It is a good thing.

Emmett had a dental appointment today. It has been scheduled for 2 months and as the calendar rolled to May, I was counting the days until it would be over.

I really dislike the early drop off … the waiting, the worry over how he is doing.

I LOVE my vet, and the vet techs and the place which is just over 10 minutes away … still…

But, thankfully all went well. It is over and Emmett is sleeping off the anesthetic.

Oscar really missed Emmett! He seemed baffled that I came home this morning without Emmett.

Oscar was very snuggly all day … he went outside for a little bit, but came right back in … not the same without his buddy!

Meanwhile … in the above, Oscar’s collar has a GPS tracking device…

The fambly Summers switched GPS collars! Tractive (see link at end of this post for Tractive website) utilizes 4gLTE (vs 3g in my previous collar). Tractive focuses on tracking and activity. My previous collar went down the health path of licking, scratching, etc. … important, but since I am with Emmett and Oscar nearly 24/7, my need is more to know where they are … tracking. And I do like keeping on top of our activity levels as we all work to maintain fitness and healthy weight.

From the Tractive website, a photo of the dog tracker which is larger than the cat tracker.

Info on my phone…

I can choose Emmett or Oscar’s tracker and see where they are. If we are out walking, out of the “zone”, I can activate LIVE and see where one of them is in relation to me.

Both trackers are working very well! They track faster than my previous device and give me the information I want. The phone app has links to tutorials on all of the features as well as a great help section. I am very happy!

Oscar’s tracker is light enough to fit his little collar. He is not fussed about it at all. Currently, he is Mr. Home Boy and I hope he stays that way. He explores and hunts (no kills yet!) in the woodpile by the garage, the brush around the house and a little down towards my back door neighbor. So far, he has not gone beyond the “safe” zone that I defined in the app.

So.

Tuesday evening. I had a very good Monday and Tuesday work days meeting some work deadlines. I am SO VERY HAPPY to have Emmett home after his dental and on we go.

But.

Holy Cow – the weather!! Well, typical Montana … back and forth Spring and almost Winter.

From NOAA:

Ha!!

*** Tractive for cats and dogs.

Typical back and forth from Spring to Winter to Fall to Spring…

Lovely rain on new Spring leaves …

And then snow/graupel … this day there were several squalls: snow, graupel, snow and some sun in between!

Fast forward to a Spring morning!

Baby-ish Western Larch showing its new needles!

Play time! Emmett and I were playing fetch with Wubba (red toy) and the HurriK9 flying ring (yellow). Oscar gets in on the action also :)

So, after a snowy-coldish weekend, we have now transitioned back to warm spring-like temperatures and sunny skies. BUT … there is some cool-cold-snow in the forecast before another warm up on Sunday!

We roll with the weather!

I actually love the back and forth and particularly relish the cool-cold weather … I am very happy to put warm-hot as far in the future as possible.

Here we go!

New needles on Western Larch … I love the “baby paintbrush” look!

Succulent start in the front porch rock garden :)

Emmett thinks it is time to play in hose and sprinkler! That water is COLD, but we’ve been playing … I make sure to not get him too wet.

But temps have been in upper 60’s F this week so not too bad for a little bit of water play.

Two messy boys!

A halcyon kind of start to May … greening up!

Well.

This was an interesting month, and I am not able to share details as most are not my story to tell … I was an observer, a supporter, a bit of a problem solver and an administrative assistant!

My work schedule suffered, but thankfully there were no project deadlines, and I am once again so very grateful for the people I work with … their kindness, thoughtfulness and prayerful support of me and the circumstances as well as the freedom for me to work with flexibility.

My dear pets: Emmett and Oscar. They have been affected but are still my rocks of love and constancy. Still, I am not happy that they obviously felt my anxiety. Thankfully, we all got outside in the fresh air to walk and to play … yes, even Oscar. I do want him to be a mostly inside cat and he is very MUCH a “close to home” cat, but he is enjoying being out with Emmett and me. And we are enjoying him outside with us.

Right now, Oscar is sticking close to the house … exploring the woodpile and some of the woods very near to the house. That is unlike Auggie and my other tuxedo cat Gus who both were active hunters and explored further. I have high hopes that Oscar will be satisfied with close to the house … there is great hunting without going far afield! And when Emmett and I play fetch, Oscar joins in the game. Big fun for all of us.

I have lots of balls in the air at the moment. The motorhome is for sale, the Jeep is for sale … thinking about the house as well … I spent time with a realtor, who is a former neighbor. It was great to connect with her and hear her thoughts.

Ultimately, as in previous times of great uncertainty, have put all out in “the Universe” … tried to think about what I really want and also letting go of all to see what unfolds.

Things happen! Not always what we expect or want but often in a way that is just right. At least, that has been my experience.

The last several weeks, I have run the emotional gamut and finally landed at “I have very little control and ultimately must live my own life every day”.

So, I end April and prepare for May with a light heart open to whatever unfolds.

This morning, Saturday April 2, 2022 … first out walk at 6:15 ish … still dark … flurries in my headlamp light.

Morning latte!

On returning home, obtaining coffee (latte) and all of us settled in for a morning snuggle … I looked at the weather forecast which showed snow until 11:00 and then changeover to rain and a windy afternoon.

So.

By sunrise …

Beautiful snowy morning!

Emmett and I had our 2 shortish morning outs and then a L…O…N…G walk (coat camera … later).

Probably not the last snow, but it was so pretty and beautiful and who knows … so we enjoyed!

And regarding the last post … 2 much better weeks: work, chores, etc. When the going gets tough, a “strict-ish” schedule gets me back on track!!

Onward!

Last Sunday we did “Spring Forward” with clocks.

I struggled during the week … nothing to do with the time change.

My struggle was with distractions: Ukraine (WW III, nuclear disaster), COVID 4th wave, my endless list of house stuff, working on a task that is not much fun but has to be done … etc., etc.

And mostly, nothing (NO THING) was accomplished.

And I so dislike being unproductive as well as feeling “stuck”

BUT.

Spring.

Spring cleaning!!

I will add the link at the end of this post, but I happened on a youTube channel about cleaning (house). “Angela Brown Cleaning” is the channel. Angela is so obviously adept and experienced and also enthusiastic … a professional cleaner, she had to pivot her business from actual cleaning to cleaning advisor (virtual) because of a horrendous personal situation. And HOLY COW! She stepped into the different realm of Internet and all – I don’t for a moment think it was easy. She has obviously worked as hard on her virtual presence as she did in her physical cleaning business.

For me, she is so darned enthusiastic as well as knowledgeable about current tools, products and methods that I got excited about cleaning :)

And it got me off my past week’s stagnation.

Yes, I cleaned … more in a bit.

But, I also paused and took notice of why I was feeling stuck.

I made a list. I asked for professional help for some of the items on my list. I have things set in motion to gather information that I need to make decisions. And I have a plan for the coming week: work, chores, fun with Emmett and Oscar, teaching Emmett and Oscar. As in the past, I find that a somewhat rigid schedule, helps me when I feel stuck and distracted by things that I have ZERO control over!

Ukraine – WWIII – Nuclear disaster. In a nutshell, it turns out that a nearby (150 miles as the missile flies) Air Force Base is home to a nuclear missile launch site and so a target. It is not a secret. I had never paid any attention. It was a bit eye opening, but as I spent some time researching about a nuclear attack … instead of focusing on surviving one, I thought about how things would look: animals, terrain, life… and came to the conclusion that if something happened as close as the AFB, I would rather go in the first strike vs seeing and living with the awful after affect. It might seem backwards thinking, but it gave me peace. I no longer focused on what will I do to live through this and came to a point of acceptance. It freed me up to let go of the fear.

COVID 4th wave. My primary issue with a potential 4th wave is not fear for myself. It is an incredible annoyance with the disregard for history: recent as well as 100 years ago. Recent: as COVID entered the US there was little notice and then SURPRISE!! no TP, etc. In the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu pandemic, after each wave there was relief and “letting down the guard”. The 4th wave was a surprise and a deadly one. Hmmm. And the pandemic itself came on the tail end of WWII when everyone was already “done” with rations and restrictions. Gosh. To me, it appears that we have learned exactly nothing from history.

YIKES – Might as well clean!! And get on with my life and enjoy … do the best I can for Emmett, Oscar and me while praying for the world and others.

After the window install and as I prepared for an intermediary decor whatever before changing out the kitchen trim … I noticed a LOT of grease on upper walls and cabinets. So… a bit of dish soap in warm water, a shot of steam from my new-ish Bissell “Shot of Steam” thing and I cleaned walls and upper cabinets.

The process went well and not a lot of time or effort at all!

After! It is hard to see from photos, but walls and cabinets look so much better. The valances are not finished … they are a kind of test of fabric folded and I need to cut and hem. But, they will be on tension rods, so nothing permanent. I hope to get the white trim replaced with “natural” fairly soon and then have no valances, but for now, the bit of fabric cuts the starkness of the white trim.

And in the living room … I saved one of the Roman blinds and reinstalled on the window behind the woodstove. That window “looks” into the bedroom, so this allows me to close that off at night and the shade softens the large window without restricting the outside view.

Sunday morning coffee…

Oscar the curious kitten …

Sunday morning walk

JOY!!

A sunny path on this first day of Spring.

Looking forward, springing forward with JOY in my heart :)

*** The Angela Brown Cleaning link