Author: 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.

Signs of Spring

Wednesday was the vernal equinox, the start of spring, complete with a super worm moon, which, I learned after consulting the internet, merely means that worms are more active now and are appearing in the soil! As someone who teaches environmental education and spends plenty of time flipping rocks and logs in search of worms … Continue reading Signs of Spring →

Optimization Run Amuck: Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

My grandmother was the queen of optimization. The person who, after successfully getting a group to agree on where to go for dinner, would, en route, suggest numerous other restaurants. No decision was final. Good could be made better and better could be made best. Unfortunately, good often became bad as the plan fell into … Continue reading Optimization Run Amuck: Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory →

Instant Pot

My husband’s always been fascinated by kitchen gadgets. Usually, they leave me cold, and after sitting on our kitchen counter taking up valuable real estate, ultimately find their way to a shelf in the basement. But when he first bought our Instant Pot, I experimented freely. As one who does not know the night before … Continue reading Instant Pot →

Support Animals

A sloth. Yes, a sloth is Pettigrew’s support animal. Surprisingly it took me a long time to realize this. First there was the recognition that he was not shredding, but cuddling with his toy sloth. Then I noticed that when he is feeling strong emotion, he tracks down his sloth and tosses him around in … Continue reading Support Animals →

Just Love

“Just love,” I call out, throwing my voice ahead of me, as Pettigrew hurries us towards the woman in the neon yellow jacket standing in the middle of the street with her arms stretched wide. Sandy, the school crossing guard, keeps a pocketful of treats for the dogs that pass her intersection. A flash of … Continue reading Just Love →

In My Own Voice #13: Just Kill Me Now

Can you explain what’s going on? Seriously, I don’t understand. The paw washing persists! Yes, you read that right. The white, wet stuff is gone from the ground, but the paw washing continues. Is this the new normal? I say, empathically, No. I had been somewhat reconciled when I thought washing was a necessary evil … Continue reading In My Own Voice #13: Just Kill Me Now →

In My Own Voice #12: Wonderful, Wonderful Winter

What’s not to love? That burst of cold air when you step outside. The breeze that ruffles your fur and flips an ear. The cold, wet ground permeating through your paws. The discovery that the world has been coated white. The muted crunch as snow collapses under your weight. The joy of it! I zip … Continue reading In My Own Voice #12: Wonderful, Wonderful Winter →

A life lived in the moment

What makes an old dog keep going? I pondered this as Pettigrew succumbed with his usual grace to yet another stomach ailment. At this point, he doesn’t even rouse himself from the sofa when I stumble downstairs in the predawn darkness, cautiously flipping on lights before I step into a room. I no longer risk … Continue reading A life lived in the moment →

All is White; It Snowed Last Night

Cold. Wet. White. Wonderful, wonderful snow! Pettigrew zips in tight circles around our snow-filled yard. Bounds through drifts. Stops on our walks to mark every snow pile from a cleared off sidewalk or driveway. Is it the joy of discovering a world transformed? Something new to enliven the old? Today he led me on a … Continue reading All is White; It Snowed Last Night →