Pete & Fredo

Pete and Fredo. At first glance they might seem very different, but I have uncovered a startling fact: Pete and Fredo are VERY SIMILAR.

I'll explain. Although Peter is human and my Fredo is canine, both enjoy eating meat. Both will eat meat off of the floor in blatant disregard of the 5 second rule. Coincidence? I'll continue...

Both Peter and Fredo have short hair that becomes curly when it grows out, and both are on the same haircut schedule. Pete got his cut today, Fredo gets his cut Monday. Both sport facial hair in the form of a beard.

Fredo likes to hunt squirrels (so far with little success). Peter has a long history of hunting squirrels (he claims to have enjoyed more success than the Fredo). Peter and Fredo SHARE THE SAME HOBBIES. Both also enjoy taking walks around Lake Nokomis and looking at bikes.

The final and conclusive piece of evidence: neither Peter nor Fredo like to talk. Both prefer to express themselves with unintelligible grunts and ear position. If you look closely at Peter, you will see that his ears actually lay flat against his head when he is nervous or cranky.

In conclusion, I am sure you will agree that Peter and Fredo are very cute together :)

Spots of Sunshine

I was talking with mom yesterday and telling her how overwhelmed I'm feeling with school and work and everything else. I feel like I never have a moment to myself and I never have enough time to do anything well. She listened and we talked about it. Then she said that it wouldn't be this way forever, and that I would have my moments of sunshine and that I should be sure not to miss them.

My mom is the best and the smartest, too. Today I had many moments of sunshine:

1. This morning while letting Fredo outside, I noticed that the seeds I planted and put in our three-season porch have started to sprout! I was so excited! The bachelor buttons and gys-something-or-other that Pete picked started first. Then, when I got home a zinnia and cosmos had popped up, too. I love growing things!

2. Today at work I was back in my old classroom, and I liked it. I really miss those kids, and it was nice to spend a bit of time with them.

3. Adults are worthless, but kids are the best. At the end of the day we went outside to have snack and play until all the parents came. My co-workers kept talking, to each other and me, and I realized how pointless 99% of what adults say is. We ask questions and don't care/don't listen to the answers. We talk just to hear the sound of our own voices. I know that doesn't sound much like sunshine, but it was. Instead of partaking in pointless frittering away of the afternoon with grown-ups, I played with and talked to kids. I played soccer, I pushed everyone who wanted to swing instead of telling them to pump, I asked kids how they were and their weekend plans, I gave hugs, and I chatted with kids in time-out. It was great. I love those kids. They are priceless, even the ones who drive me crazy sometimes.

4. I came home and planted more seeds :) Hollyhocks, carnations, and sunflowers. Fredo knocked over most of my little pots while I went to get water, but I didn't care. He sniffed at the pots and helped me to cover the seeds up with dirt with his nose. I can't wait until these ones sprout, too!


So thanks, mom :) Without your words of wisdom I might not have realized what a gem today was. Sometimes you have to make your sunshine happen, and other times it sprouts up like the flower seeds that Pete picked out.

Tornado

Today was a big day for me as a citizen of the Midwest: It was my first tornado drill. I've been through fire drills, bomb threats, and even lock-down drills. Living in the mountains, tornadoes aren't really much of a concern. Visiting my family in Nebraska and South Dakota, the threat of tornadoes always terrified me. I have had frequent dreams about tornadoes for as long as I can remember. Sometimes they're super scary, sometimes they're relaxing. I'm the one who is glued to the TV whenever there's an advisory. The names of the counties in tornado land I've spent time in are as familiar to me as my own (Hamlin, Garfield, Dane, Hennepin). I'm the one who is heading for the basement at the first siren. Luckily I have Pete to temper these extreme tendencies. So today I got to lead a group of freaked out little kids into the girl's bathroom to crouch down and cover their heads. If I were a kid doing that, I would have been sobbing my eyes out. I guess things are different if you grow up with them. It went well, and I think we're all set if there's a tornado. I know that Minnesota severe weather is a part of my life now, and I accept that. I'm just glad our house has a basement :)

This Is Why I Prefer Summer, Fall, & Winter

Anyone who has ever lived in a northern state knows what I mean. Spring is just a big tease. It always happens this way: unseasonably warm weather followed by coldness and snow. It makes you want summer and then it rips the dream away from you. Buds form on trees and your tulips at your new house start coming up, and then you have to cover them up so they don't get snowed on and frozen. I am done with snow, I am ready for some sunshine, or at the very least some rain.

The Twinks finally got one past the Yanks this evening. Ortiz, I like what I see. It was nice to see the guys start hitting finally in the 8th inning. At least we're leaving the series with a modicum of dignity.

Tonight is the first playoff game for the Wild vs. the Ducks. What kind of weak ass mascot is a duck? Of course, I'm not exactly sure what a "wild" is, either, but I'm pretty sure it's tougher than a duck. Judging from the logo, it looks like a "wild" is supposed to be some sort of bear. I envision it as some yeti like creature that will get you if you go camping in the north woods.

"Did they ever find out what happened to Bob?"

"Nope, but they think the wild got him."

It would be the kind of thing that would give you goosebumps around the campfire. In this regard, I find the Wild to be infinitely superior to similarly vague names like the Marshall "Thundering Herd" and the Alabama "Crimson Tide." And of course, infinitely superior to a duck. Let's hope they prevail. Fight on Minnesota sports teams!

Fredo at Home

I am Fredo. I like my new house. Here's why I like it:

*There isn't carpet everywhere for me to lick and then puke up the fibers. I don't like puking.

*Squirrels are in my yard. I like to watch them from the window (like in my picture) and chase them. They make my yard smell good.

*I think there are rabbits around here. I haven't seen many, but I smell them sometimes. Good smell.

*We walk around the lake more now. I like my leash.

*I can spend more time outside and duke more often. I like to scratch the dirt with my back legs afterward. Also, no other dogs can come in my yard and pee on my tree unless they are invited. I'm the only one who can pee back there.

* There's a big sleeping room upstairs where I can run and run and run and then rub my face on the ground.

*I live in the kitchen during the day. My food is in there.

I like where we live now. I have a new kennel. It is soft and has windows. I got a new hedgehog toy, but I haven't ripped the stuffing out yet. I'm going to go do that now. Or maybe I'll just nap.