Best Friend My Ass

So! The noble steed, the fierce protector, the loyal friend, our dog - ran away from me at 6 am this morning! The louse! He nudged me up (and he's a 90 pound German Shepherd so he can nudge with the best of 'em) at 6 to go pee. So, I schlep down stairs all bleary eyed and NOT in any condition in terms of dress to be outside. So, I open the backdoor, to let him pee as per usual and Zoom! He jumps the fence! The "Old Man Dog" who is too lazy to fetch suddenly becomes Super Tricks Dog. I call to him and he turns around to look at me and then he continues to trot away! I was...was...shocked and annoyed. What word am I looking for? Mollified? Regardless, there he goes and I can't chase him as the kids are inside and so I go to wait for "the call". I get it 30 mins later from a lady walking her dog and she was kind enough to walk him home.
This is from the coolest, most reliable, well trained dog. I wonder why he did it? He gets plenty of exercise and pig ears galore. Which is all anyone, dog or human, really needs to be happy. But now he has the taste of freedom - being on the lam as they say. We are on doggy lockdown - no in the yard without being tied up. Which is what I do anyway when I leave him out there to lounge but not just for pees. Anyway.
It is my husband's birthday today! We got him cupcakes and balloons and some books and my son yelled "Happy Birthday Party!" at him every few minutes. Ahh, domesticity.