2013- Off and Running

So, we are now almost a week into the new year.  I’m still not sure what to think about it or to be very excited about it.  But I am doing my best to be optimistic and hopeful.

The new year began for me with a case of laryngitis.  I’ve always heard that what you do on the New Year is what you’ll do all year long.  If this is true, then it will be a very quiet year for me!  I didn’t do much talking.  However, a phone call from a childhood friend was a surprise and a treat for the day, and if I have a year of reuniting with old friends, then that will be something pretty neat.   I also spent the day watching old movies, sipping on Irish cream, and taking cat naps.  A year of this wouldn’t be bad, either! 

On New Year’s night, I encountered one of my inner demons, as I awakened after a bad dream thinking about all of the uncertainties facing me this year.   I fought going into the dark tunnel of fear and terror with all my might, and with the help of a couple of good friends who are my sounding boards and listening ears, and a long walk in the mid-day sunshine, I was able to get off of the pity potty and shake off the depression before it could get its grip on me.   This morning I am baking bread, which is also helping me look forward with positive thoughts instead of negative ones.

On Thursday, I had a surprising experience that could have turned out badly, but it didn’t.  As I’ve told the story, it has brought on gales of laughter as I have related it to my co-workers.  I’ll share this with you, my reader.

I am chauffeuring a rather energetic and exuberant Golden Retriever to the kennel for day care every day for the next week or so while his owner recovers from quadruple bi-pass surgery.  Bailey is a strong, happy dog with very little discipline or manners.  While I am pretty strong and know how to handle most dogs, Bailey probably weighs almost as much as I do, and it can be a work-out to manage him.  What I didn’t know was how Bailey felt about cats.

On Thursday morning, when we arrived at the kennel, I got a good hold on Bailey’s leash before letting him get out of the car to enter the kennel.  It was early, and we were the first ones there.    All was going well.  We made it to the door, where I put him into a rare sit, and put my key into the door to open it.  What I didn’t realize was that Edmond, the kennel cat, was on the other side of the door, waiting for the door to open to go outside.  As I opened the door, Edmond darted out the only way he could, between Bailey’s front paws.  Bailey took chase, catching me off-balance and off-guard.  I went sprawling into the cedar shavings alongside the breezeway walkway.  Thankfully, the weight of my prone body slowed Bailey down, resulting in a short sleigh ride, minus the sleigh, leaving skid marks in the shavings.  Edmond escaped around the corner, and Bailey gave up chase.   I checked myself out, realizing that I wasn’t mortally injured, while Bailey looked at me with a “why did you stop me?” look in his eyes.  Brushing myself off, I escorted him into the kennel and into his run, promising him a come to Jesus talk later in the day.  I discovered that I was mostly uninjured, but had split the skin on my knee, underneath my jeans.  A band-aid did the trick, and I was ready for the day.  Since then, I have scoped out the territory before transporting Bailey through the kennel.  I’m a fast learner.  It only takes one time for me to learn that Bailey and Edmond should not be in the same proximity with each other! 

The highlights of my first week of 2013:  a little bit of the blues, a scary adventure that ended up being funny, and three loaves of cracked wheat bread baking in my oven.  Maybe it will be a pretty good year, after all!