I hate losing things. I don't think many people do. You either freak out like a crazy person or you are grumpy with yourself or someone else. Today, I lost a gift card and a pug - and, lucky for me, it was only for about twenty minutes in both cases.

The first thing I lost was the gift card. It wasn't a $300 dollar gift card but it was enough to make me want to find it. I had it in my pocket the day before and then - poof - it was gone. A bit of searching and I located the card in my car. It wasn't easy to find but hard enough to force me to contort my body in a few positions that would even make me blush. It was under the driver's seat in the car and I then whisked off to the store to pick up some fancy gifts for myself.

I came home and decided to clean up the backyard of my parents home. It was neglected and needed a bit of a scrubbing. This made the pugs happy as they were able to run around the grass and patio and chase each other around in the brief sunshine. I was busy doing my thing when I realized I only had a single pug in the yard. This would not be cause for concern if Serendipity had escaped as she tends to stick around familiar surroundings. Faith, on the other hand, is an adventurer and incredibly trusting of other people - she also hasn't a clue about why cars are dangerous.

I was in panic mode within a micro-second. I was amazed at the level of control I was able to exert but it lasted only a few minutes until panic set in.

• Grab other pug.
• Toss pug into house.
• Close door.
• Leave backyard.
• No panic.
• Check street.
• Push panic away.
• Check front yard.
• Ask mail carrier if she saw a "stupid pug".
• Call the other half. Request back up.
• Panic laughs.
• No pug anywhere.
• Panic.
• Think about where a pug would go.
• Look in neighbour's backyard.
• Pug wiggles.
• Relief.
• Call off back up.
• Lock pug in house, cursing pug all the way.

There is my quick tale of woe. I am going to get back to the yard now but, wow, I love yet hate that feeling and had too much of both today. I think I will block up whatever part of the fence she discovered was open and inviting.