Puppy Attention

I'm watching Cleo and Tess play in the back yard while I write this.  There are also a lot of birds at the feeders, and a few squirrels who dare to make runs under the dogs noses.  The two cats are inside, and I'm surprised the gardener is not yet here.  Martin usually arrives between 8:30 and 9 on Saturday mornings.  Lily has been begging for love and affection since I arrived yesterday, and Lyra has been, also.  Of course, Cleo, the puppy thinks that she should be the center of attention, and then there's Tess...  It's hard to keep everyone happy when two sets of adults are away.
     The sky is a beautiful clear blue, with no visible clouds.  The temperature was 31 degrees (F) when I arose this morning, but  has warmed up to 53 so far; the forecast high is 68.  It's also eerily quiet outside today, other than the bird song and rustling of leaves.  For once, it seems there are no baseball, soccer, or football games being played on the school grounds today - and there are no children screaming as they run around outside, either.  Seems like the quiet before the storm, almost.
   I want to get immersed in my family tree research, but I can't until Christina returns to take care of her critters again.  Actually, I could, but I focus on my research so intently that I don't listen  to the dogs, or think about their needs - which one cannot do with a young puppy in the house.  I simply can't crate her for hours on end, and my other alternative is to allow her only in a tiled room with her toys and bed.  That doesn't work too well, either.  So I'm hoping that Christina will return tonight, or early tomorrow.  It will depend on  how much she misses Cleo, and whether or not she's having a good time with her friends from high school.
   If I didn't have to worry about the puppy, I'd be totally involved in research right now, instead of blogging...