Kaibab Bernese Mountain Dogs

Yesterday I made a list of all the stressors in my life over the past six weeks, and also all the blessings for which I am grateful – the stressor list was considerably longer than the blessings list. This explains why I keep looking for that balance or equilibrium that seems to have just disappeared.

Did you know that even good life events rate high on stress scales? I suspect it is because all change requires adjustment, and changes of all kinds result in loss. When we have periods in which we feel like we are in some zany life batting cage, and curve balls are coming at such a rate that we cannot even hope to get a solid hit, it seems appropriate that we want to just throw the metaphorical bat at the stupid pitching machine.

But I am reminded of what my Uncle Bill said a few days before he died. He was a huge softball player and baseball fan, and had been hoping for a miracle that would make that @#$% pancreatic cancer go away. Instead, that cancer slowly took over a wonderful life but it never beat Uncle Bill.

As I sat with him just days before his death, he shared his perception that we have to be like a good pitcher and change our game when what we are doing isn’t working for us anymore. And so he changed his hopes, and his new plan for the miracle was that he could die peacefully and in his sleep; he did. A good player in life needs to know when to change things up.

Somehow that seems appropriate to remember during this whacky time of changes. It would be easy to feel overwhelmed all the time when the curve balls seem to be coming from all directions, but that is not especially helpful. And so I am thinking today about how to change up my game – I cannot change a lot of what life pitches my way, but I can control how I swing at it – so can you.

One of my recent challenges is internet at the new house that worked for just a day –I need access for my work and I also do most of my communication via email so this extended lack of access is a hardship. A technician is coming to the house today and so hopefully I will soon once again have reliable internet access without having to go to work. And have you ever noticed that a minor hassle seems much bigger when it comes with a lot of minor hassle friends?!

What is not a hassle is living in this wonderful house in an incredibly beautiful valley – here are some more pictures…

Halo enjoying a bone in the new yard...


Halo in the yard.


Girls having fun in the yard.


On Saturday I went tracking with Cadi and here is a picture of the audience :)


Asia on the porch with her grandma Abra's High In Trial trophy from the 2001 Specialty.


Sticks are a big hit at our new house. Yesterday I noticed Zoey had bad breath and finally thought to check her mouth -- she had a stick fully wedged along the roof of her mouth! This did not deter her from chewing more, as you can see...


Zoey and Syd


Look closely -- this is Zoey AND Syd.


More of our yard.


Sydney enjoying the new yard.


I hope you are having a delightful day and wish you a Jubilant June!