Oatmeal weather story

It's approaching the middle of November. The days are short and the cold has returned. But it was the first full sunny day in a while - at least 2 weeks.
And today was quite the interesting day. A cold day with a full moon.

That sounds like the beginning of a story...
It started with me having an interesting dream that I'm trying to recall now. A bit of advice, when you have a dream that leaves an impression on you as you are waking up, take a few minutes before your day gets started to write it down.
That was a little note to self. Pardon me!
So, that's how it started, it was full from beginning and even now at 10:35pm (or 22:35 where you AUTOMATICALLY know it's pm) it's still not over.

So, to continue...
There were a couple of meetings in the office, I had to switch cars and go back to the car place b/c I forgot the trunk cover for the back of the returned auto.
Then I had to buy dog food and Red Bull and help (the delivery guy!) bring a delivery up to the office, let the plumber guy in to fix the women's toilet and various other office duties.
So, the interesting part didn't start until after a late lunch. But I have to go back a little in time -
Last week, I discovered a graveyard that is directly behind our office that has paths where people walk, ride their bikes and walk dogs. So I decided to walk the dogs in there for the 2nd time.

They are usually well-behaved in the office all day long so I feel that they deserve some time to run and be free so I let them off leash to run around the paths. I had taken them there before, so I decided to encourage them to follow the path that I had found. All was well until we took a turn that was new and suddenly there was all of this big open space. I then decided that it was better to go ahead and put them on leash. They had their time to run and it's not so easy to have 3 big independent dogs under vocal command. Christian's dog and Kenya are pretty good about listening but Zoë, that's another story.

Kenya was closest to me so I reached her and put her leash on just as she discovered a hidden dish of cat food! Then Romeo was easily leashed as he was in the vicinity. That was when I realized that Zoë had vanished!

Oh, shit! This area of the graveyard was a lot bigger than I realized and there are at least two openings both leading to very busy streets. But we weren't near the entrances so I knew she wasn't there yet. Besides, she had just been in front of me!
So the yelling and searching began.
Mind you, it's already after 4:30. I noticed the time as I looked up at the gorgeous full moon that was rising. The sun set at 4:19 yesterday so by 4:45 it's dark here!

So here I am night is quickly coming along with a FULL moon and my dog is lost in a cemetary!!
I couldn't have made this a more dramatic scene.
Oh, and it's the evening before my trip to Switzerland!!! I'm wondering how on earth I could bring myself to get on a plane with my dog roaming the city hundreds of miles away if I don't find her.
I think I've been working in the movies too long because this sounds just like it should be a scene in some film somewhere!

Anyway, I'm running around asking everyone I seen "Sie gesehen ein hund?"
That's what I'm asking, it's probably wrong. But at least they understand me because they respond "No, sorry" in German of course. No one has seen my lost hound dog who I'm sure could hear me yelling her name but is just too damn stubborn to come on command.

I finally decide to go back to the office to check my phone in case she did make it to an exit and someone saw a lone dog and read my number on her collar and called me. But I want to do one more quick lap around the block to check the streets outside the cemetary.
That done - still no dog!!

"Oh, man!! Zoë, show up! Just show up." I'm praying she didn't smell some food and dash out in the street in search of it.
I can't tell you how many times I've saved her neck literally, as she's following the scent of some flattened food or wrapper in the middle of the street oblivious to oncoming traffic.

The graveyard gates will close any minute because it's now 5:15 and completely dark. I convince myself that if she's still in there that's kind of ok. The gates would be locked so she would be safely inside. I would eventually hear that loud ass bark and know where to go first thing in the morning to get her, but if she made it out onto the street, I couldn't think of enough things that could happen.

Finally, since there was no trace of daylight left and I DID NOT want to get myself locked in the graveyard with the other 2 dogs (and the influence of a full moon) so it was back to the office.
I would have to stand by my phone and HOPE that someone calls soon.
I finally got myself to stop looking and walked into the front door of the building.
As soon as I walked into the door there was Zoë coming around the corner where she apparently had been waiting at the bottom of the stairs!!!

She had made her way out of the cemetary as I suspected and to the front door of office building where I suppose someone saw her standing outside the door and let her in!!!! I thought it was one of my co-workers but they were all busy and seemed to not even notice I had left in the first place.
That dog has some angels working overtime I tell ya!

I was happy and very relieved but also quite miffed at her at the same time! And she just didn't get it at all!!!
So, that was today - a cold day with a full moon and me searching in a dark graveyard for my lost dog.
Wow. I wish I could make this stuff up. I guess that's why I'm writing it down. :)

It's a good day to eat oatmeal for dinner because at least THIS story has a happy ending!!