Saturday, January 3, 2015

Creatures of Habit 1-3-2015


My golden retriever, Dooley, will not be having anything to do with New Year's resolutions, and the changing of habits. He loves his life, and habits are the best part of it. Why would he want to change his habits? He has a high quality "dog's life".

As part of his family though, I might urge him to change one or two habits for 2015. I'd recommend that he slow down at the food bowl. Instead of inhaling his food, he might try savoring it. Especially since he is often the beneficiary of tasty bits like bacon grease, chicken meatballs, and parmigiano reggiano. Yes, Dooley's family likes to eat well. He is eight years old now, and even though he works in the woods five days a week, he could stand to cut back on his chow just a bit.

I'd also recommend that Dooley learn to look before barking when he dashes out to the front yard every morning to fetch the newspaper. Yes, newspapers will soon be a thing of the past. That will force an unwelcome change of habit for certain. The bark.....a big and loud, bow wow, bow wow. It's very effective in terrorizing the unwanted solicitor who has entered ones driveway, but it can also cause the elderly bicyclist to totter. Okay, we enjoy his big bark and wouldn't want it eradicated, but maybe he could learn to use it only on desirable occasions. 

I am sure there are other habits that I could recommend that Dooley modify in 2015, and I am sure he would also have a list for me. That list might read: sit on the floor more with me every day and pet me, work in the kitchen more and keep the tidbits coming, and go outside and work in the yard so that I can wrestle with you, steal your gloves, and roll on the things you just planted. 

Life's about accepting one another's habits. Going easy on other creatures and loving yourself. In 2015, I'll just enjoy getting up at the crack of dawn with Dooley, even on weekends to sit with him on the floor as I scroll through Facebook catching up with friends. I will enjoy his drooling as I make my breakfast, school lunch and the family dinner. I will enjoy his squealing when he comes home from a work day in the woods and is acting like he has not seen me in years. His habits.....very comforting to those who live with him.

8 comments:

  1. This is hilarious! I love it -- it's very imaginative.

    Make sure to post it to the post list:
    http://www.blogher.com/nablopomo-add-all-your-january-2015-posts-here?from=bhspinner

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    1. Betty, Your Dad really inspired Mike and I with his columns in The Olympian. Instead of just travel and food blogging, I am going to work on other types of writing since you too have inspired me.

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  2. Thanks for the inspiration Betty. Okay! I will try to post it now.

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  3. What a fun read. This post reminds me to smile.
    http://www.36hourworkweek.com/2015/01/how-cure-procrastination.html#more

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    1. Thank you. I looked at your blog and I see we are both dog lovers. I know you are a great mom. Relax:)

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  4. Bella agrees with Dooley that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, and really, isn't life about getting pets and living in the moment??

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