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!

Winter for reals

 

We did not get much snow.  This one is from Sunday morning, so it has paw and footprints from both Saturday and Sunday, the 24th and 25th of January.  Ember has become very good at going out "on her own".  When I started to take us out for "poo patrol" on Saturday morning, she yelped and jumped but I couldn't determine whether she had reacted just to the cold underfoot, if something stuck her, or if I accidentally stepped on her toes... whatever the cause, I comforted her, and put her back inside while I completed the yard chore.

Saturday, seeing that one or two other dogs were in fact getting leash walks in the neighborhood, despite the cold and her own hu-mom being unwilling to do that, she looked longingly out at them.

I think this particular cold snap has proven her labrador breeding.  She spent time in the yard solo several times over the three (so far) cold days.  It takes her a bit to find "just the right spot".

Being the weather wimp that I am, I was grateful for the scarcity of the snow, and we took several short (very short) car rides, and played with some different toys and games inside.  I'm gaining confidence and she's gaining self-control.

Saturday the cousins lunch worked out after all.  My niece messaged me that her taste and smell had come back, so we all gathered at a nearby Indian restaurant and with six of us there. All ordering different dishes, we were able to have "a little taste" of all of them.  Mulligatawny soup for all, and three kinds of Naan.  Tea was the beverage of choice for the majority, except for FGC, who had some fancy chilled latte.  I'm going to put the version of the photo with "face obscured" that my DIL posts when she shares online.

As it turned out, this was the Yahrzeit for my niece's mother.  She passed 13 years ago, I think it was.  Same time as my son was coming home from his second deployment.  We got special dispensation for him to make it home a day early, in time for the funeral mass.

Coming home after the luncheon, the news out of Minneapolis hit like a punch in the gut.  This young man had many things in common with my son.  I don't know if I ever mentioned in the old Spark blogs that at one point my son considered going after a nursing degree.  He ended up with his master's in social work instead.  He is out there helping unhoused veterans, directly.  

I could easily envision my son helping someone who had been pushed down to their feet.  I could easily see him putting himself between the agents and the young woman, acting as a human shield.  In my son's line of work, de-escalating is second nature, just as it was for Alex Pretti.

On Monday I found myself in need of doing something to make myself feel better about the world.  Often, I find this by doing something nice for someone else.  I left a larger than usual tip at the coffee drive-through.  I also paid for the order of the car behind me.  I get a little thrill out of being able to do this anonymously.  I have no idea who is in that other car, and they don't know it's coming, either.  I hope it made their day just a little bit better.  The antidote to "bad things happening" is kindness.

Later I shipped back the unused "leak proof" undies, asking for a refund.  That was Ember's second car ride of the day.  It was still bitter cold here, but Tuesday should be a little bit less so.

I trotted out another new toy on Monday.  An extra-large "calming duck".  I had to take it away from her after only about five minutes, as she already breached the beak and started the de-stuffing process.  I shall try again with it another day.

By the end of a four-day stretch without daycare, this is what the x-pen looks like.  Toys all over.  I do scoop them up from time to time, but they tend to accumulate until she goes off to play with her puppy friends and I do a proper vacuuming job.

Wishing those who read from places more impacted by this week's big Winter storm safety and warmth!  Life is precious, as well as good.  Hug your loved ones.  Pray for peace.  And keep on Sparking!

Le Sigh!

 

The toy "in jail"?  It was just so cute, with the upside-down face looking like shifty eyes, if you don't realize that mid-forehead crease is in fact a smile, upside down.

This has been a week without much to "write home about".  On Tuesday, Ember went to day care, and I worked out with the trainer.

On Wednesday I tried out some supposedly leak-proof undies.  They weren't.  They did not make it through a grocery run.

Ember joins the package in the x-pen!

It's has not been much of an eventful week.  

On Sunday, Ember and I drove by the school where FGC was playing his basketball game.  My son was subbing in as assistant coach, and the regular coach was under the weather, so the regular assistant was being coach.  Also helps that the assistant coach is FGC's best buddy's dad, and the two dads get on well.  We were a bit late arriving, and I didn't want to disrupt the event, so I did not go in, but it was a good outing for the pup.

MLK day (Monday) there was an "ICE Out" protest downtown at the State Capitol, but Ember and I did not venture out.  Tuesday, she went to day care and I worked out with the trainer.  Wednesday, we went to get groceries in the morning and took recycles to the bins at the high school in the afternoon.  Just normal human errands, but my girlie likes to come along.

Thursday, she had day care again, and I did my usual house cleaning thing.  And laundry.  

When I went to pick Ember up at daycare, there was the cutest little terrier mix in for a health check.  Older dog.  According to the gent holding her leash, Piper was about to be up for adoption, as she had lost her family.  She was so gentle, and loving, and pretty and soft.  I let Ember touch noses and sniff with her as we were leaving, but I tell you, my heart wanted to scoop her up and bring her home.  I did not do so, and probably have missed my opportunity to do so, because she's a real cutie, and I hope she finds a new fur-ever home quickly.

Imagine the photo of Ember above with a little white Westie mix about 1/4 her size...

Friday morning, I woke to temperatures below zero, Fahrenheit.  Brrrr!  But Ember and I went through our usual morning routine for the most part.  It was Simparica Trio day for Ember.  I had just done the flea treatment for Prisoner earlier in the week.  We are hunkered down for the next couple of days, due to the cold weather!

We are having to reset when we get the cousins together for what was supposed to be Saturday's luncheon.  Since I've already got the reservation made, we're swapping out to have DIL's mom come instead of my niece.  No fun going out for ethnic food when your smell and taste are gone, per the niece, who just got home from a trip to find she had caught Covid-19, as had her roommate.  "Le Sigh!"

Life is good.  Keep on Sparking!

 

  

Winter resumes

 

The chill factor is back.  Mother Nature has remembered to check the calendar and delivered up a January style day!

Ember is a happy pup, having enjoyed three days in day care in a row.  Her hu-mom is mostly exhausted from peopling, but the peopling was both fun and productive.

The dentist found two things that need to be repaired, so an appointment has been made for that follow up.  

The eye doctor pronounced my glaucoma as "stable" and we settled that I don't need to go see him on a regular basis anymore. The regular eye doctor can monitor anything that might need specialist attention.  If that happens, he can refer me at that point. Yay!  Only one eye doctor!

Reminders of who I used to be...  

I was in for a surprise at the financial guys' breakfast meeting on Thursday.  On the walk from the car park into the building, I was randomly asked by another client whether I had ordered this cold snap!  I said I probably used up my budget for nice weather, so yes, of course I'm responsible!

It turned out that this couple and I sat next to each other at breakfast, and over the course of the usual chit-chat it came to light that she's of my generation, and also trained in engineering school, but she married an ag worker and moved to the Western part of the state where the work she could get was as a teacher... so she spent her working life teaching math.  We swapped stories about our experiences in college as women in engineering fields. We laughed over things like the introduction of calculators and the high-end slide rules of our day.  I left there with warm memories of "who I used to be" back before I became a triathlete or a dog lady.  I had found a new friend with whom I'd be ecstatic to spend more time, if ever we get the chance.  Even if we don't, we recognized one another as kindred spirits.  It's amazing what it feels like for those of us who are retired, to revisit our professional lives with the fuzzy pink of good humor!

Thinking of the month ahead...

Ember and I have a normal weekend and week ahead.  On Saturday the 24th, I'm hosting my son, his wife, their foster kiddo, and my son's cousin for lunch.  I haven't seen the two cousins together since the year her mom passed, back in 2013!  This is a friendship / cousinship I'd like to see grow.  Both of them are "singletons" at this point in their lives, being adults with no living siblings.  That description also fits my daughter in law. 

The last week of January and the first week of February introduce the next "medicalizing week."  Friday the 31st of January, feeding into Tuesday the 3rd of February I have the annual exam stuff: the blood draw, Medicare "wellness" interview, then the annual physical with the "real" doctor. Then dental work identified at Wednesday's visit is slated for the 5th.  I hope that will be the end of all this stuff until July, when we start the cycle all over again.

I'll close out with greetings from The Prisoner, in the sunshine through the window, from Wednesday morning.  Ember wasn't the only one who was happy that she got three day care days this week!

Life is good.  Keep taking good care of yourselves, keep Sparking!

Keeping Calm and Carrying on

 

Testing, 1-2-3!  I took this photo with night vision at about 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7th, 2026.  That's the same tree I sometimes have in the foreground of sunrise shots, so it's looking a little bit south of east.  I'm posting here to see how well it transfers, but Orion is somewhat hidden between the branches of that tree.  This is a nostalgia shot to prove to myself that my childhood memories of watching Orion rising and marching across the sky as dad drove us home from grandma's house at the end of a long holiday visit are not faulty.  It's not easy to see against a light webpage background, but it is visible.

As of Saturday morning (the 10th), we are still a little above the average January temperature.  We have dropped back into abnormally dry conditions, overall, but not fully into a drought yet.  It's still below the freezing mark, so I'm still reluctant to go out dog-walking because of my Reynaud's, so car rides it is!  I am so glad that Ember eventually outgrew her car sickness, because this is a way to exercise her dog-brain, too.

Speaking of the 10th of January, this year marks 98 years since the birth of my father.  Dad's been gone now for a little over 26 years, but dates are something that stick in the brain, or at least in mine.  The other birthday memory of dad was the year that my brother Kevin (a.k.a. MOBYCARP from Spark days) ran a race on Dad's birthday.

I think it was a half marathon, named appropriately "Winter Warrior" or some such, but the photo he posted showed ice in his beard.  I think the FB post was in 2013. 

Somehow in my mind I tie them (dad and brother) together because of that.  My brother even mentioned at the time that he dedicated the race in honor of dad.

I am once again trickling out "new toys" that arrived this month.  One of her new favorites is a beaver head ball that bounces in unexpected ways because of the ears and the teeth on its surface.  Sunday morning was chilly (19℉) so I tossed it outside from the deck, and off she raced to retrieve it.  Five of those cycles and I have a dog that's tired enough to put herself down for a puppy nap.  

Another "new" favorite is a "lump of coal" in a dodecahedron shape.  Not sure just what the material is, but it squeaks and bounces, and she likes to chew on it.

I have a few more in reserve for when she needs an extra stimulus.  

A big beef bone came in the Chewy box that arrived on Sunday afternoon.  She happily chewed on it for two full hours.  This is during the time of day when she gets most restless, so the peace was wonderful.

The fur-coated automated jiggly toy died earlier on Sunday.  But I have another on "autoship" order for next month.  She really likes these.  If I limit her time with certain toys, they last longer (more sessions).

Monday I awakened to a restless pup, and we worked out some of that with a car ride, and some with giving her "rubbish" to tear up.  An empty oatmeal box with crumpled paper and an empty soda bottle was her makeshift puzzle of the morning.  It's how I keep the toy budget within reason!

The crud that's going around hit my son's household on Friday and over the weekend.  First it hit FGC, and they kept him home from school with a fever.  Saturday my son came down with it, and he kept himself quiet both Saturday and Sunday, preserving his recovery so that he was OK to go to work on Monday.  DIL got lucky, knock wood, and so far, has not succumbed.  Her mom had been with a larger social group for a birthday party on Saturday and came home with a rising temperature.  She recovered quickly and is also OK on Monday.  Her dad has been lucky, too, again, knock wood, and I'm not exhibiting symptoms, but kept myself to myself and to Ember, Friday through Monday, to protect upcoming peopling this week.

I have the trainer on Tuesday, the dentist on Wednesday, and the eye doctor for the glaucoma check on Thursday as well as a breakfast with the investment dudes.  Ember gets three full day care days.  That will make her happy, and hopefully less of that restless pup I saw on Monday morning.

Monday afternoon it was absolutely gorgeous out and nearly 60℉, so we actually got out for a sniff-a-palooza of a walk in the neighborhood.  My restless pup is now a very happy one!

Life is good.  Keep Sparking!