More on Pandemic Life

Mary-Ann Sontag September 23, 2020

It is important to acknowledge the ways in which Pandemic Life is tough — not to have an endless Pity Party but to be able to accurately assess and respond to our own needs. If I do not understand why and how this is a challenging time, I will overwork my 100 Little Soldiers, and that never goes well.

My Pandemic Life motto is Dial Back.

This means things are undone — without shame and guilt. After all, why give Little Soldiers a well-deserved break if you are just going to beat them up for what is undone?

I also like to focus on what I can still do.

It is not about finding bright sides or silver linings to a pandemic that has killed 200,00 Americans — there isn’t one.

But there are opportunities. Challenges, after all, always bring along an invitation for transformation.

If all goes according to plan, I will finish Claire’s CD this year at long last — and breed her. Staying home has allowed me to focus on her training, and it is going well. I am excited to show her.

That is my plan — we will see what the Universe has to say about all that. 2020, after all, seems to involve a particularly malevolent Trickster and so it is best to have only loose attachments to our plans.

Pandemic Life offers obstacles at a time when our abilities to find creative solutions to achieve plans are understandably low. Dialing back means that I am not also trying to do sixteen other things with my dogs at this time. Instead, awareness of limits means I can focus my energy and time on my priorities, understanding that 50 of my 100 Little Soldiers are on pandemic duty and simply not available to help with Normal Life and my typical overachieving hopes and wishes.

Pozy Clarkia is a priority for me. Pandemic Life has offered a unique opportunity to be 100% present for this puppy — and it shows.

Please take good care of your Little Soldiers — they are working so hard to keep you upright and somewhat functional.

#goteam

Family

Mary-Ann Sontag September 16, 2020

When things feel crowded on Long Island, Ruthie (Sparkler) has her own lake and cabin in Maine…

I think we all need such a place these days.

Ruthie reports there is just one small problem…

Acorns.

Like Ruthie, I think we could all handle that! Thank you, Lori :)

Out west in California, Nikko (iPup) and Zed (Sparkler) are unfortunately dealing with smoke…

Stay safe, boys!

Thank you to Tony for the photos.

Wildflower Zeus is celebrating his human’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, Penny!

And speaking of family, we did a quick outside visit with the Heintzbergers on the way home from Boise. Their new place is Pozy-approved…

Please have an awesome Pozy-approved day of your own!

Lucy Clover King

Mary-Ann Sontag September 15, 2020

Lucy Clover King lives in Idaho and has been enjoying many wonderful adventures with her family. Here is their update:

Lucy Clover is such a sweet dog and so smart. She learns so quickly!! She is growing quickly, up to 30 lbs as of today. We are still feeding her a combination of kibble / BalanceIt recipes and Darwin raw (she definitely loves the raw the best, although she loves all food!). We have taken her on a lot of adventures, as you’ve seen on FB.

And here’s the dirty out playing in the wilderness pup!  She isn’t crazy about the bath afterward, but sure cleans up nicely! — And here’s the dirty out playing in the wilderness pup! She isn’t crazy about the bath afterward, but sure cleans up nicely!

For being socially distanced, we are still introducing her to a lot of dogs and masked people. :)

A hound dog met while out picking huckleberries

She knows sit really well, Clara taught her to roll over and for a while she was pawing us every time she sat (Clara was teaching her shake and it went awry), she has retrained her to not paw when she sits.