversary of Roe.

But I don't have the energy.

Because I just walked this dog for the 4th time today.

I have met 75% of my steps goal. I also look terrible and smell like dog. Good thing my laundry was dropped off tonight.

#LadyBachelorWithADog
#BensonUpdate

I apologize for the fact I'm going to post about my new #dog, like, ALL the time now. Every thought. Every plan. His progress acclimating to the House of Shenanigans. My progress from #LadyBachelor to #LadyBachelorWithADog.

I have a full weekend scheduled and I'm already adjusting it in my head to make space for Benson's introduction to my life. I'm already plotting his morning and evening walk routes -- which will give him the best sniffaris?

I just said 'sniffari.'