13 Degrees Below Normal

There’s been a lot on my mind lately. What with Ann (my other mom) heading back to teaching after a nice summer break, the changing light (or lack thereof), and this fickle weather I’m finding it hard to keep a rhythm to my days. Then this morning I woke up and read the newspaper and there was an article on how the temperatures of late have been on average 13 degrees below normal.

Wow. That’s a lot of degrees! Still Gretchen continues to wear shorts while we work and I just can’t understand. “Shouldn’t you be more bundled up if it’s so much colder?” I asked her today.

“Walking all of you keeps me mighty warm, Rubin,” was her response and I suppose she’s right. I get mighty warm myself, but then again, my body is covered in hair. Still, I keep waiting for her to bring out the fleece, which I have a feeling is on the way since she tends to bundle up at night after our long day of work and her much needed shower.

But that just explains how the weather is out of sorts. It doesn’t help me get back into a schedule that has any rhythm. I suppose that will come with time. Gretchen says I was just getting used to waking up later and now we have to rise at 6 when it’s still not quite light out. I guess she’s right because this morning, after they both got up and were busy with their morning routines, I stretched out on the human bed (don’t worry I don’t sleep there until the morning when I’m called up to snuggle) and fully enjoyed the extra hour of lounging.

Duty called though and so up I got, though I refused breakfast. I only got a short walk before Gretchen headed out on a nice long walk with Rosie and Tyson. They got to play a bit at the tennis courts because last night’s rain made it less than optimum for tennis players. Do you see the hint of all behind Rosie’s pose? It’s a comin’!

Then they went for a nice walk through one park and then through the next whereupon they sat upon a bench and watched the birds land in the field. The worms were up (because of the rain) and you know how much Rosie LOVES birds. Tyson gave a worried look that if they didn’t get their treats soon, Rosie might race off the bench and chase one of those birds.

Gretchen picked me up after dropping off the siblings and we drove to Woobie’s house. Talk about excited, Woobie did a special Woobie greeting dance when we got her from her house and an even bigger Woobie dance when we loaded her into the car.

“Where are we going, Rubin?” she asked excitedly.

“To Ollie’s house!” I told her.

“Yahoo!” she yowled, which is exactly the sound Ollie made when we arrived at his house.

Then off on our walk…down the big hill to the lake with a stop on the way for a photo shoot at a really pretty front yard garden. Then a photo shoot by the lake. You can tell by the smiles on our faces we were having a great time!

Then up the big hill (lots o’ stairs, let me tell you!) where we dropped off Ollie and then piled back in the car to drop off Woobie. Funny, she’s equally as excited to go home as she is to go with us. Gretchen says she’s a dog who enjoys just about everything and that’s why she and Ollie get along so well since he has the same good nature.

The final walk of the day was with Gemma and Saber. When those two get together it’s almost impossible to walk, but we managed until Saber looked at Gretchen with that pleading look and said, “Please, please, please can we go to your house and play?”

Now the thing with Saber is that he LOVES to have something in his mouth when he wants to play. At our house, that thing is one of Ann’s outdoor shoes. What he particularly likes is the insole and in a matter of seconds, he’s ripped it from inside the shoe and is prancing all over the yard with it. The insole was a secret code, though, and Gemma and I knew it meant it was PICK ON SABER DAY, so we did our best to pester him! He didn’t seem to mind.

Gemma’s favorite thing to do is to push us around. I mean that literally.

My favorite thing to do is go up on the forbidden wall (I’m not supposed to be there) and watch the look of awe on Saber and Gemma’s faces when I disobey direct orders.

At one point, Saber heard the chickens who live next door and boy, did he ever get worried!

Whew! What a play date, but even though I had a good romp, I was appreciative of the quick game of fetch Gretchen and I got to play after we dropped Gemma and Saber at their respective homes.

And then I got to take a nap while Gretchen headed off for a much needed massage. I wonder if I’ll get one tonight? That might make me adjust to the 13 degrees of difference in my life these days.

Until tomorrow…which is FRIDAY!

Rubin