Mukilteo Musings

Christmas Follow Up

I was blessed with feeling quite good on Christmas day. We managed to get in a walk through the snow and slush and we had good friends come over for a glass of wine in the afternoon. After dinner, we tried to get Lucas and Kaley to sing or play some carols on their instruments. Kaley responded we could hear her in church on Sunday where she will do some solo Christmas music. Lucas pulled out his viola and I sat at the piano with my neuropathies to try to plunk out some music. Lucas followed me along and Apolo decided or instinctively joined in with his wolf howling. He walked right up to us at the piano and loudly crooned. I swear he was actually singing Jingle Bells---not in tune, of course, much to Kaley's chagrin. We were all laughing hysterically. The nurse who unhooks me from my pump has a Golden Retriever and she says they are God's angels on earth. If so, you'd think Apolo could at least sing on key.

Still, we have not received all of our UPS packages even though it is now 40 degrees and our snow is disappearing quickly. Yesterday, one of my presents for Dave came as did Kaley's presents for Dave and me. We are still missing Kaley's gift to Lucas and three gifts for Dave, Lucas and Kaley from me. Christmas will continue for us next week.

I keep thinking about Apolo being an angel. I'm not so sure although I cannot imagine going through the struggles I am having without him. His favorite place to be is right next to me on my couch perch. I find it soothing to pet him when I am not feeling so good. Other times he is obnoxious about wanting his walk or his food and his barking drives Dave nuts. He almost ended up on the Golden Retriever Dog Rescue website the other day. Usually, we turn our furnace off at night but the other night when the temperature dropped to 10 degrees, we left it on. Apparently, our little angel is afraid of the furnace noise at night and he barked every hour when it kicked on. Dave was up all night with him trying to calm him down. Lately, we have been willing to risk frozen pipes by turning off the furnace and sure enough, Apolo sleeps soundly.

Apolo has another tiny issue. He takes slippers right off your feet or he finds them in closets. He loves to chew on slippers. Needless to say, slippers are a regular Christmas gift in this house as replacements. Dave bought me slippers this year. Immediately after I opened them, Apolo shoved his head down in the box and ran off with his eyes peeking through the open side of the box. Of course, he proceeded to destroy the box. Later in the day, I noticed black buttons on my slippers but without the box, we had no clue. Upon further inspection, Lucas discovered a place for batteries. Evidently, they are massage slippers which Dave had not noticed when he bought them. Batteries have created the most wonderful dog deterrent. Apolo tried to steal my slippers and one push on the black buttons and off he ran with his ears pulled back. Because of the neuropathy in my feet, I cannot feel the massage but no longer do I have to worry about an "angel" destroying my cozy slippers.

The last two days I have not felt as well as I did on Christmas Day. But I am grateful my Christmas day was truly wonderful. Now I am going back upstairs to hug and cuddle with my golden furry angel. And he will not touch my new Christmas slippers!