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