Category Archives: Dogs

Adult children, Dogs, Home Improvement, Life, September

Goodbye Summer, Greetings Fall!

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The summer began with a bang. If you’ve been following this blog for a bit, you may already know this, but my daughter got married at the end of May. The whole event went off devoid of any major hitches. It was a beautiful day, and I couldn’t have been happier for my daughter and her new husband. They are very well-suited for each other and very much in love. It is palpable whenever we’re in their company.

My daughter was pregnant as she said her vows. She and her husband were expecting baby #2 in December. However, shortly after baby #1’s first birthday at the end of June, she miscarried. These kids, along with the rest of us, were devastated. It was so unexpected, as my daughter had been told that her pregnancy was coming along very well and that the baby had a strong heartbeat not three weeks prior. Seeing my daughter so bereft broke my heart.

Baby #1’s birthday, which we celebrated at our house (he also had two other birthday parties on his daddy’s side of the family, lucky little nugget) with my in-laws was absolutely delightful. Baby loved grabbing fistfuls of cake with his chubby hands and scarfing it down. He delighted at us singing the Happy Birthday song and clapped at the end. Mr. NOA took a video of it which we will treasure forever and ever.

This is the part of the story of the Summer of 2026 where I talk about The Fence.

Long story short: our neighbors adopted a little doggie and our two bigger doggies enthusiastically greeted them two twice in under 2 weeks, causing a bit of a ruckus. Mind you, no one was hurt. Out of an abundance of caution, we put up a fence. Mr. NOA and I were unhappy that this was what needed to happen, as our boys just love to run free and romp around our property here in the Minnesconsin countryside.

Yet, after a little bit of time, I realized that I don’t hate that we have the fence. More importantly, the dogs don’t hate it either. The fence is right outside the sliding glass door that goes from the entryway onto the deck. We also put cameras out there so we can see what they are up to. We have this sweet spot between our walk-out basement and our shed that is largely flat, shaded, and shields the dogs view of the road, so they can’t easily see if our neighbors are walking their little doggie. So when we want them to run free, we just yell out “who wants to go outside downstairs?!” and the dogs rush to the stairs, Radar picking up a toy to bring with (and leave outside every time). They get out there and they run and run and run, and play-fight and they absolutely love it. I’m glad we figured this out. This was a space on our property which was not getting much use anyway, and now I have all kinds of plans in my head about what we can add to it to create an even more fun family/dog space to enjoy (a bench swing here, a fairy garden there, maybe a picnic table?). That’ll be a top priority for me come late Spring/early Summer of 2027.

Also this summer, we stopped just talking about the many home improvement projects we want to do and we started doing them. The entryway is no longer adorned with emerald green carpeting and has been replaced (thanks to Mr. NOA) by a beautiful marbled dark gray and tan tile. It looks fantastic.

And now, there is tile instead of carpet in our living room, which eradicated the odor of dog pee (a consequence of having a puppy who has been hard to potty train). I no longer will be embarrassed to have company over! Mr. NOA also painted the walls a warm white (something we’ve been talking about for at least two years now). We picked up new blinds for the picture window in our living room as well. We got ourselves a new microwave and Mr. NOA fashioned a piece of Acacia wood as a shelf to hold it above our stove. We also replaced the flourescent lights in our kitchen and dining room with energy-efficient, soft LED bulbs. Big improvement there. We’re hoping next to tackle fixing some of the boards on our deck and staining it, along with our little fence on the other side of our propane tank before it gets too cold out. Though it of course depends on having at least a few days in a row without any rain.

Photographic evidence of before, after, and in-between! Note on pic #3 which reveals that someone with paws walked into the living room before the Killz had fully dried. Oh, these dogs!

So it was kind of an up-and-down summer and I’m so ready for fall! I adore the month of September and have lots of fun things to look forward to this fall. The area festivals, a trip to a corn maze with the kids, perhaps an out of town overnight with friends and family, and of course, Halloween! That begs the question, how shall we celebrate? What costumes shall we wear? Now is the time to start planning, methinks.

How was your summer, friends? Are you geared up for Fall, like me?

I like this quote I recently found from F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall”. I’m ready to embrace this mindset.

And now for the most apropos song imaginable to cap off today’s post!

Anxiety, Blogging, Creativity, Dancing, Dogs, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Simplicity

Quick Post for ASAP

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I haven’t changed the title of this blog post since I first typed it in.

This is me trying to not overthink anything right now. I am so exhausted from doing that for so long. Not like I aim to “underthink” either. I guess you could say I’m in search of a solid middle ground between the over-and-under-thinking stuff right now.

I’ve been irritated with myself all week over not having a blog post ready for public consumption for two weeks. I know in the scheme of things it doesn’t matter much, because I’m still working (my 3-year work anniversary is next week!), keeping up with/moving onto housework and home improvement stuff with Mr. NOA. Plenty of understandable reasons why it’s been a while.

I think sometimes in life, when you just don’t have the right energy or interest in doing something you have a history of enjoying, it’s better to just suck it up and face it. Just do the thing.

So today, this is the thing. I’m popping up randomly and hoping you are doing well and that you have something special you’re looking forward to. Because I’ve always believed that is one of the keys to a happy life, which we all deserve.

And I’ve been trying to get better at capturing day-to-day life by taking more photos on my cell phone. Here’s a few:

From top left: Dash, our youngest GSD goofball, me with the oldest Grandkid, a DIY flower arrangement I put together, baby Grandnugget, a little summer-y dessert I made last weekend.

My aim is to keep the overthinking at bay and if I’m successful with that, you’re liable to see another post from me in much less than 2 weeks from now.

Here’s one of my very favorite indie pop songs of the summer of 2026 for you to enjoy. It’s best appreciated turned up loud in a place with enough floor space to get your groove on while you enjoy the catchy melody and upbeat lyrics. However, it is quite a fun video to watch that will no doubt put a grin on your face and a pep in your step!

Creative Writing, Dogs, Humor, Imagination, Names

Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re: Number 6 about My Favorite Prefix

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As a person who is keenly interested in discussing names and playing around with them, I was very amused by an episode of “Good Hang with Amy Poehler”. She interviewed Mike Schurr, the guy who, among other things, created my beloved “Parks and Recreation”. The two laughed about how it was Mike’s practice to come up with names for every single character in a scene. It didn’t sit right with him that the actors who made the trip across Los Angeles to work for one day on the set where they maybe had one line, to not have a name. You know, something other than “lady in clicking heels” or “male friend of other man in blue shirt who butts in line”

Of course, because they wanted to avoid being sued for using a real person’s name, they had to get creative. They had someone in the legal department regularly checking online to ensure that there was no record of anyone with the name Mike was choosing for that character. What fun that must have been, coming up with all of these names!

If you haven’t guessed it yet, the word I’m focusing on for this entry in my series about my favorite prefix of “re” is renaming.

Our dog, Radar, was named Leroy when he adopted us. This was not his original name, as the staff at the shelter he wound up at in Houston as a puppy, called him Leroy. But he wasn’t a Leroy to me. The name Leroy conjured up that old song from the 70s, “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown”. But our Leroy was not bad. He was rambunctious for certain, but definitely not a bad dog.

We started calling him Ringo. That lasted about a week. Mr. NOA and I had been going back and forth about what we were going to name him during that span of time, and one night he suggested we name our boy Doppler. Did I mention Mr. NOA is trained as a meteorologist? I countered with the name Radar. And that was that.

If I had to choose a new name for our other GSD mix mutt, Dash, it would for certain be Tigger. When he’s outside, he jumps and pounces with glee and joy in his little puppy heart. It is the cutest thing ever. I can’t wait to get outside with him once it warms up more so Mr. NOA and I can try agility training with him. I think this dog is made for it.

A former co-worker of mine was named Mari (originally pronounced Mary). Yet, she preferred to be called “Marr-ee”. I thought that was so quirky. She told me that she answered to both pronounciations of her name, so sometimes I would teasingly call her “Mary-Marr-ee”. She was a good sport about it.

Sometimes people we know and love, or those we admire from afar surprise us by changing their names. I have zero tolerance for those folks on social media who insist on commenting that they refuse to refer to the name-changer using their preferred name. That, to me, is so childish. Not to mention disrespectful. If a person chooses to change their name, for whatever reason, the only option in my mind is to respect it. Because it’s not about us at all. Purposefully choosing to use a person’s original name against their wishes helps no one and does not change the fact that this person now has a new name.

Someone we are all familiar with has a penchant for renaming things to include his name. I’m looking forward to the day (and I do believe it will come) when someone new and actually competent will be in charge and can rename these things. These institutions.

How about you? What’s your take on renaming things, people, pets, whatever? Or maybe you’ve got a story to tell about renaming something or someone? Please share in the comments!

Here’s a sweet tune from that one-of-a kind band with a most unusual name, “ABBA”.

Aging, America, Creativity, Dogs, Grandparenting, Home, Intentionality, Self-Reflection

8 Lessons from 2025

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Well, here we are, at the end of another year. And what a year it was. It was chaotic, tumultuous, disappointing, and challenging. It was also inspiring, delightful, meaningful, and full of great lessons.

Here are my top 8 insights from 2025:

This is truly going to be a mish-mash, so bear with me, my friends.

  1. There’s nothing like the birth of a new baby to bring unbridled joy and hope into a family. The birth of our latest grandson in June was the highlight of my year.
  2. I have the right to invest in myself as a creative. In fact, I’ve learned (thanks to The Artist’s Way) that it is my duty. Yours too, by the way.
  3. I learned this year that America as a whole has the unfortunate ability to become severely morally injured. This, of course, is due to the rot in American politics and governance, which surely began decades ago. It is in 2025 that the cancer began to fully reveal its gory self to the masses. God help us.
  4. Adopting a second dog was an unexpected but wonderful development. Yes, it’s doubled the work for us, but more than doubled our daily joy factor. Worth it.
  5. Aging is a trip. It’s rough and humbling. Note to self: get that referral for a hearing test, STAT! My eyes are already going to hell, and I don’t want my hearing to follow. I know, I know, I know (and you might too if you read that post), I published an essay on this blog about how aging is RAD back in 2024. But suffice it to say, 2025 has altered my opinion on the matter (though from an emotional well-being standpoint, aging is indeed still RAD).
  6. 2025 readied me for moving from being intentional on an intellectual level to being intentional also on a physical level (see above: aging combined with being perhaps a wee bit exercise-averse has caught up with me).
  7. I am home. A quick Google search led me to this quote that enchants me, from T.S. Eliot: “Home is where one starts from”. What a gem.
  8. Going from 2025 to 2026, there are reasons to be hopeful, and there are reasons to freak out. Life is a continuous ebb and flow between unpleasantness/misfortune/disappointment and joy/connection/love. There are times when your cup is overflowing and times when it’s dry as a bone. If we could all get more comfortable with that reality and aim to be thoughtful with our responses to both the good and the bad, I think we might just come out ok on the other side.

So, cheers to 2025 and a big, hearty welcome to 2026!!!

The song I’m sharing today is a beautiful and bittersweet one that came out this year from an artist Mr. NOA and I will be seeing live this year.

*Featured image from brainyquote.com*

Adult children, Blogging, Clarity, Dogs, Grandparenting, Intentionality, Lifestyle, Love, Simplicity

Perfect Timing

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Daily writing prompt
What brings you peace?
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Hey, blogger friends, regular friends, and creatives behind the scenes at WordPress 🙂

The timing of this writing prompt is weirdly perfect for me on this calm Tuesday morning here in Minnesconsin.

I haven’t published a blog post in a couple of weeks or so for a million good reasons, none of which are that I haven’t wanted to.

But right now, in this moment, I feel at peace. The house is quiet, the doggies are too (which is liable to change any second now).

The only sound I’m hearing this morning is the soft snoring of the little babe right next to me.

Yes, I’m watching our 6-week-old grandbaby Levi today while his Mommy goes to work (her second day back after maternity leave) and his Daddy attends to some important personal business until later this afternoon.

Watching him is absolutely mesmerizing to me. Those little fluttering eyelids and occasional smiles as he enjoys his sweet baby dreams. The little bit of drool escaping his perfect little rosebud lips. Those soft cheeks that are getting chubbier by the day.

Any thoughts I had upon waking this morning about what needs to get done on my ever-evolving “to-do” list have evaporated. This babe with spit bubbles forming on his lips is all that matters right now, and I’m going to soak up this beautiful peace this morning and let things be.

Blogging, Camping, Dogs, family, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Relaxation, Summer

What’s Up

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Our newest grandson, Levi, was born healthy and beautiful on 6/28. He’s got the cute little nose gene from Mr. NOA’s side of the family. He’s got blond hair, like his daddy and his 11-year-old brother. He is simply precious and so very loved.

On the day Levi was born, our oldest grandson (the 11-year-old) and I took our kayaks out on the lake for the first time. One thing checked off my summer bucket list! The kid was a natural in his kayak. Me, not so much. But I did not, to my surprise and delight, tip mine over, despite how wobbly I was for the first 15 minutes in that thing.

We “hosted” our daughter’s family’s puppy, Dash, for a couple of weeks while they settled in at home with baby Levi. They have another dog, the scrappy daschund/pug mix, Max, and the two of them together in a house with a new baby and two other kids is a lot for them to handle. Mr. NOA and I made it clear to the kids that we are open to keeping Dash for good. He and Radar get along well, and Dash really benefits from having an older dog around to model how to be a good boy.

Dash in a rare moment of rest
Radar, the OG

A couple of weekends ago, Mr. NOA pulled the camper out of it’s space next to the “We Shed”, after it sat unused for the better part of three years. We cleaned it from top to bottom, inside and outside. We took it, along with Radar, up to the Northland to visit family and friends last weekend. It was so good to reconnect with the people we love and soak up the natural beauty of our surroundings.

Dash stayed with the kids while we were away. While it went well for them, they did ultimately decide that Dash is better off staying with us for good.

So, now we are a two dog household!

As far as blogging goes, I’m taking things in stride. Life has been more eventful (clearly) as of late, so publishing posts here has been sporadic. I suspect it will continue to be so throughout the remainder of this summer.

A few pics from our trip to the Northland:

Instead of my usual song at the end of this post, I’m sharing a video I took on my sister and her husband’s property last weekend. I’ve gotten slightly better at taking videos with my phone, but I do apologize for the speed at which I moved it as I was capturing this footage. I hope it’s not too jarring. I recommend having the sound up so you can better appreciate the soothing sounds of the babbling Baptism River.

Baptism River July 2025
Dogs, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Simplicity

What’s on your Summer Bucket List?

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The thing about summer is that it’s so fleeting. It comes up so fast and before you know it, the leaves are changing and the temps are dropping. Boats are put away for the season and kids are getting back to school.

Here in Minnesconsin, it is just now starting to feel like a proper summer. We have had so much rain it’s ridiculous. And if it wasn’t raining, it was in the high 90’s. As a result, we’ve been spending more time indoors than we had hoped to.

Today, however, it’s in the mid-70’s with nary a cloud in the sky. Mr. NOA and I are planning to take a cruise on our pontoon once he’s done with his workday.

I have a history of being that person with lots of grand ideas about cramming as much fun into the summer season as possible. I’m determined that this summer, with our newest grandson about to be born (daughter is being induced on Friday!), things will be less frenzied than summers past.

There’s no big travel plans on the horizon, save for a few days visiting my side of the family in northern Minnesota. We are, for the most part, staying put.

But staying put doesn’t mean fun isn’t going to be had. The fun, however, will be localized and simple.

Things like making homemade ice cream with the fancy machine my awesome SIL got me for Christmas. As many pontoon rides as possible. ‘Smores over the campfire. Putting ice cubes in the kiddy pool for Radar and our kid’s two dogs to play in on a hot day. Drinking wine on the patio at our local winery. Seeing a summer blockbuster movie in the theater. Playing croquet in the yard with our 11-year-old grandson. Gardening and further beautifying our outdoor space. Getting out in our kayaks.

And of course, rocking that baby.

I’ve created a Spotify playlist for our pontoon excursions this summer. It’s filled with “yacht rock” style music, mostly from the 70’s and 80’s. I’ll be adding this one as soon as I hit the publish button on this post.

Please share what’s on your summer bucket list in the comments!

Blogging, Dogs, Humor, marriage, Storytelling

My Mister’s Nickname: the Back Story

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A while back, I was inspired by another blogger to re-consider how I refer to my husband when I’m writing blog posts.

Like me, how she referred to her husband wasn’t working for her. Since I started this blog (7 years ago!), I’d been calling my husband “Hubs” in my blog posts. I knew that it was inevitable that I’d be writing about him at least some of the time, since this is a personal blog after all, so I chose “Hubs” as his online moniker.

The thing is, though, I never, like ever, refer to him as “Hubs” to his face. Or when I’m referring to him in conversations with others. All I knew is that I didn’t want to use his actual name in this space, lest I inadvertently share something in a blog post that would somehow cause him embarassment. So, “Hubs” it was.

When I gave it more thought, a few months ago, it occurred to me that there was an alternative name for him in this space. Something I have only called him. Something between us that we both understand and laugh about: “Mr. None of the Above” (“Mr. NOA” for short).

As I recall, the first time I called him this was during a long, boring drive from one state to another. It was very late at night. We were both hungry. Hangry, actually. So, we agreed it was high time we stopped to get something to eat.

Now, my husband will attest to this statement: he is a pickier eater than I. I mean, he’s not ridiculously picky, mind you. There’s plenty of things he absolutely loves to eat that I will not touch with a ten-foot pole. Examples: pickled herring, sweet potatoes, cauliflower. And, of course, there’s things I love to eat that he wants no part of: corn in mexican dishes, ketchup on my scrambled eggs, and most sweets.

That night, in our hangry state, I suggested two different options of places to get some grub. I believe it was Subway or McDonald’s. Being more finicky about what he eats, had his own idea: Perkin’s. We could sit down and relax, he said, not just eat on the road in the dark. It then occured to me just how often I would suggest various options (not just food related) and the man comes up with an altogether different choice. So now, I call him Mr. None of the Above on a regular basis. He will invariably have his own idea in any given situation, often one that I hadn’t thought of.

A more recent example: I told him that I thought we ought to adopt a cat for Christmas this past year. Radar has lived with a cat before and it went well. They weirdly shared food and sometimes even sat on the same couch together. After a bit of discussion, I suggested we just be content with having access to our daughter and her boyfriend’s puppy, Max. He and Radar get along famously after all, and they only live 20 minutes away from us. And Mr. None of the Above’s suggestion? “Let’s adopt a puppy!” One that has recently been weaned, he said. “What?! A teeny-tiny baby puppy?” I said, in shock. Then we talked some more about that particular option. We were in agreement that because Radar does so well with Max, playing with him, but also watching out for him and corraling him when they’re frolicking in the yard together, this might not be the worst idea ever.

Yet I can’t say I’m completely convinced we should or will ever do it. Maybe I’ll just hang on and see if Mr. None of the Above comes up with an alternative.

Creative Writing, Dogs, Love, marriage, Music, Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day 2024: Restless Legs, Dreams, and Love

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If I could be anywhere with anyone this Valentine’s Day, it’d be with Mr. None of the Above in the audience of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s “Restless Leg Tour”. I believe they are in NYC tonight. I came upon this tour online a couple of weeks ago and quickly shared it with Mr. None of the Above. I told him I figured it’d take about a couple grand for the two of us to fly to NYC (one of my top U.S. future travel destinations). This would include airfare, hotel, meals, and show tickets.

He laughed and laughed. Fucker.

No, I jest. Of course I didn’t think he’d agree that this was a great decision for us financially or that it was even feasible given our work and life schedules. But I enjoyed the fantasy while it lasted. Sigh.

I believe, however, that if Tina and Amy could understand how much I love that they are doing this show and for how long I have truly admired them as women in the world of comedy, they would certainly decide to book more shows closer to where we live. We could easily make the trip to Minneapolis or St. Paul, Madison or Milwaukee. Plus, I also have restless leg syndrome so that counts for something, right?

How about you, my lovely readers? What would be your heart’s desire if you could be anywhere with anyone on this Valentine’s Day?

Or, if you’re not feeling particularly dreamy today, how about just pausing to consider the things, whether they be non-things like people or pets, or experiences/activities, or physically tangible things that we are absolutely loving right now?

I’ll go first (like there’s another option here).

My best friendship and marriage (34 years in May!) with Mr. NOA

Taken in the early aughts and still one of my favorite pics

The badass female energy I’m surrounded by these days, at work, in my personal life and online. I’m embracing it and grateful for it. It’s inspiring me and enlightening me and I never want to take it for granted.

Speaking of being enlightened, I am really having a moment with reading. I am happy to report that I’m making progress on my ridiculous goal of reading 24 books in 2024. I’m currently reading book #3: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. Wow. It is amazing that she wrote this when she was just 23. It’s like she must have been infused at birth with an old, wise soul to come up with such a rich story with fully drawn out characters.

These two fluffballs: our boy Radar and his little companion, Max, a pug/dachsund mix. We had Max overnight recently so my daughter and grandson could visit the kiddo’s other grandparents.

Naturally, Radar is chewing Max’s toy and Max is chewing Radar’s

Speaking of puppies, did you all catch the “Puppy Bowl” this past Sunday? Man, watching that brought me so much joy! Note to self: find it again and record it on your DVR for whenever you need a lift.

Another thing that has been giving me consistent lifts these days is streaming music on The Current. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this wonderful MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) station in previous blog posts, but either way, I am certain you will love it. They have great programs, like “United States of Americana” with Bill DeVille on Sunday mornings. They play a humongous and eclectic mix of music genres: folk, rock, hip-hop, blues, funk, and so much more, both old and brand spanking new stuff. Listening to this station on the regular keeps me, well, current.

I love comments on my blog posts too, folks! I would love to read about the things you are loving in the here and now. The things/people/places that are making your heart soar.

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends!

Dogs, Gratitude, Humor, Lifestyle, Love, Pets, Photography

Monthly Subscriptions and My Good Boy

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This past Sunday morning, as I was spewing out my thoughts and feelings into my personal draft folder, I caught a glimpse of the most precious thing.

Or, to be more exact, the most precious furry being there ever was: our good boy, Radar.

This is what I wrote:

I just got distracted by Radar. Normally the distraction is in the form of an unanticpated barking session. But this one is sublime. He’s curled up and sleeping next to the front door. Basking in the square of sunlight that landed on the green carpet he’s laying on. With his front paws beneath his head, and his right paw laying atop one of his most favorite toys. That tough navy and bright green wheel thing he got in his monthly Bark Box.

I resisted my usual temptation of grabbing my phone and snapping a picture. I decided it was unnecessary; and besides, the chances that he’d still be there in that exact position by the time I was ready to snap one were slim to none.

I did get this one a bit later in the day, however, as he was laying on the floor as Mr. None of the Above and I watched the Vikings vs. Packers game.

Look at the gorgeous mane!

Here’s one in which he’s wearing his “day of the dead” bandana while sharing the love seat with me and his favorite afghan, which was made by my mom.

Ain’t he a beaut?

Back to the Bark Box subscription. We signed up for it back when we lived in Colorado. When we moved to Minnesconsin in 2022, I re-started it. Not at all making any note whatsoever on my calendar so I could consider if it ought to continue after six months. So of course, that date came and went and I noticed a charge on our bank account for another six months. Radar had accumulated so many “tough chewer” toys via this subscription, but here it was already paid for. So we’ve been periodically sharing the treats and toys with other doggie friends because we simply don’t have the room for so much!

You should see this dog when the monthly Bark Box comes. He knows what it is when he sees it. He pounces, barks, wagging his tail as he expresses his jubilation. I have this little fantasy in my head that one day he’s going to manage to open it up all by himself, you know, after he grows thumbs, but for now I unseal it, then set it down on the floor for him to finish. It is the most hilarious thing ever and I’ve captured it on video but am not sure it’s good enough to share in this space.

I’m just so darn grateful for this goofy pooch of ours.