Laughter, The Shape of a Heart and Sleep

I had the pleasure of experiencing my very first, overnight, business trip this week.  It was just for one night, and I drove down to Richmond, VA with one of my goofy coworkers.  It was a three hour trip, and it took us four hours - - - not because of traffic, but because we kept getting sidetracked by our laughter, and so, we missed our exits.  Here's one of the many stories she told me:

"So, I'm in line at the airport.  My shoes are off, I'm waiting to go through the security gate.  I begin stuffing my belongings into this tiny purse --- papers are sticking out of the zipper, the handle of a hairbrush is protruding, and the zipper has a bulging gap because I can barely close the purse.   Just as the purse takes its ride under the camera, I look at the security guy and say, "Watch out, my purse is about to explode."  All at once, two armed security guards come running up to the table, they take me into a separate room, and they confiscate my purse, dumping the belongings into a secure bucket.  The whole time, I'm saying, "No, I was just being funny because I stuffed it so much, really, there's not a bomb in it!"  As I say this, everyone gets more tense, I'm pushed against a wall. . ."

I was crying with laughter as she told the story. . .

So we get to our satellite office, and I greet and see the people that I've been talking to over the phone for months.  Have you ever had the experience of meeting someone who looks completely different from how you envisioned them?  Yeah, that was my experience for every single one of them.  I watched their faces as their jaws dropped when they saw me for the first time, just as my jaw dropped when I saw them for the first time.  Just a weird experience.

The trip was a success.  Workwise, it went really well.  I got to meet people that I'll be working with for at least the next three years, and we hit it off well, I think.

Yet it was an even greater success because I can honestly tell you, it was the first time in 8 years that I've had a good night's sleep.  I walked into the hotel and was greeted by a king size bed.  I looked around the room:  no dogs, no kids.  I made myself lay in the center of that bed, I picked up my book, read four sentences and then was out.  The next morning I woke up so very refreshed.  I actually smiled as I stretched my arms.  A full night's sleep without any interruption.

Why is this so special?  Because last night, Gracie and the little bastard Enzo took the shape of a heart on my bed.  Their asses were side-by-side, and their noses pretty much touched.  They looked so cute in that heart shape. 

Can you see it?

Now envision this:  I am on the left side of a queen bed, my head resting gently on the pillow.  Oh, it's so very nice.  I turn to face the right side of the room and I am greeted by the kissing asses of my two 80 lb. dogs.  The entire night I yelled at them to move (they usually sleep at the end of the bed or on the floor), and every time I yelled at them, they nudged their asses closer together, and then growled at each other, or worse, nipped at each other.

This happened all night long.

Next week, I have another overnight trip to Richmond.  I will not have my coworker with me, but I'll have music and memories to keep me company on the ride.  And you know what I've scheduled onto my agenda? 

A full night's sleep.

"Watch out, my purse is about to explode. . ."  Now, that's funny stuff right there.