Notes from Maine - 2022/01/02
Happy New Year! Had a quiet New Year’s Eve here—a few of us watched a movie, counted down midnight, and went our separate ways. Years stretch on for decades now. Have you noticed? They also pass with lightning speed, of course. The days are getting longer. It doesn’t feel that way yet. I did notice that it wasn’t oppressively dark at 4pm yesterday. Maybe it was just my imagination.
My friend Albert (German shepherd) turned one the other day. It’s time for him to start learning the difference between things he “can” do and things that he “should” do. I know that he can stand up on his hind legs, put a paw on the handle of the French doors, and then back up to open them. When I’m outside doing chores and I want the dogs to stay inside, Albert will come out and then go back to the door to push it open and let Finn (mastiff) out as well.
I’ve asked him not to do this.
I also know that he can shimmy under the fence and chase the neighbor dogs back to their own yard. There’s a little strip of trees and brush between the two yards and Albert has recently claimed that strip as his own.
I’ve asked him not to do this.
There are other things: turning on the sink, turning off the lights, and sorting through the mail come to mind. I’ve asked him to stop doing all those things. When people come to visit, Albert will bring them things and wait patiently for those things (frisbee, bone, or ball) to be thrown. Heaven help the person who throws the object. They will be relentlessly tasked with that job for the remainder of their visit.
I put a lock on the door to the mudroom so I can lock it and prevent him from going outside when I’m away. The first time I came back, he was safely inside, but he had started the new Matrix movie on the TV and was halfway through it. Fortunately, I was able to watch it myself before he could spoil any of the plot.
Finn, on the other hand, remains a faithful, well-behaved companion. His biggest crime is slipping a wet nose under my arm to demand that I pet him while I’m arguing with Albert.
Outside, the little filly in the barn is so sweet. Every day she runs up to the door for scratches. When she’s in the pasture with her mom, she’ll call to me as I approach. Meeting people for the first time, she can be a little shy. I think she’s turning out to be a wonderful friend.
I’m finishing up a book now that I’m excited about. It should be out this month. I was hoping to get it done in December, but I wanted to strengthen some parts of the story. If you’re looking for something new to read, I’m sorry about the wait. I think it will be worth it.
