The rumors have reached my ears and my position is clear — the Chuckit launcher remains unaccounted for and this constitutes a breach of protocol.

Morning light streams through the family room door, 14 degrees and climbing toward something unprecedented. The kind of May morning that makes Hollinshead inevitable. Gus has already assumed his kitchen position, monitoring breakfast operations with the dedication of middle management. I have stationed myself at the precise intersection of sunlight and expectation.

The hiking boots appeared near the mud room door twenty minutes ago. The water bottles followed. Dad’s movements suggest consultation with weather applications. All signs point toward off-leash territory and the kind of morning that justifies getting out of bed before the sun has properly committed to the day.

The Chuckit, however, maintains radio silence from whatever corner it has chosen for winter hibernation. This oversight threatens the entire enterprise.

#pawscarwilde #chuckitwatch