POOP POLICE

I have noticed that I am the kind of person who always seems to announce when I have to go to the bathroom. Actually, i didn't notice this, someone pointed it out once, "Jeanne, you don't have to make an announcement every time you leave the room," and ever since then I have become concsious of the fact, that, yes I do quite often point out where I am going when I leave a room. Not sure why. Maybe it is because, as a teacher, I expect to be informed when my students leave the classroom, maybe it is because I dont' want people to miss me when I'm gone, or maybe it is just because I like to share!
Lately I find myself becoming obsessed with bathroom habits, not mine or Marty's, but rather Scouts. I guess it is because she is a puppy and because she is a house puppy and because I hate cleaning up "accidents." Naturally I am a very unobservant person. I am not details oriented, I can't even tell you what color my garage door is right now, and I drive through it everyday. I am however, very good at observing character and behaviour of living things. I know exactly how many minutes after eating Scout has to "eliminate," and that is why it drives me NUTS when, mysteriously, she won't go!!! I stand out on the porch in my poofy, winter coat, my huge moon boots (we did have snow last week and the boots are still at the porch,)my arms crossed, waiting....waiting for Scout to do "her thing." Normally she goes out, pees by the tree, comes to see me for a treat and heads back out to the corner of the fence to finish her job, but not tonight. Nope, tonight, she refused to complete number 2 of the process. We were going for dinner with Marty's parents and then taking them to the airport (they had been visiting for the weekend.) I knew Scout would be locked up for at least 4 hours. She had just eaten and I had timed everything perfectly so that she would "eliminate" just before being locked up in her kennel. I thought it was perfectly timed, but she wouldn't go. I was getting anxious as our departure time grew closer. I tried leaving her out in the yard and spying on her through the blinds, but she wouldn't stop playig with her stuffed duck out there. I went out, took the duck away and waited, still nothing. She casually ate grass, tried to dig a hole, carried the pooper scooper around, but did not "get busy!!!" In desperation, I got out the leash and took her to her favorite spot, the place she always goes when we head out on our walks, but tonight, the magic spot elicited nothing! I drug her back in the house exasperated, but knowing at least, that as soon as we got home, she'd have to go for sure. We got home, I let her out of the kennel, gave her some water and headed outside. I carried her to the corner of the fence, and hoped it would be quick, I was only wearing flipflops, jeans and a t-shirt, but there was no action. I let her back in, and proceeded to follow her around the house like some kind of crazy, neurotic freak! i had become the poop police! There was no way that under my watch, she was going to crap on the floor. I knew she had to go, I knew she did and as soon as she got that look in her eye, I was going to be ready!
The story does end with me recognizing the signs and Scout pooping in three different, messy piles on the lawn, right where she was supposed to. Everything turned out ok, but it kind of freaked me out, how obsessive I have become. Starting right now, I need to get a life!!!!!!!!!!
I have posted a couple non-pooping photos of Scout from our little hike in Canmore today. The pictures, like Scout, refuse to co-operate. I will post them another time....