Christmas Week Countdown

I finally finished my Christmas cards last night and went directly to the mailbox in the dark to post them. I hate the tyranny of Christmas cards. I might just give Jacquie Lawson cards for the rest of my life. So much work. So many stamps. So many return address thingies. And I can't just say "luv, Greg." I have to update and comment. Bah! Okay that's over.

I've finally figured out how to include Beau in my grocery shopping excursions. You can't bring a dog with you to the supermarket and I refuse to tie him up outside the store while I shop. Someone would definitely steal this guy. Beau hates it when I leave for the store and leave him at home. The solution: I bought a small cart on wheels with a net covering that I thought would be a good way to bringing him with me on the plane. Well the cart is too big. I almost sold it on Craigslist before I left New York and at the last minute I packed it. Then when Beau had his oral surgery in August, I used it to bring him home afterwards. A few weeks ago, I occurred to me that I could walk Beau to the market with me, put him in the cart while I shopped and then walk him home and use the cart to carry my groceries. It was a perfect solution He gets to to be with me, and I don't get a broken back schlepping groceries home.

A package arrived yesterday. It was a very fancy feeding bowl for Beau from his friends Lucy and Mark. He had his breakfast from this vessel this morning. The tabletop for this dog is getting as bad as mine!

Then my friends Carol and Sarah sent this French Bulldog desk calendar for the year. Beau is now accessorized beyond what is deemed controllable. He's got enough stuffed toys to make me feel embarrassed. So I have been giving some of them to the neighbor's dogs. He's got a sweater and a coat--both of which he refuses to wear when it's cold outside, and a raincoat which is unusable since he refuses to walk in the rain. He's got three day beds strategically placed throughout the house. Truly a dog's life.

There's brilliant sunshine outside--a rarity at this time of year--which means we have to get out of here before the rains start all over again.