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!

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