For those who might have wondered, I was right about the pirate winning first prize (cute, huh?)
And the butterfly won second: such a patient pup.
Leaving Carl in 3rd place, but he was totally happy with the treat collection that he got for his paw-rents' efforts.
Hope you're all prepared and having a good Halloween! Because Life is good!
Spark on!
His creative Mom's plan. Carl was not a fan. His Dad picked out music to go with the photos for a reel "Oh no! Oh no! Oh-no-no-no-no-no!" You know the song.
I headed down, and what an amazing array of costumes showed up. Carl got enough treats down the funnel of that cone to hopefully forever change his attitude about cones.
His dad went as Todd Chavez, and his mom as a Cockatiel Waitress (from some cartoon thing that I did not recognize, but their costumes were spot on from a couple of pics DIL posted).
He won third prize. I don't know who won first and second as we left before the prizes were announced.
But there were a few we were pulling for.
This canine "Woody" had a human "Woody" with him.
A greyhound had an anatomically correct skeleton outfit to go with his human's skeleton outfit.
In any case, it was a fun outing for humans and dogs alike. Quite a few showed up, so it was good for the business and their co-host vendors.
Life is good! Keep on Sparking! And have a Happy Halloween!
This one was taken while Carl's Mommy was taking her parents home, letting me have some son-time without a crowd around. He was kind of in a quiet frame of mind, and clearly tired. Praying for my son's peace of mind, with the world in its dumpster-fire phase at present (and more frequently these days). Fortunately, he has Friday off work.
The kids always seem to bring me coffee and chocolate to ease the pain of giving Carl back to them. I nibble on treats as I go about the house picking up puppy toys and washing the dog-hair out of the sheets and blankets. This is a change up from the cat-hair that usually gets washed up.
Vacuum the Spanish needle seeds from the carpet in the parlor, along with now dried muddy pawprints. Ahhh! Even for an avowed "Messie" like me, it feels good to clean up once the mess gets to a particularly bad level!
I announced to the outdoors from the deck that the dog had gone home and that The Prisoner could have his house back, but he did not take me up on the offer until early Friday morning (when there's a definite chill in the air).
Today's plan (besides restoring order) is to lay in groceries, because... because... the dreaded "S" word is in the forecast for the weekend. Hard freeze overnight tonight. Freezing drizzle possibly on Saturday (football game folks, dress warmly). And *snow* possible on Sunday. Yep, a taste of Winter, to make up for the hints of Summer in the past week.
Life is good. Spark on!
My kid sis, Alicia, is a good "dog person" and chose the right body language for her introduction. Carl was vocal, but as soon as I gave her a hug he readily accepted her into the pack.
It didn't hurt a bit that I slipped her a liver treat to tempt him with. Besties!
Over the course of the week, Carl has been carving his very own Halloween maze out of his Grandma's weed patch.
Other than that, we're slowly working on feeding Carl, exercising Carl, seeing that Carl gets his rest and lots of snuggles. His folks are due back this evening, but I'm trying not to over-promise, just keep things "grandma normal" so we get through the day well.
He's working hard at keeping Grandma's yard "safe" from squirrels.
And the squirrels are doing their best to irritate him!
Carl was a bit on the vocal side when the man came to deliver the water softener salt, but we survived. The kids messaged me their expected ETA of late afternoon. So we're almost done, but I'm still not telling Carl, "just in case". He's wired enough as it is without building anticipation.
Life is still Good! Grandma is surviving! So is Carl.
Keep on Sparking!
Tuesday we went to the dog park early. Again a good visit. Nobody bit anybody, and other dogs raced some of the zoomies out of Carl. Grandma's thinking it might be too muddy on Wednesday.
But long before the lunch hour, Carl spotted the Prisoner crossing the street after his nocturnal jaunts. It was pre-sunrise. Carl got very animated, rushing from the bay window where he saw the cat, to the sliding glass door where he gains access to the yard (only Grandma held firm until after the sun was up).
Speaking of the sun being up... when you have a black dog and it's dark outside, you have two choices to keep track of him when you got outside in the dark to answer the call of nature. One is a leash and making him stay close, even inside the fence. The other?
There was a bit of a selfish reason behind that Christmas present for Carl!
It's really kind of magical, watching the harness move to his bouncing around in the dark!
And as always, Life is Good! Spark on! Or sparkle if you have a light vest!
Mom kept telling me my nephew Carl was going to come for a visit, but I wasn't believing her. Then Saturday came, and so did that noisy canine. I fled to my tree hiding place.
Meanwhile, Mom comes out of the house every day to talk to me (whether I come out from the tree or just meow from within its safety). She leaves offerings of food and water. If I come out she pets me and tells me I'm a good kitty. She always tells me I'm safe and that Carl is shut up tight in the house before I put in an appearance. Even though he's inside the fence and I'm outside it is not enough.
At least the weather has been nice for a camp-out. And I'm an indoor-outdoor cat anyway!
This is my hiding tree. I get under those branches and mom can hear me, but can't see me until I decide it's safe. It's really a neighbor's tree, but I'm a cat, and don't respect property lines.
Oh, yes, Life is Good. And Keep Sparking.
Life is Good.
Keep Sparking!
I still got her up at 3 a.m. on Sunday.
I'm being what my mom calls "grumpy".
Grandma wouldn't let me go out again until after the sun rose. I secured the perimeter and did my business in the backyard.
Grandma started peeling potatoes and dumped baby carrots and the cut up potatoes into the big crock pot along with a very interesting hunk of beef.
While that was cooking, Grandma drove me to the dog park where I got bit last year. I don't really remember being upset about that. It upset the humans far more than it did me.
Grandma, though, was muttering something about needing to "face her fears", and that she had just me, no distractions. I had a good time. I met some new friends and we played chase all over the park. And nobody bit anybody!
Sure enough, by lunch (or late lunch) time, the roast beef was ready, and I got my share. So yummy, and it smells so good. I didn't even mind that Grandma wouldn't let me out to harass the Prisoner while he had his supper.
Grandma said to remember to say that "Life is good" and to "Keep Sparking".
I was back at the workout with the trainer today, feeling good to be moving. Since I'll be missing next week's workouts (both of them), I'm glad to be getting to this week's pair.
Why will I miss next week? Because Carl is enough to handle! He's arriving for a six day visit on Saturday.
I've been watching the vote for Speaker of the House. Paint drying? I can't get myself too worked up over this. "Qué será, será!" Praying for progress, but know this is not something under my personal control. My prayer at such times is "Thy will be done", right?
The news gets worse. Tuesday afternoon I went out to fill Dexter's tank as there are discount cents-off expiring at midnight.
I decided to get something soothing to bring home: no sugar root beer and ice cream... for float. In a Spock glass, for extra comfort. I wonder how many days I can make this last, at one float a day...
In online news: OMG, the kids have decided that Carl needs a bathrobe. The jury is still out as to how well this prevents the dog shaking his bath water all over the house or not. But it made me think about Paula's Scooter, and his extensive wardrobe.
Thursday was my last workout with the trainer before I get my Carl visit.
Friday morning I went to the grocery store to bring home that roast beef so I have training / bribing material for his visit.
The Prisoner hopped onto my lap Saturday morning, for a last purr session before Carl's arrival. I observed a red fox trotting across the yard and crossing the street to head down into the park.
At 10 a.m., right on time, the canine guest arrived with all his gear. The mythical son gave his mom and his dog one last hug before heading out for vacation time with his wife.
Grandma is counting on Carl to help keep her motivated for yard work while the weather holds. We went out to check the perimeter, and clear off the steps to the lower part of the backyard. Grandma came back in covered in prickles!
Carl, fortunately, has a coat that doesn't hang on to the prickles, but Grandma's sweatshirt sure does.
The next six days should be busy ones, with canine fun.
Life is good. Keep Sparking!
Two full weeks have passed since I last posted. In those two weeks I have started and scrapped content, but not posted.
I wrote a bit on the first of October. This month starts to bring the calendars from charities. They come from charities I've donated to in the past and from charities that want me to donate this year. I love wall calendars, and date books, and planners. They also send address labels, most of which I shred. I so rarely send snail mail any more. I don't even bother to keep the "purse sized" date books any more, as my phone takes care of that need.
Then I wrote a bit on the Monday that marked Thanksgiving in many countries around the world, including Canada, so hope it was a Happy Thanksgiving for those who celebrated.
Over on Facebook I started posting my gratitude of the day. I was finding it heavy lifting, even though there is much good going on in my personal life. The news on so many fronts and for so many people has been a huge downer, and I find myself considering how much personal privilege is reflected in what I am grateful for.
The brick masons came back and power-washed their work. I wrote them a big check and they went on their merry way to the next project.
On Monday the 9th, I got my latest greatest updated Covid-19 version. They didn't have the Moderna one, so I accepted the Pfizer one.
Funny thing about the Covid shots... I develop amnesia about the side effects / reaction, every blasted time. And this one had a kick to it, mostly hitting overnight and all day on Tuesday.
Wednesday brought a reprieve from those side effects. I noted that Facebook pushed a 14 year old memory photo at me: the day I put my son on an airplane and did not see him again until the following August. A whole lot "went down" in the intervening months. The passage of time does not make it all whole, and every time the world goes crazy, those not so great memories are stirred up. The tendency to withdraw from life comes with that stirring, but one cannot let it win.
My kid sis made it over for our walk, Wednesday afternoon. We had not walked for a couple of weeks because she had been ill. So she became the first to look over the brickwork and pronounce it good, in person. An online friend or two did a check in because I hadn't blogged in a while. Wednesday night I got a call from my son, and we talked through a lot of the stuff.
Then Thursday, I was sick again! "Did I overdo on Wednesday?", I asked myself. "Is it the weather front coming through, and the allergies?" "This can't be side effects still!" Regardless, I tried to take care of myself with OTC medications, hydration and watching carefully what I consumed, going for "mild". Thursday and Friday were pretty well spent hiding in sleep, days and nights.
Saturday the 14th, I was still not up to much, and didn't get up until about 1 p.m. At this point, I wanted to avoid the news as much as possible, and realized it was Ironman World Championship day in Kailua, Kona, Hawaii. This year only for the women, as they have split the race into independent competitions for the women and the men, splitting both the date and the location. The men raced in Nice, France, in September.
So I joined the online streaming coverage well into the bike ride for the professional women. I rooted on my favorite, who went on to win, and savored the commentary by the stars of years past. When Lucy Charles-Barclay of the UK was crowned World Champion I rejoiced. I think I have followed every year she raced Kona, from the year she was an age-group World Champion through four second place finishes as a pro, to this year. She's earned her place in triathlon history!
During all of this I've managed to do a few things that needed doing, like laundry and vacuuming, and making sure The Prisoner got the door opened and closed for him, as well as fed. He tried to comfort me, being a lap cat to purr my worries away. He's such a good kitty, and he's been with me for all but the first few weeks of his life.
Anyway, now it's Sunday, and I am up and cooking breakfast. Life does have its ups and downs. And sometimes there is great sorrow and tragedy in the world. But still I have to cling to the tag-line:
Life is good. Treat yourself gently. And Spark on! Grieve as you need to, but let yourself carry on, too.
Don't know if it's visible to anyone else, but this is my outdoor unit of the central air... can you see where the puppy tore at t...
