Imagine it

 

You know it's cold outside, so you bundle up well, open the sliding door to let the dog out, and step out with her before sliding the door shut.  It's dark, but there is no wind.  Snow and ice still decorate the deck, the patio and the yard, but it feels pretty peaceful out here in the pre-dawn.

A while later, you decide you should go back in the house, and the door won't open!  The dog trots happily back up on the deck, her business completed.  She expects that opening the door is what you'll do.

You thank your habit of slipping your keys into your pocket first thing when you dress, and fumble them out, but without much confidence, this is a deadbolt lock, after all.  Nope, no dice.  It must have been the foot-lock.  You must have tripped it (or the dog did) on your way out!

The dog is in nothing but her collar and it's dark.  The motion sensor light on the deck will go out in a bit if you move off it.  Phone flashlight, thank goodness!  Being very careful of your footing, you go down the steps from the deck onto the icy patio, make your way across it and down two concrete steps into the actual backyard.

Icy dog footprints guide you across the yard to the gate to the front yard, and you open the gate, saying to your dog, "Stay with mommy, now."  She starts to explore the snow in the front, now no fences containing her.  Thankfully, no traffic in the silent morning.  You carefully close the gate and step across the safest part of the driveway to the front steps, and up them.  Once again, you thank work you did earlier to make sure that delivery people would be safe coming up those steps to leave packages on the porch.  

The happy dog joins you on the porch and patiently waits for you to insert the key and turn it.  She gratefully rushes into the warm house, eyes shining, knowing what a good girl she is.

You go check, and sure enough, it was that foot lock and easily corrected.  Functioning house again.  And this is why we do those maintenance things like clearing walks and keeping our keys always on our person, etc.  But it sure gets your blood pumping when the routine is disturbed, doesn't it?

Good girl, you passed a test... you know the one:  "will my dog stay with me in the yard, or will she run off into the neighborhood if she's off leash?"

Extra treats for you, little one!

A couple of hours later, we tested the side streets.  We had some melting on Wednesday afternoon, especially, and it has refrozen.  Can we say it was a bumpy and rutted ice rink?  With a few patches of dry where cars had been parked and there had been no snow?  Anyway, I got Ember safely to her day care, but I waved off my trainer appointment.  I know it's only two blocks to the nearest arterial street, but it's uphill, and I think I'll wait to attack it again until it gets a bit warmer.  Like at day care pick up time!

Making up for Thanksgiving

I skipped the Thanksgiving gather last week, since I was concerned about "sharing" what I was coming down with.  Skipping it was a good call, but I missed the good eats.  I have been gradually making up for it by cooking small parts of a good meal, on different days.  Today it was the turn of the dressing (stuffing). Few in the family are fans, but it is one of my favorites, from childhood up.  So today I sauteed onions and celery, dried and crumbled up bread, added spices and a bit of broth and baked myself a batch

A few days ago, I mashed some potatoes, instead of baking them. I have the feeling that eventually I shall get around to pies, but I'm not there yet.  One day at a time, eh?  The cold weather makes using the oven feel nice and homey.  It heats the house just a tad with the opening and closing of the oven door.

Life is good!  Spark on!

.

Human and Feline stuff

The photo here is my bold Prisoner, who wandered all the way up to my bedroom on Tuesday while Ember was at day care.  Doesn't he look comfy?

December 2nd was the final day of the trial for termination of parental rights of the biological parents of my foster grandson.  I have not gone to any of these proceedings, mind you.  My son was one of the witnesses on the final day.

It was an interesting experience, although a difficult one to live through for those most closely involved.  My DIL was a mess.  She has bonded so deeply with this child!  

They were sequestered from the trial because  DS was to testify.  They did get updates from the lawyer for the state, who made the motion to terminate.  My DIL's mom sat in the gallery for the whole thing and took copious notes that she was not allowed to share until the trial was over, also due to that sequestration.

Now it's in the phase of waiting for the judge to issue the court order(s).  Meanwhile, "the kids" (as I call my son and his wife) are not discussing any of what went on in court in front of FGC, to protect him from the emotional whiplash that comes from such things.  After the judge issues court orders, they will begin to talk to him about the future and next steps.  

Expectation is that they will continue to have him with them while things proceed but best case it will be a year before they can adopt him "for reals".  They will have more decision-making authority during that year, since the plan will be for permanency.  It is my hope that the orders will come, and the next year will be one of hopeful waiting and expectation, full of bonding and the continued building of trust!  I am so proud of this couple, taking on a child with the challenges that come of childhood trauma, and doing a fine job of it.  I will look to their guidance for when I can share clear photos showing his adorable face.

From the rear, me, FGC and DS at the dog park May 2024.  Imagine the child about six or seven inches taller now!  He's been with them for over a year now with only a couple or three-week interruption.  

Other human news, I have an eye appointment next week to see about the laser procedure to take out the scarring that has formed around one lens since the last cataract surgery.  My older sis has agreed to drive me for this appointment which I assume is just the assessment for suitability.

Sad human news:  said older sister messaged me with a photo of the obituary notice of a dear friend from my childhood.  This gal and I had been Brownie Scouts together, 65 years ago or so.  Her mom and my mom had been leaders in our scout troops, or cookie chairwomen, depending on the year.  They took a candy making class together.  In that last decade before I retired my gal friend and I had worked on the same project, she as a business expert, me as a technical coder / team lead.  In the process of reconnecting, she shared a recipe for peanut brittle that her mom and mine had learned in that class and I made it that year.  It was a wonderful memory for the taste buds!  Anyway, the memorial service isn't until January, so I have time to hash out the difference between the day/date it said in the notice (it says Friday January 3rd, but the 3rd is a Saturday).  Cancer sucks.

But life is still good.  Spark on!

First measurable snowfall

 

I have a snow-dog.  I have been blessed with a maturing dog who consents to go do her business in the backyard snow and lets me stay inside when I'm not feeling up to either the cold or the slick.

She came back in with visible flakes and both slobber (drool) and snow on her nose.

These were taken Monday morning, after snow events from Friday evening to Saturday morning, then blowing snow all of Sunday, followed by calm winds and light snow all of Monday morning.  I think the final total is less than 4 inches, but the part on the bottom is quite icy.

The cat shares my opinion about the snow and cold and has been cooling his heels in his luxury suite for three days now.  I offer an open door and he says, "nope".

As for my Thanksgiving nasal drip, it lingered and had changing symptoms over Friday through Sunday.  Monday morning it lingered with just tiredness, and the headache started to clear up.  I was able on Monday to clear off the new snow from the sidewalks, and Ember and I took a brief car ride to get Dexter's gas tank filled.

She's getting cabin fever to the extent that she wants to steal mom's stuff... be it gloves or the mail... but she's so much better about giving it back and not completely destroying it that mom forgives her very quickly.  Besides, mom "gets it".  This poor pup had day care on Friday, but she's had no outdoor leash walks over the weekend, only playing on her own in the snowy back yard, and whatever indoor games mom came up with.  Fetch down the stairs, position treats, and treat-dispensing toys.  Oh, yeah, and mom does give her some things deliberately intended for destruction.  Lambchop toy is now about half to two third de-fluffed. 

Good news is she has Day Care again on Tuesday and Thursday, and a new Chewy box will be coming late in the week that has some new toys intended for her delight in destroying.  They were on deeply discounted sale!

Tuesday morning, December 2, 2025

Cold this morning, but not as cold as January is likely to get.  It was 9℉, according to my phone, when I got up.  I delayed taking Ember to daycare and tried to time it when it would not be "rush" hour.  The streets and most of us being cautious and patient drivers did lead to lineups at the lights.  I took a route to avoid the side streets, which have NOT been plowed or treated (because we didn't get enough snow/ice, according to city protocol).  

We made it safely, and the lobby of her daycare was full of workmen, staff, and other dogs and their paw-rents.  Ember was ecstatic, sniffing at everything and greeting everybody, but she was good about keeping her paws on the ground, which made me feel very good.  The workmen seemed to be OK with the canine attention (gee, you'd hate to work at a vet's office/day care building if you weren't OK with this sort of thing).

She sat nicely on the scale, and I'm estimating between the highest and lowest numbers that showed up that she's holding steady around 86 pounds.  That's still 6 pounds over what the vet most recently said she should weigh, but so much better than a year ago when she tipped the scale at 93.  Good girl!  Good girl Mom, for resisting temptation to over-treat the pup, and good girl Ember, too.

And when I got home, I started in on the dog-towel laundry, and found this hidden under the towels on her crate-mat!  In case you don't have a dog who chews on chew-sticks, those are fragments from things she has taken into her crate at bedtime over the weekend.  Well, guess what went into the laundry with the towels?

Life is full of humor, if you let it be so!

Life is good.  Spark on!

Thanksgiving done and dusted

Now we bring out the Christmas mugs!  And we watch the weather between here and son and DIL's Thanksgiving destination, as there's this winter storm in progress.  They were planning to drive back on Saturday.

Probably a bazillion other Holiday travelers, some of whom have no idea what to do when it gets icy on the roads, will be headed homeward, too.  

Ember had an extra day of daycare on Friday. I was still nursing a drippy nose so she had a good doggy day while I recuperated.  I went and picked her up a little early, about 3:30 p.m.    

As predicted, the snow ❄️ started overnight, Friday to Saturday. The grown-up version of Ember did not automatically go into Zoomies mode.  She cautiously went down the steps from the deck to the yard; I followed in my puffy coat. I watched her sniff at the snow and take care of her morning business. 

I was still not feeling my best, so having this calmer dog is certainly something to be thankful for. I remembered about breakfast time that there are these things called over the counter drugs, and took an Advil.  I took another about supper time.

Ember and I took it easy Saturday, with naps on the couch and towel dries in between her going out in the yard.  I ventured out to shovel part of the driveway, at least enough to get down to the mailbox.  Not that there's anything exciting in the mail, I generally see things like bills and invitations to spend or donate money.  

I got messages from the travelers that they were leaving Kansas City in the early afternoon.  Then I caught a FB post by DIL of a house along the side of I-29 in Rockport, MO.  I'm very familiar with that house as a landmark on the drive.  At that point I knew they were getting close to the crossover to Nebraska at that point.  But they delayed sending the "safe arrival" message until they got unpacked and shoveled out at their house.  

I did not worry too much about their safety, even though there were social media posts showing semis jack-knifed on I-80, and another on the South side of town on one of the arterial streets.  Saw friends posting about how bad the streets were in town, so just as well Ember and I were tucked in for the day.  

Ember called me down for her "last call" due to need about 7 p.m.  Now I'm wrapping up to put myself to bed, too.  Hopefully another night's rest and I'll feel up to clearing off tomorrow!

Here's hoping that everyone is safe and warm and dry, whatever the weather is doing in your neck of the woods!  And trust that if you're a US celebrant, you had a good Thanksgiving.

Life is good.  Spark on!

Thanksgiving Day, USA edition, 2025

 

The cheese puffs a-baking on Wednesday.  I managed not to devour them all before Thursday's gathering.  For this I am thankful.

Ember had a day care day that ended early (they closed at 3 p.m. Wednesday).  She was happy to see me.  For this I am thankful.

Thursday morning in the dark and quiet. Ember went out to take care of business in the backyard.  I went with her in my puffy coat and did not freeze.  It was peaceful.  Now she's curled up on the couch next to me, a warm presence.  For all of this I am thankful. 

Christmas decorations and songs have been encroaching for a couple of weeks now.  But I don't mind.  Thanksgiving and Christmas tend to go together, in a Continuum of holidays.  I am thankful for the insights of age, recognizing the rhythm of the year. 

Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving in the US and all around the world.

Season of Thanksgiving gratitude day 45

Wednesday November 26, 2025

Today I am thankful for vacuum cleaners, and brooms and dust mops, etc.  All the cleaning tools we have to help us feel civilized!  Tuesday while Ember was in day care, I rearranged the x-pen and cleaned outside the pen, around the edges of the room.  Ahhhh... how satisfying!

The plan is to gradually introduce the furniture again, get it outside of the fence, if you will, as Ember becomes more reliable about not chewing it to bits.  While she's a lot better than she was a year ago, she still chews when anxious if I'm not right on top of redirecting her to appropriate things to chew on.

For the holiday week, she's getting an extra half day in day care, on Wednesday, and I shifted her Thursday appointment to Friday.  

Tuesday evening it was very gusty winds outside.  One of the deck chairs got blown over, so I brought it inside.  I am thankful that Ember let me do what I needed to do.  

I have also been acclimating her to the idea that "mom cooks human food" and puppy sits or lies in her safe "hot zone" and waits her turn.  She gets dog appropriate treats when she does so.

Season of Thanksgiving gratitude day 44

 

Tuesday November 25, 2025

Today I am reminded that a year ago I was racing the calendar to get the kitchen appliances all installed in time to cook for the holiday!  I am thankful it was done last year!  I am thankful for a pup who while she's very interested in what I do in the kitchen, settles down to patiently wait for the oven to do its job!

The final week of the Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving Gratitude challenge: Day 43

 

Monday, November 24, 2025

For an "old man", The Prisoner was looking pretty spry on Sunday, perched safely out of Ember's reach.

Today I am thankful for the advancements in pet pest control!  I remember "flea powder" back when I was a child.  Nowadays, I just have to squirt stuff on the back of my cat's neck once every couple of months and give the dog a pill every 30 days.  

Not only that... Ember likes the pill and gobbles it down like a treat.

Oh, and for balance of humor, here's Ember snoozing in typical labrador sprawl for her Sunday afternoon nap!

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude Day 42

 

Sunday, November 23, 2025

Today I am thankful for the people (family and friends) in my life who accept me as I am.  It's enough that these people care to check on me and include me.  And it is extra special that they accept that I am not a huge extrovert and let me be "on my own."  I really, really liked my quiet birthday!  Saturday afternoon's outing on a gorgeous day, with the dogs... perfect!

I've been in a little bit of denial about the US Thanksgiving Day.  You see, "the kids" are traveling down to visit with my DIL's mom's side of the family.  They are taking Carl along.  People are flying in, and they went through the process to get permission to take FGC out of state for the occasion.

My older sis will be traveling, herself, to her daughter's family.  I was rescued by my kid sis, the Ace, who invited me to join their small family for the meal.  Which was good, because I had something to say to my son's MIL when she asked about my Thanksgiving plans.

She, in her turn, made it plain that I was welcome to join the bigger KC plans, anytime.  But I don't really want to take that long a trip.  

The plan is to be with the younger sister's family.  A smaller group suits me.  And being in town, I don't have to leave Ember crated for as long.  

Ember, well-exercised and ready for a quiet evening and night's sleep time, snuggling at my knee!  

She and Carl were happy campers.  FGC organized a game of tag, which was pretty hilarious, as we counted the dogs, not just ours, but other dogs, as players.  So if "Ember" was "it", and she bumped into Carl, he became "it", and the next person that petted Carl became "it", and so on.  I tried to end the game by petting a great Dane that was on its way toward the exit, but then my son petted that dog, and he became "it", and the game continued!

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude: Day 41

 Saturday, November 22, 2025

Today I am thankful for long-term weather forecasts.  I can now begin bracing myself for a "colder than normal" December!  Seriously, being able to look ahead for a week to ten days and pick a day to plan outdoor things or even things that I need to load up the car and drive to "this time of year" is very welcome.  

OK, they aren't always right about it, but more often than not they are.  I'm a weather wimp.  

Oh, and thankful that "the kids" think to ask what kind of birthday celebration I want to have, and I get the classic "trip to the dog park" whenever the weather cooperates on my birthday weekend.  So today is the day.  Ember and Carl can help celebrate.

2024's version of the birthday dog park outing

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude Day 40

 Friday November 21, 2025

Today I am thankful for the incredible range of the spectrum from chaos to order, and for all the people who work to move processes and states from the chaotic to the orderly.  I am thankful for the human resilience that allows us to survive or even thrive within that spectrum.

Imagine the entire scope of human history, and how invention changed the course of civilization.  Each succeeding generation saw modifications and improvements in processes.  The ability to build shelters from different kinds of materials.  The methods of transporting ourselves and our possessions from place to place.  The control of fire and its transformation for use in various ways:  cooking, home heating, transportation.

On the chaos side is its use in weaponry and destruction.  On the side of order, its use in producing food and surviving the elements.  Also in being able to cross physical barriers like rivers, mountains, canyons to establish new homes for our families and communities.  It's pretty amazing stuff when you think about it.

This pumpkin was pre-started by a squirrel, but did not stop Ember from continuing where the squirrel left off.  Unrelated to the topic, just because.

Season of Thanksgiving gratitude Day 39

 Thursday November 20, 2025

This is another classically easy day of gratitude.  In fact, Alicia (Mamie Allie, not my sister) used this one for the 19th.  I am thankful to be alive, breathing, above ground, etc.  Why is that natural for me on November 20th?  Because of course it's the anniversary of my birth.

I remember mom telling me that I was born at something weird like 5 a.m., which might explain why I'm a morning person... or not!

Mom always used to say that we kept on living while we had something more to learn, or something more to give.  Sounds like a good reason to hang out... learning, and sharing!

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude: Day 38

 Wednesday November 19, 2025

Today I am thankful for alternative sources of information.  The world is changing.  What used to be trustworthy sources of news and facts are no longer guaranteed to be such.  Things are chosen to be presented, only part of a story is told, or in some cases outright lies.

I have listened to actual words spoken, then to the talking heads interpreting what was said, drawing conclusions about what it meant when alternative interpretations are available.  It makes my head spin.  Sometimes these presentations are examples of "this is what I hope/wish it means", and sometimes they are "this is what I most fear it means".

Either way, consumption of news is no longer a simple thing.  Large grains of salt are required.

I am thankful that I am not "on the front lines", so to speak, and can sit between my two furry companions, in a house with heat, with hot water, with refrigeration and cooking means for food, with stocked shelves in a nearby grocery and the ability to purchase it.  

I worry when I sit amid this bounty that my gratitude may slop over into the Pharisee's prayer from the gospels, where the self-righteous one is thankful he is not "as other men".  It's tempting to believe we are deserving of all the good in our lives.  

I am indeed blessed, but with blessing comes responsibility, to do what we can to help others.  "Noblesse oblige" in a society of supposed equals applies to us all.

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude: Day 37

 

Tuesday November 18th, 2025

Today I am thankful for my Ember's quiet approach to squirrel chasing.  She eyes them.  If they are on my fence I can tell her to "go get him" or "tell him to get off my fence" and she'll rush at the critter... but she doesn't bark at them!

I'm also grateful for her not being obsessed with them when we're out on leash!  We're pretty good at stopping and watching, as opposed to lunging or barking.

Decision time, I might be seeing one!

Week 6 of the season of gratitude - day 36

 

Monday November 17th, 2025

Observation:  I don't usually catch Ember in one of her breed characteristics: sleeping positions that look like a contortionist designed them.  She changes out of them and turns into a normal curled up pup as soon as I get the camera out.  But they make me laugh and puzzle me... how could anyone nod off all twisted around like that?

A nod to my mother, who was born on November 17th.  She's been gone for 29 years by now, but we always celebrated our birthdays together (mine is later in the week).

Today I am thankful for a good night's sleep and a warm shower in the morning.  Ahhh!  Great way to start a day... add coffee and we're complete!

Thanksgiving Season of Gratitude: Day 35

 Sunday November 16, 2025

Today I am thankful for the smooth transition of cell service providers.  Since my son provides me with my mobile phone service, he's the decider, and today was the day to change out to a less costly one.  He messaged me with instructions for what I had to do on my end, and... it worked!

Don't you love it when technology works to plan?  He paid for a year on this new service at a "black Friday sale" price, and the old service that amount of payment would only have covered two months.  Pricing of so many things is outrageously variable!  I'm grateful that my son keeps an eye on these things so I don't have to!

Season of Gratitude: Day 34

 

Saturday November 15, 2025

Today I am thankful for crate training!  The peace of mind this gives me to take a shower or dash out on a grocery run is priceless.  

I pretty much am at the point where I accept Ember's choice of "it's time for my nap", tuck her in, and go "do human things" for a couple of hours.  

But I also can ask her to "kennel up" so that the kitty can have safe passage, or a service technician can come into the house.

It's not always a given, but this is her den to sleep for the night, too, and I have my whole bed to myself.  I second guess this one at times, because when Carl comes to visit, he sleeps on the big bed with me (and often displaces me).  I don't know if Ember will ever get to that privileged level, but you never know.  

She does now take up the whole couch for naps during the daytime.  Sometimes she just curls up in a corner, and I take up the rest of the couch for a nap of my own.

Season of Thanksgiving gratitude: Day 33

Friday, November 14, 2025

Today I am thankful for the night sky.  While I did not get the vibrant colors captured, I did learn a thing or two about my phone's camera settings and got some interesting night shots.  My daughter in law got some pretty vibrant photos on Tuesday evening.  This one is from Thursday night at Ember's "last call" time, shortly after sunset.

Thanksgiving Season of Gratitude: Day 32

 

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Today I am thankful for a sense of humor and the whimsey that marketers put into the delivery of entertainment with our coffee choices.  Buddy the Elf cups of coffee, and this time of year their special flavor is maple.  Turned out to be "too sweet" for me, so what's in that cup is hot mocha with a squirt of cherry syrup, making for my "chocolate covered cherry" festive cup!

Thanksgiving season of gratitude Day 31

 

Wednesday November 12, 2025

Today I am thankful for the Nebraska Animal Medical Center.  They combine veterinary services with grooming, and day care and boarding, as well as selling pet supplies.  Kind of like a one-stop shop.  Oh, and they are open for emergency vet service on weekends.

I am thankful that Ember loves everyone there, and on Tuesday she came home so totally chill, freshly groomed by Tony.  He has been her groomer the whole time she's been with me.

She looked so happy, I had to take the mug shot!

Thanksgiving season of gratitude: Day 30

 

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

This is Veterans' Day, the classic day to show our appreciation for and gratitude to those who have worn the uniform of the armed services of the USA and served in our defense.

My older sister posted photos of our paternal grandfather in his WWI uniform on the 10th, in honor of his birthday.  I found it interesting that he was in Europe as a Prisoner of War and Armistice Day came the day after his birthday.  Funny how family stories make history come alive for a kid.

The photo is unrelated, just the chili mac I put together on Monday.  Monday was the coldest day of the week, and it put me in a mood to bake a hot casserole.  

Thanksgiving Season Day 29 gratitude: start of week 5

 Monday, November 10, 2025

"Mom, there is ice in my outside water bowl!  I like ice."

Today I am thankful for a place to shelter inside.  I know The Prisoner and Ember are also thankful to have a warm refuge when the first snowflakes dance in the air, as they did on Sunday morning.  The temperatures outside are stronger this morning, and the wind is making the "feels like" temperature even colder.

Having a place to "hunker down" is certainly worthy of gratitude.

Thanksgiving season Day 28 gratitude

Sunday November 9, 2025

Today I am thankful that the government shut down does not stop people from caring and helping one another!

I am blessed in having "enough".  I'm not a rolling in dough rich person, mind you, but even though prices are freaking me out a shade, when something major breaks in the house, I can fix it and still have groceries in the pantry, if you know what I mean.

I may defer purchases, choose not to make purchases, but I am not in danger of freezing or starving.  So, I can donate money to the food bank or other charities that help, and I can purchase things to help stock a little free pantry.  For this I am thankful.  

And I am even more thankful that I'm not the only one who does, because it takes more than one or two of us to fill the gap of a program this big.  I was grateful to note that when I delivered my offering to the little free pantry, it was not empty, someone else (maybe more than one someone else) had already put things into it.

One of our regional grocery chains was offering free breakfast to children under 12 this weekend.  

I am hopeful that the courts will stand firm and the SNAP program gets funded.  In the meantime, I am thankful for every single person who adjusts their own lives to help "stand in the breach".

Thanksgiving season day 27 gratitude - posting late!

 Saturday, November 8, 2025

This morning, I told Facebook that I was grateful for good sleeping weather, and for good neighbors.

The good sleeping weather led to my "sleeping in" clear 'til about 5:50 a.m.  Which is why I'm late posting this blog.  I didn't prepare the night before, and this is the first I've got to my computer!

I'm grateful that Ember is a "big girl" now and doesn't have accidents in the crate unless she's downright ill.

There are LOTS of examples of why I'm grateful for Ember's almost grown up version.  She hasn't torn up my couch since the really bad "oops" bite in the Summer.  She is better about stopping behavior that she "knows better than" when I tell her, "You don't want to get in trouble!"

She's past her car sickness, which makes it so much easier to entertain her... just take her with on my errands!  The "good sleeping weather" ties in with this one, too, because it's not too hot to leave her in the car while I cart the recycles to the big bins at the center, or while I dash into the library to change out books.  The extra mental stimulation of going on human errands with mom helps keep her more ready for the quiet parts of the day, too.

Thanksgiving Season Day 26 Gratitude

Friday November 7, 2025

Today I am thankful for people who care enough to foster children in need.  Animals in need, too, but today, let me focus on the human children in need.

I am a backup to the back up when it comes to providing transport for a foster child to appointments in the middle of a school day.  Thursday was such a day.  I relished the brief time in the car, conversing with a curious child who seems to accept my role as his foster dad's mom, an extra grandma figure in his life.

Naturally, I did a little grandma spoiling in the process.  I've been on the periphery of this kid's life for a little over a year now, and I just know I will think of him as family forever, no matter the final outcome of the situation.

Thanksgiving Season Day 25 gratitude

 Thursday, November 6, 2025

Today I am thankful for my little car, with over 52,000 miles and 13 years old based on model year.  Dexter has served me well during those 13 years, and I anticipate he will for some time to come.  

When I purchased this little car, I said it was my "last car".  I wonder whether in fact it will end up being just that, 'cause he seems to have life left in him, and I'm a little leery of the fancy new "computer surrounded by vehicle" jobs they sell these days.

I am also thankful that I still am able to keep driving, as it's a big part of living independently as we get old-er.

Kind of a corollary to my earlier gratitude for the medical profession, I'm thankful for the cataract surgery and the glaucoma meds that make this independence possible. 

Thanksgiving Season Day 24 gratitude

 

Wednesday November 5, 2024

Today I am thankful for whatever soft, fluffy, gentle comfort thing there is to offer comfort when anniversaries like this one roll around.  Fort Hood families from November 5, 2009, reach out to one another, this is a tough date.

Got a pet?  A loved one in the household?  Hugs and snuggles are good.  Comfort foods?  Allowed.  A drink for a fallen comrade?  Yep!  Whatever it takes to honor and hold on.  And remember to breathe.

Thanksgiving Season Day 23 gratitude

 

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

How have I managed to get to day 23 without already having expressed how thankful I am for my morning coffee, and the technology that lets me brew it one mug at a time?

I'm pretty sure I haven't done so, as I've been prepping my posts the night before and scheduling them to post at 6 a.m. for the most part this season!

Which reminds me, I'm thankful for that feature of blogger that allows me to schedule a post ahead!  I know other bloggers that I read have been doing this right along, but this is my first use of the feature.

Thanksgiving Season Day 22 Gratitude

 Monday, November 3rd, 2025

Today I am thankful for the pretty fall colors.  The trees are close to their peak of yellows, reds and oranges at this point.

More than just pretty colors, the progress as the season changes remind me of the cycle of renewal.  We fall from a peak, maybe go dormant, to the quiet of Winter, then the promise of Spring.  I am thankful for the years I have had to experience the changes, for knowing about renewal allows us to live in hope.

Pumpkin wars, Canine edition

 Saturday November 1, 2025

Ember's morning walks are now in pretty chilly weather.  On the plus side, she's getting used to me wearing coats, gloves and stocking caps.

Also on the plus side, this year's Halloween decorations did not freak her out the way they did a year ago when she was a nine-month-old puppy.  Now, at a "grown-up" (almost) 21 months, she's calmer with a lot of the distractions of a neighborhood walk.

However, on November 1st, she spotted a pumpkin about the size of a soccer ball, sitting at the base of a tree, within leash length of the sidewalk (almost).  A squirrel had already gnawed a bite or two out of it, and it had a very attractive handle (stem).

Ember dragged me across the yard to the pumpkinand started an intensive investigation of it.  The garage door of the house we were in front of was opening, and the man of the house was stepping out to his truck in the driveway.  "Help," I said weakly.

Ember picked up the pumpkin by the stem and started to trot in the direction of my house.  She looked proud, but I was still trying to convince her to "drop it" or "leave it".  Too bad, mom, I've got hold of it now, she might have said.  I got no photos of her proud prancing!

The gentleman in question followed us down the block in his truck, and when we got to our own yard and I kind of shoved it away from her, the pumpkin rolled down the driveway and across the street.  The neighbor man stepped down from his truck, retrieved the pumpkin from the gutter where it landed and drove off.

I felt guilty, so I bought the pumpkin pictured above at the grocery store and left it with a note of apology on the porch of the house from which she had swiped it.

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Not wanting to repeat the problem, I avoided that side of the street on Sunday morning's walk.  It was even chillier, leading to a heavier coat.  We walked the other direction around our "normal" neighborhood loop.  We had two episodes related to a dropped treat in the street. Ember laid down and refused to leave the middle of the street, ignoring two dogs who walked by with their human dad, and avoiding an alert lady driving her car, who rolled down her window and asked if we were OK.

Anyway, I managed to convince her to come out of the street and put Mommy on the sidewalk (that's the puppy's job, don't you know?) in time to avoid two more cars driving on that street.  I thought we were going to make it home smoothly when on another side street someone's cat decided to sit and observe us.  Ember, not to be outdone by a cat, treated this one the same way she does The Prisoner.  She sat and watched it.  Cat by garage.  Dog on sidewalk as it crossed the driveway.  Children enter the picture, a couple of doors back the way we had come from.  Laughing and playing.  Dog is now completely ready to stay put.

But I did eventually sing her (and I do mean sing) to the tune of "The Candy Man".  "Put mommy on the sidewalk, that's the puppy's job..."  "The Puppy Dog walk.  We're on the puppy dog walk..."

Whew... onward.  We almost made it home.  We walked down the far side of the street where the pumpkin theft happened on Saturday.  Only I did not spot the pumpkin someone had left at the base of their mailbox, right next to the street.  And fully within leash length of the sidewalk!

"Oh, goody!" thinks Ember.  "Another soccer ball".  She immediately chewed off its stem, so had to put her teeth into its flesh to pick it up.  She rolled it into the gutter, then eventually got it into her mouth and agreed to carry it home.  I often let her carry her prizes home because then I have a better chance of getting them away from her!

This turned out to be the case on this particular morning, too.  We got her into the garage and loaded up into the car, while mom put the pumpkin on top of the car, shut her in, and took the "walk of shame" back up the street 3 houses to put the pumpkin back.  I took this photo after I put it back.  You can see that it's missing its stem!

Anyway... we shall see if tomorrow we can avoid any more pumpkin adventures.  Maybe people will start taking them in?

Life is good.  Spark on!

Thanksgiving season day 21 Gratitude

Sunday, November 2nd, 2025

Today I am thankful for the distraction / entertainment of sporting events.  Saturday night the final game of the World Series of baseball.  College Football and Volleyball, and of course I still follow several friends who are still out there running!  

The magic of television brings all these unifying events into hospital rooms as well as living rooms, so even the family members who are not yet discharged are able to keep an eye on their favorite teams and not be totally "locked" in the mindset of diagnosis and treatment every minute of their stay.  

The family on-line chat allows it to be a shared experience, whether it's the Huskers or the World Series or both interspersed!