Christmas week is underway

 

Santa and Mrs. Claus were hosting the holiday brunch at Granite City Sunday morning/noon.  

My daughter in law had a lovely collection of gifts for her birthday, including a very clever pendant in the shape of a camera.  It was orange and looked, she said, "just like my first digital camera".  But its real cleverness was that if you looked closely at the gem that formed its lens (from the front), it had a photograph that she took earlier in the year embedded inside.  Amazing gift, from my son and my FGC.

DIL says the photograph is etched on the glass.  Technology has changed how we do lockets!

I clipped this from a video my DIL posted of the pendant, but it didn't clip very well!

I did send the cookies home with the gathered folk.  Some will stay with son, DIL and FGC, the rest will go home to DIL's parents.  

Poor Ember was in her crate for longer than usual while I went on that adventure, and while the ambient temperatures were moderate for this time of year, a strong breeze scared me off, so no leash walk.  She did get two car rides, but that's not the same as a walk, and late in the afternoon she was sort of freaked out by the neighbors working in their yard the other side of the fence, and she had some zoomies!

Monday December 22, 2025

I don't think she entirely forgave me, despite getting a big beef bone Sunday after the second car ride.  Face it, for canines who prize routine, this has been far from a routine weekend, between visitors, baking, and mom disappearing and leaving her in the crate longer than her usual puppy nap.  

The weather is being extra kind to us this week.  Monday is windy, but the temperatures are mild for this time of year.  I decided at about 9 a.m. when it was 40℉ that I would risk a leash walk through the neighborhood with my best girlie.  Ember was all waggles on the way out the door and was unusually well-behaved.  She let me keep the gloves on for most of the walk.  We did have a tricky passage on the far side of the route when two dogs taller than she, and two human mommies pushing a stroller started following us, about half a block back.

I enticed Ember to keep going, with lyrics of "Leading the puppy parade" (sung to the tune of Yellow Brick Road) and treats generously applied whenever she wanted to stop and stare back along the following route.  We got around a corner, the other dogs and their humans went straight, and the only obstacle at that point was an older couple taking their own walk.  I put Ember into a patient sit while they passed and again treated her liberally for being such a good girl.  We followed the older couple at a safe (to Ember's mind) distance.  

I was most impressed with the times she turned and locked eyes to check in with me, with no treats in evidence at all.  Also impressed that she did not pick up trash that was blowing around, although she did sniff at it.  We proceeded home to take a little ride in Dexter (the car) to get Mommy's special coffee and a dog treat for the good puppy.

Once she decided it was time for her nap, I tucked Ember in and came upstairs, putting Gregorian chants on for background, and may just take a nap of my own.  I'm getting really "bougie" in the US slang sense (bourgeois).  I fell for one of those ads and ordered a DNA kit for Ember.  I have had people look at her confirmation and ask if she's "English" lab, which apparently is different from "American line" that is taller, slimmer, more athletic.  So, let's see what it says.  Also I have learned that "charcoal" is not a lab variety accepted by the AKC.  Not that I plan on getting her papered or anything, but curious!  Finally, there is the component of genetic health risks... would be nice to know.  Like I said, this is kind of a "first world" thing.  

Oh, the elf-hat on the treetop?  That was part of a small lamb-chop toy that Ember destroyed in about 15 minutes!  

Le Sigh!  But not really.  I knew when I bought it that this was its likely fate, and decided for the price, the pleasure Ember would get from it was worth it.

Life is good!  Keep Sparking!