A ritual sacrifice of winter

When I came home from an opera performance tonight, the house was quite in a disarray. The concert that met me when I opened the outer door was as usual, but I noticed immediately when I opened the inner door that something had gone wrong. We hadn't left Maja for more than three-four hours or so alone, and we had had a good two-three hour walk earlier in the day, so we had no reason to believe that there was too much pent up energy. But the floor was covered with smaller and bigger pieces of fabric.. Smaller and bigger torn-apart pieces of... my gloves and caps. Properly ripped, chewed and dismembered, never to be used again. One of Maja's favorite games is to try to steal my glove and run away with it, but I didn't think it would go this far - on the other hand: My bad, I had left them inside the house. A stern glance, and some stern words was all that was needed to reduce Maja's height to half - she went immediately creeping into a far corner and looked at me as if I had beaten her, and then she came crawling to my feet to beg for mercy.

I wonder when they understand that they have done something wrong? Is it only the voice and my behavior that makes her understand that  something is wrong. Does she understand - I think she does - what is wrong? And if so - does she "think" about it - in her dog way - when she does it: This is wrong, but it is just too much fun?

Anyway: after a while things calmed down, we went out for the evening pee, Maja again asked for forgiveness (very submissive). Then some quality time on the floor with combing and massage, and now she is sleeping so heavily on the sofa beside me. The bad is over, everything is back to how it should me.

And after all: it is raining heavily tonight. So much snow has disappeared the last days. It is quite some time since I wrote on this blog that spring is here. Since then, winter has returned several times with a vengeance, but this time I am absolutely sure that it is defeated. So, maybe Maja's killing of my winter gloves and winter cap was the final ritual sacrifice of the winter :)