Weekend update

1. Max the dog got a clean bill of health from the vet following his “procedure.” He was ecstatic when he got home and was finally allowed out in the backyard without the leash! We are looking into obedience training and are starting to think about agility training for him – he loves to run and jump; we think it’d be fun for everyone to get involved in that. We’ve decided he feels really at home here now because he’s leaving evidence of lounging on the couch when he is alone in the house…

2. James and Eleanor took a one-day class on maple sugaring at nearby Fairmount Park. While they were there Max and I walked. And walked. I had envisioned a nice walk, then we’d find a bench, he’d curl up at my feet and I’d read for a bit. Hahaha. Silly me. We just walked.

3. Eleanor’s Girl Scout troop took a trip to the Water Works, a museum in a gorgeous old building in Fairmount Park, on the banks of the Schuylkill (say skookle) River.

4. James starts little league baseball today. His team is the Dodgers. This is annoying to this old-time Giants fan.

5. Cris finally got his grade report from the fall semester. He did great. Are you surprised?

6.  James got his expander installed.  This is an orthodontic device similar to a retainer, but is designed to expand the upper jaw.  So every morning and every night we have to use a little tool to open it up a little more.  It’s thrilling for James.  He’s only had it 3 days and can almost speak normally again.  Back in my day, when a person had too many teeth for the jaw, they just pulled the teeth.  (I had 9 taken out – you never knew I had a small mouth, did you?)  Now, they make the jaw bigger.

7. The crocuses are starting to bloom!

How to keep a dog from playing?

So our dog Max is not supposed to run or play for the next 7 days. The poor guy is so bored. He doesn’t understand that if he runs he might rip his stitches. He just wants to go out and chase squirrels. He is a very polite dog but once in a while, when the squirrels are just taunting him too much, he can’t help but jump up on the back door in an effort to get through it. Going out on the leash is not so much fun.

Last night we bought him a new toy – a stuffed, squeaky squirrel. Up to now he has not really cared about any toys. Even the Kong, which every dog owner we know swears by, does not interest him much. But this stuffed squirrel! Oh my, does he ever love it.

Still, it’s going to be a mighty long week till we can just let him go running outside on his own.

The kong toys are not a total loss, though. One is hanging in a tree right now, attached to a garbage-bag parachute that James made. Guess it worked pretty well!

Signs of spring

It seems too early for spring.  We haven’t had much snow yet!  People say there could be a big snow but it doesn’t feel that way.   The crocuses and daffodils we planted last fall are poking out now.  Today it was nearly 60 and a little overcast.  At about the kids’ bedtime the rain started pouring down.  The back yard will be swampy again tomorrow;  Cris has a drainage project to work on this summer.  Along with summer Hebrew class!

Our dog Max spent yesterday at the vet’s – the normal adult dog procedure.  James was so worried that he’d be different afterwards – lazy, no fun anymore.  Well, when we picked him up he was certainly happy to see us but a little groggy.  Today he was pretty much back to normal but he cannot run or play rough for 10 days!  He’s ready to go already.  It’s going to be tough to keep him slowed down so long.

Well, that’s our excitement.  What’s yours?

Pinewood Derby

Today was the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. For those unfamiliar with scouts, this is a Big Day in the life of a Cub. Several weeks before the big day, the boys get a car-making kit – a block of wood, some axles and wheels, and they (um, and their Dads) design a car to race. There are some exact specifications that must be followed. The only one I am sure of is the 5-ounce weight limit.

So James (with lots of help) made his car; I think Cris had as much fun as he did. Last night they had to take them to the meeting place to be weighed and impounded for the night. This was to prevent any funny business to make that car go faster down the ramp.

James’s races was scheduled for 11 am today. We arrived shortly before 11, to be told that they were running a few minutes behind. At one point I realized I’d forgotten to remind him not to cry or get mad if he lost. (If you know James you understand this.) At another point Cris (ever the optimist) realized he’d forgotten to remind him not to gloat if he won. At noon his den’s turn came. He won all 6 races!  Which meant he advanced to the finals.

Talk about mixed emotions. Eleanor was bored. (I admit it – I was too.)  We had lunch waiting at home. And a dog, trapped in the house.

Oh well, the hotdogs were cheap and everything was going so late we didn’t have much longer to wait. The finals came up. James made it through the first round. Now we could see he was getting tense.  The final round was not like the others; there was no clear winner showing up. Then there had to be a tie-breaker! Oh, the suspense!

Finally it was all over. James had won third place! He was very happy and very relieved. He has a nice little trophy and, of course, his car. He and Cris are going to build a special shelf for it. (That’s because his dresser and bookcase are all covered with stuff and it just seems easier to build something new than clean them up.)

Four hours later we got home to a very happy (and ready to go outside) dog. James is tired but happy.