"It was imprudent of us, in the first place, to become authors. We could have become something regular, but we managed not to.
We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Chilly & Busy

Gifts are wrapped and tagged and shipped and on their way to the recipients!

Cards should be finished and in the post sometime in the next 2 to 3 days.

I had "Christmas time out" yesterday because of a nearly all-day Continuing Education session for legislators. Good attendance, great information, excellent questions and discussion. Oh--and then we had a party!

One of today's various activities was taking Jewel to our vet for her annual wellness exam. She seemed oblivious to the great honour of riding in my posh car. She's a dog who lets her opinions be known, so she softly moaned her dismay during much of the 10-minute drive. I turned on the seat warmer, knowing that when she gets warm she gets drowsy. It did not quite have the desired effect. She wasn't agitated, and I have to say her funny moan-y noises made me laugh.

We were early for our appointment. She met a dog in the waiting area that she was pretty sure needed killing, and he felt the same about her. The vet and the tech were mopping up after him in the exam room, so I think he was a little stressed by whatever had occurred in there. I know Jewel was stressed--her moans had turned into yowls.

But she was a champ throughout her exam, maintainig her dignity through all the prodding and poking and needle jabs and blood draw--even the dreaded pedicure (toenail clipping.) Her weight is stable at 40 lbs. We heard a lot of "Good girl!" which made me proud. We emerged to find no dogs in need of extermination, checked out, and got back in the car.

She immediately curled up on passenger side, calm as could be. (Again, the seat warmer was cranked up!) Pulling into our garage is usually the cue for much excitement about homecoming. But she was so comfy that she just lay there looking up at me like, "Do I have to get up?" I said yes, because Ruth had been alone for a while which she isn't at all used to, and she'd be anxious to know how everything went.

Says Ruth, "It's all right, you can tell me all the humiliating things the vet did to you. I understand, I've been through it, too."



Jewel responds, "I am the picture of health!"



Out on the deck, the nuthatch is more interested in the suet than the festive Christmas decoration. But we're enjoying it!



We still have lots of snow cover. The little lake and nearby ponds shine like sheets of glass in the sun. We also have high winds which, coupled with frigid temperatures, makes for a nasty and shocking wind chill. My afternoon excursion--relating to County government--will take me to a very windy, high ridge above the river. I hope I'm able to park close to the door!

There's a fantastic smokehouse/Southern barbecue place that I pass by going and coming. So I'm definitely picking up some takeaway pulled pork and spicy sauce and hush puppies for supper! That'll warm us up!


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