Like a careening train, without functional brakes. That's this week for you. The weather is setting the course for everyone in south central Wisconsin. Yesterday, afternoon and evening activities were cancelled and with good reason. Pictures of baseball sized hail flooded the internet. A tornado warning came on at 5. People were prepared. A few roofs came off churches and homes, a bunch of trees fell, some car windows were shattered, but that's the extent of it. Still, we're bracing for the third round today. Warm, muggy, followed by wild and crazy.
Millie was upset at bedtime last night. I dont know why. She went into the crate willingly, but then cried for a handful of minutes. I took her out, snuggled her, then tried again. Eventually she settled, but I did wonder what upset her. The storms had long passed.
This morning, she was the epitome of patience as I went through my morning wake up routines. We went out, went in, she ate, I ate, with her again at my feet.
Her digestion is not good yet, nor is she potty trained. The potty accidents are not a surprise. Tiny dogs, tiny bladders. But she does require vigilant oversight. Her accidents are also tiny and you can easily miss them if you let her out of your sight.
And there's another reason why keeping my eyes on her is important: she can be deliberately naughty. Deliberately go to the kid bookshelf and go after the books she knows I dont want her to chew. Deliberately then go to the living room and nibble at the end of the coffee table -- another known no-no. And then onto the couch where she goes after the pillow corner. This is just wilful impishness. She loves her toys and has them scattered everywhere, but this morning, she is letting loose her wild side.
Sweet girl!
I was going to do some outdoor work today, with Millie of course, but the weather hasn't yet settled so she and I are taking each hour as it comes.
For me, it means catching up on news beyond our own awful happenings in this country. For example, there's Paris: did you you know that beginning this month, the city has a new mayor? Emmanuel Gregoire, another socialist, stands behind a progressive and environmentally friendly agenda (think affordable housing, fewer AirBnBs, more green spaces, and biking to work -- as he himself did on the first day in office). Gregoire is outspoken in his condemnation of sexual violence, having himself been a victim of sexual assault as a child (during extracurricular activities). He lives with his partner and five children -- one from his previous relationship, two with his current one, and two from her previous relationship. His blended family life "fills him with joy." By all reports, they are a tight-knit family, made more so by his own personal tragedy -- his brother committed suicide last year. This weighs heavily on Gregoire and he is committed to not distancing himself from his own family life, liking best a Friday night of pizza and cartoons on TV over more formal events.
I read all this with hope. People choosing an empathetic, concerned, extremely hardworking leader. It can be done! People expressing antipathy toward self-serving strongmen. It can be done! I love Paris and I am happy for my city of choice. But I also want to take from this that message of possibility. They can do it. So can we.
Here's another casual news story that grabbed my attention: a listing of small spas opening (or reopening) in the last year or two. I love spa retreats (the few that I have visited in my life), but have given up on them ever since embarking on my wild dog adventure (can't pay for it all!), so now I am left with simply reading about them and getting some vicarious satisfaction from learning about thermal pools, cleansing scrubs and calming potions ("macerated rose hips and fermented nasturtium flowers"??). It's not as if I could not replicate some of this at home. Well, maybe not the thermal waters and I have great doubts about fermenting nasturtium flowers.
When I'm not reading, I'm attending to Millie. Grooming is a big item on each day's agenda. She doesn't like being brushed (who can blame her... all that fur!) so today, with some degree of skepticism, I tried the comb. These are all doodle tools, so I know I'm not starting her off on something weird and unpleasant. And to my surprise, the comb is much easier on her than the brush. We breeze through this ritual! And of course, five minutes later, she looks a rat's nest again. But without matted clumps -- the enemy of the doodle coat.
I take her out on a longer walk. I am always hopeful we'll meet up with some strangers. It seemed to me that when I walked Henry or Sadey, I couldn't avoid them -- they came out of nowhere. But with Millie, our encounters have been rare. Today she sniffed butts with one large dog. Better than nothing!
In the later afternoon, I go to the farmette. I have some foods for Ed and of course, Millie wants a hike through all these interesting spaces.
(Pancake keeps an eye on her)
(Our beautiful plum, a tree that has given us not one edible fruit, is in full bloom... Though doing a timed self-release was a challenge!)
And then it's back to running errands. To the vet's (again!) for some new prescription dog food to try. And to the Edge. I'm signing away (finally) my apartment there.
I bring Millie into the office of these very friendly dog people. I watch her wag and greet everyone and I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness. Henry could never quite relax enough with them, though he tried. Tentatively. Sometimes. My little girl, on the other hand, had no reservations. She even climbed all over a visiting dog there. A huge visiting dog. Sigh... The Edge is packed with memories for me. Beautiful ones. Except for one: the elevator.
At home again, Millie and I settle in to wait for this third round of storms. I'll post early. Yesterday the electricity flickered. Who knows what tonight will bring.
with so much love...
