Jean was up early this morning, around 4:30 AM. She woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. All this worked to my advantage as I woke at 6:30 to breakfast in bed. We sat and talked for a bit, and she read the Pregnancy Journal (which gives us a day by day report about what's going on with baby). Lately I've been reading PJ to her last thing before lights out, so this was a nice change.
Pasta and Neon were due for their six week clipping today. When I got home last night I started telling them about "going for a ride in the car." That's a magic phrase. I doubt they know precisely what it means, but they always react to that specific collection of sounds, no matter what tone of voice I use to say it (and I've tried a bunch). Preparing the dogs is important. Pasta is a hesitant if not jittery dog. It's best if he has some kind of understanding of whatever's going on. Neon loves surprises, but has a tendency to get sick in a car. He's gotten better as he's gotten older: when we lived in Bumpass almost every trip ended with a mess. But those were country roads and nothing was closer than thirty minutes away. Now that we're back in Richmond, nothing is more than fifteen minutes away. He's not quite comfortable, but he always manages.
So the dogs were primed for the quick trip this morning to The Barking Lot. I've got a seat
cover for the back of my car (Neon's better than he used to be, but that doesn't mean I trust him). The dogs are connected to just one
leash, which makes walking much easier since they can't
take off in opposite directions without tugging at one
another. So we piled into the car and drove down into
the Fan.
Work was nice: no appointments today. That meant I could spend the day learning more about our system and working on projects. I managed to get into the office early, even though I had the dogs to juggle. I left the office once to stop by the gang in Jepson Hall, but spent the rest of my day studying.
By the time I went to pick up the dogs I was feeling a bit sick. It felt like a stomach bug. Sad to say I didn't go to the polls to vote like I'd planned. Even though Richmond didn't have any big contests -- all the open seats were either uncontested or not even close -- we both wanted to vote. No matter how all the races turn out I know I'm going to kick myself for being one of the non-voting majority. I just felt too lousy to do anything but go home and collapse.
Pasta and Neon were great tonight. When I wasn't feeling too good, they were both very gentle around me. They stuck by me even when I know they would have preferred to be outside playing after what had been for them a crazy day. Before Jean got home, I was zonked on the bed, and both of the mutton heads were sitting patiently just outside my bedroom (they're not allowed to come in). Pasta even had the ball ready just in case I felt any better.
Jean got home and was the one with the cure: a nice cheese pizza, just for me. Well, okay: she had a slice or two, but I managed to finish a huge pizza pretty much on my own. So much for the stomach bug. It was nice to splurge on a work night for the pizza, even though we're trying to save these days.
We're ending our day, all four of us (five, actually), in the study. Jean is looking at some
old family photos, a renewed interest for both of us lately. The rain from earlier in the day
has let up, but the air outside is
chillier than it's been for quite some time.
Listening: Sunday in the Park with George, Home Alone Soundtrack, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.
Watching: CNN election coverage (muted) over the web.
Reading: Tracing: I like it when you do that, Nehemiah.
© 1998 Kevin J.T. Creamer