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This is Fruitycake. First, a bee stung Girl Person. Then, last night, a ghiro fell on her head. We are starting to wonder if the wildlife has a schedule. And if so, we would like to cancel tomorrow.

Let me explain. Girl Person was giving me a bath with two watering cans. Not one. Two. Apparently, I was a two-can situation. I don’t appreciate being measured this way, but I also don’t appreciate having a whole day’s worth of carefully collected smells poured down a hill.

We were in the outdoor shower at the rustico. That means the watering cans. Girl Person was washing. I was questioning her choices. Somewhere above us, a ghiro was about to question hers.

And then she fell. Right onto Girl Person’s head.

Now, you might think Girl Person had used up all her screaming with the bee. You would be wrong. Apparently, there are reserves. Emergency screaming. Screaming put aside for a special occasion. A small animal landing in your hair while you water your dog qualifies.

Boy Person heard the commotion and ran outside to save her. Without pants.

There was no time for pants. There was barely time to determine what species was screaming. He just knew there was trouble, and whatever it was would have to accept him as he was.

So there we were. A wet dog. A screaming Girl Person. A ghiro who had not booked this excursion. And Boy Person arriving with courage and absolutely no dress code.

Fortunately, no one else is up here. Which is good, because we have apparently stopped being a household and become a free show in the woods.

The ghiro was okay. Her dignity was another matter. I believe she needed a quiet moment to contemplate her life decisions and where she wanted to raise her children. You choose a charming old place in Italy, thinking it will be peaceful. Then you fall onto your neighbor, she screams in your face, and a naked emergency service arrives.

There goes the neighborhood.

I imagine she went home and told her family, “We need to move.” Girl Person has been saying that too. Finally, something the residents agree on.

Someone is coming to see the rustico this weekend. We are hopeful. There is so much beauty here. The trees. The history. The possibilities. We probably won’t start the tour by mentioning that there are already renters.

They don’t pay. They keep unusual hours. And apparently, they consider Girl Person’s head a communal landing area.

If the buyer asks whether it is quiet, we will have to say, “Between incidents.”

But once we knew the ghiro was safe, and Girl Person could breathe again, and Boy Person had the opportunity to consider trousers, we had something we hadn’t planned on having that evening. A laugh.

Girl Person has been tired. The kind of tired that doesn’t always go away after sleeping. There is a lot on her mind, and sometimes even a small thing feels like one more thing she has to handle. That is why I would not have personally recommended dropping an animal on her.

But afterward, she laughed. And for a little while, we weren’t thinking about everything that needed to be figured out. We were thinking about how Boy Person had rushed outside ready to fight an unknown danger with nothing but enthusiasm.

Sometimes someone comes into your life unexpectedly. A person you didn’t plan to meet. A dog you didn’t know you needed. A little woodland neighbor who really should have used the stairs.

You may think you have no room for anyone or anything else. Your day is full. Your mind is full. Both watering cans are spoken for. Then someone arrives and teaches you something you didn’t even know you needed to learn.

Maybe they teach you patience. Maybe they show you how to accept help. Maybe they remind you that you can still laugh, even when life feels heavy. And maybe you teach them that whatever route they took to get onto your head should be permanently closed.

Not every unexpected arrival will become your best friend. You don’t have to invite everyone to stay. Girl Person is certainly not putting a welcome mat on her hair. But you can be curious about what an encounter leaves you with after the surprise wears off.

Last night left us with gratitude that everyone was okay, a story we will probably tell forever, and a strong argument for keeping emergency pants near the door.

Today, Girl Person is tired. I am unnecessarily clean. The ghiro may be looking at other properties. And we are getting ready to welcome someone who might see their future here.

Come for the views. Stay for the screaming.

Please wear pants. We cannot guarantee the staff will.

Fruitycake’s Daily Affirmation: Be Open To An Unexpected Teacher

Say it out loud with your person:

“I can welcome the lessons that unexpected connections bring. Someone I didn’t plan to meet may help me discover something I didn’t know I needed. I can stay curious while honoring my own space and needs. Even on a tired day, there may still be room for kindness, connection and laughter.”

You may want to say that somewhere with a roof.

P.S. Need a little encouragement that doesn’t fall on your head? Get Fruitycake’s September Affirmations for Dogs and People Workbook, with a certificate, here⁠. Your purchase helps us raise money for an in-person animal rescue visit with 2 Traveling Dogs and gives you and your dog a little time together to pause and find some good.

Donations are also needed to help us keep this work going. If you can help, you can donate any amount through PayPal⁠, use Venmo travelingdogs2, or Zelle Rachael@2travelingdogs.com. Thank you for being part of our lives and helping us keep showing up for animals, even on the tired days. You are the kind of unexpected company we are very glad stayed.