April 11, 2017 – Tuesday
Yesterday, April 10th, was the 100th day of the year. My how time flies.
I was lying in bed last night, before Mr. Sandman visited, thinking about what I had done … I mean REALLY DONE in all those 100 days. And, much to my dismay, I can’t really state that I did much of anything … important or otherwise.
Except … I adopted a dog. Now that might not seem like a big deal – but I guarantee you that it’s a big deal to her. She came to be mine via the local lab rescue group here in WA. I signed up one day and received an email the next – they had this poor old lady dog who was in need of a new home. Was I game?
Was I game? Good question.
Obviously, I’d wanted another dog – specifically a lab … hence my signing up with the rescue group in the first place. I just didn’t think it would be an immediate thing! But, who am I to question timing? But it wasn’t as immediate as was originally planned. She was a little sick; I was a LOT sick – so, our union was put off for a week and then another and then another still. We were both well enough to “visit” and so, Gert and I drove 3 hours to southern WA to see her. She was a bit on the thin side and had a leg that had seen better days … but she had soulful eyes and she didn’t eat Gert or myself … so, how was I going to say no? She needed a home. We had one.
So, she was ours.
I had been mulling over some names since that first email and settled on Clara. When I was in 5th grade I had to do a report on someone famous and for some reason I chose Clara Barton (founder of the Red Cross). I guess I like the name … and I thought that Gertie and Clara sounded cute together – like a couple of old spinsters hanging out on the porch sipping sweet tea and reminiscing over old times. I think there’s a children’s book in that thought somewhere!
Anyway the vet thinks Clara is roughly 12 years … give or take a year or two. She could be 7 for all I know! She is deaf but has come to understand my sign language but that doesn’t stop me from talking to her! Some days I wish I knew her “story” … other days, I look into that sweet salt and pepper face and am glad I don’t. All we know is that a farmer found her in his field – caked in cow manure, bony and starving. How long had she been on her own? It was a cold, wet winter in WA this year. Did she get separated from her family? Did she love someone and did they die or have to leave her behind for some reason? Did someone discard her because she was now too old? Did she escape an abusive situation?
I just know that after 3 months of being with us, she is still settling in. Step by step she is feeling more “at home”. She huffs and puffs and clears her throat so loudly, I’m sure my neighbor can hear her at times. She carries her “babies” (mostly stuffed Lambchops of varying sizes) around the house when she is happy – which on a good day is a few times. She is old. She is grumpy. She eats a lot. She sleeps more. She drinks and slobbers water more than those two things combined. She has a favorite dog bed and if Gert gets too close, she lets her know with a growl and lip curl. (I don’t like that and we are working, still, on manners and sharing!) She flinches when petted … was the hand that touched her in the past one that only hit her? Or is she in pain? She’s on meds and has some issues … the emotional ones we are working on. The physical ones that can be helped are being treated … but she has a stance – one hip higher, a leg that looks off kilter, naked, almost charred … a rib sticks out on one side. Was she hit by a car? Or, again, was she beaten? Yes, it’s probably better for me not knowing her history.
She is what they call a black lab – but I’m not sure she doesn’t have some sort of shepherd in her – Alsatian maybe because of her extra hind dew claws and coat. I don’t know what she is mixed with but her fur isn’t that of a lab’s. She has a fine, almost human-hair undercoat (that really grosses me out!) and her fur is long and coarse. But what she sheds off is baby fine and plentiful. My sciatica is not liking all this vacuuming! She is nothing at all like labs that I am familiar with. She has put on some weight but needs about 5 more on her before the vet will do some dental work. She’s got some issues that need tending, but we’ll have to wait until we get more meat on her. It’s coming. Wish I could give her some of mine!
And that is what this post was going to be about … my lightening up … getting rid of some of my “meat” … my plan for the next 100 days. I didn’t do such a great job in March (my “ME” month) … so, what better day to start anew – again – than on Day 101 … or as I’m calling it Day 1. I’m going to get things done. I’m going to be productive. I’m going to be creative. And I’m going to be moving – my body, that is. I’ve got my pedometer set and I’m going for 10,000 steps a day … which means, over the course of these 100 days … I’m planning on going 1,000,000 steps. Step by step … I know I can do it. I sit a LOT, so this is going to be a good thing. Maybe I’ll even wear out my gym shoes! Or better said, maybe I’ll even WEAR my gym shoes!
The only problem is that I think I’ll need longer days as today I didn’t quite hit even half my goal! But, I’m not going to beat myself up over it – it was a good start!
So, I’ll let you know how we’re doing (as I go along, I’m sure) or I’ll just fill you in on July 20th. By then Clara will have been with us for 6 months and I’m sure there will be a lot of changes for all of us. Baby steps … one foot in front of the other. Day 1 is over … 99 to go!