Random 5 for June 6 – Bridges, puppies, decisions, strawberries, masks

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This is not my neighbor but looks a lot like her.

A friend who gets it – A few weeks ago I posted about how much I hate walking across an open grate bridge. Keep that thought. There is a Dalmatian puppy in my neighborhood. Although she’s a puppy, she is a big dog. I’d guess she’s like 30 pounds. I see her family walking her (or maybe the other way around). I caught up with them at THAT bridge. They could not convince her to cross it. She looked down, then circled around and sat down. They coaxed. They bribed. In the end puppy daddy picked her up and carried her across while she whined and tucked her head in his armpit. I laughed! She’s my spirit animal. Gotta love puppies.

Speaking of puppies – This dog has more energy than I have ever seen. No matter how hot the weather, she does zoomies at Mach 1 speed in large fields. What a dog. Fortunately she has a young active family that can handle all that energy. She would run me into the ground (or maybe the nursing home!).

Decisions – We are still working on our new home. More painting, new window treatments, new kitchen stuff. White, off-white, cream, beige — what’s the best! I can only handle so many decisions at a time. When I hit that point for the day, I can’t even make one for dinner. Picking out stuff was fun when I was young. Not so much now. In the back of my head there is a recording that says “this may be your last new home so choose wisely cause you have to live with it.” Nobody puts more pressure on you than yourself.

Source: Koch Family Farm

Sometimes you are rewarded! – A long time ago I worked for a guy who said that no good deed goes unpunished and in our line of work that seemed to be true. However, you can’t let that change who you are! When spring broke here, the house across the street was beautiful. They had a lot of spring blooming flowers and it was obviously carefully planned. When I went out to pick up my coffee in the early morning, it made me smile so I wrote them a note and told them that. I signed it “the new neighbor with the red mailbox.” The woman who lives there appreciated the note and has offered to give me some of her flowers when she divides them. Yesterday they went picking strawberries and gave me a box. These are the good strawberries. Not the ones with the white shoulders that were picked too early. So good! Sometimes good deeds are rewarded but that’s not a reason to do them. Sometimes it’s the right thing to do!

Going maskless – Our area has a high rate of vaccinations and a low rate of infection. Our rules are relaxing and masks are not required if you are vaccinated. I couldn’t do it at first. It was like going out naked but I’ve finally weaned myself off of masks. Feels so good and now I can hear better. If you don’t understand the connection between masks and hearing, you have to remember that people who cannot hear well read lips and facial gestures to figure out what you are saying and then we still give you the wrong answer!

So how was your week?

 

64 thoughts on “Random 5 for June 6 – Bridges, puppies, decisions, strawberries, masks”

  1. Puppies are so cute – all bravado with the squeaky barks, then cowering behind their pet parents’ legs when something terrifies them. I like the idea of tucking the head into the arm so not to see the open water as they crossed. I’m staying masked up for stores as I worry about the variants but have just switched to a paper mask for the parks in this heat wave. How nice of your neighbor to share flowers and luscious strawberries too. Years ago I got most of my August Lilies and Black-eyed Susans from my neighbor who called over the fence: “Linda, dig yourself a couple of holes, I’m coming over with a few shovelful of plants for that bare patch because I’m tired of looking at it.” It was under this fir tree and so I always put some yard art there.

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  2. I loved your puppy story. How funny that must have been for his “parents” to find themselves unable to coax him across. I don’t think I have the particular fear you have, but I can understand it. It’s also possible that I haven’t encountered a bridge quite like you’re describing.

    I’m eager to find myself maskless, and I think the opportunity is coming soon. It will indeed feel very strange!

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  3. I’m in the same indecisive situation as you are [were] regarding masks. I don’t want to risk my health, but they seem to be optional everywhere now. Supposedly most people are vaccinated. I almost feel naked without my mask on now. What a difference a year makes.

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    • I was out this morning and the stores vary from ‘you must’ to ‘it would be nice if you’ to ‘don’t bother.’ I carried it on me and put it on when appropriate (or the sign said to) but other than that, I carried it. It was a long year.

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  4. I have specialized in wrong answers the last few years. You are right — masks made people more difficult to understand. I now tell my family what I heard them say, which has brought much mirth to our conversations. We were in the car recently, and John commented on so many RVs that had squirrels painted on the side. I thought perhaps a squirrel was the logo for a popular brand and looked as carefully as I could. David’s young ears did not decipher the difference in what we were saying, so maybe our speech is not as clear as it used to be, either. It turned out John was talking about SWIRLS, not squirrels.

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  6. That puppy! Hah, two smarties–you and the puppy. You need to someone to carry YOU over the bridge, I guess! I wonder if she will get used to it and start to cross it herself.That was so nice of you to reach out like that to the neighbor. Hmm re the colors. I see all these new bright white kitchens on TV and one of my 50 thoughts is that now one is stuck with bright white instead of off white for decor. Is your kitchen one of those new white ones or a traditional one? Of course, beige and white-white can look sharp.Personally, I always like the off white that isn’t too creamy. Sometimes it’s called Navajo white, sometimes it has other names. It’s the one that goes with everything as it’s not too yellow or too gray or too anything. But it’s not white-white.

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    • The new wall color Navajo white replacing a pinky-tan. The current cabinetry which is being replaced is white-white with sparkly white trim. The new stuff is a soft off white that doesn’t startle. The puppy will probably learn to cross when she sees all her peep friends crossing. She is just a doll. I always want to hug her.

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  8. That’s a great story about your note to the neighbor and the box of fresh strawberries in return. Kind gestures on BOTH your parts! It really helps you feel PART of something doesn’t it to have a neighborly exchange!

    Hugs, Pam

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    • Yes, I felt a sense of belonging. We had one neighbor at the old hood that occasionally gave us peaches if they went to a nearby orchard but that hasn’t happened in the last few years.

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  11. Not only was your good deed rewarded but you became better acquainted with your neighbor. Another plus. I love good strawberries. When I was in 5th – 8th grades I picked strawberries in the summer. (Everyone did it. That was before the law on child labor was changed.) Anyway, so I can tell a good strawberry from a mediocre one.

    I love the puppy who wouldn’t cross the bridge. Dogs seem to be so brave … until they aren’t.

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    • She was a puppy. Not a lot of courage just yet. As a young adult I picked strawberries but just for my family. Yum! A few years back I picked blueberries. Fresh picked are different from store bought! About compliments, after I announced I was retiring I had so many people tell me how much they would miss me and how I had brought “fairness” to the workplace. I was the head of Human Resources. The “no” person. I didn’t realize I was that liked! It affected me a lot. From that point on I try to say it in real time so people know they are appreciated.

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  12. That was so nice of you to leave that note… it obviously made your neighbors’ day. I’m am trying to be more vocal with my compliments… too often, I think it in my head but don’t say it. I love that visual of the puppy being carried over the bridge. I’m okay with open grates (as long as they aren’t too open) but I try not to look down very much.

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    • I must have. She took the note into work and sent it to her kids. There are sometimes when I rehearse something one too many times. Then I don’t remember if I did/said it or just thought about it! 🙂 Never look down!

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  13. I remember when the 101 Dalmatian movie with Glenn Close as Cruella, and there were all kinds of articles in the papers warning parents that Dalmatians are very high-energy dogs, and to think twice before buying one for your kid. It sounds like your neighbor puppy has a lot of that energy.

    I’m finally starting to feel more comfortable not wearing a mask in stores. But it’s a bit of a process. – Marty

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  14. A good neighbor is worth their weight in gold, and one who brings fresh strawberries is a real keeper. I go maskless outside with friends I know have been vaccinated, but I’m still wearing one in a store. I think this is one of those times when everyone has to pick their own comfort zone. I’m glad all is well with you.

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  15. When I saw the title , puppy and descisions, I feared you were thinking about getting a puppy and I figured the cats would not like that. 🙂 Freshly picked strawberries are the best, that sounds like a nice neighbor.

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    • Any pet additions has to go through the approval committee and I’m pretty sure dogs wouldn’t even be considered. They did approve the chipmunks and frogs though just not in the house.

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  18. Ha! Smart dog. Remind me of my GSD. We were walking in the forest after severe storm damage and there was a large fallen tree blocking our path. Kizzy whined until Hubby picked her up and carried her over. The irony was she could have walked underneath the branches.

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  19. Dear Kate–it IS overwhelming to make so many decisions all at once! When they get too much, sit down and pet the cats for a while.

    And even if this may be your last home, paint comes by the gallon and there are handsome young men who will paint rooms for you when you choose not to. 🙂

    Take it one step at a time. You’ll get there. ❤

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    • It’s not so much the painting although the tall ceilings are $$ to get painted, choosing the appliances was a chore. Everything is so upgraded and different. The first question was always, do you want it bluetooth accessible. My answer is “what’s a blue tooth!” 🙂

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  21. Ooooh, decision fatigue! I remember it well, from my last move. My dog hated walking over bridges too. Even ones that were completely paved over. I guess she could hear that it was open underneath the solid-looking surface. Many’s the time I had to carry her across while people going over the bridge in their cars laughed and pointed. 😁

    Deb

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  23. My husband has a low, deep voice that’s hard to hear to begin with. (It’s not just me, either–every server we’ve ever had has asked him to repeat himself.) When we’re out at soccer games (with masks), now I can’t even understand him!

    So, yeah, I “hear” you on the problems with conversing in masks!

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  25. You know you’re absolutely right with the hearing/mask wearing puzzle. I don’t get it either. Luckily it seems like people understand and are patient, even to those of us to ‘may’ have listened to rock music just a little too loudly when they were younger. 😉 Fresh, home grown strawberries make summer a fruit paradise. Can’t stand fake strawberry flavored anything but the berries…now that’s a different story. Enjoy that neighborly bounty!

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  26. Kate, decisions! I was so overwhelmed with decisions I finally had to stop having to make them. I am still on a break from decision making for the house. But sometimes decision making pops up-SSNS this week… “do we want to call the guy about the grab bars for the guest bath?” Me… I’ll get back to you about it next year.” You have given me some much need courage to let the mask go!

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    • I get you. We have 20 year old pleated window shades on all the windows here. They aren’t in too bad condition but to me they look a little shabby. I’m going to slowly replace as I go room to room. This weekend I picked out the expensive one for the triple window in front. My choices were limited with one looking white and another looking tan. It’s taking a whole week of having them taped to the window (which is not yet painted with the new color) and I’m still not sure. We picked out appliances yesterday. Refrigerators have come a long way since we bought one 12 years ago. My mantra is that we are two people who do not entertain hordes of people. It keeps me grounded. Don’t even get me started on paint colors. Originally I thought (delusional) that I would redo the guest bedrooms but I’m not. I put the old stuff in it and it looks good enough especially since it’s rarely used. I also get sticker shock at everything!

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  27. I’m lucky to live in a small apartment building with other neighbors (no kids under 18 and 5 of 6 are one person total) and we all tend to look out for and check in our other neighbors. (Except when there is snow and we’re all so old that doing our own takes everything we have!) And I think it was sweet for you to let the neighbor know you appreciated their landscaping – what a great ice breaker to make a new friend!

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    • My neighborhood is all townhouses built into the existing hilly landscape. The layouts are spacious and the yards are small. All what we wanted. The best has been the neighbors. At my last house, there was little to no interaction with neighbors. Here I talk to someone every day. If something happened, I know someone would help and that’s important as you get older. Almost everyone is retired except for one couple who lives in back of us. They have two teenagers.

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    • The idea of having to redo something you did and didn’t like gets overwhelming. I remember when my sis-in-law ordered kitchen and door curtains. They came in white instead of off-white. She just kept them because at that time there was a lot going on and it all gets overwhelming.

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