It's Springtime (go ahead and sing along...)

 

Springtime brings storm fronts, sometimes hail, sometimes rain, sometimes tornados.  This was Thursday the 23rd of April 2026, from my front porch, looking west.  Front coming through.  A couple of seconds after I snapped this one, a gust knocked over my patio chair, so I put it away in the garage.

I went out to take the photo because across town, "the kids" were having quarter sized hail.  To their east (my north), DIL's parents got a slew of tiny hailstones (pea sized).  I got... a few splotchy raindrops that evaporated.  And that wind.  A little while later, some rain that wet down the deck and the street but did not last very long.

It's been a busy week and a bit since I last posted.  In the meantime, I submitted my primary ballot.  I signed a couple of petitions to get issues on the ballot for November.  Returned two library books and switched authors since the next book by the same author wasn't on the shelf.

I did usual errands:  fill tank with gas.  Buy groceries.  Walk the dog.  Accept delivery of softener salt for the house.  The bug guys called to set their next appointment for Tuesday the 28th.

A few seasonal items:  the lawn guy came out to inspect and turn on the sprinkler system.

Took Dexter the car in for his semi-annual oil change and while they were at it, had them check the A/C and repair if needed.  $$$ later, I have nice cooling air in the car.  Ember will appreciate this as the weather heats up, I'm certain.

Watched TV coverage of the Boston Marathon (tradition) on Monday the 20th.  I get nostalgic vibes of my brother.  Part of my honoring ritual to watch that race, and for certain landmarks along the route.

The day before that we had a family luncheon in honor of "the kids" 3rd Wedding Anniversary (which was really on Tuesday, but we lunched on Sunday).  Mourned that the original date of Arbor Day (April 22nd) was used as "Earth Day".  I've never got over that and grip every year!  However, they did turn Arbor Day into a local 3-day holiday so Friday the 24th was observed in Nebraska as Arbor Day.

Dog hair cleanup, Tuesday April 14th, 2026.  This was under Ember's crate.  Ember came home sweet smelling and soft.  She has done her best to roll in foul smelling stuff ever since, of course!

Crate corner, after mopping the floor, before putting the crate back.  Enjoy it while I can, the hair will be back in a flash!

The Prisoner in Springtime, 2026.

The doggo always wins when you play tug with her favorite hunting / retrieving dummy.  She will drop it for a treat, though.

Life goes on.  Life is good.  Keep Sparking, my friends!

Life goes on

Brief comment about the news of late:  I'm sorry, but I'm tired of this S***!  I shall ignore the state of the wider world for the remainder of this entry.  This, I am told, is a symptom of privilege.

Thinking of the Artemis II and ISS crews when I snapped this photo.  I had listened to the respectful communications between the two crews out there beyond Earth's atmosphere and that is an uplifting thought.  The expression that we would "always come home to earth" is a hope that we treat each other and the planet well, so that it can remain a home for humanity.

The week wandered to its routine end, with dog-walks and nice days, and human errands and rides in the car.  I think it was Monday the 13th when I had one of those moments when I considered just never blogging again!

I held off on writing a "goodbye" kind of post, though, because I know myself well enough to know I would write again.  It's how I process all the loose ends of life.  

Sure enough, here I am, ten days after the last time I clicked on "Publish", consolidating three half begun posts into one.  

Because it's Emberville, we have to put this part in

Ember shook me up with a couple of behaviors that I was not prepared for.  The first involved jumping up on a fellow dog-mom as said human came out the door from dropping her own pooch at day-care.  Ember is always full of herself on Tuesday mornings.  I should have seen it coming but I wasn't in position and didn't have my pup under control.  My fault.  Fellow dog-mom was very gracious about it, BUT!  Don't want that to happen again.   

The next morning at the end of our neighborhood leash-walk, Ember and I were coming across our own front lawn.  This is a relatively recent modification to how we end the walk.  It all depends on the route we have taken.

Bella (an older yellow lab) was walking across the front of the property (with her dad on leash).  Again, I wasn't prepared for what Ember was going to do.  We've been so good lately!  Ember was so excited to see Bella. She did a big play-bow, so I should have known she would pull toward her friend.  I was at the top of the lawn that sweeps down toward the street.  When she started to move toward Bella, I felt myself starting to tip, and instinctively dropped my end of the leash.

Both dogs were excitedly greeting, now one on leash (Bella) and the other dragging hers (Ember). Thankfully, Bella's dad is an experienced dog owner.  He told Ember to "go home" in a firm voice, while telling Bella to settle down.  Unfortunately, I don't think Ember knows "go home" as a cue.

Bella's dad also took the opportunity to pick up the human end of Ember's leash.  Like I said, experienced dog dude.  Meanwhile, I walked about 10 more steps to enter the code to open the garage door.  I dropped a treat on the driveway to distract Bella.  Bella's dad transferred Ember's leash to me.  I proceeded to open the car door and she jumped in, anticipating our normal after walk car ride.  Bella and her dad continued their walk.  Took a while to get my own heart calmed down.

Bottom line, Ember and I have a way to go on the "calm greetings" manners!  Her cousin Carl (now six years old) has never learned "calm" when it comes to greeting Grandma, if that's any predictor of success in this endeavor.

Keeping the economy moving, one project at a time

Every year as Spring rolls around all the "need to take care of this" projects around the house and yard crop up.  Spending money becomes the big thing.  But with inflation going on, it gets more painful than usual.

I made a list (who among my readers does not make lists and tick them off?)  On Tuesday the 14th, I started working my way down that list making phone calls.  I think I have blogged in the past (maybe all the way back when the platform was SparkPeople) that I really don't like making phone calls.  When I pull all my energy together and make myself do it, I feel both accomplished and exhausted.  I second guess everything I said.  That goes without saying, right?

I scheduled a Handyman to come out and look at three or four items I'd been dragging my feet on.  He came on Wednesday, painted a couple of spots on the house, helped me take apart the camera doorbell and plug it in to charge, and made a recommendation about the on-again off-again light in the bathroom off the master bedroom.

You can't really see the crack in the pane in this photo.  This was before the handy dude went off to find a piece of acrylic to replace it.

Turns out the pane that cracked was real glass, so that's now in the trash.  Ember was pretty good through all of this, as the handyman was here for a couple of hours, and she had to be contained, so as to avoid putting her nose in places it's not safe for a puppy to be.  Part of the time she was in crate, part of the time on leash with me, and part of the time she lounged in Dexter (the car)'s backseat.

All fixed, reflecting the neighboring house.

Before Scott the Handyman came, I contacted the gent who did my son's deck.  He came to look at mine and give me an idea of how much it would cost to replace it.  We discussed a couple of design options, and he sent me the estimate.  I am still working on navigating how one signs contracts and makes it happen in this new "gig economy" world, because after the initial estimate came, I had second thoughts about the design.  I know that will make the cost go up.  I don't want to sign "accept" on the initial estimate without knowing how much more the final is going to be.  

I made an appointment for the car's Spring servicing, and for the annual house A/C check.  I called the lawn guys to leave a message about them coming to turn on my sprinkler system.  The only folks I didn't call were the bug guys, because they normally come in May, and depending on when the deck work takes place, I want them after that is done.

Now maybe I can have calm and smooth and boring and repetitive for a while, and Ember won't rile me up... 

Life is good.  Keep on Sparking!  

 

Two years of dog-mom!

 

Happy "Gotcha Day" to Ember, who joined my household two years ago March 31st.  We celebrated with a drive-thru kiddy cone at a nearby DQ, a day early, because the thermometer was telling us our town broke the record high for the day.  Ember polished off her half of the cone and then was leaning over the seat of the car, staring at MY half! 

Artemis II launch lifted my spirits.  So much not hopeful in the news, great to see something long planned pulled off.

I am definitely feeling overpeopled.  

We had rain on Thursday.  Misty morning on Friday.  I was kind of out of it and ordered the wrong thing at the coffee drive-thru.  The crew "caught it" and questioned at the window if that was what I really wanted.  "Was that what I said?  I guess I'll take it."  But they fixed me my regular drink anyway, and gave me the milkbone for the puppers.

I filled my Dexter's gas tank, too.  Ouch!  Would you believe under six gallons for almost 20 bucks?  

Seriously, I am bummed about the state of the country.  I am bummed that we are getting into another of those wars that is oh, so hard to get OUT of.  While my son is hopefully past the "let's go sign up phase" having a wife and child who need him, having veterans who rely on his assistance... there are other mothers, other sons and daughters, other husbands and wives, fathers and mothers.  

Artemis II was halfway to the moon as I got up on Saturday morning.  Onward!

Speaking of Saturday morning, The Prisoner decided he did not want to go outside, nor did he want to return to his "safe zone" in the laundry room.  He perched on the kitchen counter and showed no signs of wanting to move.

I let Ember out of her crate, just to see how they would interact.  We had a ballet dance of "let the kitty get away", that involved Mom putting the harness and leash onto Ember while she was mouthing the cat.  The Prisoner appeared to be putting up zero resistance to the dog's attentions.  Eventually, I managed to get them separated, and the front door opened to let The Prisoner retain his dignity by going outside while Ember stayed in.  Good exercise for both their brains.  Good confidence builder for Mom in terms of both animals letting her intervene.  Detente continues.  

When it came time for Ember's morning nap (after the usual rituals had been observed), she didn't even ask to go out to chase the kitty, but went on in to her crate, accepted her cookie, and let me open the back door for The Prisoner and escort him to his luxury suite in the laundry room.

Saturday was very own Ember's Easter Egg hunt.   

12 plastic eggs loaded with doggy treats.  She did manage to find all the treats, and she enjoyed cracking the eggs.  Only about half of them got destroyed in the process. 

Easter Sunday I packed up a fruit tray to take over to the brunch at the Mythical Son's house.  Ember went down for her puppy nap in time for me to have a quick shower before heading over.  I left her napping in her crate for the duration.

Since Ember did not come, they were able to hide the eggs and shift the egg hunt in the backyard before the meal.  This was a great "burn off some energy" for both foster grand kiddo and the grand dog, Carl.

A scene undoubtedly repeated over and over across the land.  Yes, the kiddo climbed a tree to retrieve an egg.  He managed to rip his pants getting down.  Fortunately, the "other grandma" says she can mend them.

DIL served customized mini-quiches, to suit the varied preferences (some folks don't care for peppers, some like hotter, we all are good on cheese and sausage, etc.), asparagus tips, tater tots, the fruit tray, and coffee cake.  Oof... didn't eat again until suppertime!

That's about enough for a weekly blog.  Here's hoping you all had the holiday that your own tradition holds dear, and that it was good.

Life is good.  Its renewal in Spring is good.  Peace is good, and we pray for that, worldwide.  Keep the spark shining in your hearts and with your actions!