Celebrating the Winter Solstice

So today was the big day - Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year. And wow, did it ever seem short. In fact I think there must have been some federal cutbacks because it seems shorter than it did last year... Maybe I have just hit the wall - following a grown man around saying "no, don't do that" all day can make one weary. Of course, if he tries to do dishes I quickly look the other way...

Tramp 1 had a dentist appointment early this morning - yes it was okay - he was reclining. Then he had to do a ride along with me since he was already in the car - I had to get some quick Christmas shopping done. Next we met with the physical therapist to go over what issues would be addressed currently and I learned about Tramp 1's physique - he is "efficiently" built, meaning his body was very strong when he was younger - he could play football, run fast and was well coordinated. All those things mean more wear and tear and less mobility as he ages. This therapist treated Tramp 1 after his last back surgery in 2005 and could see the difference in his posture and gait since then. He was excellent in explaining which movements cause specific reactions in the spinal region and gave suggestions about how to better avoid them. But for now, he is working on building back leg strength and stretching the atrophied muscles. Therapy will be twice a week for now. Tramp 1 is already sore tonight from the very limited activity...

Last night I stayed up to watch the lunar eclipse. The wind was howling and it was absolutely frigid outside. It wasn't particularly clear and I stood outside wondering what on earth I was doing... No coyotes were yipping, no owls hooting - just the whipping wind, me and the moon. Maybe I am so darned tired just from staying up too late...

Around here sadly deer and vehicles collide. A good friend of ours seems to be a deer magnet. He just got number seven - this time with a rental car. He emailed a photo of the damage. This was my reply to him - "Okay now – lets really chat about this – I don’t think that is really deer hair. Come to think of it, you never have had any pictures of the supposed deer from your many encounters. Being that you hit this “one” in December, I believe that is actually a portion of Santa’s beard… You took out the old guy, didn’t you?! Got him when he was out practicing his route and had touched down for the reindeer to go to the bathroom. Did you drag the sleigh behind you, too? What about the Rudolph and the rest of the gang? Is Prancer now just a smear of deer on a lonely highway? Do you realize that you single handedly have taken Christmas away from most of the world??? Dastardly, simply dastardly. And the insurance claim? It is going to be huge – children everywhere need to join together to file a class action suit to recover not only the cost of missing presents now, but in the future, as well. And I can’t begin to think of the bills for all the therapy the children are going to need when Santa doesn’t show up. And then there will treatment for the parents who will be going bonkers from all the stress – they will start drinking and gambling to try and hide from the hounding of their children. Hell, even dogs and cats should sue you! Maybe even the malls and why not the President, too – they will all want their piece of the guy who took out Santa!!! You can run, but you can’t hide!!!". It is the chuckles in life that make things fun and being able to joke around with a dear friend is a very good way to break life's tension and put things in perspective.