OK, so getting back to Sascha.  She has continued to have lots of company this week.  I worked at home all week.

I still had my sinus condition this week.  To promote goodwill in the office, I chose to work at home and not subject those poor people to my coughing, snuffling, and hoarse voice.  Yep, I lose my voice on New Year’s Eve.  Didn’t keep me from going out, but I couldn’t yell Happy New Year with the rest of them. By the way, you’re welcome to the office crowd.

Here’s a typical day for Sascha and me.

6:00 AM      I’m out of the shower and dressed. Sascha is ready to go out and check out the yard. I get the paper and then she is comes back into the house so she can go to her bed in the living room for more shut eye.  She does get up around 6:30 to say good-bye to Dad.

I fire up my computer and fill my coffee mug for the first time.  Sascha wonders into the office and spreads out.

8:00 AM     Time for Sascha to go out and patrols the yard.  It is usually daylight by this time.  Rick says she is solar powered and that’s why she doesn’t get moving until the sun is up.  Sascha stays out for a couple of hours.  Then I force her into the house where she goes to the living room and finds a patch of sunshine to sleep in. 

11:00 AM      I usually start thinking about lunch and making a plan.  This week, I’ve stayed in because of my infection.  I did have to run out one day to mail packages that I’ve needed to get out.  I sent half of the family car collection to Paul in Tacoma.  The other half went to Rich’s nephew, Cael, in Whitmore Lake.  I had tried to repair my niece’s baby blanket, but it was just so old.  My grandmother had made the top and I had quilted it for Mary before she was born in 1981.  It had definitely been loved to death.  My grandmother would have appreciated that.

12:00 Noon    I try to take Sascha for a 20 minute walk somewhere in this time frame.  It gets my brain cells working and burns energy for her.  I’m not sure I would call it a walk.  Sascha is trying to pull a sled, but I keep her from getting any momentum.  After I get full use of my hand back, I might try to scooter during lunch on my days home.  Sascha comes back to drink a couple of gallons of water before she returns to the living room in search of more sunshine.

2:00 PM      Sascha starts poking me with her nose to go back outside.  I oblige, if I’m not in a meeting.  Of course, Thursday threw off her schedule when Diane and I spent most of the day on the phone.  I had a little trouble getting her out to meet her usual schedule.  She stays out until Rick comes in at 3:00 from school.  She comes rushing in like she hasn’t seen me in days!  It’s nice to be greeted with a wet, cold nose to face.

Rick usually messes with her for a while.  She has energy and loves to play rough about this time.  They play tug of war over a stuffless reindeer (her favorite present) or just they just pile up in the living room lying all over each other.  After that, Sascha is all tuckered out.  We’ve been referring to her as speed bump during these hours.  She doesn’t move, no matter what you do to her.  I have to watch where I walk since she won’t get out of the way!

7:00 PM    Later in the evening, Rich settles into his chair to read the paper.  Sascha is lying close by.  As soon as that paper is down and Rich starts the Sudoku, she is in his lap and settling in.  It takes a while since she wants to lick and paw and get special attention before she closes her eyes.

8:00 PM     Somewhere around here, Sascha starts trying to slink off to bed.  If she makes it, you hear her dive under my side of the bed and settle in.  If not, she is right behind me as I soon head off to bed to read and settle down to get sleepy.  Sascha is already sleepy and she goes right off.  Sweet dreams, Sascha.