Author: Lisa Weikel

Space Stuff – ND #4

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Comet Neowise – Photo: Bob King, Duluth, Minnesota

Space Stuff

A significant impetus behind my desire to continue writing posts is my excitement over space stuff. I love meteor showers and comets, planetary alignments and eclipses. And I cherish the intimacy I feel when standing underneath the night sky (or laying flat on my back, weather permitting), knowing there are kindred spirits, known and unknown, sharing that moment of awe with me at that very moment.

I’m sitting here this evening listening to the wind roar through the massive pine trees across the road from our front door. Our wind chimes, sturdy and substantial ones that have a repertoire as vast as the many moods of the wind, from bare whispers to gale forces, are clanging their displeasure. Meanwhile, I’m excited that this front is moving through this evening. Hopefully the skies will clear enough for us to get a glimpse of C/2021 – A1, also known as Comet Leonard.

Comet Leonard

I first started paying attention to this recently discovered comet a few weeks ago, perhaps just before I completed my 1111 Devotion. I saved the Smithsonian article linked above (and again here) on the off chance I might end up writing posts again. This was yet another reminder of the kind of stuff I love to share with all of you.

In fact, you may recall my aspirations to witness Comet Neowise back in mid-July of last year (2020). My efforts to see it were thwarted by cloud cover, but I included some cool shots of that comet taken by others in my post from back then.

Indeed, some of the photos of Comet Neowise are classically stunning. They’re sort of like what one might expect to have appeared overhead when the three wise men were searching for baby Jesus. Once again, I imagine the cosmic wonder of seeing such an object (historically they’ve been called hairy stars!) brightening our sky.

Comet Leonard is supposed to be most visible to us here in the Northern Hemisphere on December 12th. Now, I regret to inform you that I forgot our time to catch a glimpse of this comet at this time is just before sunrise – like, 5:00 a.m. Not my power time. Nevertheless, I entreat you (if you happen to be one of my earliest morning readers) to get outside right now and look to the northeast, apparently near the star Arcturus.

 

Another Couple Weeks

We should be able to see Comet Leonard for a couple more weeks before it makes its way toward the sun. Even better news for people like me: after December 17th, we should be able to see it in the southwestern sky, just after sunset. (YES! One of my favorite times of the day!) It should be visible near Venus.

So even though tomorrow morning should be the closest we get to this comet, we may well have other decent chances in the coming days – and at more humane times, too. But once it moves beyond the sun, we’ll never see it again. (The last time it approached our sun was 70,000 years ago. Mind boggling.)

Perspective

One perspective I find fascinating about comets? Observing Comet Leonard, like we did Comet Neowise and Halley’s Comet, is an opportunity to witness beauty from afar. It’s not visibly soaring through the sky. Rather, it appears to be sort of hanging there in mid-space.

Meanwhile, when we experience meteor showers, many of those blazing bursts of brilliance whooshing through the sky are actually caused by the Earth literally traveling through the tail of some vast comet. So we see ‘shooting stars’ we’re often in the midst of the ‘hair’ of those hairy stars of old.

The enormity of it all is so grand. And the opportunity to witness phenomena that may never be seen again feels vast and grand as well.

I hope we meet with success over the next several days, either at the crack of dawn (or just before) or the just after sunset.

(T+4)

Power of Intention – ND #3

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More than wishes – Photo: L. Weikel

Power of Intention

I think most of us are at least tangentially familiar with the concept of setting intentions in order to accomplish goals or manifest the reality we want to experience. If you’ve read a bunch of my posts, you know I tend to harp on the importance of setting intentions at particularly auspicious times of the month and year. And if you’re familiar with shamanic journeying, you know it’s important (essential in my opinion) to always have an intention before setting out to visit other realms. The power of intention has the capacity to yield astonishing results in our lives.

The truth of this was dramatically borne out in a movie we watched recently. King Richard is about Richard Williams, the father of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams. Will Smith plays the girls’ father and it’s obvious why he there’s a lot of Oscar buzz around his performance.

Even if you’re not ‘into’ tennis, it’s unlikely you’ve never heard of Venus and Serena. Not only are they each phenomenal in their own right, the fact that they are sisters and they’ve both dominated the sport for years, is downright spectacular.

Having a Plan

Especially when Venus and Serena were just breaking onto the tennis scene, I remember reading or hearing about their father being ‘difficult.’ At least that’s how I remember it being spun. I remember wondering, vaguely, if he was one of those weird ‘stage fathers’ who browbeats their kids and makes life miserable for them all in the pursuit of dominance in the sport.

To be honest, I didn’t really care all that much one way or another. We only watched tennis matches when visiting my sister Jane on the 4th of July. Wimbledon was on the menu every single year, along with lobster and corn on the cob. But watching them play through the years – wow. It was obvious they were incredible athletes. And their behavior off-court was equally impressive. I don’t remember ever seeing them misbehave or act out like the John McEnroes of tennis.

Perhaps because my interest in their story was tangential at best, I had no idea how they came to be who they are. And believe me, their father was the man with the plan – he set the initial intention that created the opportunities his daughters capitalized on through hard work and sheer talent and intuition. (And not an insignificant amount of intention setting on their own part, too.)

Family

What I think I loved most about this movie – beyond the gobsmacking tenacity of the father and talent of the girls – was the way their whole family was so loving and supportive of each other. As trite as these qualities have become through overhyping in the media (often by those who don’t live them), love, respect, and integrity honestly seem to be core values of the Williams family.

And lest you think it was all ‘King Richard’ who made it happen, I beg to differ. No, this was most definitely a collaborative effort of both parents and the three older sisters, too.

It was amazing to watch how perilously close things came – at least a couple of times – to a totally different destiny playing out for the entire family. I have to wonder if at least some of the ‘luck’ was a function of the power of the intention set by Richard Williams himself (and which obviously ‘rubbed off’ on his girls).

King Richard is streaming on HBO Max right now. It looks like it’ll only be available on that venue for another seven or eight days. (I’m not sure how that works or why that’s the case.) If you want to be inspired by greatness and perhaps moved to hone your own power of intention, watch this movie.

(T+3)

Every Single Day – ND #2

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Waxing Crescent Moon – Photo: L. Weikel

Every Single Day

Every single day in the two weeks since publishing my final post in the 1111 Devotion, I’ve thought about all of you. What a surprise. And I don’t mean that in a cavalier sense of not appreciating your participation in my commitment. I simply never expected to discover just how much my perspective on the world has become connected to contemplating what I might end up sharing with you at the end of the day.

While it’s true I feel like I talk to each of you when I sit here and write each night, I’ve discovered that I look at the world differently because of you.

I guess that’s what doing something every single day for just over three years will do. It becomes a part of you, a part of how you think and who you are. And while it made me sad the first few days to realize, “No; that’s over. I’m not doing that anymore,” I thought the melancholy would dissipate. I assumed my inclination to view the world from the perspective of what might be cool or interesting or magical – or infuriating or troubling – to share with you would abate.

But it didn’t. It hasn’t.

The Gift of the Process

I initiated my 1111 Devotion as a means of holding Karl close, of honoring him. In the process, I experienced the magic of connection. I discovered an unexpected bounty of heart through the challenge of sharing my life with you. Because it was only my commitment to fulfilling my devotion that resulted in the intimacy of sharing that took place. For what else, aside from my own life experiences, could I possibly find to write about for 1111 consecutive days?

Had I not publicly declared my intention to engage in my 1111 Devotion, I assure you I never would have written 1100 of those posts. OK, at the most, I might have written 111. But it never would have occurred to me to write the vast, vast majority of them.

It’s taken me some time to realize that experiencing the most mundane circumstances and experiences with an eye toward sharing them with you elevated them (for me).

I take a photo of the nascent crescent of the moon and now ache to write about the promise of the new monthly cycle it represents. By indulging the urge to share a simple photo of the moon, I remind us all, myself included, to pay attention to the rhythms in our lives. I’m reminded to pause and consider what new thoughts, ideas, or projects are seeking my attention.

What I’ve realized is that, for me at least, it’s the sharing that brings meaning. And that means you, my friends, are an essential part of this equation.

Thank you for being here.

(T+2)

Pupdate – ND #1

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Bigger Helpers (Tonight!) – Photo: L. Weikel

It just feels wrong not to write. At the very least, I must yield to the unspoken but palpable need I feel emanating from many of you for a pupdate.

After all, we shared the loss of Sheila. A year later, we collectively mourned the sudden loss of Spartacus. And then I disclosed the dream in which Spartacus showed up and told me – no, directed me – to get another puppy. I confessed how he placed his paw on my arm, looked into my eyes, and said, “You need me.”

I regaled you with the astonishing (and yet not) synchronicity of our Sarah finding a listing for Boston Terrier puppies and how they’d only become old enough to be adopted the very same day I was awakened by that dream. And then…well, we all know what happened next. Karl and I drove all the way across the state and became smitten with the littlest guy in the litter and his only sister.

No, they don’t always sleep, but… – Photo: L. Weikel

Love Triumphed

I think it’s fair to say you shared our heartbreak. And knowing this, perhaps weirdly, I was a little afraid to disclose welcoming these new additions into our family so soon after losing Spartacus. Although we searched our hearts and contemplated our motives, we – or more accurately I, since I’m the one with the relationship with all of you – worried our somewhat impulsive adoption might seem disloyal to Spartacus and Sheila.

I wondered if I should just keep the arrival of our new babies to ourselves.

But as all of you know, love triumphed. On some level, these puppies – Pacha and Brutus – are our collective healing balm. I trusted the internal nudging I received to write about our newest additions to our family. I decided sharing the joy was worth risking being judged.

They do 4 miles like pros now – Photo: L. Weikel

Simple Pleasures

Goodness knows, we’ve shared an exorbitant amount of collective trauma. The past three years have in many ways been like a roller coaster ride through the inside of a House of Horrors. From the personal to the national to the planetary level we’ve been dodging and catching some major body blows. And we took them as a community. Upon reflection, though, I’d say we shared some pretty cool stuff as well.

The truth is, puppies and kittens, regardless of age, make us smile. They remind us of life’s simple pleasures. If we’re lucky enough to have them in our lives, we know the indescribable feeling of being on the receiving end of unconditional love. (We know which species is usually more adept at conveying it, at least un-self-consciously.) And if we’re unable to have them in our lives at the moment, we can share the love vicariously. It’s a fact.

So here I am. Sharing the love. (And missing you.)

Check these puppies out.

Snuggling – Photo: L. Weikel

(T+1)

Full Circle – Day 1111

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My Wild Son – Photo: unknown

Full Circle

I’ve been looking forward to reaching this moment and yet dreading it at the same time. We all know it’s been on my mind – it’s not as if I haven’t kept a running “T minus” count at the bottom of each post. So here it is. My Act of Power is complete. And the weirdest thing of all is how truly ‘full circle’ I’ve come. It’s more than you might think.

When I wrote my first post in the Act of Power I ended up dubbing my ‘1111 Devotion,’ all I knew was that the goal was set. I didn’t project into the future. In fact, I remember dividing 1111 by 365 just to see roughly how long my commitment would play out. And I distinctly remember wondering what day the project would end but making the conscious decision not to figure it out ‘with specificity.’ I didn’t want to consciously know the end date. In some way, I think I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. Who knew what might happen between then and now? In spite of my very best intentions, circumstances might have interrupted my efforts – so why put a date on it.

Over the past few months I began to get a sense of what the end date would be. (Yeah, I know. I’m weird.) And the fact that this effort on behalf of honoring Karl would end tonight seemed, oh, I don’t know. Too perfect.

Last Night

And so it was only last night that I finally permitted myself to pull out my journal from the time when Karl died and check some of the dates that were dancing around in my head. What I discovered may have contributed to my difficulty writing last night’s post. No. They absolutely did. My mind was going both a million miles a minute and simultaneously whirring, sort of stuck in neutral, in another time and place.

I was both rejoicing and thanking myself for keeping such detailed notes of thoughts, feelings, experiences, and messages – and also feeling a profound regret for not having kept even better records. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that I was berating myself. It was more a feeling like when you’re watching a great movie or reading a book that’s totally engrossing and yet…you want more.

On some level, I knew I’d feel this way even as I was walking through our shock and grief. That’s why I did make an effort a couple of times to write out in copious detail some of the more amazing experiences we had. But there were many, many more mundane connections and contacts made between Karl and us in the days and weeks following his drowning. One thing that apparently happened frequently – so frequently that I clearly started taking it for granted – was a classic sign of the presence of spirit: a sudden and often fleeting feeling of a cold draft or pocket of air.

Funny. I totally forgot that that happened a lot in the two weeks or so immediately following his death. And yet even other people experienced it. Even people who called me to say they felt his presence in that moment and had a word or a message to convey.

Karl holding Spartacus (approx 4 weeks old) – Photo: L. Weikel

Tip of the Iceberg

And all of this is just a taste of what I re-discovered when I went back and started reading my entries from that time. As I said above, it sent me into a reverie that, honestly, I feel I’m still in.

Indeed, a part of me wanted to try to write this final post in my 1111 Devotion ahead of time. What?!? And break with tradition? I’m pretty sure you all know I’ve written each and every post spontaneously, every night, often jettisoning an idea that had been lurking at the edge of my mind in favor of a thought, inspiration, or outrage that was simply too compelling to quell.

So no. I couldn’t write this ahead of time. And now we’re sort of stuck with this polyglot of thoughts.

YCMTSU

But of course, I must conclude with the final YCMTSU (You Can’t Make This Stuff* Up) of this 1111 Devotion. Today is November 26th 2021. Our Gathering in honor of Karl was held – you guessed it – on the Saturday following Thanksgiving in 2011: November 26th. This post, because of the way I stay up late writing and have it set up so that the email version gets batch posted at 1:00 a.m., will actually be posted on Saturday.

So yeah. Through absolutely ZERO planning or intention on my part, this 3+ year endeavor, based solely on writing 1111 consecutive posts (in tribute to his death on 11/11/11 – at or about 11:11 p.m. Pacific Time) is ENDING on 11/26 (my Friday night), but technically Saturday – the literal day on which his Gathering took place ten years ago.**

There’s More

Reading my journal entries has reminded me of some experiences that I’m still digesting, in that I honestly believe they mean more to me now than they did when they occurred. It’s almost as if they’re messages that I wrote down then but were meant for me to read and recall now.

This is something that happens a lot with dreams and shamanic journeys. That’s because time is an illusion, and sometimes we receive messages or have dreams that we know or feel are profound, but don’t really make sense in the ‘now.’ It’s only when we go back and read them weeks, months, and sometimes even years (or decades) later do they click into place.

Ah yes. Good stuff.

But in the meantime? I thank you all for sharing this epic journey with me. Knowing at least one other person (besides Karl – he has to live with me, so he was kind of obligated to at least fake it) was reading my words meant the world to me. Instead? I was blessed with so many of you.

Thank you.

Karl and I opening Sacred Space at Karl’s Gathering 10 years ago today – Photo: Ellen Naughton

*you know what I really say
**As usual whenever I mention 1111 Devotion, I added the link to the very first entry I wrote (the ‘Devotion’ post), above. For the first time in a very long time (ever?), I re-read it just now in its entirety and I see that – apparently – I DID calculate that this would end on November 26th. What I realize is that it obviously didn’t even CLICK that this would be the exact 10 year anniversary of his Gathering; and as a corollary to that, I don’t think I was counting eggs, much less any chickens, at that point. I can confidently say I never assumed I’d reach this goal without missing a day. I still can’t believe it.

(T-0)

Thanksgiving – Day 1110

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Pacha’s Cone of Protection – Photo: L. Weikel

Thanksgiving

I’ve started and deleted this Thanksgiving post so many times, I’ve lost count. Having snagged only four hours of sleep last night and then wedged in a five hour round trip holiday visit, I’ve also dozed off between attempts write something meaningful. Alas, even these simple introductory sentences deserve to meet the same fate as their predecessors: to be deleted and rewritten. Nothing I write feels right tonight.

There’s so much I want to say, and at the same time, it just all feels heavy. Or said already. And you know how sometimes you can say something too many times and the magic just goes up in a puff of smoke? I guess I’m facing one of those moments.

Thanksgiving Bluebird – Photo: L. Weikel

In Spite of Everything

Yes, I started this day on only four hours of sleep. That’s a big contributor to my current state of fogginess. It’s catching up to me. But in spite of everything, Karl and I still managed to embrace the day’s sunshine and balmy temperatures to fit in a walk-about – our four mile sojourn through local hill and dale. This was a special treat because Karl hasn’t been able to walk with me as much over the past several months.

But today he did. And for that, I’m grateful.

Watchers – Photo: L. Weikel

So Many Witnesses

It almost felt as though we were in a Thanksgiving Day parade. Our walk was lined with local fauna stepping up and waving to us as we passed by. So many of the creatures about whom I’ve written in these past 1109 posts seemed to show up – or in some cases, simply let their voices ring out in greeting.

First was a bluebird, so strikingly beautiful in the late afternoon sunshine.

The pups had their first encounter with the Hounds of the Baskervilles – which left them a bit trembly, even though Pacha had a cone of protection.

A pileated woodpecker called out to us incessantly and flew alongside us from tree to tree as we climbed a steep hill. On the other side of the road, a herd of deer monitored our progress navigating the hill and conversing with the massive woodpecker.

About a mile later, coyotes howled in the bowels of High Rocks while a Great Horned owl’s hooting added another layer to the message.

Gratitude

The very fact that I can write about all these creatures sharing in and contributing to our walk  on this gorgeous November day (and having Karl to share it as well) gives me more to be grateful for than I can ever express.

Another exquisite sunset – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-1)

TE4P – Day 1109

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Pacha’s Glamour Shot – Photo: L. Weikel

TE4P

What kind of a joint do we run around here, anyway? One based in equality? Fairness? We always thought so. Until recently, that is. But then rumblings of discontent began. Rumors started circulating. Banksy-like political messages started appearing in the cat litter and puppy kibble: TE4P. A slogan was born.

Everywhere we looked, this cryptic “TE4P” started showing up. Karl and I were perplexed. Concerned. What was the message? Who was behind it?

Cletus engaging in outreach – Photo: L. Weikel

Grievance Aired

Finally, Cletus engaged in some ‘outreach.’ On behalf of the newest additions to the household, he felt it incumbent upon him to report a grievance. Evidence, as well as word on the street, indicated that Pacha was not receiving the same level of benefits as her brother Brutus.

Tigger coughed up the fact that matters grew exponentially more egregious when it was discovered that I’d even written a post about the violation. Word of Brutus’s wildly inappropriate receipt of an exotic treat in a little red cup was going viral. There was talk of a walkout.

“Please,” I begged Cletus. “Tell me what TE4P stands for! How can I remedy a situation I don’t understand?”

If looks could kill – Photo: L. Weikel

Unbelievably Dense

Cletus scowled at me with disdain. “Seriously. How could you fail to understand that Pacha deserves the right to treats as much as Brutus. We had to stand behind her – and all pups similarly situated. TE4P! Treat Equity for Pacha!”

Then I heard it. Pacha barked it. Brutus growled his fearsome puppy growl in support. “TE4P! TE4P!” Even Tigger, Precious, and – of course – Cletus saw the inherent inequity and began plotting their efforts to win Pacha a puppaccino experience.

Management Caves

Of course! As soon as we realized the unequal treatment we’d rendered to our beloved pups, we knew the situation had to be remedied. The following photos tell the rest of the story.

Did I hear Mommy say, “Puppaccino for Pacha?” – Photo: L. Weikel

 

“OMG. Yum. Mmmph. Snarf.” – Photo: L. Weikel

A stalker is sensed – Photo: L. Weikel (Cue theme from Jaws)

Interloper does a sneak runaround – Photo: L. Weikel

HEY! Wait! How the heck….? – Photo: L. Weikel

Thanks, Cletus! You rock! – TE4P Forever! – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-2)

Procrastination – Day 1108

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Puppies luxuriating fireside – Photo: L. Weikel

Procrastination

Oh yeah, baby. You have to know that’s my middle name. You may think it’s Joy (or maybe you didn’t know that), but either way, I’m here to tell you, procrastination takes on some peculiar characteristics in my life.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m realizing I don’t always have the same fundamental emotion motivating me to be…demotivated. You would think it’s primarily founded on avoidance of pain or unpleasantness. And I guess that’s true for some things I procrastinate on, such as inputting data into my Quicken or mowing the lawn when the grass is tall and the weather hot and sticky.

But even as I sit here and try to come up with stuff I really don’t like to do – and routinely procrastinate on – I find myself thinking, “Yeah, but when I finally end up doing those things, it feels so good.” I am often flooded with a sense of relief that I can cross them off my list.

And yet, that’s actually the least influential ‘good feeling’ I have after completing something I dragged my feet to do. I love the feeling of being organized or the satisfaction of seeing and smelling fresh cut grass. I love how the wildflowers growing in the middle of the lawn seem to duck the blade and spring up triumphantly about half an hour after I’ve put the mower away.

I’m serious about that, too! I used to feel annoyed by those wily wildflowers. Now I celebrate their resilience (as well as their color and diversity).

The Flip Side

The other side, or perhaps fundamental cause, of my procrastination is something I think I wrote about seemingly a million years ago – or at least early on in my 1111 Devotion. I guess I didn’t call it procrastination then. I think I called it hoarding. (Note! In finding the link to the hoarding post, I realize it was written way back in 2013 – well before embarking on my 1111 Devotion.)

And deep down, I think most of my procrastination is actually rooted in a desire to hold onto the feeling of potential, promise, and opportunity that comes when poised at the beginning of a new activity. I love the feeling that anything is possible. As a result, sometimes I linger a little too long in the imaginal realm. (Ha ha – spell check refuses to acknowledge that imaginal is a word.)

But this desire to linger also applies to tasks or projects I engage in often (or ‘should’ allow myself more often) – not just to new activities. And that’s actually the feeling and type of endeavor I’ve allowed to get a slow burn on lately.

I love to really dig into things, especially thoughts and feelings. Motivations. The real and honest stuff that informs our choices and helps define our reality. Writing in my journal is the way I make sense of the world, because writing in my journal is where I allow myself to dig deeply into my feelings and motivations.

And Then…

And then this happens: I forget where I was going with the thought that started this whole post. Now I see I’m going to barely have enough time to get it posted without it being bumped into the next day’s email.

Ugh.

OK, so I will end here for now. Maybe you’ll forgive me if I include some puppy photos.

I swear to you, this bottom one was taken only moments ago. No matter how many times I shift, they keep piling onto my left hand!

Writing Partners – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-3)

Contemplating – Day 1107

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On My Walk Today – Photo: L. Weikel

Contemplating

I’ll admit it: I’m contemplating shamelessly exploiting more of my pets to avoid sitting with and exploring the unsettled feelings that are coming up for me. And that’s kind of a weird thing. Not shamelessly exploiting my pets, of course. If you’ve been reading my posts for any length of time, you know I do that with abandon. Indeed, whenever I’m at a loss for something to write about, I look to my four legged friends to bail me out.

No, what’s weird is the fact that I seem to be avoiding altogether the task of excavating and reflecting upon my feelings as I approach the completion of my 1111 Devotion. So I’m left with this creeping sense of dread that if I don’t look for the meaning, it will have meant nothing at all.

But even that feels disingenuous. I committed to this Act of Power to find some small way to honor the life and creativity of my son. I did it as an act of devotion to the relationship I lost when he died. I did it because I wanted to acknowledge the hole he left in my heart – in my life – and those of his father and brothers as well. And I know there are others out there who loved him – and miss him – as well.

Taken today, too – Photo: L. Weikel

Regret

There are days when I regret my failure to create something truly meaningful and enduring to remember Karl by. He was passionate about feeding people and caring for the un-housed. He had that uncommon generosity of sharing what little he had with those who had less. I’m keenly aware that I barely even wrote about these societal challenges, much less did anything to alleviate them.

Many families that lose a child seem to turn their tragedy into an instrument of good. Their efforts range from establishing foundations to counter the gun lobby, or raising money to research SIDS, or creating better systems to feed the food insecure or to bring tiny homes to communities.

I stand in awe of mothers who create legacies of this kind.

So, no. I don’t put a lot of stock in the fact that I stayed up late 1111 nights in a row to write about stuff. From what I saw on my walks in nature that day to my reactions to the slow-moving coup we call our daily lives (in the U.S. and world-wide, sadly), my missives covered some pretty mundane, albeit occasionally fanciful subjects. And what I’m realizing in this moment is that they were, for the most part, a pretty far cry from creative. So much for honoring Karl’s prodigious creativity and irreverence.

Don’t Get Me Wrong

Lest I leave you with the sense that I regret this effort, please, let me assure you, that’s not the case. I think I can safely say my skills at iPhone photography alone have benefited significantly. So right there is an artistic and creative aspect to this project that I didn’t foresee.

And beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most amazing aspect to this 1111 Devotion was the dedication displayed by so many of you. By making a point to read my posts each day (and sometimes having to go to Facebook to find the daily missive or search directly on my website), each of you engaged in an Act of Power yourselves.

I can’t thank you enough for being such steadfast companions on this journey.

(Hmmm. Well, this was a surprise. I guess I’ll exploit my pets tomorrow night instead. I still have three more posts to write!)

The sky was quite expressive – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-4)

Cultivating Separation – Day 1106

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Puppaccino Pup (aka a ‘shill’ for Starbucks?!) – Photo: L. Weikel

Cultivating Separation

Brutus and I took a ride yesterday. By cultivating separation, we’re trying to get the pups to experience a little bit more of life without their sibling being constantly intertwined in their movements. We probably should’ve started this sooner, as the separation really seemed to freak Pacha out. I only say that because of Karl’s description of her reaction when Brutus and I left in the car. She kept looking out the kitchen door to see if we’d returned, and when we didn’t after about 15 minutes, she retired to our bedroom and buried herself under the covers. She even managed to win Tigger’s sympathy. He willingly shared our bed with her.

The separation didn’t seem to be quite as traumatizing to Brutus. At least, he didn’t whine or cry when we left. (Did I fail to mention Pacha cried at the door?) He did, however, express reluctance to stay in the small but comfy dog bed I placed in the passenger seat. He demanded to sit in my lap. This surprised me, as he’s willingly snuggled in that before, on other forays into the outside world.

Brutus – Photo: L. Weikel (I didn’t let him stay there very long)

Pit Stop

As part of our little excursion, I stopped at a local Starbucks and went through its drive-thru, ordering a beverage for myself. I’ve done this before with Spartacus or Sheila in the car and recall randomly being offered a dog treat on occasion. Never, however, have I ever heard the person filling my order ask, “Would you like a puppaccino?”

In fact, I thought I misheard her. “S’cuse me?” I asked. “No, I didn’t order a mochaccino.”

OMG, YUM. – Photo: L. Weikel

With this short snout, thank goodness I have a long tongue. – Photo: L. Weikel

She laughed. “Nooo! Your puppy! What a cutie!” I beamed involuntarily and reached over to pet Brutus, who’d finally decided to return to his shotgun status. “I asked if you’d like a puppaccino for your little guy.”

A puppaccino? I’d  never heard of such a thing (but it made me laugh). She explained that it was a splurge of whipped cream in a tiny sample cup.

Needless to say, I couldn’t say no.

What? Do I have something on my face? – Photo: L. Weikel

Positive Reinforcement

As you can see from the accompanying photos, Brutus enthusiastically endorses the Starbucks custom of providing puppies with whipped cream chasers. And I’m thinking this deliciously unexpected bonus will only serve to reinforce the notion in his mind that when he goes on adventures in the car with Mommy, there’s no need to be sad. Heck, a puppaccino could be in his future!

I just wonder if he told Pacha?!

Thank you, Mommy! – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-5)