Lemons or Is It Lemonade?

dog, food, humor, sickness 2 Minutes

Lemon-PicturesPettigrew’s stomach is upset again.

I made a ton of chicken and white rice and opened a can of pumpkin on the theory that with so much food at the ready, certainly his stomach would right itself quickly and I would’ve made too much. Like carrying your umbrella to prevent it from raining.

It hasn’t worked.

I think I am going to have to go out and get another family-pack size container of chicken and poach it all.

Concurrently, I have been cautiously optimistic about my back and decided in addition to stretches, I would start doing just a little, teeny, tiny bit of core work. Two days in and I appear to have pulled a muscle in my stomach. It is discouraging. I’m tempted to wonder if I will ever be able to do core work again.

But Pettigrew, bless his heart, loves the meals of chicken and rice. He gobbles it down so quickly that unlike with his regular food, I find myself having to pace him. With dry dog food he eats what he needs and leaves the rest for later. With something as yummy as chicken and rice he can’t resist and eats it all.

lemonadeSo today, instead of bemoaning the fact that it hurts to twist my torso, I hopped on our stationary bike with a good book in hand and decided that since I couldn’t do core work, I had the time to read and get an aerobic exercise. Lemonade indeed.

As I type this, Pettigrew has crawled under the desk, wedged himself between the boxes at my feet, and rested his warm, fuzzy muzzle lightly on my sandaled foot.

Giving or seeking comfort? It works both ways.

Note: About 15 minutes after Pettigrew joined me at the desk I started to hear the distant rumble of thunder. Perhaps he had sensed the impending storm and was merely seeking a safe place to ride it out!

2nd Note: I wrote this blog a few weeks ago. Pettigrew has already cycled from healthy to upset stomach to healthy again. I have been including some core exercises in my day. Cautiously optimistic for both of us.  Also trying to remember that life is all about change.

Published by authorpolk

I live in the suburbs of Washington, DC with my dog, husband, and two sons. I teach environmental education and am a librarian. I also write children's books and hope to be published one day. In the meantime, I blog about the crazy things my dog Pettigrew does.

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7 thoughts on “Lemons or Is It Lemonade?”

  1. Hi, Ruth, I think Pettigrew sensed the storm. My kitties seem to know things like that. I taught in a little studio school on Long Island until about 6 years ago. We had a wonderful cat there, named Lola–she has gone on now. But she was one of those cats of a species that seems very close to human beings. One day, at lunch break, she crouched, a very odd crouch. A few of us sat together in a kind of circle of chairs, talking and eating our sandwiches. Then we all felt the earth roll underneath us. But Lola knew that earth quake was coming. My kitties hear people coming up my drive way before I do. Hope your back is soon better. I have the same hope for myself. I have been going to a chiropracter–it seems to go out every few months these past two years. Stress. The stress we have talked about, I am pretty sure. Sending you my best, Helena

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  2. Ruth,

    I love you to pieces. I can see why your volunteers love you too. Usually you make me laugh, this time you brought tears to my eyes. You have the capacity to touch people in a very special way.

    Love, Mom

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  5. Well, we’re both in a good place right now. I’m even letting him lick the dregs from bowls (less than 1/2 tsp. of food), but I think he and I both feel better letting him at least get a taste.

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