Oh, lucylee, I skimmed your post and I want to give you BIG (((HUGS))). And I kind of want to giggle too - because you have captured so well how my mind works sometimes, honing in on certain topics and just spiraling them ceaselessly, kind of like a helix. Except not so orderly -- so maybe more like a tornado. I do hope the new Dr. works out for you and dmom. And anyone who looks down on you for bringing a Wmart cake should repent of their attitude. And they shouldn't be allowed to eat any of it.
Well, I wasn't sure what I would really do with a day to myself. Now I know. It is already 3:30 and I've managed to. .. take myself out to eat for Mexican food! Now, I'm really full. LOL! Why am I not surprised. . . I did walk along the public shore walkway, but after 20 minutes (and after passing the Mexican restaurant. . ), the path ended, so I turned around and went back. I did get bfast, s2s, have a QT, and move rooms as well. Our previous room was near the elevators which are grindingly loud here. I've never heard elevators make such noises before. And we weren't even right next to them. I've also texted a bit with the girls. All seems well. Dd20 texted photos yesterday of the front bushes which she had trimmed. She was worried she'd trimmed them too much. They'll grow back, and I think they make the house look neater. I've also looked around for Thai restaurants. Dh mentioned eating Thai tonight.
Dogs: Labs don't really grow out of puppyhood for 2 or 3 years. Maia is now 3 and we'd say she's still pretty puppy-ish, though she's definitely calming down. Pepper was also puppy-ish for many years, but her personality is just generally more chill than Maia's, mainly b/c Maia is SO very extremely extroverted. Her high energy can still be a nuisance for guests who don't like/don't feel comfortable around dogs as she focuses all her doggy energy and enthusiasm on being social, and some people just don't want to be social with her - and she doesn't get that, of course. I think she believes everyone in the world loves her as much as she loves everyone in the world. .. . We do crate them during small group.
Pepper walks very well on a leash. We trained her a lot when she was a pup. Maia was not trained as much as Pepper, but she naturally heels -- b/c she wants to stay as close to you as possible. We do use pinch collars when walking them (which we rarely do anymore. . ), which some people don't like. However, the trainer we took our dogs to either approved of them or was OK with them. Labs have thick fur and are actually intentionally bred to be quite impervious to pain. Originally, that was so they could bear the cold Canadian waters while retrieving birds shot into them. The pinch collars have never been a problem for us, and both dogs walk well on a leash now.
I'm going to read my moms group books now.