Vanstone: Munce is celebrating a Springer in the fall

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“It was like, ‘Ohhhh, my baby … my baby,’ ” he says with a chuckle. “I talked to the breeder and forgot all the questions that I had planned to ask. I forgot to ask about what food to give Sasha, so I had to send the breeder a text message afterwards.

“Sasha was so wriggly. I just gave her a big hug when I saw her. It was awesome. That’s why I didn’t do the driving back to Regina — because I had to hold her.”

They have been inseparable ever since.

The timing was advantageous, in that Munce is working from home throughout September.

“Before Sasha, I’d get up in the morning, log on to my computer, and start working,” he says. “The days started blending together. Weekends felt like weekdays. It was all the same.

“I’d be on Zoom, but I’d still be sitting in my living room, alone. That was a little unnerving. I tried to be Mr. Macho, Mr. Suck-It-Up, but I don’t think I realized until August, with Butters, what my mental state was.

“I don’t know if I would say it was depression, but maybe a malaise.”

And now … Munce beams, as Sasha playfully growls.

“She babysits me,” a proud owner says. “She keeps me honest. She makes sure I get out of the house.

“Now, at the end of the (working) day, I shut off the computer, put on her leash, and we go for a walk, or she plays in the backyard.

“Oh, it’s great. It’s so much better.”

Better … with thanks to Butters.

rvanstone@postmedia.com

twitter.com/robvanstone

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