Friday Free for All- Marking Time in Fives

      Happy Friday! No theme today, just a catch-up blog style. We got the wind and the blowing and continued cold temperatures by midday yesterday but didn't leave the house other than for dog needs. Even they wanted to do their business and head back in, though the puppy had to have a few runs up the snow mountain.

Puppy Play

 How do you keep an active dog used to several mile plus walks a day occupied and not destructive? Lots of brain games. This little game is so easy, but we make it harder by covering the holes with the bones after he's found some treats. The snuffle mat takes 10 times longer to fill than for him to hunt, but it does tire him. We're doing loads of indoor training and ball play. Good thing there's three of us! 

     

It's not been horrible with the blizzard like weather, but then we don't have to go out and work in it. Kudos and thank you to all who do. We got mail; our streets  been plowed several times. I'm hoping my daughter's neighbor who has used his 4x4 to do her driveway is a gem again. It seems these guys like their toys so nice to be in their good graces. 

Dreams

     Not like dreams or aspirations, but the ones that when you wake up, seem so real, have been invading my brain. Mostly, I keep having dreams that merge my children as small children with them as they are today. I suppose the Christmas holiday, my daughter traveling, adding a new dog, who's very much still a child, all morph into my brain when I close my eyes. I'm not one to think dreams mean anything, just a jumbled way to process thoughts and memories. These dreams were particularly vivid last night. It could be because of where I'm heading next.

Marking Time in Five Years

     Do you do this? Think five years ago this happened? Ten years ago, that? Ten years ago this past week my daughter graduated with her undergrad degree. We got chilly pictures of the kids in downtown Milwaukee by the river. My son lived there that year, having finished the year before at the same college. He came home for a few days later, but had to work Christmas Eve and Day. His job then was staffing a call connection center for hearing impaired individuals, so needless to say, Christmas was busy with calls. He did that about another five months before going back to film school. My daughter later in September went to grad school in London, but worked at my then job until then. I'm proud of them both, and my youngest. None likely will have traditional career paths, but no doubt they'll be successful by their own definitions. 

     Five years ago this week I lost a dear friend to brain cancer. She died the 21st, her service was the 23rd, a massively attended service. She was by the time of her death, a political mover in Minnesota. Her youngest is now a senior in highschool. She should have been here to see her babies grow into adults. I met her 25 years ago, yes more 5 year increments. Her first and my last overlapped pregnancies, she being one of the most excited to hear of our bonus baby. I was on her non-profits board of directors when she moved onward to start a new non-profit, advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ community, work which led to the Marriage Equality Act. I need to stop as I'm tearing up with grief and love, missing her to this day. 

     I'll end now and send you wishes to see love, kindness, and humanity this week. I'm thankful for all you readers, and hope regardless of how or if you celebrate holidays this week, it's filled with joy.