Thursday, October 11, 2018

Winter's coming

I woke up this morning with temperatures in the low 40's.  Last night I turned on the furnace and set it for sixty-four, which is fine for us; we like to sleep in a cool room.  However, I realized we needed our flannel sheets, with colder temps heading our way, so I retrieved those this morning, along with some winter pajamas and lined jeans I'll be needing soon.

Each time I got up last night, I noticed Gabe, in his cage at my side of the bed, was tightly curled up trying to keep warm.  I wondered it he'd leave a blanket on if I covered him with one.  By the time I got up to stay (3:15 AM, after lying awake for a half-hour), I'd decided to go shopping on Amazon.  I recalled a friend on Facebook saying she spoiled her cats by putting heating pads of some sort in their beds.  Gabe let me know this is exactly what he needed by running from his cage when I opened it and going straight to a furnace register, covering it with his body and rolling around.  Not only did I order him a heating pad, I also got a cover for his cage.   

A while back Cliff decided to try going for a walk again.  Neither of us can go for long walks the way we used to, but he wanted to see if fifteen minutes would hurt.  After trying it a couple of times and feeling no ill effects, he decided perhaps it might work.  The third day I told him I'd try walking with him.  After two days, I realized I was fine with such a short walk too.  Then we had a little set-to:  I get up in the middle of the night (OK, 3 AM) and Cliff often doesn't get up until seven or eight.  I'm a morning person, he's a night guy.  It's always been that way.  I hit the floor running, he drags out of bed and limps to the coffeepot, then settles on the couch to watch the news.  Then he has his computer time; of course, I've had hours to catch up on Facebook and Words With Friends by that time.  Cliff wasn't ready to leave for a walk until ten o'clock or so, and I'd be pacing the floor wanted to get it done so I can start dinner; this is nothing new, it's gone on for 52 years so far, no matter where we're going or what we're going to do.  Cliff made a comment about my rushing him, I retorted, and he finally said, "You need to walk earlier by yourself, and I'll walk when I want to."  

Good idea.

Our walking got sidelined by the rain, but today things have dried out and I decided to head out and see how things looked.  There was no mud; the crisp, clear weather was invigorating and the leaves are starting to turn.  One advantage to taking our walks separately is that Gabe, who is a high-energy dog, gets to go for two walks each day.  The disadvantage is that he comes back a very dirty dog each time, not to mention the  stick-tights fastened in his beard.  Still, he needs that exercise and loves running free so much, I'm going to deal with it.  Sometimes just rinsing all four feet off at the outside faucet is enough to make him house-worthy, and that's what I did with him after my walk.  Unfortunately, although Cliff and I take the same route, the dog was about three times filthier when he returned with Cliff.  So I gave him a bath, then combed all the weed-leavings and stickers out of his beard and off his legs.  He wouldn't get so dirty if he were leashed, but he wouldn't have any fun, either.  

Cliff sees the cardiologist this afternoon.  Our regular doctors were insisting he have a colonoscopy done, but the cardiologist insisted Cliff see him first.  After all, it's been twelve years since his heart surgery.  The older we get, the more doctors pass through our lives.  I'd say it isn't a bad thing, since I'm sure Cliff would have died by now without the heart surgery.  Thank God for doctors!

Enjoy your day.

Sincerely yours, Donna





 





7 comments:

  1. I think it's great to do walks by yourselves, and as you said, it gives Gabe more exercise. I used to be a night owl, but now I'm much more of a morning person. Today I subbed and drove to the school in the sunrise, which was amazing. I don't miss working full time, but I do miss THAT.

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  2. I think it's perfectly alright to go on separate walks and I know Gabe seconds that motion! *haha* I always used to be a night person, much preferring to be up nearly all night and sleep well into the daytime. But now, because my insomnia varies like the wind, I sleep when I can and get up after my ole body has had enough rest.... but my spirit would love to be reliably patterned, getting up at the crack of dawn and going down with the birds. I'm a morning person at heart! As far as doggie goes, I'd leave him dirty enough to be happy & clean enough to be healthy and let it go at that. :) Love, Andrea xoxo

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  3. It's the same here, I had to turn the furnace on to take the chill off. The house had cooled down to below 65 degrees. And yes, I too have put the flannel sheets on the bed !

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  4. I am so disgustingly healthy that I only see the doctor twice a year. That's what it takes to get my two meds renewed. I take a whisper of a blood pressure med and a thyyoid pill too. That's all.

    I am grateful for my good health but at nearly 83, I can't just take it for granted.

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  5. My daughter has a Rhodesian ridgeback, a female named Crosby. That breed likes to sleep under a blanket, year round, no matter how warm or cool it is. They don't have much fat or fur. She lies down and if we don't think to cover her, she lets out a little sound to remind us to cover her. Gabe may also like his own blanket. Crosby has a couple.

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  6. I am not "glad" to hear that you are awake up at 3 a.m., but it helps me to realize that I am not the only one who has "terminal insomnia" (isn't that a interesting word for this ailment?)-- 3 a.m. happened twice last week, and 4 a.m. is routine. On the rare morning that I sleep until 6 a.m., it is a cause for celebration. Cliff sounds a bit like my husband. We end up taking separate cars to church because waiting for him to get ready drives me nuts. He always arrives just on time, but I am not comfortable unless I am a little early. Our Schnauzer also needed two walks a day. It was good motivation for me to get some exercise too.

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  7. I wake at 3 a.m. sometimes too. Usually, I get up and get a cold drink of something and go back to bed then fall asleep for a couple more hours. That is so nice of you to get your little dog a heating pad for his bed. I bet he will snooze so much better when he is toasty warm. I love my electric blanket in the cold winters months.
    My Dr. told me 30-minute walks were a must to stay healthy and fit. I love walks too. Something about outdoors lifting the spirits.

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