Saturday Spaghetti Night

Saturdays are my day off training, so today I just took the babies (Diva and Toby) out for a walk. The freight train known as the wind was really blasting today and I discovered I am quite adept at walking backwards! Diva (my blind dog) was having a hard time running today -- when it is really windy her sense of direction/smell goes haywire. Poor thing, she was running back and forth from snowbank to snowbank head first trying to get her bearings. As usual, she recovered each time and went barreling down the trail, made doggy-snow angels every once in a while, and rammed headfirst into Toby's bum when Toby would stop unexpectedly.

Diva is my biggest inspiration -- she suddenly went blind 5 years ago. One vet visit and two specialist appointments later, the diagnosis was official: SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome). I was devastated. Diva was not! She bumped into things for a while, (as a matter of fact, she still does on occasion) but we worked it out. Actually, Diva worked it out. I was the one that was in denial and had a difficult time trying to accept that my baby girl was now blind. Today, strangers have a hard time believing Diva is blind. Her sense of smell and hearing are incredible -- she navigates through the woods, trails, and roads with ease. Our relationship expanded to another dimension too -- she relies on my eyes and trusts me even more. When I take the girls out -- they run sans leash. (Another plus for living in rural area!!) She runs off down the road at breakneck speed but will stop if she hears me say "Watch Out!" to avoid a big pile of snow, or running in the ditch, etc. It's to the point now, where all I have to say is "Chow" and she immediately comes to my side. Running with a blind dog is one of the most inspirational things I have ever done -- I recommend it to anyone!! It really puts my own problems into perspective when I watch how Diva runs and play with Toby and my two cats.

Mike's minivan had been plowed under about 12 feet of snow and consequently, it was visited by the bylaw officer yesterday afternoon! Yes -- unfortunately . . . I am one of "those" neighbours. You know the type: barking dogs, vehicle parked on street making life difficult for the snowplow, cats wandering around outside. Fortunately, I have GREAT neighbours!! Hee-hee! (I have been known to bribe them with baked goodies.) But seriously, to live in my area is to live with animal lovers. Almost all my neighbours (including me) have cats that play outside and poop on each others' lawns -- hey - it all works out in the end! This is another benefit of living in a small community -- no uptight neighbours that never speak to one another except to complain. People are very relaxed here.

My Dad came over early this morning with about three different shovels to attack the mountain of snow/slush/ice that surrounded the minivan. I wanted him to come over later as I had a hair appointment at 9:00am and I wanted to help out. But, you can't argue with my Dad. My best neighbour friend (I got my youngest cat from her: My Peanut and her Rupert are siblings) lent my Dad her snowplow to help and by the time I got back, a definite pathway had been dug out. Tomorrow we boost the sucker and back it out! I have to say, the bylaw officer was so nice and kind. She gave me a call in the afternoon and said that it wasn't really a big deal and that she could come by and help with boosting it. It is days like this that I LOVE living here!!

As Sundays are my long run, I have managed to convince my Mom that Saturday is the official "Mom's Spaghetti Night." She makes the best spaghetti in the world and hey, if I am to reach my Ironman goals, I need to get a good carbo load in, right? Heh-heh!! To be fair, I made chocolate cake this afternoon and will be bringing it over.

Oh NO!!! As I am typing this, ANOTHER dump of snow is coming down!! AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!! Gratuitous whine now: "I don't wanna shovel anymore!!!!!!"