Larry and the Hat

This was one of those days were every hour seemed to last only one minute and there simply was not enough time to do all that I had planned. Or, perhaps, maybe I just planned to do too much in any one day. I never can figure out if my never ending to-do list is the result of my unbridled passion or because the Earth revolves too fast. If only I could invent the 28-hour day…life would be so much more full. Combine this desire with the fact that my nearly two week holiday is down to 24 hours and I simply want more time to do as I please.

I spent the entire morning hiking the Crosby Lake chain (it was breathtakingly peaceful) and the afternoon buying winter gear for the dogs. Yes, winter gear for the dogs: jackets and booties. I figured it was cheaper and easier than potty-training them at this point. Even dogs can easily be compromised by the upcoming Arctic blast at -30F (a dog can be frost bit in under three minutes) and their biological need to be outside does not yield to the weather. I will be sure to blip a picture of them in their gear perhaps tomorrow on Bravo’s blip-page and hook a link to it here.

In between the hike and the shopping, I met up with Bon and the girls for Pho. Outside of the restaurant I met Larry, the man in the image. I tried kiddingly to trade my iPhone for his hat but he knew any butt-head could buy an iPhone. Only Larry has this hat. He brought it with him from Alaska where it was handmade. What a genuinely adorable, kind and funny man. His warm personality would keep the frost away, even without his hat.

This is the first year we have not traveled for a portion of the holiday break and I must say that after nearly 180,000 miles of airline miles this past year, placing myself under house arrest was the perfect prescription for a mellow time with the family. I have cherished every moment with the girls and Bon and the pups and I know Monday morning in my office will feel quite lonely. I heard a silly advertisement on the radio but there was one line within it that hit me squarely in my heart: “It does not matter what is under the tree. All that matters is whom is around the tree.” Some advert-exec finally got it right.

I hope that your Holiday was full of love and happiness and health. These are the three things that matter most.

Boy Dog Bravo had a fun blip today of his worst fear. PRESS HERE.