Gratitude

1. Morning walks. This week we even got out early enough one morning to catch the sun rise on the trail by the river. And instead of a wild turkey high up in a tree, there was a cormorant. There were also heron fishing and lots of deer, and of course geese and a few kinds of ducks, along with other kinds of birds and lots of things budding and blooming. Ringo also saw (smelled?) something at the base of a giant tree that got him very riled up but it was too dark for me to see what it was, and I wasn’t sticking around to find out.

2. Mulnix Animal Clinic, and in particular Dr. Gaffney. We’ve been taking our dogs to this clinic for the past 20+ years. We miss Dr. Mulnix so much (he passed the year he decided to retire, didn’t even make it to the celebration that was planned that summer, so we never really got to say an official thank you or goodbye) but Dr. Thomas stayed on, took over, and has grown the clinic to include all female veterinarians and an updated facility. Dr. Thomas was Sam’s vet after Dr. Mulnix stopped working and had also seen Obi and Dexter from time to time. Dr. Gaffney joined the practice just after we got Ringo and has three cattle dogs of her own, so we knew she was the perfect fit for him. And we were right. She loves him so much, and it means so much to me to know that she is doing her extra best to care for him. Ringo went in for his annual exam yesterday and he’s doing really well, and when/if he isn’t, I know they are there to help.

3. Spring. It’s finally happening. It’s a few weeks late this year because of the weather but this week our maple tree is getting leaves and my peonies are coming up and I can see tiny flower buds on the lilac bushes. It’s still a few weeks out before we can plant anything new and there’s still some question about the grasshopper population or the availability of Nolobait this season so I’m not making any definite plans but am looking forward to whatever we are able to pull off this year.

4. Reading. I have been spending WAY less time on social media and one thing that allows me to do is read more. Besides laughing and flowers and trees and dogs, books have always been one of my most favorite, beloved things.

5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. I am so looking forward to this summer, hanging out more with Eric, working on the house and garden, sitting in the backyard, taking naps, cooking together, sitting on the couch doing nothing, making each other laugh. This week in my Facebook memories, the picture of Ringo standing on the end table came up — he was so feral, so wild when he was younger, not that he’s changed that much! 🙂

Bonus joy: bran muffins, peanut butter balls, raspberries, good TV and movies, listening to podcasts, my primary care doctor, getting all the yearly appointments and checks out of the way, dark chocolate covered walnuts (sorry Eric, I found your secret stash), giving a gift that makes someone cry and hug you, bright yellow chrysanthemums, the hydromassage chair, the pool, sitting in the sauna with Eric, going to bed early, down pillows and blankets, a warm shower, a big glass of cold clean water, clean sheets, stickers, kitchen counter love notes, a big mug of green tea, sitting in the yard with Eric and Ringo, how soft new grass is (Ringo says it tastes good too), sunshine, shade, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

1. Rita. My “Aunt” Rita died Wednesday night. We weren’t biologically related but she’s been a part of my family for as long as I can remember, is/was one of my mom’s best friends. She and her husband John and two boys moved in across the street from us when I was maybe three or four years old, and my mom and her became fast friends and stayed that way for the rest of their lives even after they moved away, regularly writing letters and visiting.

Just before they moved away, the boy’s aunt got them a puppy to soften the blow of moving, a tiny black and gray cockapoo they named Muffin. If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you know that Muffy was the first dog I loved big. They moved about four hours away and at least once a year we went to visit. As much as I loved seeing Rita and her family, the biggest draw for me was that sweet little dog who loved me as much as I loved her.

When they moved again, it was to a house by the beach in Washington a little over three hours away. At that point, my brother’s girls were old enough to go with us, so it became their summer trip to see Rita and her two grandsons at the beach too. We’d spend our days walking on the nearby beach looking for shells and heart shaped rocks, taking the bus to the nearby town of Long Beach where we’d walk along the boardwalk and visit the little tourist shops, playing SkipBo or doing puzzles, reading and taking naps, eating good food (she made the BEST pies) and making each other laugh. Those trips are some of my best memories.

For the past few years, Rita has been in memory care and in the past few weeks in hospice, so her death wasn’t unexpected and yet, when someone has been a constant and beloved part of your life for so many years, it’s hard to imagine the world without them in it. I’m so grateful to have known, loved and been loved by her.

2. Colorado sky. I haven’t been able to go on morning walks, am still working my way back up to that, but I’ve gone on short walks and sat in the backyard and got to see the sky doing what it does.

3. Naps. In the comfort of my own bed with my blackout shades and sleep mask and various pillows and blankets and clean sheets and something playing on my phone, a podcast or a music playlist. As much as walking and getting in the pool and sitting in the sunshine these naps are essential to healing, to being well.

4. Spring, in particular the green and the blooms.

5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. As I sleep in most mornings while I’m healing from surgery, Eric has been flooding me with kitchen counter love notes, along with all the other ways he’s loving and caring for me. Ringo got to go play with one of his favorite people this week, Teri his physical therapist. He doesn’t really need to keep going, he’s doing so well, but he just loves working with her so much and she has all kinds of cool “toys” to play with.

Bonus joy: the hydromassage chair, the pool, sitting in the sauna or the backyard with Eric, good books, good TV and movies, listening to podcasts, practice, being able to rest, not having to rush, seeing Janice, hanging out with Mikalina, a warm shower, peach sorbet, green grapes, muffins, how warm Ringo’s fur is when he comes inside after lounging in the backyard, the riot of birdsong in the morning, birds at the feeder, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.