Xena: How could she do this? How could Mommy go away and leave me all alone all day and all night and all day again when I am in this condition?
Lucy: You aren’t alone, Xexe. I’m here and Dad’s here with you. And you’re not in a “condition.” You’re just having your big girl time. Stop being such a baby.
Xena: I’m NOT a baby. I’m a big girl. And it’s just not the same with Mommy gone. She knows I feel miserable and she deserted us. I need baby-held.
Lucy: I saw Dad baby-hold you like Mom showed him to do. And like I said…oh forget it. Mom went to Nashville to spend time with her BFF from PA. Come look at the pictures she sent. First they went to a Greek restaurant called Taziki’s, then to an art museum in Centennial Park called the Parthenon, just like in Greece. 
It was only $4 to go inside to see the pretty pictures because they got the “senior” discount, BOL! On the second floor they even got to visit the Goddess Athena.
Xena: Is that a snake next to her?!
Lucy: Good eye, Xena. In folklore snakes are usually depicted to be cunning creatures and, among other things, Athena was the goddess of intelligent activity and battle strategy. You might take some lessons from her.
Xena: Phthh
Lucy: Saturday night Mom and her friend went downtown to Music Row on Broadway Street. Mom wrote that the crowds on the sidewalks were so thick that you could hardly walk. There were street musicians and performers everywhere. They went into a restaurant called Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville for supper and entertainment…and, of course, margarita’s. Her friend even treated her to dinner for her birthday.
Xena: Was Ruby the Airedale there? I hear it’s Margaritaville wherever she goes. If Ruby was there, why didn’t Mommy take me?
Lucy: Umm, I don’t think so, Xe.
On Sunday they went to the Opry Mills Mall. There was a new restaurant called the Aquarium that had a huge fish tank wrapped all around the inside of the restaurant.
There was even a diver cleaning it like Mom cleans the house.
Xena: I wish she was here cleaning the house now. And holding me.
Lucy: Dad already cleaned the house as a birthday surprise for Mom. And she can’t hold you while she cleans, Xexe, you know that. Back to what I was saying. Hmm, where was I? Oh yes, restaurants. They didn’t eat there, ’cause Mom wanted her PA friend to experience real southern pulled pork with all the trimmings. So they walked through the mall to a real Southern BBQ joint and chowed down.
Xena: Now I’m hungry. When are we going to eat?
Lucy: Dad already gave us our supper. And it was more than even Mom gives us.
Xena: Yeah, well, I just hope she comes home soon. 
Lucy: She will be home soon, little sister. I can’t wait for her to open the card we got her:
Like I said, Dad’s fed us our supper and I am just going to take a little nap and wait.
This is Lucy and Xena waiting for the deserter Mom.
PeeS: I’m thinkin’ about getting me a snake so I can be just like Athena. ~Xena Schnauzer Goddess Princess
