Carrots and sticking to toys

 

Carrot number 1.  This one is a chew toy that came in the Easter version of the Bark Box.  Will it stick?  

Those teeth marks were made in the first 12 hours this carrot "lived" at our house.  The greens at the top are fabric, and I am impressed that she hasn't managed to detach them from the hard rubber of the carrot itself.

Bark Box, by the way, is a subscription thing.  I started a 6-month (once a month delivery) deal in January.  That's when the dinosaur egg came as a promotion.  So this would be our third such box.  We got one with a Valentine's theme in between.

The boxes have some treats, and usually two toys.  They survey you for what your dog likes and doesn't like, so that they can customize your order to your specific animal's taste.  So far with this small sample, I would say they are doing a good job.  Fabric covers, intended to be chewed off, hard rubber toys inside?  Ember likes some of the fabrics, but others she turns up her nose.  She still has not "hatched" the raptor egg that came in January, nor has she completely opened the heart-shaped "tart" that came in February, although she has at least chewed on it enough to make a small hole in one seam.

Thursday morning, we did get out early, as I had a breakfast presentation that I really did want to attend.  Ember went to play with her doggy friends at day care while I went to it.  

In the aftermath of Wednesday's Spring Blizzard, there were "interesting" features on the roads.  On my side of town, the surfaces were pretty good, dry or wet, with a few small icy patches that I could easily see and avoid.  The tricky bit was that mixed with drift from dust storms a couple of states to our South, the snow had obscured the North-facing traffic signals.  My son reported that he accidentally ran a red light that was so obscured.  Luckily, no accident ensued from his "wake-up call", but not everyone who encountered there situation was as fortunate.

I discovered one traffic signal that was completely not functioning at a three-way intersection.  Two lanes on each of the roads, but one side of the north-south road ended in a parking lot with a couple of businesses attached.  I was impressed with the drivers who were out in this pre-8 a.m. time frame.  Stopped, and treated it in a rational "4-way-stop-sign" fashion, just like they teach you in driver's ed.  Must have been because these were regular commuters?  I don't know, but I encountered this non-functional signal both going to and coming home from the meeting, and the situation was well handled both times!

The fire department got out to power wash the signals that were obscured, so between that and the nature's melting cycle, things were back to normal by Friday morning.

Friday morning Ember was not ready for her crate nap at the appropriate clock time.  We are still adjusting.  I think the "going to day care" schedule is modifying her "at home nap" schedule, as well as the daylight savings shift.  I decided to take her on a practice car ride to where the foster grandchild will be playing soccer this upcoming Spring season.  The first game is this Sunday, and it's at the newest high school in town's fields.  I had not been there before, so off we went.  Ember was very good in the car, and we stopped for a coffee and pup cup on the way home.

Carrot number 2... in the toy bin in the pantry.  She hasn't been introduced to this one yet.  It's plush, so I'm holding off for a while before introducing it.

On Thursday while she was in day care I sifted through all her toys and discarded several that are "finished".  Stuffing removed, or partially so, frayed, replacements already in hand, etc.  I left several from the bottom of the toy bin out in her X-Pen so she had "new toys" when she came home from day care.

Also removed dog hair by vacuum, shaking out, etc.  I always feel better when I bring her home to a "cleaner" house.  I am not going to say "clean" because it's certainly not up to my grandmother's standards!  LOL!

I also did some online dog-shopping.  A new "shitty kit" will be coming, along with a fresh collar and ID tag, and a new seat protector with hard bottoms and folding feature for the back seat.  It should be here well before the May time frame when I'll be playing Grandma the Uber driver as a role in foster kiddo's life.  Meanwhile, I'm thinking it looks a lot more comfy for Ember than the sling version she slips down in.

Life continues to be good, especially if I begin with the attitude of finding the good, every day.  The news may be a bit on the scary side (OK, more than a bit scary in some areas), but there is still good going on.  Keep your Spark lit, and choose to live your own life!