dianegclark

I love it when the kids visit. Hannah has been here all week. We’ve enjoyed meals and walks and day trips to see family, Leah, Joel, Larry and Jo. Hannah and I did our quiet time together almost every morning. We went to the gym together, to get smoothies, showed her the coffee shop and the practice. She brought Oscar and the pups really enjoyed playing with each other almost constantly. Double doodles.

Many good things are happening.

Wilson is getting easier and his training is going well. He knows how to behave and can do many obedience tricks, mostly only if we have treats in hand, but whatever. We don’t have to feel like we have to watch him every single second. He can entertain himself and he rests often indoors. He is so sweet and affectionate but requires less than constant attention now.

Hannah is visiting this week. We are loving time with she and Oscar. She is low key so we eat meals together and watch movies and talk. Oscar and Wilson play. We are taking short trips to see Joel and then Leah.

I saw my Dad on Friday after more than a year. Even though our relationship isn’t perfect, it was good to see him.

I spent the day with my great friend Heather on Friday. We rode to KC together for an appointment for her, I saw my Dad then we ate at a fun Asian grill called Bibibop. It was delicious.

Our new gym is open. It is giant and luxurious and all that was promised. It is much more enjoyable to work out there.

The practice is going well. I am a bit overwhelmed by the needs and I am seeing more clients than I intended to. The new therapist from New Mexico isn’t coming after all as her husband is now not coming to Ft. Riley, but the other leads I have will hopefully pan out. I love my office and enjoy helping people even though it can be quite heavy at times. Shari has been coming up monthly and is getting more business. Dave has clients and his life coaching is growing.

I am back on track with seeing the grandkids more often. I love them so much and it is so special to go see them.

The coffee shop is doing well. We are selling Leah’s paintings there and there are lots of fun events coming up. Our baristas are great and the drama has gone away. We gave them all job titles and they love it.

Mom continues to do well. Dad is stabilized.

Today was a perfect day with the grandkids, just what I needed. Got there early. Henry and Emmet helped me carry a picture we bought from Leah out to the car and looked for Papa. “Where’s Papa?”

The boys wanted to know what I brought (I try to bring them something every time I go) and I got out the dog puzzle that I had purchased for Wilson. The boys very excitedly filled all the little puzzle pieces with dog treats and then screamed with delight when we put it on the floor. Wilson figured out how to open them and slide them to get them out of the way to eat the treats and Moose jumped in. Emmet just sat quietly and watched and then said, “I wish I was a dog”.

Leah loaded up the stroller with the boys and Eleanor and we headed out down a beautiful walkway nearby that winds around the museum and then through a retirement residential community. At one point Emmet came up and took one hand and Henry took the other and we walked along their sweet little hands in mine. I had Wilson tied around my waist. They wore their little orange and yellow chucks that I bought them for Christmas. It was so cute to hear their little feet hitting the sidewalk as they walked.

When we got back to the house we buckled in and went to taco Tico. The boys like showing me their town. Emmet said, “ this is our taco Tico.” When we were at the house Henry said “this is our kitchen and this is where we cook” as if I’ve never been there.

After lunch Leah wanted to get some things done and the boys and I and Eleanor went outside the boys were tromping around and throwing leaves. I was tromping around with them with Eleanor in my arms and she started screaming and I realize she was scream laughing and she continued for quite some time. Eleanor went in for a nap and Henry and Emmett dug under the table while Wilson and Moose ran around the yard and chased a tennis ball that I was throwing. At one point I reach down and touched Henry’s sweet face and he said “I love you grandma.” I feel like this visit Henry and I got some really quality time and he was enamored with the things that we played together. We played a long time in the front yard me swinging them on their big net swing and then I laid down under the swing and they screamed as they went over the top of me just clearing me by inches. And then I started tickling them and they loved it. Then we play people pile in the front yard with in the dirt and grass and sticks I got my face bonked and my lip bonked and we wrestled and rolled around and laughed and laughed. It was just such a precious time.

I spent the day in Newton today. Time with the grand babies is so healing.

I arrived around 11:15. I put Wilson in the back year with Moose then went in to greet the babies. They helped me carry the picture I purchased from Leah to the car. Henry looked in the front and the back seats and asked, “Where is Papa?” We spent the next 15 minutes convincing the boys that though I brought the paper airplane motor parts, I don’t know how to do it with them and they’d have to wait for their dad to come home. I asked Emmet, “Aren’t you glad I came?” Emmet didn’t hesitate, “No.” We laughed hard.

Next the boys played with the dog puzzle I brought after we’d let Wilson in the house. Henry was very into it. They carefully loaded the treats in all the compartments and we put it on the floor. They were amazed at Wilson’s skills in working the puzzle to get the treats. Henry kept screaming, “He’s doing it, he’s doing it!” Then Emmet said quietly, “I wish I was a dog.”

It was beautiful out today, mild temps and partly cloudy, so we loaded the boys and Eleanor in the stroller and headed out to the woods trail by the museum. I put Wilson’s leash around my waist and it worked pretty well. The boys didn’t stay in the stroller long, running along the sidewalk, climbing and exploring in the orange and yellow high top chucks I bought them. At one point Emmet put his little hand in mine. So of course Henry had to grab hold of the other one. My heart was singing holding their little hands.

We loaded up everyone in their car seats and drove the short distance to Taco Tico for our lunch. Emmet said, “This is our Taco Tico” like he was the tour guide. Earlier Henry had said, “This is our kitchen and that’s where we cook,” pointing to the stove. Like I hadn’t been there.

The afternoon was spent playing in the back yard with all three kids and both dogs. At one point, the boys were playing in the leaves. I took Eleanor over and she started screaming. I realized she was scream singing. Screaming and chuckling loudly. It was adorable.

The boys played in the dirt under the table, Henry with his toy excavator and Emmet with a shovel. Henry was very interactive with me which can be unusual for him. I reached down and touched his sweet cheek and he said, “I love you, Grandma.” He is not a very demonstrative kid so it meant a lot.

We switched to the front yard where I pushed the boys in their big net swing. I laid on the ground and screamed as the swing passed over me, missing me by inches and then started tickling them. There was much laughter. We then played people pile in the dirt and leaves in the front. Wilson took a nap in the sun on the patio.

I love my babies and my heart is full having spent the day with them.

Ps Wilson did great in the car AND I brought home all of the remaining prints and original paintings of Leah’s to sell in the coffee shop. I’m so excited!

I had a great weekend. Friday the weather was amazing. I had a play date set up for Wilson with our golden retriever friend Obi and his mama Olivia. We let the dogs play like crazy and then ran over and got our buddy Natalie. We got take out from Gordon’s Mexican in aggieville and ate it on the back patio. We laughed so hard.

Immediately after, I met Andrea at Homestead and we drove over to Deb’s and jumped in with her. We laughed all the way to Topeka, ate at Red Lobster, then went over to see our Sandy. Sandy was the first house manager at Homestead. I’ve wanted to see her for ever so long. She didn’t know I was coming so the surprise was very fun. We sat in Sandy’s apartment and laughed hard. Sandy gave us each a cross necklace.

Saturday was for shopping and getting things done around the house, napping, and getting my nails done. I took Mama and she treated. Bonus, I got the oil changed across the street while we were getting our nails did. Boom. Finish out the night with beating Scott at ping pong and some time together on the deck cuddled up in blankets and starting a new netflix series, Mankind, and talks on facetime with both Hannah and Joel.

Sunday I was able to go back to bed, a rare treat. Then Scott and I worked out at 9 rounds together. I made homemade pop tarts and we had a very good staff meeting at Brothers.

Life is good. I’m very ready for spring but a nap in the sun on the back patio today before clients helped a lot. The cold and snow being stuck inside with the pups was hard.

Scott and I have both received both vaccines. We are still not throwing caution to the wind and still respect that others have not all been vaccinated, but it does take ones anxiety down a bit.

The coffee shop is going well. We are involved in some decisions but no more of the day to day operations. I like to stop in and get coffee or meet friends. Wilson loves to stop in and say hi to everyone but we can’t stay too long with him or he reeks havoc.

The practice is going really well. It is so hard to know how many clients to take in. So many are every other week or once a month or even every six weeks. So its hard to have anyone or myself have a regular schedule. I keep forgetting to take people off until they get a reminder and remind me we changed it. I get new calls all the time and when I have them wait, they don’t respond when its time. So I take them and then they get stacked up again. I have two clients out of state who are potentially returning any time. I have two new clients scheduled on the same day next week.

The new therapists joining me are on hold. One is awaiting his graduation and then will start the licensing and credentialing so it could be awhile. The other is waiting to see what her husband’s military assignments are. I love having Shari come up monthly to do her massages.

I got to see the grand babies yesterday. We drove up to spend a Sunday. Wilson made it very stressful as he got in the mud and scared the boys trying to play with them. Eleanor is adorable and fun. She is so tiny. She makes the funnest sounds. She loves to lay on the floor and wiggle like a worm. I got to hold her quite a bit. It is hard to make her smile with my mask on.

Emmet was in a hard mood a lot of the day. He got super frustrated and upset about the airplane Scott made because at first it didn’t fly and then he had to share it with Henry and be careful with it. Henry was frustrated also because there was only one and it was really delicate. They were tired because they skipped naps and quiet time and were out of their routine. But overall, it was good to see them and spend time with them. Henry is so freaking cute. He talked and talked. He sat up next to me to read the airplane book and watch TV for a long time. Emmet was loving as usual. They are both so sweet with their little bodies and faces and voices and clothes.

Mom is good. She isn’t comfortable going anywhere. She gets her first shot tomorrow. I talk to her every day and go see her once a week or more. I love her so much.

My Dad has been in and out of the hospital 7 times in two months. Mostly breathing problems, one time they thought it was his heart but it wasn’t and last time for back pain. I don’t understand it all. It makes me miss my brother because he’d know what to do.

Its great to get back to working out. I like 9 rounds, its close and fast and a good work out. I don’t think it will be enough to get all the way back in shape. I am so chubby now I can’t even imagine getting back to what I was.

Wilson is getting easier. He and Diego play outside quite a bit. He can entertain himself more. He can obey the commands we work on when we have the clicker and treats in hand but he is naughty often and won’t come when called. I really hope we can get him trained to be a therapy dog. I took him today for a session at the client’s request and he was extremely distracting. I walked him down there and he can heel but not for very long before he jumps and gets under my feet and pulls. He’s very cute though with his long soft fur. He’s loving and affectionate. We work with Mutt school on his training.

Wake up mama, I gotta pee. Oooo but those scratches feel good.. ooo I gotta pee. Oh good, Mama is up. Hurry Mama.

OOo it’s cold out here. What a relief. Need to find the perfect spot….right here, that feels good. Smell the poo. Oh! Mama is calling!

Mama! Good morning! Its so good to see you! Its been 8 hours! Wait, I need a drink of water. Wait Mama! I’ll go with you. Oh, you’re doing your potty.

Help me up, Mama! OOOO I love morning snuggles. My teeth hurt, thank you. Zonk.

Mama, you’ve been asleep a whole 45 minutes! The sun is coming through the windows! We must get up! If I paw your face will you get up? Whine? Bark? Ok! It’s time for breakfast! What are you doing? YOur coffee can wait! I want breakfast!

Thank you. But I want more pets and love before I eat. I’m following you! More love please!

I have so much energy in the morning I can’t stand it! I’m too hyper to eat! Wait! The other dog is awake! Good morning! Let’s play! Let me bite your fur til you like me! Let us out Mama so I can chase him and annoy him completely!

I was wrong, it’s cold out here. Let me in! Bark! BArk!

I want up, on your lap. Put your coffee down. Help me up. My teeth hurt. Why do I need to let go? Oh! My chewy. Thank you. I like chewing my stick on your lap. I love you. I love this stick. I love you. I want down. I’ll take my stick with me.

Mama! The other dog took my stick! Bark! I want my stick! YOu don’t need to growl about it, it’s my stick! I’ll bite your fur! Gimme the stick!

Ok Mama! We’ll go outside! I like chasing and annoying the big dog!

It’s too cold. I’ll curl up in a ball and go to sleep on this chair.

Thank you for letting me in Mama! How long was I asleep? Oh! My breakfast is right here! Yum! I want to eat out of the bowl the big dog is eating. Nope, I want this bowl, nope, I want that bowl.

Mama wait! I can’t be without you!

What are you doing? What’s that? You usually get in the tub and I stick my paws and nose in and drink the water. There’s glass between us! I can’t get the water! What else can I do? Dang, you put the toilet paper up high. I loooove unwinding that. You brought my chew stick in here, nooo, what’s behind the tub? Huh? Coming Mama! But I can’t get in there! Oh, you’re coming out. Let me grab the towel…. I don’t want to drop it! Grrrrr. WAit! There’s water in there! Ooo I like how it squishes my toes. It tastes soapy, I like that.

You’re taking forever getting ready! I’ll lay down. I’m so bored. I don’t think you love me anymore. Let me out. I want see what the other dog is doing.

Oh, good, we can play chase again. And lay in a ball in the chair. I’m sleepy. Yay! I get to go in! Yes! Nap time! What havoc can I reek in here? More love please!

Wilson is now three months old and 27.5 pounds. He is finally getting easier but is still bitey. He goes to day training one day per week and we get private training every other week. Dropping out of Kindergarten was the best decision ever.

Wilson can be left in the bathroom when we need to go somewhere now. He whines some but I think he is quiet in there when we are gone. We leave toys and chewies and put everything away.

Wilson knows how to sit, down, come and leave it. He doesn’t do any of them every time. He loves his click and treat. He will heal for about half of a walk then loses it and jumps and chews the leash. I can now walk through the house without getting my clothes or shoelaces grabbed.

Wilson sleeps on the bed now. He cuddles on and off all night. Not by my body, sometimes by my feet, but by my face. I wake up sometimes and feel his breath on my face.

Wilson and Diego like to play together outside. Diego invites him to. But inside, Wilson still continues to bite at Diego’s fur and it annoys him and us. Sometimes he will “leave it” but not always. They also like to just sit outside on the patio furniture even if it is really cold out.

Wilson behaves really well at the coffee shop. He goes over and sweetly greets people at each table. But he’s a mess at the office. I took him with me to do paperwork last weekend and he ate my plant and took a giant poo in the waiting room. Thankfully it wasn’t ground into the carpet. He ran around and got into mischief then fell asleep in the tiny space under the desk where my feet go. It was adorable.

Wilson is growing about three pounds a week. He looks bigger every morning. He’s going to be huge! Hopefully his obedience will grow faster than he does!

I took a fun trip to KC on Friday to visit Joel and get my tattoo added onto.

I had never taken Wilson so long in the car but he did great! We stopped twice for him to pee on the way there but he slept the entire way home. Joel and I walked him with us to a nearby coffee shop and Wilson greeted everyone there like he does at Brothers. We ordered a yummy latte called an Onyx (honey, vanilla, cinnamon), a breakfast burrito and quiche and a homemade pop tart from a coffee shop called Vested (because its in the garment district). I talked shop with the owner for a bit.

After our yummy meal and a good chat, I left Wilson with Joel. Having Wilson at Joel’s is a challenge as he eats Joel’s house plants ad to use the restroom, it is a 7 floor elevator ride. Wilson barked in the elevator every time. Of course, Wilson made friends with the few residents we saw in the elevator. Joel said he took Wilson for another walk and then sat in a part and people watched for half an hour.

I drove to West Bottoms to a tattoo shop where my Manhattan artist now works. She used to be Freyja at Mash Up and now she’s Emily (her real name) at Timewalker Tattoo.

West Bottoms is interesting. We looked at the outside of a loft apartment building when we were looking for Joel and kept driving. The outside of the buildings look completely drab and non interesting. Friday, the GPS took me on a loop all the way through the shop district of West Bottoms. There were tons of people floating in and out of shops with interesting names. A friend told me that the insides of the shops and loft apartments are fantastic. After seeing the tattoo shop I agree.

I entered a plan looking building on a boring street. Emily came in at the same time and led me up a very long wooden stairway. At the top, we entered a giant floor with brick and broken plaster walls with ornate and creative decor, high ceilings, and so much to look at. We walked around the corner and saw bed after bed with fascinating people getting tattooed by fascinating looking tattoo artists. There was antique furniture, taxidermy animals and reptiles, giant mirrors, and artful objects creatively displayed, everywhere one looked.

Emily and I had a great time chatting as she explored and created the tattoo extension and fitted it to my body. She expanded my arm vine and prairie flower tattoo over my shoulder, crossing over my collar bone in the front, a winter rose on the ball of my shoulder, and eucalyptus across the top of my shoulder in the back, all Leah’s art. I can’t wait to see it without the bloody bandaid and irritation. (I’ll add pics later).

The tattoo hurt. Lying in the chair on my side for 3 1/2 hours was grueling. I tried hard to dissociate but distraction through conversation was the only thing that worked. The gal next to us stayed awhile and chatted after her client left and then Emily and I chatted. I tried using my calm app and took several breaks but the rest of the time, I laid there and did my best to get through it. My stomach was in an uproar of course and my leg had spontaneous spasms on and off no matter what I did.

We finished at 6pm. Joel and I made dinner plans, skipping BBQ as it was going to be a drive to get it and take too long and had Italian ordered in. (I had Parmesan cream linguini and Joel had lasagna and we shared bread, yum).

Joel said Wilson had chilled but he was a bit of a mess while I was there, destroying Joel’s broom and he broke off one of Joel’s plant stems. He had eaten all the food I brought and got bored of looking for scattered treats and doing obedience training to show off for Joel. Joel made him some rice which he didn’t love.

I listened to Mindful Self Compassion training sessions both ways and old time rock and roll to sing when I got bored.

I love Joel’s area and loft and of course I love Joel. Visiting him is fun, fun, fun.

We drove to KC to visit Joel in his cool loft apartment today.

The drive with Wilson went ok.

And it wasn’t insane taking him down 7 floors every time he needed to use the bathroom. He did have one accident and tried to eat ask of Joel’s plants BUT overall it went well.

Joel’s loft is super cool. Inside and out.

We walked a half mile over the interstate to a cool restaurant near the River Market area called Farmhouse to pick up burgers. Wilson walked well with us. On the way home we passed a Thou Mayest coffee shop. And saw the trolley.

Btw i found these in Joel’s kitchen drawer.

He said they are goggles for cutting onions. Made perfect sense to him. Lol.

I could live in a loft like this. Maybe not with a puppy.