Christmas week is underway

 

Santa and Mrs. Claus were hosting the holiday brunch at Granite City Sunday morning/noon.  

My daughter in law had a lovely collection of gifts for her birthday, including a very clever pendant in the shape of a camera.  It was orange and looked, she said, "just like my first digital camera".  But its real cleverness was that if you looked closely at the gem that formed its lens (from the front), it had a photograph that she took earlier in the year embedded inside.  Amazing gift, from my son and my FGC.

DIL says the photograph is etched on the glass.  Technology has changed how we do lockets!

I clipped this from a video my DIL posted of the pendant, but it didn't clip very well!

I did send the cookies home with the gathered folk.  Some will stay with son, DIL and FGC, the rest will go home to DIL's parents.  

Poor Ember was in her crate for longer than usual while I went on that adventure, and while the ambient temperatures were moderate for this time of year, a strong breeze scared me off, so no leash walk.  She did get two car rides, but that's not the same as a walk, and late in the afternoon she was sort of freaked out by the neighbors working in their yard the other side of the fence, and she had some zoomies!

Monday December 22, 2025

I don't think she entirely forgave me, despite getting a big beef bone Sunday after the second car ride.  Face it, for canines who prize routine, this has been far from a routine weekend, between visitors, baking, and mom disappearing and leaving her in the crate longer than her usual puppy nap.  

The weather is being extra kind to us this week.  Monday is windy, but the temperatures are mild for this time of year.  I decided at about 9 a.m. when it was 40℉ that I would risk a leash walk through the neighborhood with my best girlie.  Ember was all waggles on the way out the door and was unusually well-behaved.  She let me keep the gloves on for most of the walk.  We did have a tricky passage on the far side of the route when two dogs taller than she, and two human mommies pushing a stroller started following us, about half a block back.

I enticed Ember to keep going, with lyrics of "Leading the puppy parade" (sung to the tune of Yellow Brick Road) and treats generously applied whenever she wanted to stop and stare back along the following route.  We got around a corner, the other dogs and their humans went straight, and the only obstacle at that point was an older couple taking their own walk.  I put Ember into a patient sit while they passed and again treated her liberally for being such a good girl.  We followed the older couple at a safe (to Ember's mind) distance.  

I was most impressed with the times she turned and locked eyes to check in with me, with no treats in evidence at all.  Also impressed that she did not pick up trash that was blowing around, although she did sniff at it.  We proceeded home to take a little ride in Dexter (the car) to get Mommy's special coffee and a dog treat for the good puppy.

Once she decided it was time for her nap, I tucked Ember in and came upstairs, putting Gregorian chants on for background, and may just take a nap of my own.  I'm getting really "bougie" in the US slang sense (bourgeois).  I fell for one of those ads and ordered a DNA kit for Ember.  I have had people look at her confirmation and ask if she's "English" lab, which apparently is different from "American line" that is taller, slimmer, more athletic.  So, let's see what it says.  Also I have learned that "charcoal" is not a lab variety accepted by the AKC.  Not that I plan on getting her papered or anything, but curious!  Finally, there is the component of genetic health risks... would be nice to know.  Like I said, this is kind of a "first world" thing.  

Oh, the elf-hat on the treetop?  That was part of a small lamb-chop toy that Ember destroyed in about 15 minutes!  

Le Sigh!  But not really.  I knew when I bought it that this was its likely fate, and decided for the price, the pleasure Ember would get from it was worth it.

Life is good!  Keep Sparking!

Holidays continue

Holidays are not nearly as hectic as they were when I was "in the middle generation".  I'm glad that the current "middle generation" (meaning son and wife) are gentler with themselves and making common sense decisions about gifts.  This year it is once again all centered around "the kid"... gifts are to or from him.

Saturday, I wrapped the one from me to the FGC.  I put a performance of Handel's Messiah on the YouTube for mood and carried on!

I also made another batch of cookies, these for the FGC, especially, as he liked the "mistake cookies" I made last year.  This year, they became the "almost-a-disaster" cookies.  I'm almost ready to declare this recipe jinxed.

What happened?  I was in the process, having sifted the flour and baking soda into a small bowl, and put the softened butter and peanut butter and sugars into the big bowl.  I went to pull the hand mixer out of the cupboard, and it brought a friend along for the ride.  An old glass sugar bowl was pulled out of the cupboard, and it crashed onto the counter, shattering.

I could not tell whether any of the pieces of glass fell into the flour mixture, but I wasn't about to bet against it, so into the garbage went the flour and soda, and the bowl went straight to the dishwasher, while I cleaned up the fragments I could find, and swept both counter and floor as best I could.

I started over fresh and finished the cookies.

Fortunately, I had anticipated Ember being a nuisance during baking, so had put her down for a puppy nap in her crate before I started.  

Phew!  I can so easily imagine trips to the emergency vet if a pup licked up glass!   

The cookies are safe and will be distributed Sunday at my daughter in law's birthday brunch.

I released Ember from her "den" once the cookies were cooling in a different room, and we hopped in the car to go on human errands.  One of those errands involved buying another small bag of flour, because I'm on tap to make the pumpkin pie for Christmas Day, and I pretty much used up the allowance with having to double up the flour for the cookies.

On Friday, my niece came over to sample the cheese puffs and meet the doggo.  Ember wasn't so sure about this new human, but she warmed up as I clearly accepted my niece's presence.  We shared coffee, the cheesy treats, and memories.  We caught up on one another's lives.  I shared the photo book of FGC, who reminds me in some ways of this niece's brother, who passed away it must be 15 years ago now.  I am hoping that this spurs more regular contact with her!  

Life is good.  Keep on Sparking!

Olive Cheese ball prep day

 

Diced up:  1 lb cheddar cheese, 1/2 mild, 1/2 medium (also softened)

3 Tbsp butter.

Sifted together:

1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Add the flour mixture to the processor with the butter and cheese.

Pulse and process until it is the pictured consistency, ready to roll into balls with a consistency of pie dough.

Roll a "treat" inside, an olive or a small bit of cooked sausage, forming balls.

Roll into balls.  Freeze if desired, or bake right away.  (I froze them so they can be baked on Christmas Day).  450℉ oven for 10 minutes (or until golden brown, as the old recipes say).  Cool for a bit on a rack, but they are wonderful if eaten warm from the oven (cool enough so they don't burn your mouth, save that for the cayenne effect!)

The end result, baked.

I posted the photos on FB and got a nostalgic response from my niece, so I'm saving a few back for her, and she's coming over on Friday for a visit.  I see this niece rarely, so the visit will be a real treat.  She lost her labrador in August, and I'm thinking she and Ember will hit it off well.

Life's good.  Keep Sparking!

Another week, another dusting of snow

Most recent haircut, mussed by being slept on and covered in stocking cap!  The photo in the background is one my DIL took of a windmill down near Marysville, KS on a vacation a couple of summers back.  She remembered my mention of my mom's affinity for windmills and presented me with this artwork the Christmas before they married.

Sunday was the coldest it has been, waking when it was 3℉.  Ember was not happy that her hu-mom didn't want to stay outside with her.  Fortunately, there wasn't much of a wind, so it didn't feel as bad as I know it can.

Entertaining a dog inside when she really needs to run around?  Well, you have to get her to cooperate at least a little.  I paced around, dragged toys enticingly, etc., to try to get her to "follow mommy", "tug", etc.  Gave her some cardboard boxes to tear up.  And dragged out some "old" toys she hadn't seen in a while, too.

About 4 p.m. I loaded Ember into the car and packed up about half the batch of cookies to distribute to the extended family.  Yeah, temptation has left the house!

I've been enjoying some of the Dick Van Dyke roles they have been airing to honor his 100th birthday.  Like everyone, I am dismayed by the rounds of mass violence (and less than mass violence) that are showing up on our news feeds.  So sad to see darkness and hate in the season that is supposed to be about peace and light.  On the other hand, what better time to remind us of the need for peace and light and to do our bit to introduce them into our world, one small act of kindness at a time!

Monday was much milder. About noonish Ember and I went outside on a leash walk.  I believe the high got up to 54℉ about 3 p.m.  We also got several rounds of fetch outside before that.  I get such joy watching my lab retrieve, because clearly, she's enjoying it, too!  Of course all the snow disappeared in the mild.

I looked out the sliding door this morning and whimsically thought that one branch of the neighbor's tree looks as though a monster has taken a bite out of it.  Only a matter of time and a storm wind to come from the right direction until that one comes down.

Tuesday morning, I overslept a bit, so Ember didn't have as long a morning before going to day care.  We drove around an extra block on the way and my goodness, there were cross-the-street from each other neighbors where one had about a two-story high inflatable Santa, and across the street a similarly giant-sized reindeer!  Had I not turned to get out of the way of traffic, I would never have seen them!

At the daycare, I handed Ember off to a new worker.  As I was going about my morning, the phone rang, and it said it was the vet center.  I was a bit concerned... had my little one got sick, or been involved in an "incident" with another dog?  I mean, those are the kinds of things they call you for.

Nope.  Seems there are two dogs named Ember in day care today, and the other one had an appointment for vaccines.  Both are labs.  Go figure.  Two dogs that look pretty much the same with the same name... at the same center on the same day!

They had pulled my Ember out, instead of the other one. They dosed her before checking for her last name... yikes!  They were calling to fess up that my dog was given extra vaccines.  They were very apologetic, assured me I would not be charged (which is of course a concern for the budget, but the primary concern is about my girl's health!)  Fortunately, the vaccines she got were far enough from her most recent and upcoming ones of the same variety that the only thing that's going to result is a reshuffling of her vaccination schedule.  Bet that vet tech never makes the same mistake again! 

To distract myself, I put up the little Christmas tree.  No ornaments, no skirt.  And placed behind the fence that protects the furniture, to boot.  

Last year I did not put up a tree at all, and Ember did not go to the family Christmas gathering, so I don't think she's ever gone nose to nose with a Christmas tree.  She has seen the lights, through windows, of course, and on rides, and she's seen "human stuff" decorations on our walks.  But this one is in our house.

The only Christmas decoration I had in the house last year was Frosty the Demented Cookie Jar, and I put him way up top of the TV stand.  He's out this year, too, and has already been filled with cookies once.  

He'll get filled again later in the week when the next round of holiday baking takes place.

  

I expected Ember would bark at the tree, and indeed she did.  I touched the tree, let her smell my hand, and explained it was "human stuff", and she got used to the fact that it's now part of her world.

If I were the kind of person that printed and mailed Christmas cards, this would be a candidate photo for it!

Wednesday was errands day, and it was mild, in terms of temperature, getting up over 50℉.  Ember came along with me while I dropped something off at the little free pantry, then on to the recycle center, then to swap out books at the library.  She was such a good girl, so we went on a long leash walk, and I indulged her desire to stay out longer, go around another block, and delay getting home.  

I discovered that the coffee price at my favorite place has gone up for my "regular" seasonal drink, so I'm thinking I don't need those extra calories, and that might be a good thing to cut back on a bit? 

Thursday is workout day once again, which means daycare for the pup, too.  I have an eye toward the forecast weather as our next cold front will be speeding through Thursday and Friday, with high gusty winds making it seem colder.  

Tasks for Thursday:  wrap a package for the gathering and construct the cheese puff balls for freezing.  Good indoor things!

With that, I'll wish Happy Holidays to all, whichever collection you celebrate for yourselves.  Wishing warmth, and peace, and refuge from the news cycle!  Life is good.  Spark on!🎄🕎🕯✨

Looking and sounding like Christmas

Ember got a short round-the-block walk on leash Wednesday noonish, then we drove to the library where she sat in the car while mom swapped out books.  Turned out the last book I selected was just not suiting my current mood, so I swapped it for a Debbie Macomber Angel book, which suits the holiday spirit.  

I made my follow up appointment for the regular optometrist, for the 23rd.  Ember will have her grooming, and I'll get my new glasses prescription measured.

Thursday brought another doggy day care day, and the human returned to the personal trainer for the first time in a month!  Between the trainer losing his father-in-law, and being ill the week after, and my house stuff (plumber) and my weather-wimping, we had missed four weeks!   He will be out Christmas week, so I'll be doing Thursday with him next week to make the next "gap" 10 days, instead of longer.

I got a haircut Thursday afternoon.  

Friday, we took two car rides, but no leash walk.  Mommy was cold, and it's not even "as cold as it's going to get".  But it is good "glow in the dark" fetch time of year, and my girl zips out there to earn her treats!  I'm trying to think where we went on our rides... once would have been the coffee drive-thru, the other the grocery store, now that I know for sure what's been requested to bring along to the Christmas gathering.

Saturday morning dawned cold, and the snowflakes came and dusted the ground.  Ember napped in her crate while I baked cookies (not part of the requests for Christmas day).  It generally takes me about three sheets of cookies before I relearn the timing, every year!  These are the oatmeal Scotchies, which were Kevin's favorite cookie, and in the next generation, are my son's favorite, too.

We took one car ride Saturday morning, to the coffee drive-thru. Then we settled on backyard play time, first with some glow in the dark fetch, then later solo while the hu-mom did human stuff.  

After some training games we napped together on the couch while a Christmas movie played on the TV.  

New doggie toys are being brought out.  I try to limit it to one at a time, and every other day.  There's a squeaky wreath and a squeaky flat gingerbread man on the floor in that photo.

This one only lasted one play session!  It's a soft plastic that she can really sink her teeth into.  Molded to be shaped like a tree ornament, dubbed "orna-mutt" by the Bark Box people.

This Santa seems to be sturdier but it does not squeak.  It does bounce nicely and makes a fine fetch toy when it's dry outside.

Stay warm.  Saturday night to Sunday morning temperatures are supposed to dip to 4℉.  Not as cold as it can get around here, but certainly colder than it's been this season so far.

Life is good.  Spark on!

Chilling over the weekend and into the new week.

 

Christmas toys are starting to arrive.  This one arrived on Saturday.

Anybody else look at their animals and worry about whether they might be "favoring" one limb or another.  I do this with Ember.  I know my son does this with his Carl.  Saturday as she was coming back from one of her outside trips, I was watching how she was moving across the patio and I wondered if she had slipped out there.

As usual, after doing one of those helicopter mom double-takes, next time I see her gait, she's fine.

Another arrival on Saturday was a pair of YakTrax.  Now I don't know about the rest of you, but it should be obvious that this is an item that needs a size, but did I think about that when I ordered it?  Of course not!  I kind of accepted the default that the order screen had on it, without even looking at it!  Care to guess what size the app had defaulted?  

Would you believe extra small?  Would you believe I didn't look even when I unboxed the item and tried to "practice" putting them on my shoes?  I have a fair-sized foot.  I did not discover the size marking on the package until Sunday morning.  "XS"!  I spent my morning human time figuring out how to return for a different size.  It involved going to the Whole Foods in town (ordered from Amazon).  I don't return things very often, so this was a totally new experience for me, and it wasn't too terribly painful.  It gave Ember an extra car ride, which is how I'm trying to keep her brain exercised while I'm being weather wimp.

Speaking of Weather wimp:  Sunday was a moist, cold, gray day.  There were still some residential streets that were nasty icy.  I took Ember on a total of three car rides.  First to Whole Foods for the Amazon return.  Second through the prescription drive-thru.  Third to the venue where FGC was scheduled to have a basketball practice late in the day.  This led to a nostalgia drive through the neighborhood where I grew up.  

I found myself narrating to my dog, "down this street is where my friend Georgia lived", "and down this one is where my friend Patty lived", and "Leslie lived on this street".  "That's where we lived when we first moved to town, but that's not the same house..."  My grandmother used to take us on tours like this when I was a kid.  I am not turning into my parents, I'm turning into my grand-parents!  

Monday brought another gray day.  Brrrr!  Ember was a good girl waiting in the car while her hu-mom went into the grocery store to get us supplies for the week ahead.  

Tuesday, Ember was eager to go to day care.  My older sis came to pick me up and take me to the eye doctor at noon.  We did our usual sister catch up.  It was our youngest sister's birthday.  We had lots of time to chat while we were waiting for my eyes to dilate.  Turned out it wasn't just the assessment, there was time for the procedure that involved laser zapping the waxy buildup behind the lenses they had inserted during my cataract surgeries, last year and three years ago.  I was released on my own after that brief procedure, even being free to drive to go pick up Ember from her day care.

Tuesday overnight a weather front came through, so that I woke on Wednesday with my signature swollen sinus headache.  But I have livestock, so I got up, hydrated, etc. and got the day started.  It had been in the upper 50's F on Tuesday.  It was 49*F but WINDY on Wednesday morning.  All the snow had melted, so we were free to do poo patrol after breakfast, "almost normal" but we know this will not last, right, Ember?

Happy mid-week, celebrated here with a London Fog.  Yummm!

Life is good!  Keep on Sparking!

Life going onward

 Happy St. Nicholas' Day, to those who celebrate the classics!

Speaking of classics... here's Prisoner in a classic cat pose... in wait for someone to trip!  Friday morning, for the second day in a row, The Prisoner decided to retreat behind the gate at the bottom of the stairs to the bedroom level and hang out on the landing/in the hallway at the top.

Ember did not notice that he was up there until a couple of hours later, when we were about to head out to do Mommy errands in the car.  Ember let Mommy put her harness and leash on even after she noticed the c-a-t at the top of the stairs!  She followed the peanut butter treat to load up in the car.

It was another morning of good choices.  Mommy fumbled the blueberry package (not the first time, I've written about that comedy of errors before).  The tiny round things spewed about, some inside the 'fridge, some on the floor outside.  Mom said, "leave it", and tented her fingers over a few of the berries, and that was enough for Ember to know we were playing "It's Yer Choice".  She sat like a good girl on her hot zone while mommy picked them all up.  Ember was rewarded with a few of them, plus some of her chicken flavored treats.

Then she rode along to the grocery store and the coffee drive thru.  Mommy could not resist getting her a beef rib bone as an extra reward.  You would think the day care crew were teaching the pups about Santa coming! 🎅

She also played the "safe passage" game to let the kitty in or out without resisting.  I am once again looking ahead to the Winter, when it might be nice if the two of them could share the indoors, without having to restrict (other than access to cat's food and litter box, that is).  If the kitty could be upstairs more while the puppy is about it would make the kitty's life better and of course make Mommy's heart happy!

Saturday morning Mommy gave in to temptation and got a cinnamon roll at the coffee place.  It was warm and nummy and festive.

When Ember tucked herself in for puppy nap #1, I went outside to do a super-cleanup session in the partially melted backyard.  Yes, I am lazy about going on poo patrol when it's actively snowing, or if I am concerned about how long it's going to take to extricate the piles.  PTSD over last year when I got tackled from behind by an enthusiastic pup.  I waited until pup was contained.  

I gathered nine poop piles, which is about right for the number of days I did not get picked up during the past week.  I had gone out twice and only found two piles each of those days, but I know that two piles are produced each 24 hour period, so there had to be buried bombs out there.  Friday it got up over 40℉, so more of them magically appeared for this morning's session.  Now I am feeling accomplished.  Who knew that collecting doggie waste could be a satisfying thing to tick off your to-do list?  🤣

Life is good!  Keep on Sparking!