Pandemic pups are struggling. Originally adopted to brighten the lives of people isolating in their homes as they followed social distancing guidelines and didn’t see friends, family, or co-workers, the pups are now finding it’s hard to be alone as their families resume their former activities. Since I don't know anyone with a pandemic puppy, … Continue reading Separation Anxiety
Category: life
In My Own Voice #36: The Fake Out
These hot muggy days really drag me down. No matter when we go out, the weather is dreary. The Woman is usually amenable to cutting our walks short if I’m just not up for it, but sometimes she resists. On those dreadful occasions, instead of following my lead when I turn, she forcibly drags my … Continue reading In My Own Voice #36: The Fake Out
Goodnight, Sweet Dreams
Pettigrew has a firm sense of bedtime. Bedtime is, perforce, different than nap time. Nap time is a variable entity. Nap time happens whenever, wherever. It’s fluid. Nap time. The need for a nap could strike after breakfast, in the early afternoon, or the late afternoon. A delightful nap can be enjoyed under the dining … Continue reading Goodnight, Sweet Dreams
In My Own Voice #35: The Worst Night of My Life
It started, as these things often do, with something so deceptively wonderful that I was completely blindsided when everything went south. Typically, the Woman and I have a bit of a back and forth around when to eat dinner. Invariably, I have to remind her not once, not twice, but three or more times before … Continue reading In My Own Voice #35: The Worst Night of My Life
A Senior Moment
On a lovely evening sitting around the firepit with dear friends we found ourselves confronting some sobering truths about the future. We met when we were one-child families and have stayed friends as each of our families have grown to include a second child and, inevitably, a dog. In my friends’ cases, make that two … Continue reading A Senior Moment
The Color of Thread
When our sons were toddlers, I would invite them to select the color of thread to use for patching holes in their pants. I can picture the soft curls on their heads as they bent over the sewing basket in my lap, tiny hands rustling through the scissors, buttons, and pins before picking their chosen … Continue reading The Color of Thread
In My Own Voice #34: You Never Know What Lies on the Other Side of a Door
When you get in a car, it’s a tricky thing. There is, of course, the pleasure of watching the world go by while you remain snug and warm and without any exertion. But when that door opens, well, you just don’t know where you’ll be when you step outside. Sometimes you are about to embark … Continue reading In My Own Voice #34: You Never Know What Lies on the Other Side of a Door
Sometimes You’ve Gotta Do What You’ve Gotta Do
Pettigrew has been sporting a slow-growing benign melanoma for the past few years. We’ve been watching and hoping it would stop. But it just kept trucking along. Time for a little snuggle on the sofa. You can also see the melanoma if you are interested in that type of thing. It’s quite unsightly. We left … Continue reading Sometimes You’ve Gotta Do What You’ve Gotta Do
Upside Down & Inside Out -or- How My House Tried (Is Trying) To Kill Me
See: (v) perceive with the eyes; discern visually. ---Oxford languages “It took something as life altering as the pandemic to learn that I wasn’t seeing. Rather, I let my expectations dictate my understanding.” While I wish we had never experienced the pandemic and I mourn for all the losses and suffering it has brought, it has … Continue reading Upside Down & Inside Out -or- How My House Tried (Is Trying) To Kill Me
What’s in a Number?
In my post, The Battle Lines are Drawn, I talked about the importance of data in making decisions. And yet there are limits to what numbers can tell us. Sometimes, they mislead as much as they inform. We have all sorts of generalizations about age and can easily fall into the trap of believing these … Continue reading What’s in a Number?
Ruth Polk 