Into July!

 Saturday, June 27, 2026

It's a week 'til The Fourth of July, which down here in the USA means there are crazies willing to set off fireworks.  I've been hearing them for three or four nights already, even though they are not legal in town except on the 3rd and 4th.  This is a problem for some folks with pets.  My grand-dog Carl gets calming meds.  Ember has yet to have a prolonged issue with them, but I did notice last year that if we were walking along and one went off within 50 feet or so of us, she would startle.  Fortunately, she recovers well, especially if I'm on the other end of the leash.

Saturday was the last day of "seasonal" temperatures, with a high of 81℉.  I was surprised to find the new deck wet when I got up.  It was the 60's in the morning.  I delayed taking Ember for a walk, and she went down for a nap a little after 8.  Yay!  In time for me to make it to Tai Chi in the Park class.  My friend Kim came as well.

After I came home, I made my own breakfast, and then Ember and I went out for our "pack migration" (as one YouTuber calls your daily walk with the dogs).  Seems kind of silly to call us a pack when we are only two!  It wasn't yet hot, but it was humid.  I pretty much let her nose and eyes guide our path.  By now, at two and a half, she has developed pretty solid habits to stay on the other side of the street when other dogs are walking.  I feel so lucky that even if other dogs strain and bark, she stays quiet.  Alert, but quiet.

This morning, as we were walking by a house with a couple of U-Hauls in front of it, a little Boston Terrier was off leash and decided she needed to come out to greet.  Ember was a bit startled, but both dogs gave a play bow, and I think they probably would have played nicely, were it not for one being on leash and the other off.  Ember was still tied to me.  

As the other dog's owner hollered at his dog to get back, Ember got scared, but she did not pull me off my feet.  It was a little exciting for a while, but the gent spoke gently to Ember, and apologized to me for his dog, but "no harm no foul" all animals and humans stayed safe.  Ember was a little more nervous for the next couple of blocks and looked to me for reassurance, and we proceeded to home.

Ember napped well after her walk, and that gave me a chance to shower and nap myself.  Ahhh!

Sunday, June 28th

The coolest hour of the morning, 6 to 7 a.m.  There was a nice breeze on the deck.  Ember and I lounged out there until 7, then did our usual poo patrol.  I took advantage of the early morning for a quick grocery stop, windows down, before going through the coffee drive-thru for my London fog and Ember's Milkbone.

She was napping in her crate by 8 a.m., leaving me with the puzzle of whether it will be "less hot" enough for a walk when she gets up.  Also hanging on to the anticipation of truly hot weather in the afternoon.  We may drop back to a plan B to keep the pup cool.

I have introduced a silk cooling mat, but it has tags on it that are just a HUGE temptation to chew on.  I will lay it down, do a little "go to mat" training, then take it away when she starts chewing.  Eventually she'll get the message.  Sunday morning, she looked longingly at the shelf I had placed it on and gave a little whine.  I misinterpreted it as a request for brushing, so brushed her.  But then I realized what she was really asking for.  We did a short training session with the mat, then put it up again.

It got hot in a hurry, topping out about 96℉.  Ember was awake at game time, so I didn't go to FGC's baseball game.  Instead Ember and I went for a DQ baby cone to split.

Monday June 29th

We went for our walk at 6:30 a.m.  It was already 78℉!  We have two more over 90 highs before it drops back to the 80's.  We took it easy.  Ember showed little interest in playing outside.  Very short trips out for "the necessary".

Tuesday, June 30th

Month's end.  Ember was dropped at day care and I chatted with the groom room about her irritation under her front legs, so an allergy bath became part of her spa day.  It's funny this time of year, as the hair on her underside seems to thin out more than on her back and sides, and she looks positively bald in spots.

Dog laundry day, vacuum out the x-pen day, and since it was a hot day, "take it easy" again.

Happy Canada Day!  Wednesday July 1st

We're still in the middle of the hot weather, welcoming in a new month.  I remembered my rabbits and also that our neighbors to the North celebrate their nation's birthday today.

Ember and I got out at 7:20 a.m. and it was warm and humid.  Not as hot as it gets in the afternoon, of course, which is why we walk in the early hours.

We were not alone.  We saw Ember's friends and their humans out making the rounds as well.  At one point a lady was coming out to work on her decorative plantings and we paused to chat.  Ember seems very cool when we do this.  She went into her pretty polite sit, and she laid down, tail awhirl, wanting to greet.  The neighbor stayed back a ways as I warned her of the pup's tendency to want to jump up.  But Ember stayed contained.  I worried she was going to eat the pompoms off the gal's slippers, so I kept a short leash going.

After she went down for her puppy crate nap (rituals are wonderful), I texted my older sister who has our youngest sister staying with for a couple of days. I headed over to have a sister gabfest.

Now we are all three up to date on each other's medical history (welcome to old-er age, folks).  Gee, those ladies look like they just might be related!

Yes, those of you who notice there's a sister missing?  She was at work.  

Life continues to be good.  Spark on!