Carl turned 7 years old!

Time flies.  Carl was adopted by my son in 2019.  He was such a cutie!  I puppy sat every Monday when my son only worked from home four days a week.

They celebrate his birthday on Pi Day.  Irrational?  Regardless, this was his puppy photo with me, in May 2019.  Adorable!

The celebration this year was an outdoor romp at the neighborhood dog park near my son and DIL's home.  I drove Ember over so that they could have an hour of play time, along with a whole bunch of other dogs who came and went while we were there.

The mythical son, watching over the playing canines.  Added bonus of a dog birthday party?  Human hugs.

I was ecstatic to have DIL's dad join the outing, as he'd missed several due to recurring colds.  He was in good shape today.  You don't see DIL because she's behind the camera.  

Second bonus:  Pets other than your own.  A great group of dogs paraded by the bench full of "elder humans" (all us grandparents) particularly because the grandmas were packing treats.  This photo just shows our two dogs (Carl in foreground in a blue collar, Ember in the pink harness).  But there were half a dozen (or more) others who came up to say hi at one point or another.  A couple of huskies, a pair of Bernadoodles, a clearly full-on poodle, a beagle, several mixed breeds.  All well behaved.  One had a collar that read "Emotional support animal".

Sunday is supposed to plunge us back into Winter, so this hour in sunshine was much appreciated.  It was about 50℉, and while breezy, not too horrid.  Note we're all in sweats or light jackets.  The kiddo is even sockless in crocs (his favorite and most frequent footwear).

After the outing, both doggos napped in their separate homes.

Sunday morning, we are in a "weather watch" day.  Brrr.  Gusty winds and snow predicted for later.  Ember and I went through the coffee drive-through early, and she put herself down for a nap a little early, too.  So I'll post an early blog to document the special event of Carl's birthday, and start accumulating the next week's entry with whatever the weather does today.

Life is good.  Keep Sparking!

Hail, we got some rain, at least!

 

The teeny-tiniest hail stones.  If it were colder out, I'd call it sleet!  Taken Friday evening the 6th of March.

Ember proved her Labrador retriever heritage in more than one way this past week.  She went out just fine for her last call, same time as I took that photo of the deck floor.  She was good about having her paws wiped off when she came back in.  We've played the "paw check" game ever since she was tiny, so it's no biggie to have this done whenever it's wet or snowy or muddy outside.

During one of her puppy naps, she slept in an odd position in her crate, as many breeds are known to do.

Towel for a blanket, her head up against the door, belly exposed.  She must feel safe!

The rain came through with a front, obviously.  Saturday morning, we woke up to ice in the deck water dish.  

We got another nice leash walk in, taking a slightly different route, as on these "sniff-a-paloosa" walks I let Ember choose.  She does a good job of putting herself into a sit to let other people/dogs pass by on their walks, these days.  The we stocked up on groceries.  

Sunday morning, I woke up at what new time said was 6:22 a.m.  Ember and I did our usual things in the usual order, only the clock said something different than usual.  I love being retired!  We had a near perfect walk with manners.  Stepped off the sidewalk and sat beside a tree while another nervous dog walked by with its owner. She did try to "jump out and invite play" at the last second.  Fortunately, mom had a tight grip on the leash.  The rest of the walk calm, regular check ins with mom, leash in "J" form, loose.  

Sunday afternoon I put a deck chair out so I could sit outside while Ember had her time in the sun.  It did not take long for her to decide that it was her deck chair.  She occupied it in the afternoon, in the evening, and even in the pre-dawn of Monday morning.  I needed to bring out a second chair so that I would also have someplace to sit.

Monday morning, we walked on leash again, making it four days in a row.  I again let her choose direction, and she chose to walk on a different side of the street.  Over the course of those four days, we covered both sides of most of our route.  

Meanwhile, across town, "the kids" have had their deck replaced.  It looks gorgeous.  Their weekend DIY was sprucing up the space under the deck.  Their foster son helped make a bed of pea gravel level. He took great pride in his work.  I love how this kid has blossomed under their care.  He's only seven, but he was asking my son for recommendations for what tool to use for his task.  Very grown up in so many ways.  He also helps with the household cooking at times.

Ember was very happy to get to the doggy day care Tuesday morning.  Things got exciting as there was a big ol' train trundling on its tracks across the road near the place.  The crossing arms were down, the lights flashing, the bells dinging, and of course it's an hour darker in the morning at our "usual" time, now that the clocks have moved forward.  It did not bother Ember much, as she had her mom on the leash.

Wednesday morning surprise:  big ol' fat white flakes falling.  It melted before the day was done.  I had to drive to Omaha for a Dr. appointment, sogave myself plenty of time.  It was a good thing I did... because Google Maps contained an error!

Have you ever had a GPS take you to a completely different location from what you typed in?  I have witnesses!  I typed in 10707 as the street number.  It took me to 15055.  On a completely different street!

I reacted on Friday by editing Google Maps pin.  My edit is "under review" by their automated systems!  People, AI is invading.

I was 24 minutes late getting to the appointment (compared to the time they told me to arrive) but they ended up taking me in right away.  Follow up test has been ordered.  It's not until the end of April.  In the meanwhile, I get to live with the body the way it is. 

On the way home, another adventure, entirely self-induced.  I stopped to get gasoline for little Dexter's tank.  Would you believe $3.20 a gallon?  Yikes.  I drove on and was focused on the route.  

I drove by the old Linoma Beach Lighthouse (internal muse:  who puts a lighthouse on the Platte River?)  I have childhood memories of going to a neighbor's "cabin" on that beach, just the once, but it's a landmark.  Once the Interstate went in, Linoma became a ghost of a memory for most of us, but I drove by it on the old highway Wednesday.  Then I turned where some of the Wear Yellow bike rides went, and meandered down memories of cycling on those roads.  

Got onto the Interstate and was well on my way to my normal exit when I noticed in my side rearview mirror that... my gas cap was bouncing along outside the car, on its plastic tether!  Talk about early signs of forgetfulness.  Not to mention neglecting to recognize/notice it up to that point.  I remembered putting the pump nozzle back, but then I had not returned to put the gas cap back on, and amazingly, it bounced all the way to my exit and a safe place to stop and correct that!

In any case, Wednesday completely wiped me out.  Slept well Wednesday night into Thursday.  Thursday morning felt every day of my age.  Took my sweet time and Ember got to day care later than usual.  

Thursday was another medicalizing day, but at least it's only five minutes down the road, not the drive to Omaha thing!  This one was the annual boob squishing.  In and out, done.  No urgency.  "No news is good news", a letter confirming good news will follow.  If there's bad news, it would be a phone call.  

Thursday after I picked up Ember, I got an extra special treat:  FGC was going to swim lessons and while all that was going on, my son called to check up on how my medicalizing had gone, mainly, but also to discuss the state of the world, his job, etc.  This rambling conversation lasted nearly 3 hours.  

Ember managed to get into the guest room while I was on the phone with my son.  She found one of my "Two Blind Brothers" stuffed guide dogs and I let her take it down to her x-pen and nurse on it.  She was fairly gentle with it and after a while, she put herself into her crate for her pre-last-call puppy nap.  I tucked her in and was able to go upstairs and let my son vent and vent back.  His conversation starting question:  "Do you remember how you felt when Afghanistan first started?"  I responded, "Which time?  Afghanistan has been at war in some form since before I was born!"  And of course, I leave it to your imagination the rabbit holes and briar patches this conversation went down.  In the end, we exchanged "love you" expressions and I brushed my teeth and went down to let Ember out for her "last call".

Friday the 13th's morning showed up in an obstacle course on the roads.  A car was being jumped, right in the left turn lane of the entry way to the shopping area where my regular grocery store is.  Then on the way back, a huge truck was blocking the right lane.  Ember was treated to a different route both coming and going to avoid the obstacles.

And there we have it.  Another week living in Emberville.  Life is Good.  Keep on Sparking, my friends.

Let us try a Sunday start to the week!

March 1st is a nice confluence of beginnings.  Meteorological first day of Spring.  This year it falls on a Sunday, which is first day of the week, too.

🐰🐇🐰

Yes, those of you who follow the news may have noted that we actually had an earthquake or two out here.  The first one was the biggest at a 4.3 on the Richter scale.  It was a bit south of Hastings, Nebraska, where my older sister plays viola in their local symphony.  They did not however have any performances scheduled for Sunday the 1st of March.  But there were people here in town who definitely felt it, and even some as far away as Omaha reported feeling it.  

I am thinking that to feel it you had to not make assumptions about your body giving you fake signals.  At my age if things feel a little shaky I'm thinking oh I'm having a dizzy spell.  Or at the very least question my judgment as to what's going on.  But the young alert folks definitely nailed it: it was an earthquake.  Two smaller ones followed on, an hour later, and then 5 hours after that.  The epicenters of those moved toward the South.

Monday is the 2nd of the month, and for this dog-mama it began with waking up at 1 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep.  OK, I might have dozed off and on a bit between then and 5:24 when I finally "gave up and got up".  

The Prisoner had gone outside at "last call" Sunday night, so was ready to come back in and be fed.  

Ember was full of herself!  She decided to "dig" at the seam between carpet and tile. She pried one of the Italian tiles up from its initial "super glue" repair.  She accepted mom's judgement that she needed to "kennel up" while mom cleaned up after her.  Reattached, and left to dry.  Ember released from time-out.

By now, of course, the day's order was disrupted, and we ended up doing poo patrol, then jumping in the backseat of the car for a ride through the coffee drive through.  Mom caved to temptation and bought mint chip chocolate cookies for the human breakfast, along with her mocha.  Ember got her big chewstick, then put herself back in her crate for "human time".

Tuesday, I skipped the trainer again.  Body was not being cooperative.  I still managed to do dog laundry and vacuum out the x-pen.  It was kind of drizzly outside.  Smells like Spring coming on.

The war that fired up last weekend is too close to home.  Today the news reported that one of those killed in the drone strikes is from about 50 miles away from here.  Army Reservist, working in Kuwait.  He had been previously deployed there in 2009 (same time as my son was passed through there on his way to his station).  Just.  Too.  Close.  And he is about my son's age, too.  To be clear:  ANY war is too close.  But coincidences bring added impacts.  If it means anything to anyone, my own apologies for the chaotic nature of the current leadership of the USA.  Makes me wonder how ordinary people felt in other times... in other places, when the "selection of leaders" seemed to be out of their hands.  'Nuff said.  Bible verse that covers that one is Mary pondering what she observed in her heart.

Wednesday, March 4th.  This is one of two competing dates for National Sons' Day.  I like it better because it's easy to remember:  "march forth" is what sons do... march on out of a mom's life as they become men.  I will celebrate in true Emberville style, by posting the picture of her licking her "big brother" when she came to live with me, nearly two years ago.  That cute little pink tongue gets me every time.

Still moist and relatively spring-like temperatures outside.  

One of our Ember car rides was to the library.  I started reading a book that "the kids" had read to their foster son at bedtimes.  It's called When Stars are Scattered.  It is biographical tale of Omar Mohamed, with Victoria Jamieson co-authoring the story.  This is a graphical novel, a format that I haven't indulged in very often, but it's like a blend between comic book art and writing.

Wednesday evening, I was sick.  Ugh!  I'm pretty sure it was food poisoning, rather than an illness, because once the nausea and such were past, I slept well and long.

I awakened later than usual Thursday morning.  Ember's time at home before day care was foreshortened.  She was happy to head off to play with her puppy friends.

I took it easy, particularly taking it easy on the tummy/digestive tract.  I know there is one brand of frozen entrees I shall not purchase again.  Might just take a break from those cookies, too.  I did a small load of laundry and did some basic cleaning.  I took a nap on the couch.

Meanwhile, the season is progressing, flip-flopping temperatures notwithstanding!  Little shoots of daffodils to come are poking their fingers up along the fence line, and beside the A/C.

Thursday, I finished the library book.  I found the story gripping.  It is about the refugee experience of the author, who entered a refugee camp in Kenya at age 4, taking care of his two-year-old brother.  They arrived there in poor condition after walking, fleeing the war in Somalia.  It tells of their experience growing up, how much waiting there was, the entire process of vetting before being approved to come to the US.  It tells of conditions in the schools there, how competitive it is just to keep going.  How many years he waited (over ten), living his childhood out in the camp.  He was 18 by the time he was approved to be resettled.  Many people helped along the way to get this promising young man to America, where he graduated college, got care for his disabled brother, married, started his own family, and became a citizen.  Highly recommend.  

Suddenly, it's Friday.  I woke late, after having a period of wakefulness in the night, similar to overnight Sunday to Monday.

It is a mild wet morning.  Mild enough that I took Ember out on leash around the neighborhood.  She behaved well, except for one episode of licking at someone's spilled green bean casserole.  Makes one wonder how such things end up splatted in the street... careless garbage workers?  Anyway, we worked our way past that and got home, then went on a ride through the coffee drive-thru, where they always have a milk-bone for Ember.

Life goes on in our space, regardless of what shows up on the news.  And life is good.  Keep on Sparking, doing what you can.  Kindness is the real king of humanity.

We begin the week with Saturday

All day long on Saturday the 21st, I kept thinking it was Sunday.  Friday the 20th, I kept thinking it was Saturday.  I'm still a day off on my calendar awareness!  I shall blame the snow.

The Mythical Son had arranged for Nebraska Men's basketball tickets, and the plan was for all to meet at a local pizza joint across the street from the arena where the games are played, but between Ember dealing with an ear infection, and the five hours I would have to be away, I opted out.  We spent Saturday quietly, with the Olympics on in the background.  Perhaps it was good luck... Nebraska won their basketball game!

I can admit I really needed that cave day.  I took another one on Sunday.  The snow will probably start melting on Monday or Tuesday, and in the meantime, I remained in "hunker down" mode.  On Saturday I ventured out to the grocery store, and the side streets reminded me of the bobsled runs on the Olympics TV screen.  Sunday morning, it was down to just random patches of ice, dry pavement between them.

Monday was the coldest morning of the week.  But it still produced sunny skies.  Ember and I made do with a couple of car rides and playing with toys.  She did play by herself in the yard a few times, taking care of business in the process.  I managed to get three loads of human laundry and a nap squeezed in.

Tuesday brought us a high over 50℉!  I was out in just my sweatshirt doing "poo patrol" Tuesday afternoon.  The snowfall from the previous Thursday and Friday melted fast, which of course means muddy paws.  It had not yet thawed until afternoon.  I dropped Ember at day care, went for my workout with the trainer, and vacuumed out her x-pen.  I paid bills.

Ember is getting much better at letting me do some "human things" while she's awake; but she needs that puppy play time, and I need the ability to focus on those human things.

Wednesday produced a more spring-like day.  Ember impressed her mommy with good behavior in the store.  Several stores welcome well behaved leashed dogs inside. These make for good training venues.  But you have to be at a certain performance level before you're even ready to train in such a venue.  

For instance, doors that open automatically can be spooky.  We had practiced a few times just going into the entrance at this store before.  This time we got all the way through the narrow aisles back to where her giant chew sticks are stored.  We greeted a customer with our paws on the ground.  We made it back through all the distractions of the aisles to check out.  And we stayed calm while mommy paid for our purchase.  The clerk gave Mommy a dog treat, and that made our enticement to get back in the car easier.  

It was also nice enough on Wednesday to take a leash walk through the neighborhood.  Ember found something that fascinated her on someone's yard about a block and a half from home on the way back.  She paused there licking at the grass for quite some time.  But eventually we did make it home.

Nice days also bring the Prisoner out into the sunshine.  Wednesday photo.

Thursday I was just NOT wanting to get out of bed.  Hint:  could be that I haven't been eating the way I should.  Or it could be that my age / less activeness is catching up to me.  Could even be the weather fronts coming through.

I dropped Ember at day care, then came home and pretty much wandered around the house doing next to nothing.  Oh, yeah, I printed out the tax forms for archival purposes, did due diligence poo patrol in the back yard, vacuumed out the x-pen, etc.  Somehow things get done, but no big projects, and mostly it felt like I was just going through the motions.  I did nap on the couch for a bit.  And read a few pages in my current library book.

Friday morning dawned mild!  40℉.  Kitty chose to go outside.  Ember and I went on one car ride to do a couple of human things.  

Friday noonish it was deck time.  My pup loves the sun.

Until it gets a smidge too warm for her, and then it's tile floor time!

We had a nice afternoon walk. I kept on feeding her treats while I visited with a couple of neighbor ladies.  She was well behaved, most of the way.  She did want to pull me toward the tall grass as we came back through the park and I wanted to take her to the side so a fellow human could pass by.  But I was able to jolly her back on task, and we got home.  So much better than my memory of a year ago last Fall.

I played catch up with the finale of The Traitors on Peacock streaming.  Not surprising, but the end result left me with huge mixed feelings.  

I admire the game play, I guess.  It's how you'd have to play it to win, but oh, it so brings echoes of a training game that caused my father and his best work friend to stop trusting one another at work.  Mainly it was my father who stopped trusting his "friend".  Friend viewed it as a game.  My father saw it as he had given his word.  They did not speak for six months after this episode, according to my mother.  This of course was many years ago, mom passed in 1996, and dad in 1999.

My father took honor very seriously.  All these TV psychological games are based on lying and deceit, and we've come to consider this behavior "acceptable" in the context of "the game".  But for many people, they have come to view life and policy as also a game.  My father, on the other hand, took his life values into the game.  We should ponder on this... which do we as individuals do?

I guess I kind of demonstrated my ability to persuade when I played the same game in a training class at IBM.  The game is designed to get internal groups to "compete" in such a way that they could individually win lots more if they stabbed the other groups in the back.  But if they did, the entire collective would lose the game.  The class I was in was the first to undermine the competitive nature of the scoring and "win" as a collective.  Does that make me a socialist?

On that light note, I'll close the weekly entry.  Life is good.  Keep Sparking... it provides light in the darkness!

Finally got to a Youth Basketball Game

 In this case, one in which my foster grandson was playing.  "The Kids" are on an annual retreat that DIL's family does to a nearby state park cabin, and they are having a ball.  But Sunday was the last game of the season for FGC, so my son drove him back into town for it.

I had already taken Ember on a long leash walk, one where I let her nose direct us.  So there were a lot of reversals of direction and doubling back, and in the end, it was 1.88 miles.  This made her more amenable to going into her crate for a "puppy nap #2" that coincided with time for the ball game.

The game itself was hilarious!  This is YMCA ball, and the coaches are also the referees, which is kind of ridiculous, since they don't call fouls, traveling, double dribbles, or travelling.  When something goes awry, the coaches stop the game long enough to give the kids additional instruction about "we don't steal the ball in this league", "remember to dribble", etc.  FGC's best buddy is on his team.  Best bud picked up the ball at one point, tucked it under his arm and ran for the endzone.  Did we confuse football and basketball, kiddos?  I was cracking up!  I dub thee "Rugby Basketball", this game played by first graders with very lax rules.

Anyway, I think it ended with a score of 2 - 1, FGC's team on the losing end.  BUT, in the process, the one basket they DID get, was the result of a decent job of teamwork on the part of FGC, his buddy, and the best shooter on the team (I think that one's name is Nathan).  I told FGC that I was really proud of their teamwork on that play.  They are indeed learning!

Monday we had another warm weather day.  We've got a couple more days of highs 20-30 degrees above average before Winter rears her head again.  They are saying we might get snow Thursday or Friday, after having seen 70 plus on Tuesday!  Seems to happen every Winter that we get a week of unseasonably warm weather, but this one has lingered, and believe me, I've enjoyed it thoroughly, as has Ember!

Tuesday morning Ember was happy to go to her day care.  My kid sis Alicia came over, having taken a vacation day from her work to observe the confluence of holidays!  Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Mardi Gras all land on the same day this year.

I finished up dog laundry, and straightened the couch covers after Alicia left, then went to pick up the cat's pesticide prescription.

On the way home, I found that the local/regional grocery had put Paczki's in the "sale" cart up front.  

Kid sis sent me a link to a TikTok that explains the origins (at least in the US Midwest) of the Polish jelly donut made specially for Mardi Gras, to use up all the goodies before Ash Wednesday begins the Christian Lenten season.  In this video I learned that this word is pronounced "poonch-key". So much for my phonetic "pahksy".  Being near a Czech community I was more familiar with kolaches (had to learn that pronunciation, too).  

Then I settled in for the human "think" work of the day, filing my taxes.  This is a Presidents' Day tradition for me.  I need to know by this date (after I've got all the forms from various places) whether I get something back or have to pay in.  This year I had to pay in, which is not surprising, because I'm not in the highest income groups that had their tax cuts "extended for life", I'm in the group that had theirs expire.  

Wednesday morning, I woke with the after-effects of those Paczki's.  Yuck.  This is why we only do this once a year, right?  But there are so many holidays that we do "once a year".  I hydrated, caffeinated, and had a protein rich breakfast, and started to feel much, much better.

Ember and The Prisoner's ballet that I call "safe passage"

1.  The Prisoner requests entry to the house.  He had gone outside at breakfast time for him.

2. Ember is asked to Kennel Up.  She gets a treat (labs are soooo food motivated).

3-4. Hu-mom opens the door and escorts The Prisoner to his safe haven in the laundry room.  He's on alert the whole time.

5.  Ember is allowed to "break" from her Kennel.  She then trots down the stairs to make sure The Prisoner is safely tucked away.  Both animals are proud of their participation in the ritual.

A brief while later, Ember went down for puppy nap #1, and Mommy got to "go do human things" for a bit.  

Ember had a fine Wednesday.  She got a nice long leash walk on the last mild weather day for a while.  She got two car rides.  We drove to the Humane Society's adoption center, where I dropped off some of her old "gently used" toys that she no longer shows interest in.  Then we took recycles to the bins by the high school.  She got a yak cheese puff as an extra treat Wednesday, too.

Thursday, I asked that the vet take a look at Ember's lower belly where she has been licking at a couple of spots, and at her ears, as we've had some head shaking.  

I got the consult call from the vet as I was leaving my workout.  Yeast infection in the ears, they will treat.  The two spots on her belly, I'm to treat with neosporin.  Apoquel for a brief course for her general itchiness, then continue with just the Zyrtek.

The Resumption of Winter:

The anticipated snow started about 3:15 p.m. on Thursday.  I went and got Ember, and even in the short time I went inside to consult about her supplements, the car got covered in the snow.  The crews had not got out to clear streets yet, of course, since it had only just begun, but we crept home without incident and started Ember on her "new" (had it before though) meds.  

The deck after day care, while it was still coming down.  This picture was snapped about 5:15 p.m. Thursday. The snow seemed to have ended by "last call" about 8 p.m.

On Tuesday, the forecast said we were in the "trace to an inch" band.  Wednesday, they saw the track moving Southward and told us 1 to 3 inches.  Thursday morning, they said we were on the line between 1 to 3 and 3 to 6 inch bands.

By 8 p.m. the middle of that deck measured 6 inches.  There was more by morning, but Ember objected to my ruler, so I did not measure.  Let's just say it was a bit over 6 inches at my house.

The front steps before sunrise Friday.  I looked at this and thought it didn't look "too bad".  I mean it was obviously light and fluffy, right?

Labrador footprints.  I had to toss one of her balls out there to get her to go out in the pre-dawn to take care of business.

Still looks "light and fluffy" to me.

Ready to come back in, Ma!  Ember was good about going out after the first trip.

I shoveled just enough path to put the garbage to the curb.  It was indeed white and fluffy on the top, but underneath was slushy ice!

Fast forward.  The garbage men came and took away the trash.  I shoveled two more sessions.  After I called it quits, I have about half a driveway lane, and the sidewalks cleared and ice melt applied.

The ice on the porch is too thick.  Just ice melt applied, so far!

Given how slick it is on the streets, guess who will be buttoned up and staying home Friday, at least?  School is closed.  Son reported having to navigate around cars in odd places (middle of the roundabout, in the ditch) on his way home to his own house after work Thursday night. The major streets were at a standstill. Good choice for me to stay home Friday!

I was very proud of Ember Friday morning.  She was "loose" in the house while I shoveled, and she did not "invent" chewing games.  My furniture, carpets, and walls were intact when I came in.  Some folks may take this for granted when they step outside to do chores.  After the first year I lived through with Ember, I do not assume good behavior in this regard, and I'm overly pleased when she does "the right thing", patiently waiting for her mommy.  

I rewarded her by letting her play "pull mommy's glove out of her pocket".  Then "give it back to mommy's hand" and a treat.  She has always had a focus on my gloves and hats... I figure use it as a reward, play into it, and it helps train her for things I really WANT her to do!

Five days of Winter weather ahead before we get the next hint of Spring!

Life in Emberville is indeed good!  Keep on Sparking, my friends!

Happy Valentine's week, friends!

Saturday the 7th was a "pull in your horns" kind of a day for me.  I did not feel well.  The dentist told me on prior Thursday to give the fillings side a couple of days to settle, and I had awakened with a bit of a headache.  Advil was the solution.  I got Ember out on a couple of car rides, but no leash walks on Saturday.  Late in the afternoon it had warmed to 40 or so, and there was enough sun that she did both play fetch with me from the deck, and lay in the sun, enjoying a non-Winter weather break.

Sunday when Ember went down for puppy nap #1, I tucked her in and went upstairs to nap myself.  After nap, I discovered that the monthly Bark Box delivery had arrived.

It's a chocolate cherry bon-bon, Ember!  And it's scented.  Amazingly, she hasn't destroyed it yet (it's been over a week by the time this posts).  On day one she brought it to me to play fetch.  

When I noticed the temperature had once again reached into the mid-50's (F), we put on the harness and leash and went out to enjoy the sidewalks of the neighborhood.  Ember was on best behavior.  There were lots of folks out walking their pets, but no pulling or lunging toward them.  We stayed on our side of the street, and she got treats, as usual, for keeping Mommy on the sidewalk.  Lots of good sniffs, picked up a big fallen branch to bring home, then went on a second short car ride.  This was a ride to nowhere, just for the sake of a ride.

On the TV in the background, we have kept an eye on the Olympics.  Some men's figure skating, some curling.  Later in the week snow boarding, cross country skiing, and biathlon.  I like curling.  I enjoy the challenge of biathlon (combination of cross country ski and target shooting).  Some sports, like figure skating, even though they are covered other parts of the year, I only watch during the Olympic games.

Sunday evening the 8th, Ember was in her pre-last-call crate nap when I put the Super Bowl on. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the actual game.  I made a deliberate effort to focus for Bad Bunny's half time show and I enjoyed it, but could see how "sexy" it was, as most popular artists are these days.  So yeah, I can see the point of view of the alternate choice folks.  But then I heard/read about the lyrics at the alternate show... sheesh!  I will continue to expose myself to new things.  It's good for me.

Ember has developed the habit of charging into the garage sans leash.  But she hops right into the car to go for a ride.  I have rewarded this. First ride of the day (except for day care days) is the coffee drive-through.  Second time will be human errands: the recycles collection center, the library, the grocery store, etc.  She has been a good girl and stayed in her own space in the car while Mommy went and did her "human stuff".  Sometimes we get the harness on for these outings.  First time this week she stayed in the car while mom got her hair cut.

Ember made me proud while I answered a phone call Monday afternoon the 9th.  I turned the TV off and had left the gate to the upstairs open while I did.  She went upstairs, and peeked into the big bathroom, even poking her head into the shower stall that had the door open.  But she was calm the whole time and came downstairs at my request.  She did not bark, but let me finish my business call, making an appointment for "more medicalizing" in March.  

I was a real slug about getting up on Wednesday the 11th. 

I have been working at conditioning Ember to brushes, so that I can do a rudimentary groom between her "spa day" ones, which are about six weeks apart.  Being brushed does feel good, as The Prisoner could tell Ember, if she would listen to a cat, that is.

Wednesday and again on Friday the 13th Ember was very excited to get a leash walk through the neighborhood.  She was a very good girl on Wednesday, no pulling, lunging, or shying.  Friday, though, she did not want to end the walk, and mom was getting a lot of urgent signals from her body at the end!  

Thursday was day care and grooming for Ember, and workout and clean the house day for mom!  I changed out her bedding in the crate, so that freshly groomed Ember would sleep on fresh clean "blankies".

Friday was a good day for Ember.  The air temperature topped 60F.

With the rolling around of yet another Saturday, I realize this "blog accumulated notes" entry has exceeded a week in Emberville!  "The Kids" and DIL's parents are up at a cabin in a state park this weekend, but I am sticking close to home myself.

Life is good!  Keep on Sparking!

Medicalizing week done

I had a blog "in progress". It got too long and was full of too much "nothing" in my opinion, and suddenly it's been over a week since I posted one.  This one is an edit of the accumulation.

Between last blog and this one:  I got Ember's DNA test results back and it was boring.  She is, as expected, 100% Labrador Retriever.  She has the genetics that show the likelihood of her having a "dilute" coat color (i.e. no surprise she's a Charcoal as opposed to solid black).  She also has a "red" intensity gene, which explains the caramel look on her coat at times.  It also revealed that she has a tendency to allergies.  No news, right?  It did show she does not have any of the 247 genetic diseases they test for, so that's good news in the "no news".

At the end of this week, Friday February 6th, it got to 50℉.  It was both deck weather and leash walk weather, so we had a bit of both.  

Early in the week, we had a little snow slicking up the streets, and as the week progressed, a blast of below zero temperatures. We survived the edge of the big storm that mostly went South and East of us last week and have emerged into what's predicted to be a five-day stretch of "above average" temperatures.

It was a full week of "medicalizing" for me.  Friday the 31st of January was blood draw and Medicare's annual "wellness" visit.  On Tuesday February 3rd, I had the physical with the doctor, where he reviewed the results of that blood work, etc.  As with Ember's DNA results, no surprises.  I am low on vitamin D, probably because I haven't been taking my recommended wintertime supplements.  I'm trying to play catch up now.  But the cholesterol and thyroid, kidney function, etc., were all good.  Blood pressure no worries.  Everything continues.  Keep on going to the trainer, keep on walking the dog, etc.

Yesterday, Thursday the 5th, was the day set aside with the dentist, to repair two fillings.  I got the marathon report from my dentist... her hubby finished the Disney half marathon, and is trying to re-qualify for Boston, since their youngest child doesn't remember visiting the ducks (and they have been reading the book "Make Way for Ducklings").  

It was an interesting "personal connection" week with my medical providers because I not only got the dental family report, but also my doctor's oldest daughter is graduating from college this Spring!  When I first started going to him, he was just out of residency!  There is something to be said about these long-term relationships with health care professionals.

Another full moon slipped in during this time period, as well.  The so-called Snow Moon.  I loved this moonrise photo with the tree as a stark silhouette.  I should credit that this is not my house, but my neighbor to the East.  His tree is featured in many of my sunrise photos, too.

Bottom line:  life goes on, and Life is Good.  Keep on Sparking, my friends!