A Day Gone By

Do You Have Plans?

What are your plans for the day? Planning takes preparation, which in turn takes concentration. Something I don’t have a lot of today. Do I really need to get out of my pj’s?

Its winter here in Wisconsin. Cold temps, icy roads, and hard blowing arctic north winds.

Is Outside Necessary?

Our home is toasty warm, so thinking about venturing outside gives me the chills. I have a dog who loves to walk no matter the weather. He could care less that it is a steady zero degrees at the moment. Ernie dances at the door as if to say, “let's go, mom.” His endurance for the cold amazes me. It also makes me wonder what his prior living arrangements were like, was he left out in the cold? It’s best not to think of it now. What’s in the past, stays in the past.  Ernie’s future with us is the only thing that matters.

Walking for an hour this morning took my breath away. Ernie being the ultimate trooper, picked his feet up occasionally, especially on the fresh snow. We tried to avid that, but some people do not shovel their sidewalks-making it difficult. Ernie, being Ernie stubbornly stays on the path to nowhere. He knows the entire town we live in because we have walked everywhere. There isn’t a road we haven’t traveled, or a park we have visited. Ernie loves the deer, barking like crazy at them. The elk he leaves alone, not sure if it's their size he is intimated by or if he just doesn’t care for them.

He has had plenty of meet and greets with dogs along our daily walks. He loves dogs the same size as him, bigger dogs he has a tendency to bark at. We haven’t met one face to face, the larger dogs are mainly tied to a chain by their house. Poor dogs.

Breakfast

Returning home after our walk, breakfast needs to be prepared. We are struggling to find a dog food compatible for both dogs. Ernie has no teeth, so he needs a soft dog food. Sally is 16 so she is better off on a soft diet also. They love table scraps, but I told my husband they need to eat dog food. I’m buying some ground turkey and mixing it with their soft food to see if that helps at all. Fingers crossed.

We Always Clean

After breakfast it’s time to clean. Being retired has its perks. I clean whenever the mood strikes me. I am slightly OCD, so it is frequently I clean. Down on my hands and knees scrubbing floors in the kitchen, bathrooms, living room, dining room and hallways leaves me feeling tired and sore. But the floors look radiant, so I keep on keeping on. Bathrooms are my least favorite, the toilet disgust me, and the amount of hair I pick up off the floor is unbelievable. Clogged drains are a commonality in our household. The morning also includes naps for the dogs, and my husband. They sleep while I clean. Bedding always needs to be washed, seeing as we have a dog sleeping with us on a nightly basis. The hair is never ending.

Once cleaning is complete, it's time for me to concentrate on my blog. It is my passion; I get so involved in it the day turns into the night and I haven’t accomplished a thing. Some days that’s fine by me. There is always something new I discover while working on my blog. It is a continuing learning process which I find captivating and eternally appealing. It works my brain and intrigues my mind.

Ballgames, Nothing We Enjoy More

We always have ballgames to watch. One of our favorite pass times. We have a grandson who is 13, and one who is 8. Both play basketball so we are busy going to games. The difference in games thrills me; Ethan, who is 13, his games can be intense. Almost like watching adults play. Elliot, who is 8 is a delight to watch. He is heads and tails ahead of most other kids because of his older brother. He grew up practicing dribbling, lay-ups, etc. with him.  He knows his stuff and his lay ups are out of this world.  We are so proud of both boys. Playing while in school is important, giving the boys opportunities, while learning to face challenges far into their futures. Participating in sports brings comradery and the mindset needed to get through life. Win some, lose some, good sportsmanship is key.

Evenings bring another walk for Ernie, twice a day, whether I feel like it or not. Another hour and a half brought us a close to the day. We arrive home in time for supper. After dishes, its playtime for Ernie. He fetches his way, most times not bringing the toy back but standing and looking at me like I’m supposed to run get it and toss it again.

Bedtime

Bedtime comes early; Ernie and I are in bed at seven thirty-eight o’clock. I either read or get on my blog. My husband often falls asleep on the recliner while watching tv. Sally sleeps in her bed in the living room. She no longer sleeps with us on the bed. It happens when dogs grow old.

Depending on what is on tv, my husband strolls into bed around 9 pm. It’s our time to talk, we reminisce about the day and catch up with one another. Sleep hits us around 10 pm, another day in. Morning comes early, although since retirement, my husband and I sleep in until 7 am. It is a luxury.

Keep Life Busy

My days and nights are packed; I have no time to get bored or wonder what to do. There is always something that needs cleaning, my blog awaits me, and my nonexistent running right now has got to be incorporated into my day.

Busy life, happy wife, at least that’s what my husband says. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Being busy keeps me young, as young as I can get being at the ripe age of 62. Never stop learning, never stop doing, it's what keeps me on track. Too soon life ends, I don’t want any regrets. Any wishing I would have done this or that, do it now before it’s too late.

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Boredom, who has time?

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