Treats

Inspirational song: Blue Moon (The Marcels)

Petsmart is maybe four miles from my house, on the fastest route, if not the most direct. The first two car rides to puppy class were torturous for both of us. Last week was a little better, for about half of the drive each way. Tonight we got all the way there before Saoirse started wiggling impatiently. There was whining on the way home, anytime we started up at a stoplight. Solid growth week after week. I'll take it. Kiddo is wiped out now that we are home and mellow. She looks passed out drunk.

We went to the kids' house this afternoon. I was there to watch the baby, and the Mr helped out with a landscaping project our daughter was racing through. I let Dino spend a lot of time in her jumper/play stand. After she got a long nap, it was time for carrots. That kid sure is having fun with food practice, even if barely half of the veggies end up inside of her. Her mother wrapped up the project and took her off for a bath right as we finished. 

I held onto her while her bath was being run, long enough for her to notice a bag of Halloween candy dropped onto the back of the couch. I will assume it was the bright colors and shiny plastic that had her reaching for it, and not an instinctive craving for candy. You don't even have your first tooth yet, child. Wait a little while before your first sugar binge.

Speaking of sugar binges, I guess I will get mine out of my system now. There were two total groups of trick-or-treaters while I was off at puppy class, and none since. We should have known better and not bought any candy at all.

Creeping Along

Inspirational song: It's Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty)

It's really not worth pretending I was any good today. I had to console myself that I did some dishes, so I didn't have to consider the whole day a waste. Best I got is that I still haven't started drinking. That's got to be worth something.

I have to wonder, as I prepare for bed. Does this dog lie to me? Does she actually know how to get up on the bed by herself, but she likes me to lift her up because I established that I would? I feel like I'm being played.

Maybe tomorrow will be valuable. Maybe I'm lying to myself. I can be distracted for a few hours by the baby, and for another one with puppy class. There's a lot of time to burn through in the next four days.

Part of It

Inspirational song: Boney Fingers (Hoyt Axton)

The name of the campaign we are playing in our larger D&D group is "Skeleton Coast." This is the one Mr S-P wrote right before I got sick last year. The whole thing is his own creation, and so far we all think it is fantastic. It isn't non-stop action. It's mostly brain work: facing endless stretches of desert and figuring out how to feed ourselves, touring abandoned fortresses and understanding the significance of crumbling texts therein. That sort of thing. 

In the sprawling maze off of underground catacombs where we are currently exploring, we have found dozens of animated skeletons who have had their hands removed, and digging equipment bonded to their forearms. They don't even notice we exist when we go past them. They are entirely intent on digging out more winding tunnels. It's weirdly off-putting to be in this situation, and be totally irrelevant to their task.

Thus it was extra amusing when our kids showed up for the last session before Halloween, dressed together as a skeleton family. (In our daughter's slang, "skelly-mans.") I demanded pictures for the blog, and that stinker took them and has already put them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It's a shame the grandbaby's first Halloween won't be good for trick-or-treating. Not like she is old enough to eat candy anyway, but it still would have been fun to take her around in a stroller if it had been safe. If we remember next year, I promised to make Dino a tiny David S Pumpkins costume, so her parents could wear the skeleton onesies again, this time as her sidekicks. Let's hope next Halloween is safer for getting out among people.

Executive Dysfunction

Inspirational song: Veteran of the Psychic Wars (Blue Öyster Cult)

That's it. I'm officially maxed out. Stress is getting to me, and I'm no longer snapping back with aplomb. For a week I've been eating whatever the hell I want, carbs be damned. I took a risk and had lunch at 300 Suns brewery during the same week I had Chinese takeout and Halloween candy. Diet starts again on November 5th (allowing an extra day to either celebrate with a binge or eat my sorrow and grief, as the circumstances warrant.) A full week of this has left me fatigued and dyspeptic. I forced myself to go out briefly this afternoon (because I got a phone call that started with, "Can grandma come out and play?") I wore out quickly, drove home in a daze, curled up on my bed, and barely left it for the rest of the day.

How are all of you handling the uncertainty? I hope better than I am. I'm sure there are all sorts of things I could do to distract myself, but I can't focus on anything more than three or four minutes. 

I give up. I'm unfocused and my body temperature is fluctuating uncomfortably. I need to turn on a fan and convince this squirrely puppy to stop eating the covers on the bed. I wish all of you more peace than I will have over the next six or so days.

Luther

Inspirational song: Walk On the Wild Side (Lou Reed)

The internet proclaimed today one of those black cat appreciation days. As if one needs a special day to admire that sort of perfection? Every day is black cat appreciation around here. They know it. I know it. Even when they are being cranky bullies, scaring my puppy, they're still gorgeous and appreciated. 

I decided I needed a relaxing shower before bed. I heard noises from the hallway outside of my bathroom. A puppy was tattling on a floofy black cat who was preventing her from either hanging out next to my shower or going to the bedroom to wait for me. When I was done, I saw exactly what I thought I heard: Athena posted in the doorway, and Saoirse flopped on the floor across from her, in full puppy tantrum.

As I thought about what to write about the girls tonight, watching a clip of the 44th president giving a rally speech, I started to wonder. Jackie is a giant, calm teddy bear of a cat, most of the time. Athena will spit in anyone's eye...except Jackie's. Should I start thinking of Athena as Jackie's anger translator, as "Luther" was for Obama on the Key & Peele series? How did I not make this comparison before?

Silly Puppy

Inspirational song: Smile (Nat King Cole)

One of the best internet memes of all time is that of the Pun Dog, the three-photo series of an Alaskan Klee Kai who looks like he is telling a joke, hiding his face in his plushie toy, who then smiles really big like he expects a big laugh. After all these years, I still giggle over that one. Now that I have a gray and white puppy of my own, who spends half of her life upside down grinning at me, I feel like I have my very own Pun Dog. Saoirse is so funny, and she always wants us to laugh at her jokes. She may be as lazy as a Great Pyrenees, but she is as sharp as an Aussie Shepherd. We are all in trouble here.

Today was the next round of puppy shots at the vet. It was exquisitely cold today, so I am not sure whether her shaking in the car was shivering from cold or fear of car travel. She was nervous until the vet tech came out to talk to us, and then she turned on the charm. Saoirse thought the tech was very worthy of her attention. She got mutual admiration in return. She was well-behaved for the vet, and got a glowing report. They said she is now up to 26 pounds, although that seems deceptively light. Maybe it's because I have to sling her around every day that she seems so much heavier to me.

To reward her for being so wonderful for the vet, and to remind her that car rides can be fun sometimes, we went to the magic window again. One French fry in mommy's face, one in Saoirse's, back and forth. We got home before the bag was empty, so we finished them off inside in the same manner. I posted the below picture on her Twitter account, and someone I don't know suggested a GoFundMe to provide "more fries for that good girl." I don't think I could trust her with that money, but I will make sure she has enough fries that she won't miss it.

Big Chill

Inspirational song: Fall On Me (R.E.M.)

This was supposed to be the day to sit quietly, looking out the window, drinking hot chocolate and watching the snow fall. Well, I managed to one of those things, but not in my jammies, and not even from home. It was definitely not relaxing, at any point in the day.

My nerves were jangling from the moment I woke. The baby was here before my first cup of coffee. With the big winter storm that came through overnight, the puppy wasn't about to stay outside. I found myself rushing to assemble the last of the GOTV packets, writing addresses in a logical walking order, while the baby whined, the puppy ran around, and the neighbors and my husband chatted loudly. It was all too much. I was on edge from then on. The peaceful day I planned will have to be another time.

I did get my hot chocolate, watching the Denver-Kansas City football game. I could sort of see the snow, but I didn't zone out and stare at it like I wanted. Every time someone opened a door, to let out dogs or get a beer from the tap in the garage, a wall of cold air smacked into me. It was enough to keep me aware of the winter storm, and that was good overall. 

I tried to get pictures of Saoirse in the snow when we got home, but she wasn't cooperating. She vacillated between being too wiggly and too close to me to catch on camera. The snow will stick around a couple of days. I'll get better opportunities.

Baby's First Canvassing

Inspirational song: These Boots Are Made For Walking (Nancy Sinatra)

This puppy is going to sleep so well tonight. I will go on record predicting it. Right now, she is lying next to me, hiccuping vigorously, as she does whenever she is nervous. Athena is right next to her, and that always worries her. But she's too tired even to lift her head, so it's a safe bet she will be back asleep before I finish writing. 

I didn't do our puppy training homework until today. I wasn't up for going on walks outside yet, even though we were supposed to. There was a strong imperative to get to it today. The final get-out-the-vote push started this afternoon. My area coordinator dropped off stacks of half-page vote notes, a door-hanger that our hometown party volunteers designed, that now the whole county uses. These go up a week before the election, letting people know it is now too late to mail ballots, and please go now to drop them off. Also, vote your whole ballot. Anyone who hasn't voted yet, according to the county clerk's database, gets one of these taped to their front door. 

My co-precinct leader and I divided up the turf, that covers four blocks north to south, and seven east to west. She took the north half, I took the south. The Mr and I took two babies out. Dino and Saoirse did their first political action today! I'm so proud of them. They both did great. There were a lot of loud, scary dogs and people with leaf blowers, and both girls took them in stride. Well, Saoirse hid behind me a few times. Dino stayed snuggled in warm blankies in the stroller. When Saoirse and I had to peel off for class, a new volunteer from our precinct showed up to help out. And tomorrow our neighbors finish off the far east side of our turf. 

So far early turnout is extraordinary, all over the nation. Bit you know how I am about civic participation. I want all of you to use your voices. If you haven't already, go vote. Now. 

Ghostly

Inspirational song: The Star Spangled Banner (Frances Scott Key)

Today's puppy lesson is that sometimes the car drives around a little bit, stops, and then keeps going, until you end up back at the house, without French fries or a visit with your auntie or even puppy training class. It isn't as much fun as car rides that result in activities or food, but it is mostly survivable.

We had to get the 4runner aligned after a new lift kit was installed, and when I drove the Mr back to pick it up from the shop, we took Saoirse for a ride too. While she was in daddy's lap, she was fine, but riding home alone frightened her thoroughly. We stopped halfway there so he could drop off his ballot at the courthouse. That confused her a bit.

To put myself on an even footing with my poor terrified puppy, I decided it was a good night to revisit movies that scared me as a kid. Tonight, I'm starting with Poltergeist. Man, I loved this one back in the day. I can't say I'm scared, but it still gives me just a little bit of tension. It's a good start.

Big Baby

Inspirational song: Isn't It Time (The Babys)

At the end of a social butterfly type day, I'm feeling connected and generally okay. And this is even taking into consideration that an outdoor Rotary event was canceled for cold weather. 

For the first time since the original lockdown, I succeeded in conquering my discomfort about eating in a restaurant/brewery, but to be fair, we were the only customers in the establishment, and there was only one waitress. We had a good friend come to town, someone I haven't been able to see in a dozen years, since we left California the last time. He has had, let's say, a trying year, and I will not quantify or qualify that any further. I was glad to catch up, and I was pleased to discover the relationship between the Mr and him has not changed in tone or manner in the slightest in all these years. It was entertaining, to say the least.

It was another surprise babysitting day all day. That makes three days in a row I got to cuddle with my baby. I swear she has grown and developed new skills even since yesterday. She wanted to slap at my screens while she sat in my lap, so I pulled up the garage band app on the iPad. I haven't opened it in years, since the thing was new, so I had no idea how to work it. I just got some keyboards open and set her to it. We changed from grand piano to synth, soul organ to something that appeared to belong in 1970s prog. She actually did well with that last one. I have no idea how she did it, but she got a little metronome clicking and something she played looping, and it really rocked. I took some videos to share in the family chat. I want this kid to play on this some more.

We ended the day next door, watching the final debate of the season. Three of us were paying attention, and one was pointedly staying in the kitchen. When it was over, we cleansed our spirits with a little Mario Party. I was way too mellowed out by that part to play well at all. I won one of the mini games quite by accident as soon as it started, and came in last on just about everything else.

Walking

Inspirational song: Thirteen Days (John Wesley)

My feet ache. They hurt so bad I can't imagine ever walking again. I want to prop them up higher than my body and let all the life drain out if them. I cringe knowing that within a few hours, I will be up on them again. Knowing how badly they ache now, would I repeat this day and hurt them all over again?

In a heartbeat.

It was a good day. I needed like two items from Target, and a whole bunch of dairy products from the grocery store. I also needed company, so my daughter and I went together. She pushed the stroller and I pushed the cart, and over the course of about two hours, we put 3/4 of Target in those two wheeled conveyances. We spent another hour wandering around King Soopers, and I am not quite sure how we managed to get home with everything. It's a good thing we didn't take my little car. She got big plastic storage containers that filled up half of her Jeep. The best find of the day: after almost a year of watching for it, we found the book she wanted for Dino. It features Grover the Muppet, and it is called The Monster At the End of This Book. I look almost every time we are out, and I finally saw it.

When I got home, I had to race through my Wednesday evening routine. I bathed the puppy, and she did not like that. We went to play the smaller, older group of role-playing (the Pathfinder group), and took Saoirse with us. This time she was quiet in the car, although she really huddled in my lap the whole time. When she hopped out, she seemed to recognize where we were, and she was very excited to be there. She may not have the focus needed to be a service dog, but watching her flirt with everyone tonight, I know she has potential as a therapy dog. She loves people more than anything.

Personal Day

Inspirational song: Harden My Heart (Quarterflash)

It's actually okay to feel antisocial sometimes, right? It's not just me, and not just Covid Times? I had obligations today, and I couldn't meet them. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to go outside, even though it wasn't nearly as chilly as it looked. I stayed home. I skipped the zoom meeting for Rotary. I failed to restock our precious supply of half and half. (I know I will regret that come morning.) I remember clearly thinking the words, "I'm taking a mental health day," as if I were justifying it to the voices in my head.

The day wasn't a total wash. I did get to babysit on short notice. My son-in-law needed to study for a physics exam, and asked me to give Dino the interaction and attention she craved while he was face down in textbooks. She came over and practiced her entertaining skills. She was active and grabby and funny and charming. And when she was tired, even her cranky screams were kind of cute. We had a half a bottle, and then we tried green beans, her mother's one-time favorite. They weren't quite as mind-blowing as plums, but she ate with gusto. Then we had a bath, which confused the puppy. ("Does the tiny human actually like the water? Why?") 

I will probably figure out about some deadline or other I missed today. Like this afternoon when I realized that my driver's license expired on Saturday, and the soonest appointment I could get to renew is the first week of November. An error, but not a tragic one. Surely I didn't miss anything more important than that. It was worth it to just stay home and let my emotional state build up a little extra oomph.

I Voted

Inspirational song: Call Me (Blondie)

This will be short and sweet. I'm done. I dropped off my ballot at 8 pm, at the drop box right next to the DMV. I signed up for the "track my ballot" service from the secretary of state's office, so I will get a text when it gets acknowledged tomorrow. I feel good about getting it out of the way early.

Now no more campaign/party folks need to call or text me, okay? Once lists are updated tomorrow, I expect to be left alone. I can't believe how many texts I get in a day from strangers who are volunteering to GOTV for someone. 

Vote as early as you possibly can, y'all. It will make your life more peaceful. It will make things easier on the volunteers too. As of an hour ago, the update for Colorado was over 991k ballots returned already, a quarter of our active voters, and about 22% of all possible voters. Whee!

Hiking Stick

Inspirational song: Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp)

I'm starting writing early tonight, so that when I get home I can take a little somethin'-somethin' to relax my sore and tired muscles, and then go sit in the hot tub until it's real bedtime. I made my one trip to the cabin today, an excursion I have deeply wanted but couldn't arrange until today. I almost wiped out, but I had other people counting on this trip, so I powered through.

It was originally proposed as a trip for yesterday, actually on the day of my birthday, to go up to the cabin with T & A (she had never been up), to hang out and grill steaks. I had a GOTV webinar yesterday morning and puppy training at night, so we pushed to today. The neighbors also brought all three of their dogs, so we drove most of the way in two separate vehicles, and then just crammed into one for the difficult last section of 4WD driving at the end. (As we return home now, I'm getting texts from the trailing car, wondering what the hell is up with Mr S-P, taking a roundabout way home, confusing A as she tries to keep up.) 

For the first time in the five years we have owned this remote, barely accessible mining claim, I grabbed my cane for a little assistance navigating the rough terrain. Why did it take me so long to do this? Even with being so out of shape and still not having full lung capacity, this was the easiest climb of all of them. The cane helped to stabilize my wobbly hips and ankles, and gave me a boost for my quads, which have deteriorated significantly since my younger days when I was an enthusiastic weight lifter. I will never do this climb without it again.

The cabin has come so far since I was there last. He completed all of the interior cladding, and got the loft finalized. The deck surface is done, along with a ramp for Murray (and Mommy). The deck cover is about a third done. The power cables coming from the solar cables are now buried, and there are now big deep-cycle batteries for energy storage. And this year he finally deconstructed the tepee that was his original structure on the property.

It was a little chilly on the hill, and it won't be much warmer until next spring. This was my best and last chance to go. I'm a little sad that build season is over, but I will be so glad to see 2020 in the rear view mirror, I am just relieved to have made it this far.