There’s comfort in believing you are truly known and understood. Accepted for who you are. It’s the meeting of minds that happens when, you pause in the middle of a sentence and your listener finishes your thought perfectly, so in tune were they. Pettigrew believes we share a similar level of communication. Pettigrew models his … Continue reading Mind Reader
Category: walks
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
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
The Battle Lines Are Drawn
Do we allow data to inform our decisions or not? Pettigrew out on a walk. I had thought we were a data-driven family. As a scientist, researcher, and doctor, my husband has a healthy respect for data and its importance in developing a successful course of treatment. Or, so I thought. Apparently, his ability to … Continue reading The Battle Lines Are Drawn
In My Own Voice # 28: Stronger Together
Together. That seems to be the operational word these days. And, you know, it’s not all bad. I actually like my family. It gives me a lift to see them first thing in the morning. Sometimes I greet them at the bottom of the stairs. Sometimes they come in before I’ve gotten off the sofa. … Continue reading In My Own Voice # 28: Stronger Together
In My Own Voice #26: The Jig is Up
Wouldn’t you say you behave a bit differently depending on the situation and those present? Sometimes more relaxed, sometimes more formal? Well, I take different people out for a walk at different times of the day. They each have their own expectations. The oldest male has a route and he sticks to it no matter … Continue reading In My Own Voice #26: The Jig is Up
In the Eye of the Beholder
Do dogs feel disgust? My friend thinks so. And I am hard-pressed to come up with an alternative explanation. Stella, a past guest blogger (In Her Own Voice: Stella Is this Week’s Guest Blogger), is an adorable golden retriever and Pettigrew’s best gal pal. However, she has an alarming habit of eating trash when we … Continue reading In the Eye of the Beholder
In My Own Voice #19: Two Roads Diverged in a Wood and I, I Took the One Less Traveled By*
My female walking companion gets into ruts. Always walking the same way. Down the alley, turn right; past the playground turn right again, and so on. If we meet up with friends—my buddies Stella, Zadie, Flash, Calie, and Sheva all bring their people out with them--my walking budding seems amenable to trying new routes. However, … Continue reading In My Own Voice #19: Two Roads Diverged in a Wood and I, I Took the One Less Traveled By*
Greetings Earthlings
Given his druthers, Pettigrew greets all mammals he meets. For some, this is a warm welcome, for others (think mail carriers, cats, people on skateboards, the list is long) his greeting is decidedly unfriendly. And then there’s the group in between, the ones for whom he reserves judgment. There are days when I am happy … Continue reading Greetings Earthlings
The Art of Gifting
Does Pettigrew need a winter coat? Would he enjoy one? Growing up, I don’t recall ever seeing a dog with a coat. Now they are everywhere. It makes me self-conscious when we’re out for a walk. Am I adequately providing for his needs? Am I exposing myself as a neglectful caregiver? He is a short-haired … Continue reading The Art of Gifting
Ruth Polk 