2 nights ago, I had what I call the perfect night's sleep. 7 1/2hrs straight deep sleep, waking up without any pain and feeling perfectly refreshed. Those type of nights are now so rare that I feel appreciative when they happen. Last night was closer to more typical with 5hrs ( 2 x 2 1/2hrs sleep sessions)
Maybe you'll be lucky and get to have a small afternoon nap with Auggie later today! 😊🐾💤
James - I too do segmented sleep, 2-3 hrs up in the middle of the night, then go back for another 2-4 hrs of deep sleep like a pet rock. I’ve done this ever since I retired.
But every now and then I get an 8 hr refresher… wow, the world is totally different waking up after that! If only…
Beautifully written and a wonderful reminder not to sink into the chaos of the world.
Here in central Texas the weather is quite warm and I pray for much needed rain. My plants are much different. I have petunias in pots until the heat kills them. My yuccas are blooming very nicely. I’ve had the yellow ones for 3 years and this is the first time they’ve bloomed-and blooming they are!!!
Do you have people that stop by and try to pretend it's not to see the lads? We lived rural and had a neighbour that lived about 5 miles down the road (Try explaining to someone who has only ever lived in a big city that you called someone who lived 5 miles away a neighbour, lol!)
He would stop in every once in a while, often on his tractor with his lunch and share half of it with our sweet female dobe. (Sometimes he would give her a ride with her sitting with him on the tractor.)
"If you ever need someone to look after her for a bit, let me know." 😊🐾
Of all of your dogs, which one would have been the best to have been a car travel companion if you went on a long (cross-country drive). For us, it would have been our first family dog (the sweet female dobe). She would have been a good dog for a long haul trucker.
Dexter, my first golden. He was a big guy, and would stick his head out at toll booths and frighten the workers, until I explained that he thought they were going to give him an egg mcmuffin. Moses was not a good traveler. He was restless in the car.
I too am still a bit low on energy so it's good to know I'm not alone or dying from some unknown ninja-like disease. I hope all who suffer from this longish term sickness get past it soon. Actual summer around here will help me tremendously. It always comes.
I grew up with the 'fearful' God so during Easter season I try to center the 'beautiful' God. As your sunrise photo presents, each day is a rebirth and an opportunity to do that. Beauty is everywhere-as is God. Both wash over us with love to give us a new start. Starting the day with gratitude has been a habit of mine for a long time,and no matter what, if our eyes open, it is a perfect day. May God bless us all and help us, and our country, through these very difficult times.
I greatly appreciated this essay which tempered my anxiety regarding current events. And Auggie is indeed a noble friend keeping guard over you. Wishing you, Charlie and the Germans a Happy Easter.
I love spring, i love the green of the trees as they bud, the flowers as they start to bloom and add colour to the garden which is far different in winter. I love my little puppies getting bigger and they are at 3.5 weeks starting to walk around and investigate the wider puppy pen. Next week they’ll be allowed into a much bigger space and will be probably running around like drunken sailors. But I cannot shake the morning dread when I get up at 7am (1am Eastern Time) to see what fresh h*ll has been wreaked on the US and the world. I have tried not looking at news and not turning on my favourite BBC Radio 4 programme (the Today Show from 6-9am UK time) — because maybe I can just avoid it, but then I’m anxious until I check. So I’ve gone back to setting my alarm to listen to the news at 7am and find out what it is, then park it to the side to figure out what I might be able to do to fix it later in the morning (generally write my senators, call people to vote, do *something*) — and say a prayer of gratitude that I live in the Netherlands, that we are buffered somewhat from the daily idiocy, and that I can directly support my Ukrainian friends as much as possible from here. But it’s a daily dread. I wish life was other, yet I still enjoy the spring and the puppies. And I always enjoy your writing! Books as well as these notes. Love from a tulip-filled Netherlands. X
I hope sleeping on your feet was a sign of gladness that your feet have returned to their(his) rightful place. Love to the biggies.
The second 📷 is the arrangement of Auggie that is in rotation on my lock screen. Living sculpture.
The flowers — in water, in pots, woven into wreaths — are tinged with irony this season.
Thank you for reminding us to look at the goodness so difficult to see in these times. Your essays are life-affirming breaths for me.
Me, too! Thank you!
Ditto.
2 nights ago, I had what I call the perfect night's sleep. 7 1/2hrs straight deep sleep, waking up without any pain and feeling perfectly refreshed. Those type of nights are now so rare that I feel appreciative when they happen. Last night was closer to more typical with 5hrs ( 2 x 2 1/2hrs sleep sessions)
Maybe you'll be lucky and get to have a small afternoon nap with Auggie later today! 😊🐾💤
That’s a genuine blessing.
James - I too do segmented sleep, 2-3 hrs up in the middle of the night, then go back for another 2-4 hrs of deep sleep like a pet rock. I’ve done this ever since I retired.
But every now and then I get an 8 hr refresher… wow, the world is totally different waking up after that! If only…
Beautifully written and a wonderful reminder not to sink into the chaos of the world.
Here in central Texas the weather is quite warm and I pray for much needed rain. My plants are much different. I have petunias in pots until the heat kills them. My yuccas are blooming very nicely. I’ve had the yellow ones for 3 years and this is the first time they’ve bloomed-and blooming they are!!!
I’d like to share photos but don’t seem to be able to do it. Oh well.
Do you have people that stop by and try to pretend it's not to see the lads? We lived rural and had a neighbour that lived about 5 miles down the road (Try explaining to someone who has only ever lived in a big city that you called someone who lived 5 miles away a neighbour, lol!)
He would stop in every once in a while, often on his tractor with his lunch and share half of it with our sweet female dobe. (Sometimes he would give her a ride with her sitting with him on the tractor.)
"If you ever need someone to look after her for a bit, let me know." 😊🐾
What a lovely story. But no. No one with only a casual acquaintance with Eli would dream of dropping by.
Of all of your dogs, which one would have been the best to have been a car travel companion if you went on a long (cross-country drive). For us, it would have been our first family dog (the sweet female dobe). She would have been a good dog for a long haul trucker.
Dexter, my first golden. He was a big guy, and would stick his head out at toll booths and frighten the workers, until I explained that he thought they were going to give him an egg mcmuffin. Moses was not a good traveler. He was restless in the car.
😊🚗🐾
Actually, as I think about, Eli is the calmest of all, so long as he doesn’t see another dog.
Thank you, Ms. Reardon.
I too am still a bit low on energy so it's good to know I'm not alone or dying from some unknown ninja-like disease. I hope all who suffer from this longish term sickness get past it soon. Actual summer around here will help me tremendously. It always comes.
I grew up with the 'fearful' God so during Easter season I try to center the 'beautiful' God. As your sunrise photo presents, each day is a rebirth and an opportunity to do that. Beauty is everywhere-as is God. Both wash over us with love to give us a new start. Starting the day with gratitude has been a habit of mine for a long time,and no matter what, if our eyes open, it is a perfect day. May God bless us all and help us, and our country, through these very difficult times.
Wishing you good health.
Beautifully written and a good reminder to appreciate the beauty around us. Thank you.
Even from a distance, Auggie feels like such a kind soul.
He is both wild and gentle.
Thank you, I needed this.
I greatly appreciated this essay which tempered my anxiety regarding current events. And Auggie is indeed a noble friend keeping guard over you. Wishing you, Charlie and the Germans a Happy Easter.
Noble indeed. ❤️
Thank you for your posts - a gentle reminder to be kind to ourselves in spite of the turmoil we live in right now.
🌺
Happy Easter to you, Charlie and the boys🪻🌷💐✝️
I love spring, i love the green of the trees as they bud, the flowers as they start to bloom and add colour to the garden which is far different in winter. I love my little puppies getting bigger and they are at 3.5 weeks starting to walk around and investigate the wider puppy pen. Next week they’ll be allowed into a much bigger space and will be probably running around like drunken sailors. But I cannot shake the morning dread when I get up at 7am (1am Eastern Time) to see what fresh h*ll has been wreaked on the US and the world. I have tried not looking at news and not turning on my favourite BBC Radio 4 programme (the Today Show from 6-9am UK time) — because maybe I can just avoid it, but then I’m anxious until I check. So I’ve gone back to setting my alarm to listen to the news at 7am and find out what it is, then park it to the side to figure out what I might be able to do to fix it later in the morning (generally write my senators, call people to vote, do *something*) — and say a prayer of gratitude that I live in the Netherlands, that we are buffered somewhat from the daily idiocy, and that I can directly support my Ukrainian friends as much as possible from here. But it’s a daily dread. I wish life was other, yet I still enjoy the spring and the puppies. And I always enjoy your writing! Books as well as these notes. Love from a tulip-filled Netherlands. X
It’s all very hard to watch. But the world has changed forever, and there’s no going back. Kisses to all your pups, young and old.
I’ve done that - they are lovely to have here and I am glad I have them. Yes I fear the world I knew just a few months ago is gone forever x