“Remoted” Day 237 – Sunday

This morning at 5:00, as I nonchalantly leaned in the front doorway in my pajamas and bathrobe, gazing out to the street while the dogs performed their business in the front yard, I was surprised to see that nobody had their trash cans out. Mine are usually the last ones rolled out shortly before 7:00 am, while the neighbors set theirs out as early as Sunday afternoon. It took a few seconds before my mind swam to the surface and realized it was just now Sunday and that’s why there were no bins at the curb. 

Resting after chasing a cat.

I was on the cusp of a day free of obligations, and herded the dogs back upstairs to bed for a bit more sleep. There was all of thirty glorious minutes of additional sleep before Moose was annoying me awake again. His stomach clock is stubbornly clinging to the pre-time change hours, and he demands breakfast and dinner before “it’s time.”

After a full week, the “no dogs on the bed” initiative have been a success. There was concern that the sudden eviction of the canines from the bed would not be well received and a riot might ensue. The first two nights there was some confusion, but since then, when I put the pee bands on the boys and say, “Go lay down in your bed,” Winston does. Moose hangs around by the side of my bed for a while, and when he finally realizes he won’t be coming up, he either sleeps on the floor beside the bed, or lays down in the other pet bed. The dog beds are strategically located on each side of the bed to avoid crowding. The dogs aren’t possessive of the beds and trade off regularly, including during the night.

Sleep interruptions have been limited to when one of the dogs needs to go out and the bed is now a blissful, no growling, no canine posturing zone. I can stretch out and roll over freely without being pinned beneath  the covers by the dogs sleeping atop them. My movement doesn’t disturb them, and theirs doesn’t bother me. It is sleepy time heaven for all parties and should have been done years ago.

As of Friday, Winston’s insulin dosage was increased from four units once a day to to five units twice a day. He is a champ at taking the shots, and comes over after having his food. His thirst has diminished to more normal levels, he doesn’t need to go outside as often, and his energy seems better. He even cornered a cat on the bulkhead today. The unusual tone of his barking lured me outside. As I rounded the corner of the house, telling him to be quiet, I saw the cat on the bulkhead, which then took off with Winston in pursuit. The cat leapt onto the deck and somehow escaped. It was quite exciting.

Welcome to 1930.

Human chores were accomplished  in the beautiful weather. Dog poop was harvested and the lawn was mowed, which took care of both grass and leaves. Flower bed fencing was removed, rolled, and stored in the shed. Dead plants were removed from the deck planter, flower beds, and along the deck. The Art Deco style “welcome” lettering, chosen because the house was built in 1930, was added to the gate. 

The genealogy research is going marvelously. I asked the Facebook Finnish Genealogy group for resources or info about my maternal great-grandparents in Finland, and in a matter of hours I had a pre-America name, links to records, and a beautifully laid out family tree showing the roots of both maternal great-grandparents. That really opened the doors to other information.

All in all, it was a pleasant and productive, yet relaxing weekend. The upcoming workweek features two days of work, a holiday, and two vacation days. That is a schedule I could get used to.