Unraveled with a Bit of Mylo

Teaching (as in dog training), learning (as in dog training), reading (dog training books as well as, my own choice of books), knitting (mine, all mine!), trying to keep up with my old life and my new....it's easy to become unraveled. Don't take your eye off that dog! Yesterday Mylo was doing something behind the couch and I went to investigate. When I returned to the front side of the couch he had moved, like a flash of light, carrying my sock all the way across the room. He was just deciding where to chomp down, and SO delighted with himself. I laughed out loud, but moved like a flash of light to rescue my beautiful second sock. 

A Bingo looks likely in the next couple of weeks and I also have the chance of a second one. I have been listening none stop to books as I can do that while playing with puppy, walking puppy, and watching puppy sleep. Here are a few of my thought on a couple of the books I read. 

Less by Andrew Sean Greer, is this years Pulitzer Prize winner. I believe it is one of the first comedies given the prize, and it is certainly great fun. Less travels the world trying to assuage a broken heart. He travels to exotic locations, always the worst of luck, but learning lessons along they way. While you know the story is in modern times I felt like I was watching an old movie with farcical moments and jun comedic sketches. 4 Stars

Educated by Tara Westover was for my Outside Your Comfort Zone square. I highly recommend this book about a Tara's growing up in a family with a father who may have been mentally ill and who thinks education is a plot against them (as is every other government institution) and who uses his children to run the family business at cost of their safety, health, and education. Tara is able to get herself into BYU (by hook and by crook) against her father's will and educate herself. It is quite a story of a families sway and how Tara broke away to become a Cambridge scholar. 5 Stars!

I am currently reading Warlight by Michael Ondaatje and have the next book in line, The Cross by Sigrid Undset, the third book in the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy. I have have thoroughly enjoyed rereading this trilogy over the last year, as the first time I read them was in the 80s.  I believe that will give me my first Bingo. I pulled a card (by refreshing the page over and over) with subjects I knew I could live with. I don't read books to fill Bingo squares, I read books I want to read and fit them into the squares. Happily my first Bingo came without much work or finagling. 

Mylo has had a busy social schedule. Yesterday he met Daisy, my long time friend Camille's Havanese one year old. They had a fun playdate running, running, running through the back yard and wearing themselves out to the point Camille and I were able to get away for lunch. Mylo slept the rest of the day!

Today he meets my needlepoint class, tomorrow we have puppy training, and Friday we top the week off with a trip to the groomer. I'm not ready to give up the puppy curls so he will just get a trim and spiff up. My handsome boy grows so quickly!

I'm Unraveling along with Kat and the Gang. What's everyone else up to? What's the last book you read and are you playing along with Summer Book Bingo? 

Mylo Monday

Mylo has been my constant companion. He sleeps at my feet as I write this post. I've spent a lot of time playing with him, walking with him, talking to him, and training him. We have a busy week ahead as there will be shopping for a new (bigger) collar and name tag, followed by a walk in the park. We plan on a lot of new places, and maybe new friends, helping Mylo adjust and feel comfortable in this world. Tomorrow he has a play date with my friend Camille's puppy, Daisy. Wednesday we will visit my needlepoint class, as my friends would like to see how much he has changed in two weeks. Thursday we have puppy training, and Friday he will meet his new groomer! Life moves fast around here.

When I sit at my desk he is right under my feet and I can't move even an inch. He likes the chair matt as it is cooler than the carpet. He loves his kennels (one on each floor), and loves to walk (or lay in the grass and contemplate the good life). He is mostly house trained, usually sleeps through the night, and is learning the basics of sit, up, and down. My goal is to raise a good doggy citizen. No jumping, little barking, and how to be safe (in all circumstances). I know I've got my work cut out for me. Mylo is smart, and sweet, and I think he loves me. 

That face. I tell ya. It gets me every time. His changes are rapid and I know he'll look more like a dog than a puppy real soon. Life has changed, but his presence and the demands of training and caring have been enjoyable and fun. As the Solstice arrived, summer began and the sun changed direction, I knew that winter would be better, easier, happier because Mylo is here. 

Currently

Loving: All the flowers! April's paltry amount of precipitation was enough to bring on May blooms. I spent most of my time behind a camera taking pictures of blossoms. You probably know what most of the pictures in my May mosaic represent (I think I've covered most of them in the last post), but the black square denotes the day my b-i-l, Roger, passed away. My sister, Leeann, is doing well. She has a strong support system in her life. She has given always and her goodness is coming back to care for her in her time of need. She lives 40 miles away, which can often feel like another world, but we are close and I may just be traveling that part of road to see her more often. 

Puppy Love: Mylo and Smith! I had to share this picture of my two boys. The plan is for Mylo to come to our home on June 18th when he is 8 1/2 weeks old.  I.can't.wait! We have been visiting vets, dog trainers, pet stores and have purchased a dog bed, a few soft toys, a kennel, and a pet gate.  Still I think of all we need to do and to buy. Dog bowls, food, treats, treats, treats. I'm sure there will be a few more items we haven't even thought about.

Drinking: After Vicki blogged about the Loveblock wine Maddy brought back from New Zealand (my favorite place for white wines), I had to see if it was carried at our state liquor store and they had a Sauvignon Blanc--Score!  Plus, Mary blogged about her Frozen Negroni  and I had to give it a try. It was refreshing and delicious, just my style of cocktail, as it wasn't sweet and had that touch of citrus I love. I may not be with my friends in person, but I am drinking with them in spirit! 

Reading: My book group picked Pachinko by Min Jin Lee for the July and August selection, so I only need to read half of the book each month. I've no doubt it's doable, although I've only just begun. I read quite a bit of hype about Children of Blood and Bone, a debut YA fantasy novel by Tomi Adeyemi. The library had a copy and I thought I'd stretch myself by reading a book outside my usual fare. I'm enjoying the well constructed epic of a young woman who is trying to save magic in a kingdom that has worked to destroy it and the people who practiced it. The story is very complicated with several characters telling the tale from different points of view. 

Growing: This year we've had success with almost everything we've planted (knock wood). The weather has been hot for a few days, then cooled off to comfortable temperatures, which has been marvelously nice for the plants and for us. This is a picture of tomatoes and garlic, with a row of carrots and onions on the left.

All the gardens in our community have been doing well. One person is growing artichokes and she has 50 or so on her plants! How cool is that?

The view of Mount Olympus from the garden isn't half bad, either. I love summer so much! 

Knitting: I am--sporadically. Both sleeves of Sunday Morning have been completed and the back has a good started. I've just turned the second heel on a pair of socks I thought would take me two months to knit. My new goal is the end of June, which should put me in the running for two pairs of socks this year. There is just so much to do during the wonderful summer months. 

Watching: Not so much. It's summer and I'd rather be outdoors in the evening. 

Listening: SO many books, so little time. I always have a book in my ear (or a podcast) and Children of Blood and Bone is the most recent. I'm enjoying the narration and the story is written almost like a thriller. Something is always happening, which keeps it moving along quickly. I am so grateful I can be on the go and still have the company of a good book. Although, I listen to music now and again because there are so many great artists producing new music. What you may not know is that an album of new tunes by John Coltrane was recently found and will be released later this month. SO exciting! 

I've run out of steam, and time. So friends, how have you been the last couple of weeks?