do i have to go back to work tomorrow?

 

i'd really rather stay home and watch more Olympic action. always enjoy the games. so many amazing stories.  so much is often sacrificed. the reward is usually not a medal but an experience. sounds like mostly a magical one that will be remembered for all of those athletes days.  

just a positive experience.  love watching dreams made but also the times when athletes do not end up on the podium. for many that just means they work harder and return.  some strange stories of athletes playing for other nations.  one female skater apparently gave up her US citizenship to skate for China...only to have many in China treat her with disdain because she fell.  another has been successful on the slopes and it's not clear what her citizenship is...but China has not allowed dual citizenship in the past. not sure if that has changed.  i can't imagine giving up my US citizenship, which does come with many freedoms compared to some nations like China. 

for some athletes this is their first Olympics for others, their 5th. 

it was snowy and windy out today so i ended up just chilling at home.  no walk.  lazy day.  did shovel the driveway.  the dogs and i played outside several times.  with dogs you can't ever be totally lazy. 

some training stuff.  working on circle right and circle left and settle.  still working on sit, stand, down and all the ones i've been doing...just add on stuff.  he's pretty smart. once he gets something it seems to stick fairly quickly. took him out for a late night potty break and then when i woke early i also ran him out to help drive home the potty outside message. 

loved the colors in these dying off flowers on the spit

fall is a favorite

also doing the daily grooming training.  brushing, combing.  the clippers arrived so i just put it near him, turned it on a few times. we shall see how capable i am at that whole grooming thing.  they need their ears trimmed as well. 

my ski hat is ready.  turned out super cute.  it's a mixture of Tusker and Ivy's fur for the design, which is the same heart/paw i've used for the ashes after his death. 

did make it to Cheney Lake and they had put out some frozen hearts, always a bright sight. 

someone posted what to say/not to say to people who have left the church and people who have stayed in.  i suspect there is more emphasis on this as there is a lot of folks not returned from the Covid break from church and many were not happy with how the gay rules were handled and have left. it is funny to me that nearly all the stuff of what not to say i have heard.  

mostly it was more of the not said stuff that was hurtful/bizarre.  nobody ever asks you why you left, nobody ever asks you what you do believe.  it's often like it never happened, you leaving...except that the worst is assumed of you at every turn. it's a protective move on their part i suppose.  if they ask you why you left they may have to ask themselves some questions or they may be tempted to and they do not want to have anything question their faith...themselves included. 

those first 10-15 years after i left i do recall when i'd fly in to visit i'd be told that they would be going to this church event or that one and if i really wanted to visit with them i'd just attend church with them.  not the exact wording but you get the gist. so there were times i spent a goodly amount of my money to travel some place only to watch them go to church.  

on the list of things not to say to people still in..i was pretty careful to not say that stuff....the thing is when you walk away it's you who is supposed adapt since you are the bad guy for walking away. i was always feeling like i was required to adapt to their needs. 

it does feel a bit more fair now that i am not the only one who has left now. there is some safety in numbers...some feeling that you have regained some power in the situation.  

lots of jelly fish on that last trek down there last year. 

what a sweet pair.  

Ivy does seem to be accepting and enjoying Sunny Boy. it's super sweet. 

she was always the groomer of Tusker and she seems to want to do this with Sunny as well. 

just started to feel anxious and having some pvc's...so time for medication.  that generally helps. is it return to work or just random anxiety...that happens now. so annoying.

Nathan Chen just took Gold, so fun to watch the mens skating this week.  not sure what is happening with womens skating. the 15 year old sensation from Russia just had a positive drug test for a cardiac enhancing drug.  not sure why a 15 year old would need that...she seems good enough to just go out there and do her thing.  will Russia never learn.  they haven't decided what to do with the information yet...Russian team took gold in the team skate event.  will that be taken away? will she be allowed to compete in the individual? 

working together to find the tennis ball.  not sure how successful this was but great that they work together. 

the rest are from January.  

as evidenced by all the snow. 

cute sleeping/animal interactions. 

he keeps getting taller. 

Covid Cat is not all that thrilled...so perhaps it's best it winter.  if it was summer he might be tempted to run away.  overall, he does seem to get that the puppy is annoying but not out to harm him. 

Sunny is Ivy's shadow.  she goes out dog door, so does he. 

there is some feline curiosity

just a few more from the trek to the yurt

better get him out for some more adventures.  

checking out this carved owl.  so many new experiences.  

the cats have had a few spats of late...is it just the addition of the puppy? keeping the crates out just so the cats have extra safe havens from the energetic puppy.

picking up toys before i head to bed is a thing now.  they are like toddlers.  Ivy will empty out the tennis ball box.  Sunny scatters toys all over.

this one below cracked me up..looks like a selfie

pretty ice falls

we are down to only two pee pads left. the downstairs one i'll pick up this week, then it will just be the upstairs one left. i feel like we are almost there.

can you see the climber at the top?

another stretch of time off with seemingly little accomplished. i am getting closer to getting the downstairs tile project started.  need to just pull the trigger and order the tile. got estimates. i think it will look cool when it's done. 

then the main room.  

one of my kayakers

many stand off's happen.

well, i guess i shall head to bed. 

sorry, a fairly dull blog post. not sure what i had initially thought i'd write about..fuzzy brain.  overall, happy days off.  pretty days. peaceful days.  not much accomplished but i don't need to get much done to be satisfied. my life is blissfully simple. 

grateful for A. the simplicity of my life. B. some of the good choices i made in the past that brought me to this place in life. not always easy but so worth it C. a great lazy day of dogs and olympics