Thursday, June 29, 2017

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2002. Mattie was six months old and very ON! Mattie wasn't in love with his stroller. The joke about this was we literally bought and returned about three strollers, in hopes of finding the right one that would work for him. But the right one was never found. Mattie did not like being strapped into his seat, as his face clearly expressed. Can't you just feel Mattie's distaste for this stroller? The face said it all!


Quote of the day: If you seek creative ideas go walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. ~  Raymond I. Myers


When I became a parent, I found that I got to know my neighbors. When you live in Washington, DC, in the heart of the city, it is different from living in a suburb. Typically suburbs can unite people, based on common schools, activities, events, and neighborhoods. This isn't really true in a city. For the most part, in a city people stick to themselves. Or at least that has been my experience after living in Boston and now Washington, DC. Cities can be more transient as well, as people commute in and out of them to work, but not necessarily to plant roots. 

When Mattie was born in April of 2002, I quickly learned that Mattie seemed less cranky, less colicky, and agitated when he was outside in the fresh air. So I learned the art of being outside during all types of weather. But while walking around, we would bump into our neighbors. Mainly because we were outside so often, I watched people leaving and returning to their homes throughout the day. In fact, when Mattie was alive, this generated a lot of activity for at least our floor in the complex. People loved watching Mattie grow, smile, play, learn to ride a bicycle and the list went on. Of course when Mattie got cancer and then died, this changed our patterns and routine. We turned to living more inward and indoors. After all, there was nothing at least for me, to bring me outside to interact with my environment. 

This all changed for me in September of 2016, when we adopted Sunny. Sunny requires walks. They aren't negotiable, and it also doesn't matter what the weather is like, he has to go out. Kind of reminiscent of Mattie! Also like Mattie, Sunny has a way of receiving attention from others, and at times I feel like I am dealing with the dog version of Mattie. There are similarities despite the fact that we are comparing two different species. Sunny and Mattie share three very important qualities in common. The first is brightness/intelligence, the second is a strong connection with me, and third is filled with emotions.  

Just like with Mattie, I can tell how Sunny is feeling. Sunny is his most happy when he is out walking, exploring, sniffing, and pursuing squirrels. While out for the pursuit, I have met all sorts of people. People who probably wouldn't talk to me on the street, without having a safe subject like Sunny to talk about. Sunny is a conversation starter and I have yet in the 10 months we have owned him had a day when someone doesn't stop me on a walk to tell me how "beautiful" Sunny is, or to ask me his breed. 

Over ten months ago, I had it in my mind that we needed a dog. But it is a large responsibility and it does change your freedom and flexibility. Yet despite being cautious about our new addition, Sunny has added a dimension to our lives. Certainly so does Indie (our tortoise shell cat), but cats are very independent and require less time and attention. Typically the relationship is on the cat's terms. NOT true with a dog. Mattie always wanted a dog, and I have a feeling if Mattie met Sunny, there would be an instantaneous bond and love.