"These things here? These are mine."
She's so cute. She's sooooooo happy when Andy finally gets home and puts his feet up after a long day. We all are.
Five adjectives to describe our house lately: Quiet, messy, dark, damp, dreary. And disorganized. Yesterday it poured absolutely all day long. Cold rain. Dark rain. Usually the dog follows me everywhere I go in the house during the day. Lately, no. Lately, she goes outside quickly in the early morning (cold, dark, raining) and then she comes in and races back upstairs and launches herself into the bed. I get myself dressed and ready to go down for coffee, daytime, life, etc. Lately I head for the stairs and she doesn't follow. She lounges in the bed looking at me like, "Why do you keep going down there? I so totally do not get that." So I go down, have my coffee, and a little while later I come back up to see what in the world she's doing. And she's still there on the unmade bed all blissed out in the duvet, and when she sees me she gets all twitchy and excited like, "Oh! Oh oh! Awesome! You're finally coming to your senses and getting back in! Yeah. Get back in here!" And it's all I can do not to join her. Because have you seen that face?
And that rain?
Listening to Whiskeytown, Nena Dinova, Billy Bragg, and M. Ward. Thinking about summer. Wishing we had a hot tub or a sauna.
In this life I'm a woman. In my next life,I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate and sleep for six months.I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're suppose to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that. This little note continue and I certainly don't know the author. But with the dark rainy weather, Yup, gonna be a bear!
Posted by: Junebug | January 25, 2010 at 02:22 PM
You and your family and life are such a gift to us all...may some sunshine break through all those clouds soon:) I prayed that for my mom too today, she and my dad live up in Fortine Montana...ya, gray and cold right now.
Posted by: Samantha Martz | January 25, 2010 at 02:37 PM
Smart and charming dog - I believe I have a genetic connection with bears because I just want to hibernate in these dark, dank and gloomy times. It rained all day on Sunday in Tacoma. You know we're only just over a month into winter so there's more to come. I think you should just give in once in a while - Clover Meadow has a point.
Posted by: tacomapat | January 25, 2010 at 02:38 PM
I was listening to Billy Bragg today too, funny i didnt think anyone outside of the U.K would 'get' him, SO glad you do. And you cant 'out rain me'- i now live in southen Ireland - the place rain calls HOME. 'greetings from the new Brunett.'
Posted by: lig | January 25, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Go ahead. Make her day.
Posted by: shabby girl | January 25, 2010 at 03:29 PM
She does have a super sweet face!
Posted by: Stacy | January 25, 2010 at 03:37 PM
I can relate. I'm on the West Coast in BC. Rain. Darkness. Gloom. Brrr. At least if there were some snow it would FEEL like winter. This just feels like the longest rainy day EVER.
Posted by: Mandy | January 25, 2010 at 03:47 PM
I'm on the other coast but my corgi feels the same way you do, especially today in the dark gray pouring rain...I went to an orchid show yesterday which I have to say was a real breath of fresh air...
Posted by: mary | January 25, 2010 at 04:43 PM
Oh my, I thought our bulldog was the only who did that. He just stretches out further when we get up and then whimpers a bit hoping he can convince someone to come back and cuddle. He is a world class cuddler! Spike however can not launch himself like sweet Clover, he needs someone to pick him up!
Posted by: Mary Ann | January 25, 2010 at 04:55 PM
Yep...I know....rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain!! (I'm in Vancouver WA) The sun actually came out for .... well...a couple hours today...did you see it??? hang in there, spring is on it's way!
Shellagh
Posted by: Shellagh Selee | January 25, 2010 at 05:29 PM
I've read your blogs for months now and have been inspired and tickled and touched by all sorts of things--your brave story, your love of embroidery, the fab things you cook and create, your sweet dog pics, your sweet hubby pics--and what makes me comment for the first time? Whiskeytown. We've been playing "Stangers Almanac" over and over on trips everywhere from home in Baltimore to see my neice in NJ, to the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland where work takes me, halfway across the country to Iowa for a funeral. That album makes the drive a drive, you know? I'm thinking you do.
Thanks for all the good thoughts you inspire.
Mary
Posted by: lahuitrefrite | January 25, 2010 at 05:47 PM
OK, I know the grass is always greener, but... here in the Colorado mountains, it's 6:45 PM, it's 2 degrees above zero and my husband just got home from working outside all day and has left to go for a skate ski in the dark with a headlamp. Our Black Lab stuck his nose out the door and said he'd rather stay home. He thinks this skiing in the dark is loony. I leave on Wednesday to drive to Portland (!!) and then on to the beach at Manzanita for about a month. It'll be chilly, but beautiful, and everything is relative, isn't it? When you Portlanders have spring and buds and green, we'll still have 5 feet of snow on the ground. But it's also gorgeous in its own way here.
Posted by: Emily Collins | January 25, 2010 at 05:52 PM
Oh the life of a loved dog! Mine was tickled pink today (all 100 lbs of her)because the girls and I were home (we all took a sick day). Noticed you were listening to Billy Bragg, I haven't listened to him since college, you have made me want to dig out my old cd's! Have a great week (and hopefully dry!)
Posted by: Cassie Shella | January 25, 2010 at 05:58 PM
That totally sounds like MY days! Hahahahahaha.
Posted by: Puanani | January 25, 2010 at 05:58 PM
That's so cute and our Chihuahua and Terrier mix are exactly the same, only we have to give the Chihuahua "up-ups" since she's too little to jump up on her own!! Sweet little dogs; aren't they treasures??
Posted by: travelbug | January 25, 2010 at 05:59 PM
Your Corgi's legs must be longer than my Corgi's legs because Fred doesn't launch onto my bed at all! It takes him at least 3 good attempts before he manages to get up on the bed!
Posted by: Aunt Janet | January 25, 2010 at 06:30 PM
I've been listening to Billy Bragg for more than half my life! I A-DORE that troubador.
Posted by: MoniQ in WI | January 25, 2010 at 06:38 PM
LOVE Nena Dinova. LOVE! May I suggest Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions? Through The Devil Softly has become the soundtrack to my life (the CD/Album, not just the song). So dreamy and awesome and perfect.
And at first I read that as "usually the FOG follows me...." Heh. Not sure what that says about where MY head is at right now!
Posted by: Badger | January 25, 2010 at 07:11 PM
she is irresistible! what a cutie.
Posted by: jen | January 25, 2010 at 07:27 PM
And how--yesterday was positively dreary in Stumptown--but it was pretty great weather for working on crafty projects. I sewed up four stylin' arm slings (two of them reversible!) for my 9 year old who broke her arm last week. Next up, a poncho she can wear over her big honkin' cast. : )
Posted by: Amy in PDX | January 25, 2010 at 07:29 PM
Man, this is a tough time of year! Your note and all of the ones before mine are making me feel better, though - I'm not the only one feeling this way! Chicago just had a rainy, thawing weekend, only to be followed today by a new dusting of snow and winds that howl against the windows.
I remember a couple of years ago feeling this same way, and then in March you posted a visit you made to a local nursery that was filled with primroses and other spring blooms (much too early for us to be able to do in Chicago). The colors made me feel so good! I think I'll take a look back!
Am getting a new golden retriever puppy next weekend - hope it makes the doldrums (sp?) of winter go by more quickly!
Laura in Naperville, IL
Posted by: Laura | January 25, 2010 at 07:50 PM
Too cute! I just love Clover Meadow. Give her whatever she wants. Tell I said she could have it. (smile)
Posted by: Judith Norman | January 25, 2010 at 08:12 PM
Alicia, you *must* look to see what my dogs do on days like this...
http://hungarican.blogspot.com/2010/01/shield-your-eyes-this-coul-be-shocking.html
Posted by: The Hungarican Chick | January 25, 2010 at 10:11 PM
Yum. Cozy man, grey days, snuggly dog, mug of coffee...duvet. Sounds good to me. Hope you feel slightly less grey soon (I'm that way too) and that spring starts to incubate in your heart.
Thanks for the music list...I am having lots of fun exploring these songs. You have similar music taste to me.
Posted by: Carlie | January 26, 2010 at 04:53 AM
I add my vote to that sweet faced dog...let's all pile up in the bed and snuggle! I mean, really--what else is there to do on a day like this?!
Posted by: angeljoy | January 26, 2010 at 05:05 AM