We received a little blast of winter this past week: a couple of inches of snow, followed a few days later by some cold days, and by “cold,” I mean the low minus 20s. Friends, experiencing forty-eight years of Canadian prairie winters has prepared me for this moment. Never have I felt so hardy. I went to Costco the day after it snowed, and the parking lot was maybe a third full. The entire store was eerily quiet and when I went to check out, the cashier with the most gorgeous head of hair –the secret is Moroccan OIL oil, not the Moroccan oil shampoo, the OIL – told me in all earnestness that the day previous was beyond busy, as people prepared for The Big Storm. I blinked a couple of times, thinking about the two inches of snow and the temperature around zero. I felt not unlike Lieutenant Dan in the crowsnest of the Jenny, screaming “You call this a storm?”
My mother-in-law has, over the past six months, expressed amazed astonishment at my willingness to leave the house in even the slightest bit of inclement weather. I will take this at face value as a perceived compliment on my strength of spirit, even though I think it is completely unwarranted; she praised me for being brave for driving in These Conditions, These Conditions, again, being two inches of snow and slightly icy streets. In Calgary, if you didn’t go out when there was snow on the ground, you would never go out. Rex and I need our daily constitutional – I am not sure which of us need it more, to be honest – and so the streets shall be braved.
In addition to our daily walk, which is typically around six kilometres, give or take a little, Rex goes out a few times a day to do what we call Exploring. We have two acres of unfenced property, and let me tell you, the “unfenced” detail was cause for much concern on my part prior to and during the move. What if he chases an animal and get lost, what if he runs away, what if he goes onto the road and gets hit by a car. It turns out that all those worries, like most worries, were merely depleting my mental resources and were ultimately unfounded; dogs can be trained to obey property lines, even unfenced ones. There are dogs at all three of the nearest properties to us, and they all stay on their own properties, more or less, unless two or more dogs are out at the same time. In that case, all bets are off and a dog party will certainly ensue. I have looked out the window to see Rex in a cluster of dogs at the end of the grape rows, all happily wagging and sniffing. After a few minutes of this they all magically return to their own places.
Of all the things I should never have worried about, Rex running away would be top of the list. Rex likes to be within sight of me or, more preferably, within petting distance at any given moment in the day. In my recently Ask Me Anything, Engie (HI ENGIE) wondered what a day in the life of Rex was like, and, other than the Explorations, his day is my day. He gets up when I do, around 4:30, and hangs out with me while I practice yoga and exercise, he is in the kitchen when I’m cooking or in the office when I’m writing. If I’m folding laundry or reading he is directly at my feet. When I shower I will open the bathroom door to find him directly on the other side of it. He is my fuzzy shadow and I really love it.
That is why last Thursday was so strange, because he was at the vet all day getting a dental cleaning. No one followed me from room to room! No one lay down directly behind the rolling office chair, so I could stand up and sit down with complete impunity, with no worries that I would accidentally roll onto a fuzzy body part! I went into the pantry without anyone at my heels, hopefully looking at the container of freeze-dried liver!
Do not get me started about the ridiculousness of a professional dental cleaning for a two-year-old dog; despite the fact that for the past nine months I have brushed his teeth and given him a dental chew every single day without fail, he still had pretty massive tartar buildup. I think Barkley was eight or nine by the time we had to give him a cleaning, but here we are with Rex, age two.
It’s funny how seasons of life change. With the kids I went through years of toothbrushing instruction, semi-annual dental cleanings, and braces, my god, the braces. I spent so many years in the orthodontist office – or, in the case of the pandemic, the orthodontist parking lot – and I figured that once my children were grown, the only teeth I would need to think about would be my own. And now here I am, brushing my dog’s teeth with beef-flavoured toothpaste, checking his gums, and having earnest conversations with the vet about the dental genetics of different breeds. If you’re interested, poodles and terriers have, in the vet’s words, the Worst Teeth Of All. That was interesting to me, as my childhood dog, Spike, was a terripoo. I asked my mom if he had bad teeth, and she couldn’t remember. But then again, she said to me, we didn’t BRUSH dogs’ teeth back then. True enough.
Weekly Reading
Speaking of my mom, she happened to mention that it was minus 55 with windchill at her place, minus 42 ambient. It sure made our little blast of cold seem cute! But it was still a chilly weekend, so I lived La Vida Hygge, wrapping up well for our walks and spending the rest of the time puzzling, reading, and, obviously because this is my life, cooking. Some hits and misses in the book department this week; here we go:
More Myself. My son very thoughtfully bought this book for me for Christmas, knowing that I love a) Alicia Keys and b) memoir about women, specifically celebrity women. And I will say that Alicia Keys has had an incredible life; she is a talent beyond talent, a woman who has been writing, composing, and producing her own music since she was fourteen years old. Fourteen is also when she met Krucial, who was her first serious boyfriend. He was 24, and a father. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. In his (very slight) defense she told him she was 17 (still not cool, omg), so imagine his shock when, two years later they are LIVING TOGETHER and he discovers her real age. Which was sixteen. Good lord. The way she glosses over that detail in this book is really unsettling. Anyway, she is an incredibly talented woman who has also started a number of social justice campaigns as well as a charity that supplies antiviral medication to babies of women living with HIV, so that they do not contract the virus through breast milk. All great stuff, right? Well, let me tell you, despite the incredible wealth of material, this memoir is SO DAMN BORING. There is a part where she relates a conversation with Oprah, who tells her to keep her private life private, as her Stedman relationship going public is a huge regret for her. Alicia apparently takes this to heart because there is NO juice here. It reads like a matter-of-fact listing of her professional and personal accomplishments, completely devoid of any emotion or vulnerability. Even when discussing a nervous breakdown that led her to a transformative solo trip to Egypt, it was like “I was overtaxed and exhausted. I went to Egypt. It was a transformative experience.” As a memoir, it fails.
Games and Rituals. I really love everything this author has written, and this newest collection of short stories is no exception. This is my favourite genre: everyday, ordinary occurrences made extraordinary. This is Writing Goals right here! The sign of a really good short story is that it makes you think about all the backstory that isn’t there, the iceberg beneath the surface, so to speak. I loved it. There is one particular story about a woman and her elderly father that I will be thinking about for a long time.
Cat’s Eye. Recently Allison (HI ALLISON) mentioned her daughter reading her copy of Bluebeard’s Egg, and that set off a massive craving in me to read some Atwood. I wanted a novel, not short stories, and Cat’s Eye is perfectly suited to January: much of it takes place in the dreary, drab winters of Toronto. I have read this many times and every time I read it, it hits just a little bit differently. I find something new to identify with every single time I read this moving story about a woman who returns to Toronto, the city of her youth, and is confronted by all the myriad ghosts of her past. I have always found this book to be one of the most realistic when it comes to how young girls behave towards each other, the various cruelties that girls and women can inflict on each other, and the lifelong effects of the small and larger traumas experienced in youth. It’s about healing and understanding. It is a work of art, full stop.
Our winter blast seems to be waning and it looks to be a beautiful week ahead. I hope you are all staying warm and maybe also living La Vida Hygge where you are. xo
We had frigid temperatures in Calgary this past week. And of course I went to Costco on Friday, the coldest day of the week. I loved seeing the parking lot with maybe a quarter of the usual number of cars. This is what I call heaven on earth – a fast Costco trip when I get not a few items, but the usual number. And the trip is still fast.
It sounds like Rex is having the time of his life in Kelowna. Lucky him!
I too LOVE reading memoirs. Thank you for giving your thoughts on Alicia Keys’ book. It sounds like it’s not a book I will try to read.
When I read a new book, I always think if my 11-year old daughter could read it. She is a very advanced reader, but there are certain topics she should stay away from for now. I will read Cat’s eye before I decide if it’s for her or not. It does sound like a book I would enjoy.
Have a wonderful week Nicole!
Alina, I personally think Cat’s Eye might be just a bit too old for her, but what do I know. We read Flowers in the Attic in fifth grade back in our day, didn’t we! Lol, Clan of the Cave Bear too. So who can say. But I do think it’s a book that improves with rereads over time, I find it hits me so differently now than when I first read it.
All my friends in Calgary have been posting all over SM about the weather, and it does seem extreme even for Calgary! Bravo to you for going to Superstore!
Nice way to spin it: I will take this at face value as a perceived compliment on my strength of spirit… I am sure that is what MIL meant. 😉
I’ve added Games and Rituals to my list of books to read. I want to delve into more short stories this year. I like long involved novels, but maybe not all the time.
*takes bow* I wondered if anyone would read between those lines and I should have known that someone would be you, Ally!
I love short stories and this was right up my alley!
Ha, people are funny about the weather. When it drops below 60 degrees F here, people think it’s “cold.” I just have to laugh, because I grew up NEAR CHICAGO, so I vividly remember what cold really is. It never gets cold enough to snow here, but in the rare occasions that it snows in northern Florida, or other cities in the south, everyone panics, they can’t drive, and they cancel school if there’s one inch on the ground. So- it’s all what you’re used to.
How did your fuzzy shadow do with the teeth cleaning? Was it traumatic at all for him? I think I remember you said he likes going to the vet normally.
i read Cat’s Eye in my teens or 20s (can’t remember- let’s just say it was a long time ago) and loved it. Maybe I should re-read it now.
Jenny, they use general anesthetic to do dental cleanings, so basically he was kind of loopy when I picked him up, walking sideways and bumping into things. Not unlike my son on NYE! But I don’t think he was traumatized at all, or he seems normal to me anyway.
YES it is all what you’re used to, which is why in Calgary, people would be dying if it was over 25 degrees for more than a couple days at a time (that’s like, I don’t know, mid-eighties for you?). There would be heat warnings issued and people would be warned to hydrate and stay inside!
I have a long list of “grievances” about how bogus life without a dog is and one of the items is that going outside is optional on cold days. I stayed on all weekend except for the grocery store and it’s such baloney. I will get out for a walk at lunch today. We’re in a deep freeze but with minimal snow.
A novel about a drab January in Toronto is EXACTLY what I want to read right now. I’ve only read Handmaid and I definitely want to get into more Atwood.
Life with a dog is so much better, for everything (except maybe picking up the poop).
I absolutely LOVE Cat’s Eye so I cannot even be objective about it. It is a Very Emotionally Intense book though, so be warned.
No doubt you are enjoying the BC winter- what a change. My son has been sending me screen shots of the temps the past week or so. WOW. I just finished “You Could Make This Place Beautiful” after you recommended it. WOW again – so beautifully written. She has such a talent with words. I saved several paragraphs to go back and reflect on. Thank you. Those short stories sound good- I often find a short story leaves me a little unsatisfied but your suggestion of thinking of the backstory may help.
I know, I almost passed out when my mom said minus 55 windchill. WHAT EVEN. Like, that’s insane!
Last Tuesday our county closed schools, I kid you not, because of heavy rain. I mean, look, the governor declared a state of emergency because the coast was going to get battered, but we’re three hours from there! Anyway it did rain very very hard at some points of the day, but I spent my teen years in the western suburbs of Chicago and in five years our school closed ONCE, like one single day, and it was because it was -40 and they couldn’t keep the old school building warm.
Yeah, I can’t remember school closing, not once, not ever! Minus 40, wind, snow, whatever, schools stay open in Calgary!
2 inches of snow and slightly icy roads are the exact weather conditions we are expecting tomorrow and I will be very surprised if there’s school.
I’ve probably told you this already, but Cat’s Eye is my favorite Atwood, followed by Alias Grace as s close second.
I did think of you when I was reading it, I remembered how much you love Cat’s Eye! I do love Alias Grace but my #1 favourite is The Blind Assassin, followed by Cat’s Eye. I also love Moral Disorder and the Edible Woman.
You’re probably setting goals for the people of Kelowna, Nicole! I can hear them saying, “I wish I were as intrepid as that Nicole–she goes out and gets what she wants… even when there’s snow!” Isn’t it strange how we get used to snow? Here’s me encountering snow for the first time in my twenties, and now it’s just part of my reality. And as you say if I were to never set foot outside when there’s snow, I’d be indoors most of the year. Rex and your landscapes look amazing. Where are the pictures of you this week?
I thought Early Morning Riser was cute (plus it was set in Michigan), so I may suggest Games and Rituals to my book club. Thank you! I’m really unable to get beyond that underage detail you shared from the Alicia Keys’ book…
I loved Early Morning Riser so much!
Okay, yes, the Alicia Keys thing: it was so weird the way it was just casually presented, like it was a totally normal thing and not gross at all. I mean, it was bad enough that the guy thought she was 17, but two years later, they are living together, and he finds out she’s 16??? It was just too gross for words, but Alicia has nothing but positive things to say about this man MAYA I HAVE QUESTIONS. Then she’s like “I really wasn’t read to be a stepmother” REALLY, YOU THINK???
My mom has been telling me that they CANNOT get a dog (despite a dog being what they want and need, plus my assurance that if they were to perish before the dog I would gladly take the dog) because their friends tell them it is some astonishing amount to get a dog’s teeth cleaned and that it has to be done regularly. I wish I could remember what she said it was, so I could fact-check it with you, though of course it may vary by region. $1500? something like that. And I have had my cat’s teeth cleaned, and cats have to be RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS for teeth-cleaning to happen, and also the cat had some teeth pulled at the same time, and it was $400ish.
I am so excited to read that Katherine Heiny book.
Well, I would push back a little on the “regularly” part – I think we had Barkley’s teeth done once, and the vet is hopeful (FINGERS CROSSED) that by getting his teeth cleaned and then with my brushing/ dental chews, it could be many years before I will have to do it again for Rex. LET US HOPE. It’s general anesthetic for them too, and Rex’s cost just under $900, which was one or two hundred more than we paid for Barkley, a much smaller dog, eight years ago – and that one did include a couple of extractions.
It’s always interesting to learn about weather from people who live in different climates. For example, blog comment sections. So many different levels of comfort and safety. I appreciate you for going for long walks in the very cold weather. I was just thinking about walking around our neighborhood this week, but I thought it would be way too cold bc it’s going to be below zero here. My word of the year, perspective, is already being put to good use. ❤️
Maybe I’ll go for that walk after all…
Kari, I have tried to adopt the Scandinavian idea of friluftsliv, and that “there is no bad weather, only bad clothes.” So far it’s worked for me! Now, did I wear snow pants and crampons for my walk today? Yes I did. But I was warm and had good footing!
Thanks to you, Nicole, I have been saying that my children A LOT this cold snap when they complain about having to go outside. “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothes. Dress warm.” (They still mostly refuse. They are running around my 16-19 degree house in tank tops and bare feet, and putting on like a raincoat and running shoes to go outside. I cannot.)
You know how I feel about winter (the exact same way I feel about mornings). Your life in Calgary literally sounds unbearable to me. I would wilt – or, more realistically – freeze.
We have many days this week that will not get above 0C and my heart is weeping. All that to say, YOU ARE MY WINTER HERO. And I’m glad you got to experience a much calmer Costco 🙂
I feel like winters in Calgary, along with gardening in Calgary, prepares a person for literally any other scenario. It can be just so disheartening! But hopefully it will warm up for them in a few days.
I can’t remember if you’re read The Emperor of all Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. If you haven’t, get thee to the library to pick it up. It’s the best collection of short stories I’ve read and many of them stay with you. I need to pick up the Heiny book!
It’s been cold here, too. I did the -20C conversion and that’s -4F and that’s about what it’s been like here, maybe a bit colder. With the windchills it was -30f or worse this weekend. I was more willing to be out and about before I had young kids. It’s the getting them in and out of carseats that is the killer for me. We did not leave the house on Saturday and they were terribly squirrelly by the end of the day. So I decided to take them to an indoor playground on Sunday but I stupidly did not check their house. We got there at 9:40 and the parking lot had 2 cars. I was feeling like – wow, I am extra hearty! But then we got inside and found out it opened at 10. I whined to Phil over and text and he said maybe we could go drive around to kill time and I was THERE IS NO WAY I AM BUCKLING THEM BACK INTO THEIR CAR SEATS. NO SIR. Luckily I had snack cups of cheerios and that entertained them for the 20 minutes (which is like an hour when a preschooler is involved).
Oh teeth brushing. We are still brushing both of our kids teeth. We want Paul to take this task over. The hygienist told us they can brush their own teeth when they can write their name. But he doesn’t want to do it. We’ve said he needs to when he turns 6 in March. We will see if he actually takes it over. But maybe we are lowering the chances of a cavity? We’ll see. Our cat has had some dental problems. You’d be risking life and limb if you tried to brush her teeth. We can’t even brush her fur which many cats love! She is, um, opinionated.
I’ve read a lot of Jhumpa Lahiri but not that one, so I will note it down immediately!
Oh god, the car seats. Car seats plus snowsuits, etc., is just a nightmare. I don’t blame you. You need to minimize that for sure! And entertained them in the car for 20 minutes, ahhhhh that is heroic right there!
Wait, do you mean the Interpreter of Maladies? Because it just popped into my head – I did read and LOVED that book!
Yes! Gah! I totally botched that title!! Ok, glad you have read it! And yes, car seats are THE WORST. As are mittens for toddlers. Can you pack me in your suitcase for Mexico? Ha.
Teaching Jhumpa Lahiri this week… so I wanted to jump in here. She has a new collection of short stories out (Roman Stories). She published them in Italian, but thankfully for those of us who do not read Italian, they’re now translated and available in English. I mean, can you imagine?!
I have that book on hold, Maya – did you tell me about it before? Or did I just go into a Lahiri rabbit hole last year? I can’t remember!
It has been unbearably cold in Montana, even for me, a hearty and hale woman who likes cold weather better than hot. We’ve been struggling to keep pipes from freezing and ranch equipment from breaking. Thank goodness it’s going to warm up a bit this week. I love how you say, ” It sure made our little blast of cold seem cute!”
I imagine your weather is similar to Alberta’s, which has been absolutely brutal (see also, my parents’ place!). I have never experienced that and I don’t want to. I think the coldest I’ve ever experienced is “feels like” -45 with wind chill. I hope you get warmer weather, stat!
Average annual snowfall here is around 70 inches, yet people still scarf up all the bread and milk at the store if there’s a snowstorm coming. I think there have been maybe 3 times in my life where we couldn’t get out by the following day. It makes no sense.
However, when it comes to walking outdoors, I’m a major wimp. Mostly, I’m afraid of falling on snow or ice. But also, winter winds are just brutal to me. We were downtown on Saturday (near Lake Erie) for Disney on Ice and the walk to and from the car about knocked me off my feet. And my lungs are still not great, so the coughing fit once I got inside was just plain embarrassing.
Girl, I can relate to years spent at the ortho with my kids. 20 years to be exact, because one of them started at age 5.
70 inches is a lot of snowfall! I feel like when a place has that much snowfall, they have adequate preparations in place – like snowplows, etc. I have little spikes that attach to my boots that I wear when it is icy; I have fallen on ice before and it’s so painful. Luckily I haven’t broken anything. But the spikes help so much, like little crampons. And I have always said that wind is the one thing you really cannot dress for. You can dress for extreme cold, but there’s nothing that can be done about extreme wind! So you have my sympathy!
Okay, that thing where the dogs go out and play and then come home sounds magical. I would have fretted about the lack of fence too, but that’s awesome that it works. Lucy is mostly my furry little shadow, except when she goes and sleeps on her blanket. I’m surprised about the poodle teeth, mostly because I’m ignorant and thought it was mostly a small dog problem. My friend had two king shepherds and they never even BRUSHED their teeth, just gave them Greenies, and they could breathe right in my face without offending. Lucy’s breath, on the other hand….. yikes.
I was surprised about it too, I had no idea. Well, here’s hoping that we nipped the problem in the bud and Rex will go many years before we have to spend $$$ getting him cleaned again.
The dog thing is the cutest thing and I had no idea it was a thing that could happen! Thing thing thing I just wrote that too many times, it has lost meaning.
We are having some Calgary weather up in here and I am not brave like you, Nicole. We had two winter storms last week that dumped copious amounts of snow. Then, before the plows could really deal with the snow, the temperatures plummeted below zero and there they are going to stay for the next week. This means the roads are mostly ice ruts and it’s scary to drive and I honestly am not sure how I’m going to get to work tomorrow.
I LOVE that Rex is your shadow. Meanwhile, I don’t even know where my dog is because she just wants to be with the cat. *sigh* I am NOT even the favorite species. Also, poor Rexie and having to get his teeth cleaned. Solidarity in bad genetics, Rex. Solidarity.
Yikes, Engie, that’s a lot of snow to deal with. Fingers crossed for the drive. Driving in winter conditions is nerve wracking for sure!
I love the cold! I bundled up the kids and we went hiking today – about 27F, felt like 17. We didn’t stay out for long but it was good to get out! Love the wintry pictures!
I’m not surprised you love the cold! I used to hate it but now I just dress for it and I am embracing it. I actually felt warm with all my 1000000 layers!
Your winter non-event would be an EVENT here; for sure. Schools would close and no one would be driving if they didn’t have to. Luckily, it’s been pretty mild for the most part so far; but tomorrow the high is supposed to be in 30s (not looking forward to that; let me tell you).
Well, it’s all what you’re used to and I am used to some pretty cold winters! So it feels pretty minor, here. Now mind you, as I mentioned to someone else, people in Calgary tend to lose their minds if it gets above 25 degrees C in the summer! IT’S A HEAT WAVE! You’d probably laugh at that!
I feel like “We didn’t used to brush dogs’ teeth back then” is kind of like, “We didn’t used to floss our kids’ teeth back then.” Well it’s good to know the pressure of parenting beyond what we grew up with also extends to pets as well!
I am trying to make peace with the cold weather since I’ve come to the realization that if I don’t go out in the cold, I will not get out at all and will just stifle inside. I mean it’s a fine line between stifling and hygging, I think.
I’ve been reading some of Agatha Christie’s short stories lately. All her novels have such long Libby waits, but the short stories seem always available.
I’m in awe of how life slows down there with 2 inches of snow. Wow. The weather is so cold here, they’ve closed the schools. Most of my babysitting people aren’t coming – except for the non-teacher sibling pair. I’d prefer a day off to making barely anything, but these two are easy breezy and I would do anything for this wonderful family. I’m planning a cozy day with the 2 of them while my 4 school age kids plus my adult work from home son carve out spots in the house to do their thing.
I remember my grandma brushing our dog’s teeth (our dog until my brother was discovered to be deathly allergic, and then my grandparents raised him and we saw him on visits). I’m thinking she was ahead of her time. I love how crazy Rex is about you. He is such a cute, furry friend. If I could have a dog, I’d choose a very large, very soft, please-pet-me type. I will continue to live vicariously through you.
A new Katherine Heiny!! Cause for celebration and a cozy reading break ❤️
Yes, she is SO good and this collection is just excellent! Enjoy!
We’re readying ourselves for a GA trip and the temps will be in the low 20’s. Coach said: Well, I guess you’re not going anywhere once we arrive and he is 100% correct. I am NOT Nicole! I need to hunker down if the temps are below 40*.
Thanks for making me laugh about your trip to Costco; who knew Costco would be where a lot of good stories come from.
Poor Rex. I feel like he’s being targeted on this blog about his dental health and his love and affection for Nicole. 🤣Can you blame him? I can’t. I’ve only had one dog with dental issues and that was our rescue Ozzie; he had such bad teeth. (and terrible breath).
I used to brush his teeth and he had a few professional cleanings, but nothing seemed to really help him.
Hahaha poor Rex indeed! I have to say his teeth look amazing now, and he doesn’t give me any issues about brushing them. MAY HIS CLEAN TEETH LAST A WHILE. Well, you know how costly the vet is!
Take layers! Take lots of layers to GA!
Ha ha! I had to chuckle with your “I will take this at face value as a perceived compliment on my strength of spirit”!
Oh, how I love Rex! Our (well, my son’s) dog is a Siberian Husky who attracts attention wherever he goes (“Oh, what a beautiful dog!”, even at his old age of 12!) is very independent, and I told my husband that my next dog will be someone who wants to be petted and loved/on my lap! LOL When you first got Rex and you mentioned what breed he is, I Googled and saw they also come in Medium or Mini. And not a few months later, I saw a mini in our neighborhood — so gorgeous, and she loves our dog (her owner says, “It must be the Siberian Husky cologne! LOL). Anyway, I got info on where they got her so when I’m ready, I know where to go!
I’m a wimp with cold (or hot, for that matter) weather. But I love how peaceful it looks! I told my husband I’d like to vacation in such a place — where you can enjoy the scenery without having to go out in it. Like live there for a week, get groceries and take-out delivered, and just go out for walks as you feel. We did that in Lake Tahoe a few years ago but it was just one morning when it snowed overnight and everything was blanketed in white….so peaceful! But of course, we had to go out to drive to the slopes, to various places to explore because I didn’t think my son would enjoy being cooped up that long.
Oooh I have never been to Lake Tahoe but it looks absolutely gorgeous. I have no interest whatsoever in vacationing in cold places, however – my husband mused about Iceland and I was like, NO THANK YOU SIR.
Rex is SO affectionate, and I do think that’s part of the breed. Barkley was affectionate too, but Rex is actually kind of over-the-top. He recently figured out how to open the sliding door of our ensuite so now he’s been barging into the bathroom while I’m in the shower because apparently, that is too much separation for him. Good grief! He does sleep in a crate though, I feel like if we had let him sleep in our room that would have spelled disaster.
This reminds me of the time I lived in North Carolina, after having grown up in Massachusetts, and when I got to work on a stormy day and my boss was so grateful that I “made it” there, and I was like, through this? This is an accomplishment? It was pretty much nothing by my standards. But of course it’s like 1000 miles south, of course they weren’t used to bad weather there. I’m glad you’re enjoying your mild-to-you winter weather.
Totally, C, it is all what you’re used to! You New Englanders are very hardy!
Ah yes, us Northern folk are strong, but in particular you Canadian folks. Today we had about 4 inches of snow and it was currently snowing all morning but school was still on as usual. I always hope for the first snow day then get sick of it real fast.
I don’t remember schools EVER closing for snow in my life! Sometimes the buses wouldn’t run but the schools would always stay open. Then again, Calgary gets snow and cold but not insane amounts of snow.
I am completely transfixed by the idea of a spontaneous Dog Party occurring occasionally at the intersection of your yards.
Side eye to your MIL. That is the kind of thing that would leave me mulling for… eons. Was it… a criticism? A compliment? An exclamation of the vast chasm between us? Believe it or not, sometimes commenting on a thing is unnecessary. A person can choose to simply not speak. And yet.
We went skiing a couple of times this weekend, and it wasn’t TECHNICALLY that cold outside (mid teens) but the WIND, goodness, made the whole thing nearly unbearable.
Your description of Games and Rituals makes me want to read it right now. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a really great short story collection.
Oh I wondered if you went skiing! Yikes, wind makes everything hard. I think you can dress for anything, except wind. Eeek.
And yes, the dog party IS magical and also, your comment cracks me up. One CAN choose not to speak! Lol!
This line – “It turns out that all those worries, like most worries, were merely depleting my mental resources” – is going to stick with me for a while. I am such a worrier by nature and it DOES just deplete my mental resources. I need to remember that!
I’m glad this winter weather feels like NOTHIN’ to you now that you’ve been through many years of Calgary winters. I do not do well with winter weather. Anything under 50F is miserable to me, haha.
It’s hard not to worry, sometimes, but I do think it’s true – it’s depleting!
While I haven’t lived in an area with any snow on the ground in the winter in a long time, I am still shocked and surprised that in some area people completely freak out at 2 inches of snow (or in our case here, a little bit more water falling from the skies). Chaos ensues, and people have to prepare for armageddon. LOL
Sigh. Oh Rex. I just love his pictures and hearing that he follows you around all day. The doggy teeth brushing routine is hilarious though. Beef-flavored tooth paste – hahaha.
I guess it all depends on how prepared a place is for different weather! I still remember Calgary people losing it over a “heat wave” (temperatures of 25 degrees for a couple of days).
It is too bad that the Keyes memoir fell flat; I do admire her, but actually have no idea what her real personality is, so maybe she is hiding herself or maybe she is just boring? I don’t know. However, I just had a conversation about how I will likely not ever read the Britney Spears memoir. Before you get angry, I am not comparing Spears to Keyes, but there are some recollections of lives that I don’t really need to spend my memory space on. My brother, who I was telling this, said to me, but you read Matthew McConaughey memoir! I asked him politely to not compare McConaughey to Spears ever again. Bottom line: I think I will skip Keyes too!
Re brushing teeth, we NEVER brushed our dog’s teeth when I was a kid. When did that start? Were we bad pet owners back then?
I love Keyes too but wowza, what a boring memoir. I will probably not read the Spears memoir, but I did listen to a few podcasts about it and it sounds actually kind of fascinating. So who knows, perhaps I will!