Mission Accomplished

Being a homeowner has its own rewards. Sometimes they come in big packages with ribbons and champagne and other times in small almost unnoticeable everyday deliveries. Big rewards come from the big challenges; those that make you truly appreciate why you took the plunge and bought a house in the first place. The bigger the project or repair you have completed, the better the reward. These rewards are the type you show off to friends and family, like the redecorated bedroom, or the remodeled kitchen, or the new workroom in the garage.
But it is the small rewards that really add up for me, those everyday chores are the real joys of home ownership. I know it may seem silly, but it is true. Weeding the garden, or mowing the lawn, vacuuming the carpet or folding all the laundry. Knowing these things are done, even though they will need to be done again and again, gives me the sense that I am succeeding.
Every week I face challenges, things I need to get done, a list of chores. It may seem mundane to some. But once these things are done I can see the difference. The tracks the vacuum cleaner leaves on the carpet once the dog hair and dust are all gone. The flowers that bloom and flourish when there are no longer weeds to compete with them. The empty laundry baskets waiting silently for the next load. No matter what major projects need to be or have already been accomplished it helps to look around and see that progress has been made in small ways.
Today I accomplished a large project in my house, and my reward was a cool, quiet, nighttime walk with Sonya. Sonya's job is to take me for a walk; she waits eagerly for this time every day. This weekend with the heat and other chores, Sonya got some time off. So tonight with my big project completed and with the coolness the dark cover brought we set out. Funny thing is, as I strolled along with her, I could not help but think that I still had things to do at home. As soon as we returned I proceeded upstairs where I folded all the clean laundry. Only then could I sit and rest, only then could I relax. For this small accomplishment I do not need to reward myself. Crossing this chore off my list for this week is its own reward.

Life and Pasta (with thanks to Mom)

My mother has a large set of cookbooks, but the only time I ever saw her use them was when she was baking. For the cooking she did on a day to day basis for us, she very rarely referred to a printed recipe. My mother likes to experiment when she cooks, and we often joked that if you liked a dish make sure to savor it, because you may never get that taste again. That's not to say my mother is a bad cook, quite the opposite in fact.
When you are baking, recipes are necessary because there is a specific desired outcome. If you want your cake to raise and not fall, you will need to use the correct ingredients. But cooking is different. Cooking is to taste. Al dente, we say when cooking pasta which means: to the tooth or to the degree that tastes right. That is the way my mother cooked. Some days she would make things spicy, other days sweet, still others might be saltier. It all depended on her mood or her taste that day.
Of course it might also depend on what ingredients were on hand. Summers were my favorite because we would have the freshest vegetables from our garden. Cucumber salads, zucchini on pasta, warm green beans, and so much more.
Her experimental cooking did not just apply to dinner. Lunches were made up of odds and ends of leftovers thrown together in a pan and heated, then topped with melted cheese. You'd be amazed at how wonderful leftover potatoes can taste when mixed with leftover veggies and topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese.
My mother's technique carried over to my brother and me both. We are never afraid to try new dishes, whether in a restuarant or our own kitchens. I have experimented with all kinds of dishes, it makes cooking easy. Sonya benefits from my experiments too. That isn't to say that she eats all my failed attempts, because really there are none. But it is nice to have someone who will taste your dish and let you know if it is worth a second lick or not.
The trick with experimental cooking is to keep in mind that not having a specific outcome means the dish can rarely fail. If you want to know what an omelet with oregano tastes like instead of parsley, throw it in and surprise yourself - you've just added a new dish to your repertoire. Because that is what life is like. If you want to try something you cannot be afraid, you just have to make it al dente.

Coats of Many Colors

I don't know how true this is anywhere else, but in the northeast we wear different coats for every season. Over the years I have found myself with a closet full of jackets and coats. Different textures, colors, weights depending on the time of year and the occasion. I have lighter jackets for spring and fall, some for rainy weather, and one for windy days. I have different winter coats depending on how cold, and how long I will be outside. I even have lightweight jackets for chilly summer nights. I have so many jackets and coats I have to rotate them each season.
Spring finds me choosing between brighter colors and textures that will protect from rain or wind. I have a different jacket for walking with Sonya than the one I wear to work, and a completely different jacket will cover my dress at church on Easter Sunday. Although the winter was more consistent for coat wearing, spring has no such sameness. Every day something changes and so I pick a different jacket to match the change.
Change is one of my favorite parts of spring. You never know exactly what it will bring. One day you are filled with sunshine and music and joy. The next it is cloudy and windy and there are so many doubts. And the next is cold, drizzling and contemplative. And so it will go. And just as you think you have it figured out, spring ends and summer begins with its warmth and laziness.
Sonya too is changing her coat. She has a dual-layer fur coat she wears all winter. It keeps her warm and dry and protected. She loves the cold snowy days. But soon, that fuzzy under layer will be seen in huge clumps around my house and yard. I'll brush it out into the backyard bushes in the hopes the birds will recycle it into their nests. And Sonya will be a slighter version of herself, ready for the warmer days.
Change is the one constant in our lives. Sometimes it is for the better, but sometimes it is not. One thing is for certain, you cannot stop it; you can only choose a different coat to wear.

Leader of the Pack

Over the Christmas holiday Sonya and I went to visit my parents. We stayed at their house for a week, and during that time my father watched a lot of the National Geographic channel. They have a program called "The Dog Whisperer." I was greatly amused. Not only by Cesar and his training tactics, but at the people who called upon this expert to help them with their problems. It is amazing how quickly we forget that our pets are animals. We rationalize everything they do as if they are our children. And while I know Sonya is my baby, and I spoil her, I always remember she is a dog first.
Sonya has very few duties, but she takes pride in them. She guards the front of the house - making sure to bark at the mailman, and anyone else who tries to make deliveries here, until they leave. She keeps the yard clear of squirrels and moles. She takes me for walks every day. That was the one thing that stuck with me as I watched Cesar with these dogs. She takes me.
Although I love our walks almost as much as she does, I realized there were parts of the walks I did not love. Anytime we met up with another dog, or any boys. Girls are ok, but boys are for chasing! And dogs are for playing! And Sonya would pull, and I would shout and people would cross the street to avoid us. So I decided I would try a few of the tricks I saw on TV and see if they really worked.
It is not the miracle you see on TV - but then what ever is? But it has helped. I make sure I am the first one out of the door, and I make Sonya sit and wait while I lock the door. Then I take the first steps off the porch onto the sidewalk. I no longer let Sonya lead the way either. I keep the leash curled up in one hand and I keep her on my left side. I also keep my head up and my shoulders back. And I have noticed a change.
It was uncomfortable at first, but now our walks are truly enjoyable. We walk side by side, like friends, with no one pulling the other one. And we have added something really fun. Now that the weather is cold there are no outdoor sports at the highschool, which is our destination. When we get there we head for the baseball diamonds and we sprint across two of them, running as fast as we can. Sonya loves this. She jumps and dances and runs and runs. We have fun.
It has even trickled over into my work. I have always known that holding your head up and your shoulders back makes people look at you a little differently. But I didn't realize it changes the way you look back on the world too. It is a confidence builder, it allows you to take risks, to run as fast as you can and have fun too.
I don't use traditional commands with Sonya when we are walking. She knows sit and stay, but she also knows "behave" and "with me." Whenever another dog approaches I remind Sonya that she is "with me" and she heels. I tell her to "behave" and she no longer chases boys. But that is only on the walk, in the park boys are still for chasing.