Déjà vu all over again...

You know that old expression that "when the cat is away, the mice will play"? Well, Gretchen left for Wisconsin this morning, I have to say that when the cat is away, the mice will...walk the dog and take the garbage out. It's been about a year since I had to run home at lunch to walk Grady, so it felt really strange to do that again this afternoon. Gretchen is so good to me that she took time out of her preparations to stock up on groceries and write notes with detailed instructions for taking care of the apartment and Grady, so I should be in good shape. I kept trying to tell her that if I could handle it on my own for four months last year, then three weeks should be a breeze. In reality, I give it two days before I start griping about how it's too hard to hold down a job and take care of the house and dog. I hear the violins warming up to accompany my sad tales of woe...