Darlene's Digest

It's always something... The dog's annoyed with me. I noticed the sunlight coming in through my office window was hitting directly on the rug, so I pulled the blinds. Yofi got up from her bed, sat on the rug and stared at me accusingly. There was no longer sunlight on her bed. So because I always do what my dog tells me to do, I got up, adjusted the blinds, and put the sunlight back. Diva dachshund or oriental rug? Dachshund wins. This round. Oh, and she's doing much better. Yofi's walking more easily. Today we went around the block and she only stumbled once. A little fading on the rug's a small price to pay for a happy puppy.

Happy New Year! It's been a hectic couple of weeks, which is why I haven't posted more. Both my sons were home for the first time in over a year, so I was off my usual writing schedule--but for a good reason. It was great having the entire family together again. The other reason I've been busy has been less fun, but the prognosis is encouraging. Our 11 year old dachshund, Yofi, had an episode involving compression of the disks in her neck, which left her unable to walk without falling down. After some intensive treatment with steroids at the vet hospital we resumed acupuncture treatments for her. She's doing substantially better now, but I can still see signs of deterioration. However, veterinary acupuncture has helped in the past, so we're optimistic. Whew! In the meantime, I'm still researching my next book, working title Castaway Dreams, and writing notes on the novel. The characters are beginning to take shape in my mind and I typed the magic words ...

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and it was delightful. We had both boys home, the food came out well and cooked on time, we had wonderful guests for supper. Over the weekend got to see some of the other young adults who grew up with our lads and have since moved away. I just returned from the 4 hr. trek to Orlando's airport so my eldest could catch his plane to NYC. The traffic on I-75 and the Florida Turnpike was intense, but not backed up in any major sense, so it all went well. I was briefly tempted to go to the Florida Mall in Orlando and visit those stores we don't have up here, but I slapped myself upside the head with a reminder that it's the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the mall will still be packed. Plus, I'd rather shop in my own community, even if the selection isn't as broad. The youngest is on his way out the door loaded down with leftovers, heading back to his apartment at UF and the house is once again quiet and the nest empty. Poor Yofi has be...