Lobster Love

Before my boys. Before my husband. Before our life in Minnesota, there was a dog named Lobster. Lobster entered my world when I was simply a single girl in LA.

I was home for my High School reunion and my parent’s next door neighbors were giving away puppies. There were two puppies left. I knew he was mine. He was red and perfect and my Lobster. My mom warned me against it. Get a dog AFTER you meet a nice boy she said.  But nope, I knew that it was time. And just like that, Lobster came into my life.

I put Lobster on a plane with me the next day and took him back to LA to live with my sister Jenny & I. I worked at a dog friendly ad agency and he quickly escorted me to work every day. My sister often commented that we were connected in that special way that only happens when two beings spend every waking and sleeping moment together. He was my everything. 

Days were planned around him. Weekends were planned around him. Vacations were planned around him. I wanted him to experience a dog-friendly world and I knew life was only made better with him by my side.

Then I reconnected with my high school sweetheart Steve and relocated to Minneapolis. Fly? Nah. I drove all the way from LA to Minnesota to make sure Lobster was as comfortable as possible. 

Steve quickly fell in love with him and Lobster loved him right back. We were a family. Still spending time with Lobster by our side.

And then our sons came into our world. And Lobster morphed so beautifully into a true family dog. A protector of me. A protector of our boys. Always looking out for us and being oh so patient while the boys crawled on him, petted him with small clumsy hands and shared so many meals with him.

Yesterday, Lobster flew first class to London with my sister since the quarantine process in Tokyo is too rigorous and we have oh so much travel ahead of us.  We told our boys that he did such a good job raising them when they were babies, he now needs to be with Jenny as she welcomes her twins this spring and spends a year long maternity leave with them.  I am so very grateful for everything he has brought to our lives.  He is warm, and wise. He is empathetic with the calmest soul. He is hands down the best dog I could have ever hoped for. 

I cried the whole way home from the airport.  Anders ensured me we can visit a Dog Cafe in Tokyo as our first stop to get “a hundred dog love.”  I think we are all going to be more than ok. Here's to your next chapter Lobby Lou.  Cheers...

Day 1 Update: Lobster made it to London with ease!  He went through security at MSP with zero issues and made lots of friends at the gate before he boarded the plane.  He quietly sat under Jenny's legs with only a few nervous farts in first class and the flight attendants let him stretch his legs in the back of the plane for a bit.  Once they landed at LHR the customs agent was as kind as can be and before he knew it he was meeting friends at the park and having dinner at the pub before he zonked out with a new bed and new toys by his side.  This morning he took his first tube ride to work and without a doubt we all know that all is well in the world!

Week 1 Update: Lobster has been living his best life.  Although the long walk from Jenny's flat > to the tube > to the office was a little much, he's been going to the park almost everyday to get his summer body back.  And Jenny is extra sweet to him by getting a car into the office on some days, so he can take it easy, or even working from the neighborhood coffee shop.  And once he is in the office, he is in his element: killing a new biz pitch, chilling under the table during conference calls and making lots of new friends.  Stu has taken a liking to him too, giving him nightly walks around the block and bringing him to the pub to watch Rugby games.  All in all, he is so happy and it makes me so happy for him.  But damn, I miss him...