Thursday, May 20, 2010

I want a perfect soul

I come up the driveway after a long day at work, stopping once to remove a tree limb that had come down. When I get to the top of the drive, I see George coming from round back, to take his place as greeter when I open the car door.

In my youth, I would never have thought I would actually be comforted by the simple daily rituals of arriving home, making a fuss over a beloved pet, putting away all of my things and hugging my husband. At hearing me say ‘time to get changed’, George heads up the staircase to wait for me at the top.

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If you’re looking for excitement, you’ve come to the wrong blog. It’s quiet here at the manor house where we live as caretakers.

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He knows what comes next when it’s time for me get changed out of my work clothes and into my walking clothes.

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I think rituals like this calm him, too.

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But he’s getting just a little bit impatient with the photo session (I can tell).

I wasn’t happy with the photos at the top of the stairs. The light was much better at the bottom, where the first and last photos were taken. I think it’s important to know where the good light is in your house.

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I made these mini ice-cream sandwiches for dessert tonight, getting the idea here. I found them on Dessert Stalking, although mine are low-fat. I took two of my husband’s ‘healthy cookies’ (his words), and 2-3 Tbsp. of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Fro-Yo.

I don’t believe my husband’s claims about the cookies being healthy. But the frozen yogurt is low-fat, so that should count for something.

I hope your day is a sweet one. Until tomorrow, then . . .

This song came on the radio today and I was immediately taken back to the first time I ever heard it, back in 2000 while driving to school (work) with my sons who were in middle and high school at the time. When we got to school, it was still playing so we sat in the parking lot to finish listening to the whole thing, turning it up loud. (And you know how I like to rock out in the school parking lot). When we got home that day, Shaun looked it up on the internet for me using some of the lyrics. I can’t help myself. I just like it is all.

UPDATE: Something is up with the comment section on this post. Maybe it will all work itself out but what’s going on is it’s saying there are a certain amount of comments but when you click on the comment button, it says there are two and that’s all that’s showing up. Anyone else ever have this problem? I tried posting again and it seems to be fine. But this one is messed up. Why is Blogger such a devil?

34 comments:

Deb said...

Hi Kate
Such great pics of George - love the "getting impatient one" :-) What a sweet face to come home too! And those "healthy cookies" look pretty good too !

Unknown said...

The every day routines of life are what gives us a perfect soul...
and those are soul cookies ya got there,my friend...Pass the plate,please...lol
glenda @ serendipitycottage

Deb said...

you are a rocker aren't you...love the photos of George...

Hilary said...

Well, I am all for an uneventful life, and routine can be a very beautiful thing.
George is, as always, a prince.
And that cookie......ooh, la, la.
to die for.
Yum.
Tell me what you think of my new headboard.

Leenie said...

I never get tired of your photos of that sweet border collie--such a joi de verve comes from his eyes.

And it is good to have consistencey and routine. It helps overcome the feelings of being a creep. Thanks for the link to Radiohead. Great combo of amazing b&w pictures to go with a great song. Although it will be stuck in my head for days now.

D.K. Wall said...

I was smiling through your post. Not sure when it happened, but at some point, I decided that I wanted the joy of a dog, the stability of routine, and the comfort of a true home. Life is grand.

alphabet soup said...

Just as it is important to know where the good light is in a house it is equally, if not more important, to know where the good cookies are kept!! The one in the photo looks yummy.

Ms Soup

Mental P Mama said...

That pup is a genius. Now I would like a cookie.

Andi said...

Kate - I have often blogged about the things in my life that make me happy now that I never would have imagined. If you had told my 20 year old self, that I would be perfectly content some day to watch my birds, bake in the kitchen, hang my laundry, tend my flower beds and sit and listen to my kids, she would have run screaming into the hills. I am so glad I have come to a point in my life to have learned enough about myself and gave myself permission to enjoy the simple things.

Low Tide High Style said...

My puppies get tired of the photo sessions too, and like clockwork they wait for their daily walks. Your photos of George always make me smile, and those cookies look very healthy to me! The yogurt made me chuckle though, it reminded me of that Seinfeld episode about the low-fat yogurt that wasn't so low in fat!

Kat :)

P.S. Rock on! ;)

Char said...

it's a great song, i agree. and yes - little rituals are very calming. beautiful.

Anonymous said...

beautiful photos. i love that wallpaper.

xo Alison

Megan (Best of Fates) said...

Just reading this post made me feel peaceful.

And I love the one pic where his paw is hanging down the stair, it's so adorable and just makes me want to snuggle with him!

Country Girl said...

Ok. Now it's saying there are three.

I think it's back to showing the comments now but we're still missing a bunch of them. Gah!

Hilary said...

What a gorgeous dog he is.. he's always a sight for sore eyes.. and that ice cream sandwich looks pretty yummy too.

Could you have inadvertently turned on your comment moderation, maybe?

Jen at Cabin Fever said...

Dogs are always way smarter than we ever give them credit for.

And yes... blogger is the devil, but wordpress is the super devil:

"The devil is not the greatest threat to blogging. Due to last weeks discovery of the Super Devil."

Ok. that was a cheesy family guy reference. I'll disappear now :)

Country Girl said...

Now it's not working again.

Country Girl said...

If you can read this, apparently Blogger comments are acting up in several other people's blogs. So it's just another day.

Annie said...

Love the photos of George today. Perfect. Even more perfect than normal. Also the one yesterday. Was it yesterday. (Now I am in the comments I can't check easily, sorry)!

And dessert looked pretty good too!

And even though it said 18 comments, I only got to read 4. Maybe you have comment moderation on.

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Love your photos of George, Kate! I've been meaning to tell you that I've been teasing for a D90. My (mostly retired) professional photog husband has told me that I can play with his "all-the-bells-and-whistles" cameras if I'd like. I'm going to take the plunge probably this weekend.
It's pretty exciting! I'll tell you later the model numbers, as I don't know what they are.
xoxo
Donna

abb said...

Georgie is a good good boy. I love him.

Julie Harward said...

I so love George, he is the most handsome guy I have seen today! lOL
I love every day rituals too..especially the walk with my dogs! And after all this time of healing, I really appreciate it now!
I got through here..no problems and I see lots of comments. Come say hi :D

Donalyn said...

George would like an ice cream sandwich please. You may as well get me one while you are getting his. Thanks for the link - I need lotso traffic cause I want a Droid :)

Love Radiohead, hate blogger. Come over to the darkside girl - time to buy your own hosting and switch this baby over to WordPress. My guys can get you flyin in just a couple days...they will even switch you for free. Just sayin - email me if you want me to hook you up. [like cheaper than dirt - dirt is a luxury compared to how cheap this is]

mrs mediocrity said...

I love George. It is so funny how they know your routine, isn't it? My dog hates the vacuum, and he knows that when I do the litter box and empty the garbage every day, next comes the vacuuming, so as soon as I start the garbage thing he goes to the door because he would rather wait outside.
And I love Radiohead, love Creep. One of the best songs ever. (Not counting anything by Eddie Vedder, of course...)

mrs mediocrity said...

I love George. It is so funny how they know your routine, isn't it? My dog hates the vacuum, and he knows that when I do the litter box and empty the garbage every day, next comes the vacuuming, so as soon as I start the garbage thing he goes to the door because he would rather wait outside.
And I love Radiohead, love Creep. One of the best songs ever. (Not counting anything by Eddie Vedder, of course...)

Nurse Nancy said...

I love songs that we can share with our kids and everyone enjoys them. With us it is vintage Bruce and Bon Jovi. Must be the Jersey connection with FlyBoy.

Laura @ Our House Of Joyful Noise said...

I agree that there is much comfort to be found, in daily routines. I think that is instilled in us as babies, by good mothers of course. As a Mama of triplets, a good routine was necessary when my kids were babies. But it's still how we function today. (With the ocassional spontaneous fun.) A time schedule was never my cup of tea, but routines offer the comfort of knowing what to expect, and having those things to look forward to. Once we discover that, however innately, the flow of such patterns seems to stick with us throughout our lives. It's those little things, that are the good things in life.

wildbanshee said...

Love, love, love the song. I a country-soft rock kind of girl, I ought to venture out into other areas sometimes. What wonderful pictures of George, and will be making the cookies tomorrow.

The JR said...

My Country will be laying flat out in the floor. She hears me putting on my outside shoes and up she jumps. Blocking the doorway to be sure she can go out and do her favorite thing.

Bark, bark, bark at the horses.

Daryl said...

Oh we made peanut butter sandwich cookies with those flat chocolate wafer cookies .. and there's an old recipe using them and whipped creme in a icebox cake ... and ... anyway I love George in all kinds of light .. and please flip your new camera photo so the nokiN reads Nikon .. xox

GailO said...

Every bit of this post is yummy...George(of course), low fat ice cream cookies(will def have to buy some of that frozen yogurt),and Creep(you already are pretty special:)

xo

Misty DawnS said...

I can't describe the feeling I get when I come down the road and see my three BCs sprinting to sit by the driveway where they know I'll park and get out of the vehicle. It takes the stresses of the day away... then again, heck, my blog's name is "My Dogs Keep Me Sane" LOL.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE George's markings on his face. I think my Maggie May has a crush on him. ;-)

Unknown said...

I love George! He is beautiful! I have 2 borders and a rat terrier! They're great aren't they?

K said...

I haven't been by in a while. That George is just too darned handsome! Love that first pic of him with his smile. Those mini ice cream/fro-yo sandwiches look super tasty! And I really like your new "About My Camera" picture; bright and breezy just like spring! :)