Winter for reals

 

We did not get much snow.  This one is from Sunday morning, so it has paw and footprints from both Saturday and Sunday, the 24th and 25th of January.  Ember has become very good at going out "on her own".  When I started to take us out for "poo patrol" on Saturday morning, she yelped and jumped but I couldn't determine whether she had reacted just to the cold underfoot, if something stuck her, or if I accidentally stepped on her toes... whatever the cause, I comforted her, and put her back inside while I completed the yard chore.

Saturday, seeing that one or two other dogs were in fact getting leash walks in the neighborhood, despite the cold and her own hu-mom being unwilling to do that, she looked longingly out at them.

I think this particular cold snap has proven her labrador breeding.  She spent time in the yard solo several times over the three (so far) cold days.  It takes her a bit to find "just the right spot".

Being the weather wimp that I am, I was grateful for the scarcity of the snow, and we took several short (very short) car rides, and played with some different toys and games inside.  I'm gaining confidence and she's gaining self-control.

Saturday the cousins lunch worked out after all.  My niece messaged me that her taste and smell had come back, so we all gathered at a nearby Indian restaurant and with six of us there. All ordering different dishes, we were able to have "a little taste" of all of them.  Mulligatawny soup for all, and three kinds of Naan.  Tea was the beverage of choice for the majority, except for FGC, who had some fancy chilled latte.  I'm going to put the version of the photo with "face obscured" that my DIL posts when she shares online.

As it turned out, this was the Yahrzeit for my niece's mother.  She passed 13 years ago, I think it was.  Same time as my son was coming home from his second deployment.  We got special dispensation for him to make it home a day early, in time for the funeral mass.

Coming home after the luncheon, the news out of Minneapolis hit like a punch in the gut.  This young man had many things in common with my son.  I don't know if I ever mentioned in the old Spark blogs that at one point my son considered going after a nursing degree.  He ended up with his master's in social work instead.  He is out there helping unhoused veterans, directly.  

I could easily envision my son helping someone who had been pushed down to their feet.  I could easily see him putting himself between the agents and the young woman, acting as a human shield.  In my son's line of work, de-escalating is second nature, just as it was for Alex Pretti.

On Monday I found myself in need of doing something to make myself feel better about the world.  Often, I find this by doing something nice for someone else.  I left a larger than usual tip at the coffee drive-through.  I also paid for the order of the car behind me.  I get a little thrill out of being able to do this anonymously.  I have no idea who is in that other car, and they don't know it's coming, either.  I hope it made their day just a little bit better.  The antidote to "bad things happening" is kindness.

Later I shipped back the unused "leak proof" undies, asking for a refund.  That was Ember's second car ride of the day.  It was still bitter cold here, but Tuesday should be a little bit less so.

I trotted out another new toy on Monday.  An extra-large "calming duck".  I had to take it away from her after only about five minutes, as she already breached the beak and started the de-stuffing process.  I shall try again with it another day.

By the end of a four-day stretch without daycare, this is what the x-pen looks like.  Toys all over.  I do scoop them up from time to time, but they tend to accumulate until she goes off to play with her puppy friends and I do a proper vacuuming job.

Wishing those who read from places more impacted by this week's big Winter storm safety and warmth!  Life is precious, as well as good.  Hug your loved ones.  Pray for peace.  And keep on Sparking!