If we “were having coffee” I’d say how my first week with the new puppy Muffin was going. She is gorgeous but the disruption to our normal schedule is immense. I didn’t go into my office all week and feel I should avoid it for as long as possible. Unfortunately though I get a lot more work done there than I do at home. The distractions at home are great (even without the puppy) and at home I am more than happy allowing myselfself to take breaks. After all it is only 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there which turns into hours and a bit of gardening, a cupboard cleaned out and now puppy play time. I am doing the final edit of my exegesis at the moment and it is taking me around two to three days to do each page. I only have 179 pages to go. It leaves me with a constant headache.
Back to Muffin. She is sleeping through the night. I am waking up before her and we have no night-time accidents or early morning accidents. As the day wears on these increase as I think my attention to her squatting decreases. We have had no poop accidents indoors for the last couple of days although she is not as yet taking herself outside. She comes when called and I am about to start teaching her to sit. As their socialisation occurs between 3 weeks and 16 weeks I’m trying to introduce her to new sounds and experiences every day in a way that won’t frighten her. This afternoon we are going to go down to the river. Her teeth are sharp so toys litter the house that I can shove in her mouth as soon as she tries to latch on to either my hands or my dangling pant legs. My legs are full of little puncture marks. All in all I think I and Muffin are doing well.
My husband and Bundy, our older dog, though, I’m not too sure about. Yesterday I thought they were going to leave home but today we all seem to be making a start to getting on together a little better. Bundy has taken to living on a higher level in order to avoid the pup but today he is again on the floor warning her off if she comes too close. Perhaps by next week they’ll be friends.
© irene waters 2015
If we “were having coffee” I’d also tell you that we had a superb lunch for the Melbourne Cup race. The pub was one I don’t normally go to and I was pleasantly surprised at the effort they put in to make the day special, right down to the fashion parade. With one of my group taking a prize.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
I would also tell you, over coffee, of a post I read this week regarding colour. I have become fascinated in identity, identity formation and memory and when I read Sarah’s post which asked “what are your true colours” and who are you underneath? my antennas started whirring. This was right up my alley. I responded saying that perhaps our true colours are those that stay with us making our past continuous with our present and future. Sure as eggs are eggs ( and I bet some researcher is out there questioning that) our identities change over time and with the circumstances we find ourselves in, but something must keep us knowing ourselves as who we are that is unchanging over time. Is it just our name or is it more than that? I’d love to hear your thoughts on that. By some coincidence as I dropped off to sleep last night I listened to a fellow who won the nobel prize last year for his work on memory and he has now found the area of the brain where episodic memories form also contain cells that deal with space and time. This allows us to know where we are when we wake from sleep and where our memories fit in the scheme of our lives. I’ve just reminded myself that I have to go and see if I can find something about this. That’s the trouble when you hear something when you are half asleep – you either don’t remember it in the morning or you’ve got it all wrong.
I’d better head off now as a storm is coming. Looks like it could be a doozy.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
See you next week.
Thanks for hosting the weekend coffee Diana.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Love those photos!
And ah, new pups. They’re rewarding little family members, but my goodness, can they cause a lot of trouble. Hope everyone continues to settle in well. 🙂
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Thanks Diana. Yes every day seems a little easier than the one before. If only I could work out the toilet training. 🙂
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We were lucky with our rescue dog, and he was already trained when we brought him home, so I haven’t had to house-train one in a while——good luck!!
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Yes, our last two dogs have been rescue dogs and we tried to get another but could only get breeds we didn’t want in our circumstances. Sixteen years since our last pup. Like childbirth, you forget the pain.
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I’m usually more attentive to work when I telecommute from home than when I’m at the office. I’m afraid if some IMs me and I don’t answer immediately they’ll think, “Oh no, Trent’s working from home so he must be goofing off.” Of course I never think that at work.
New puppies are a lot fun. They’re also a lot of work. I’m sure your life with Muffin is more interesting 😉
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I thought I had replied to you Trent but it seems to have got lost in that nether cyber world out there somewhere.
Perhaps I need someone to message me to get me working at home. I purposefully don’t have WP, facebook or the like on my work computer so whilst there I work. Home it is too easy to “i’ll just have a look at some posts for a minute,.” An hour or two later I might get back to work but now with Muffin – she is much more fun.
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I guess more WP glitches – It happens.
I have to use my work notebook at home. Only computers that are part of the Domain can access resources. OK, my work computer is 10 feet away from my home computer so I do sometimes get up and play on my home computer. But if I don’t use the work computer for a few minutes my IM light goes from green to yellow and everyone knows I’m goofing off. So I actually spend more time at the screen at home so people don’t think I’m goofing off.
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Wow. That is a bit like having one of those criminal wristband /leg anklet things on. No wonder you work more at home.
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In reality I doubt if anyone is really watching me, I just hate for my light to go yellow.
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LOL
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So glad that things are going so well for you and the pup. Did you go with the crate? My pup is getting better and calming down somewhat. It’s been a challenge for sure!
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Glad to hear your pup is calming down. I went with the crate and she does love it although I haven’t locked her in it overnight. She sleeps in it but I have given her a small (and I mean tiny) outside it. She wakes me to go to the toilet so I think it is working as well as I hoped. I bought a dog play pen as well but she doesn’t like being left in that . All in all for one week I think we are going quite well.
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That’s terrific! I think most of my problem stems from the fact that I’m not home for 9-10 hours during the day. Weekends are much better and she is more relaxed. Or is that me?!
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LOL. Perhaps it is both of you. I think having to go to work would make it really difficult. I stayed home all last week and apart from one day that I have to go in will probably do the same this week. We are going out and leaving her so she gets used to being alone but just for short trips. Perhaps after this week I’ll head back in to the office. I have to be away for 5 days end Nov so that will be interesting.
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Lucky you! Staying home with the new baby! I think that would have been easier on both of us if I had been able to do that. But..we’ve made it through the worst part…I hope!
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Yes it has made it easy for me that’s for sure. Still, you sound as though you are over the worst of it so that is good. I feel I probably still have that to come as she sleeps a lot of the time.
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I think Penny was born running and jumping! She taught herself how to jump up on the dining room chair, get on the table, get the dog toy I had put there awaiting surgery (the toy had a hole in it and stuffing was coming out). I was busy and when I realized the dogs were awfully quiet, I looked in the living room, which was now covered in fiberfill. Both dogs had it hanging out of their mouths with an expression as if to say “what mess”. I had to laugh! They had fun, nothing hurt except the toy has no stuffing or squeak left!
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LOL. It’s when it becomes the chicken you put out to thaw for dinner that will get you. I had a dog that did that once – I had guests coming and had the meat I was about to cook on the bench top. Went out for a minute and found it gone. Luckily they were good friends and we got takeaway.
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I had a cat do that to a turkey breast once. Didn’t move it but ate a good portion!
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Wow, you have a lot going on. I think you should get a puppy to take up even more of your time. Oh, wait…..
She’s sure cute. I bet Bundy will fall in like – eventually. And those milk teeth are going to fall out soon. With all the falling going on, you’d best keep the lights on.
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Yes, we,ve already fallen over her a few times and furniture that I haven’t previously had to bother with as I take her out to the toilet in the dark.
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The crate works beautifully for me. My new dog ate 30 rolls of toilet paper, a box of crayons, five books, a shoe and the knobs off my armoir. Good thing he is so darling! We do forgive them their sins!
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You must really love him. It would be the books I couldn’t forgive. I have toys everywhere and stick one in her mouth whenever she opens it, which is often. So far we haven’t had any destruction but she’s only 8 weeks old so I’m sure it will come.
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They were not books I had any emotional attachment to, but coffee table books that I received as gifts…I did mourn the loss of my armoir wooden carved knobs, though.
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Your editing task sounds like a mammoth project and quite intense. I hope you are able to pick up the pace a bit without losing the value of the effort.
Your puppy is very cute but also very demanding.
I like your thoughts about colours. It was a great post of Sarah’s. I like your idea of our true colours being the ones that stay with us throughout life, though I tend to think they are the ones that are true for us at any time of our life. It’s an interesting question to ponder.
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It will get done but it is going to be slow and painstaking.
Yes I’m still pondering.
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It will be worth it!
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That puppy dog is a cutie. Oh. My. Goodness. Will look forward to reading more about how you two get along!
…our identities change over time and with the circumstances we find ourselves in, but something must keep us knowing ourselves as who we are that is unchanging over time.
That’s a fascinating observation about human beings. I’ve always focused on the changing parts of myself and other people, but you’re right that there is something constant within. Or at least there should be if we are to continue functioning in this world. Food for thought, that. Hmmm…
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You’ll hear. I’m more likely going to need to be told enough is enough.
Yes I think it is when we lose that part that we lose our identity such as with alzheimers which then makes you question what comes first memoir or identity. I believe it is memoir for reasons too lengthy to go into here. It is a fascinating area.
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Thanks for sharing your time with us! Muffin will grow up too soon, so good that you are working with her now, What an imp! But such a distraction with your rewriting. I do enjoy editing and rewriting when I get down to it, but it’s hard for me to get to that point, even on a daily basis. My pets distract me, too!
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I love training dogs which is probably why I have always had Shepherds. This little one is going to be easy too. She is already learning not to chew me, recall is fantastic, she is learning to sit. Total failure on the toilet training but we’ll get there.
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Busy woman! Ahhh… the joys of a new puppy.
Interesting bit on the colours thing… I just may have to look into it – these things interest me, too!
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Yes its food for thought.
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He’s the cutest! I hope things settle down a bit. And your leg heals. 😉 You’ve given me a lot to think about with the finding-true-colors post. This post and your comment on mine. It really is fascinating — our identities. Although I wonder how the fellow who won the Nobel prize with his memory research would feel about you not remembering what he said. 😉
Stay safe. That sky doesn’t look so good…
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LOL. I have an excuse. My time and space cells were inactivated as I was in that twilight zone where I probably had no colour at all. Seriously though, your post prompted a lot of thought but ehen, what is the point of a thought bubble if it doesn’t give you cause to think. 🙂 The rain (and buckets of it) came a day later. Those clouds obviously knew I needed a photograph right that minute.
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I love how the Thought Bubbles create more bubbles of thought. If that makes sense. 😉 Stay dry!
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I’d love to have coffee…and take a break from edits. Love that idea from Sarah’s post regarding our true colors. There is something to our identity of self that feels core though many things about us evolve and change. Yet some people struggle to know that core. Are they less of themselves? We could talk more over coffee!
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Oh my goodness Muffin is an adorable pup! My dog Stinky has that same pig — two years later and he never chewed it up, and it still oinks when you squeeze it. We had another one too, but it was repeatedly thrown in a game of fetch (by someone who will remain nameless) and alas, the oinking part broke.
I loved the part of your post about one’s true colors, identity, and self. Very thought provoking. I can honestly say I feel as though I am still the same person I was at age 8, albeit with a lot more experience. I’ve always had a very strong sense of self. I also have loads of memories from my life. I think that’s part of why I am a writer of stories.
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Muffin is adorable for sure, at least until those little teeth latch onto your leg. If our pig is like yours hopefully it too will last for years.
Memories are great for writing stories. When you can base it on real life experiences, people and emotions it has that wonderful believability about it. I can’t say I was the same identity all through my life. Some of my younger actions my older identity cannot understand why on earth I would have done those things. I also knew at the time that I was a different identity depending where I was. Even my hair will change my identity. It is an area that fascinates me. Glad you too find it thought provoking.
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Oh Muffin is adorable…but I do remember those days of bringing home a new puppy, how demanding they can be. It sounds as if you are making great progress. Glad to hear hubby and Bundy are still part of the family 😉 And yes, I also know too well how easy it is to allow distractions, well, distract us when home. I am thinking of you with your revisions as I go about mine and wish you well. I feel that long slog with you right now. And that is so interesting about memory. We take so much for granted. How awful that would be not knowing where we are when we wake up, although it does happen for various different reasons…I love your coffee chats, and reading all your little tidbits. I too loved Sarah’s post about changing colours and you ask some great questions. Identity and our true colours…fascinating subject. I wish I could stay for lunch and dinner to carry the conversation on 🙂 xx
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Yes it would be nice to continue the conversation into the evening. Sarah touched on a subject in a very creative way that I have become very interested in and to tell the truth had probably not given a lot of thought to before. Yes I have the odd time when I wake up not knowing where I am or what day or time it is but it is rare – imagine having alzheimers or similar and having it happen every day.
How are your revisions going? If you are doing your three hours a day by the end of November you will have made significant progress.
Muffin is adorable but…. those little teeth and piddles not quite so adorable. We are getting there though. 🙂
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Yes, that must be awful. I have had to take three days away from revisions as I took off on my own to Lewes/Brighton to spend some time with my boys. Things have been a bit of a struggle and I needed that time to get my head straight. Hubby held down the fort at home with C. But now I really need to knuckle down and get on with it. The more I procrastinate the more I get annoyed with myself. But on the three hour drive home I did rewrite a whole chapter in my head, or at least have retained pointers. So not all is wasted. I do so hope I can have significant progress by the end of November. I hope yours are going well too Irene. I am thinking of you…
And yes…you and sweet Muffin are getting there in more ways than one 🙂
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Sherri I wouldn’t beat yourself up over it. I have read so many authors say they put it in the drawer and left it for a period of time so they were not quite so close to it. When they came back they found it easy to do the work needed. I think maybe even Stephen King recommends that but certainly one of the writing gurus has said along with numerous others.
Yes it is getting easier with Muffin and we are all settling down. She’ll be coming on our walks before too long. 🙂
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Thank you Irene, that’s good advice and I’ve certainly experienced that feeling of returning to it renewed. And that’s wonderful to hear about dear, sweet Muffin. I can’t wait to have her join us 🙂
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