Frozen Air and the Flames of Death

The sun is shining, and it’s a lovely 29 degrees outside! So strange for us. We are all bundled up, and not even leaving the house! Levi and Luke are in the bedroom playing drums and singing karaoke, so you should be glad this blog doesn’t have sound. Jake is skirting around me, trying to read what I’m typing without being a nuisance. He doesn’t understand how irritating it is for someone to read over your shoulder… especially if you want to write a juicy piece about them. *I* am procrastinating. What’s new? I’m ABOUT to clean off my desk and get the school schedule done. Didn’t I write that last time? It’s just so much easier to keep it on the list than it is to do it, but, boy, will it feel good to cross it off. I’ve gotten plenty done in the last few days, just not THAT. It doesn’t help that I have a “to read” pile that I never have time to read, and I don’t want to put it away, because I want to READ it. That’s what we purposefully driven people call ‘clutter.’ It’s the stuff that needs to be put away, but that you are anticipating you will use in the near future, so you don’t want it out of sight, or you’ll forget about or lose it! So, there it stays, waiting.

Wow… what ARE they singing? It’s awful.

Neco went in for a grooming this morning. He was a shaggy mess, but he’s all trimmed up now and wearing his camouflage fleece coat. He’s such a rascal. Every floor-length window curtain in my house has a big yellow spot on it, but I can NOT catch him in the act! It is so frustrating! I know he’s marking, but he’s so clever and sneaky, I can’t catch him and punish him. I know that crate training works, but, come on… who really has time for that? He doesn’t normally go in the house, unless it’s an emergency, except for this marking. I guess we’ll just have to keep a onesie on him at home, too. We carry them with us to other people’s homes, in case he feels like marking there, but he never wears them at home. I guess that will have to change.


Neco's two-year birthday is coming up next week, so we’ll have to make him a doggy cake, even if he IS being naughty. We’ll skip the big party, but I’m sure we’ll still sing to him. He’s a pretty special part of our family. Jake has taken over most of the responsibility for his care now, and he’s doing a good job. I was willing to hand over that duty in order to dissuade Craig from getting Jake his OWN dog. One dog is plenty for us right now! (Or, ever.) Jake was playing with him a few minutes ago and called me to watch their trick. Jake held up the toy and squeaked it, making Neco jump up to get it, and as Neco got it in his mouth, Jake caught him in the air. I suggested he make a hoop with his arms, and Jake was excited about that idea, so I squeaked the toy while Jake made the hoop, and Neco jumped right through it. Of course, Jake, being his father’s man-child, says, “Maybe when he gets better, we can make him a hoop and soak it in gasoline and set it on fire!” We continued practicing until he was jumping pretty high. Someday, you may hear of Jake and his Fearless Neco, the Yorkie who jumps through the flames of death!

Desk…. Nap….. NO, desk! Better make some tea.