Gretchen Rubin wrote in The Happiness Project about the year she spent “test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happy.” The Puppiness Project is my attempt to learn the same from Honey, my Golden Retriever. At the dog park on Saturday, I was …
Blog
The Perfect Dog…
The perfect dog always lets you sleep in when you want to. The imperfect dog loudly informs you he needs to smell something in the back yard at 2 a.m. The perfect dog is only interested in her own food. The imperfect dog perfects traits of super strength and gymnastic ability to find a stray cookie crumb on …
Glad to Meat You
My husband wrote this guest post a few weeks ago. He is alive, well, and entirely intact. Over the past two days, Honey has been coming up to me out of nowhere and nuzzling the palm of my right hand. I would find this behavior cute instead of vaguely creepy but for the fact that …
What an Artist Can Teach Us About Saying Goodbye to a Loved Pet
This post is dedicated to my recently-passed friend and neighbor, Sophie the Labrador. Sophie was lovely old gal who took her responsibilities of watching over the neighborhood seriously. I miss her. One of my favorite artists is Andy Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy makes art from natural objects. And I think the artist has a lot to teach …
How Do You Teach a Dog to Sail – A Plea for Help
My big learning project for the summer is sailing. Yep, I’ve made it to 45 years old without thoroughly humiliating myself. That means it’s time to take up something new. But how will we teach our dog to sail before we buy a boat?
The Puppiness Project – Enjoy Your Own Backyard
Gretchen Rubin wrote in The Happiness Project about the year she spent “test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happy.” The Puppiness Project is my attempt to learn the same from Honey, my Golden Retriever. Honey loves going new places and sniffing new …
Do Dogs Shrink or Grow our Worlds?
Is everyone I know just like me? I don’t want to live in a bubble. And that can be hard to prevent. I live in a town that is self-consciously progressive. The kind of town Fox News talking heads would describe as full of granola-eating, Birkenstock-wearing, Volvo driving elitists who are out of touch with …
Breakthroughs – The Lessons Come When You’re Ready to Learn Them
Lately, I’ve read a few accounts by writers on getting their first dog. The part of me that’s a big old “Judgie McJudger” starts wondering, “What were they thinking? Did they really believe just tossing a seven week old puppy into a crate was a good idea? How did they think their dog would learn …
The Puppiness Project – Celebrate the Day; Don’t Mourn the Future
Gretchen Rubin wrote in The Happiness Project about the year she spent “test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happy.” The Puppiness Project is my attempt to learn the same from Honey, my Golden Retriever. Tomorrow is summer solstice in my hemisphere. And …
Craft the Good Life? Or Get a Cat?
My greatest ambition When I was 14 I wanted to be president. Or at least Secretary of State. Thirty years later, my ambitions have minified a bit. Now, my goal is to be a slacker. Or at least to support myself in some way that doesn’t require me to wear shoes. Or a bra. That …