Headed to California tomorrow to visit my daughter. While I’m there we will be hike in Yosemite, walking the on the beach and do a firewalk, to name a few of the things. I will be writing a story for two Winter Solstice celebrations in the sunshine. More later I still have to pack.
Wednesday was the day to all the precooking. Two fresh pumpkin pies, a loaf of cranberry bread, fudge- some to share on Thanksgiving and the rest to take to my daughter in California, peal the onions for creamed onions and potatoes for mashed potatoes and the last thing that night cut up celery, parsley and onions for the stuffing.
Thursday- rise and shine to stuff a turkey, put it into the oven and off to exercise class, home, shower, set up for nine for dinner. Walk the dogs. Company arrived by 11:30 AM, my son and his wife, my mother and her husband, my sister and her oldest daughter and my brother who lives here makes his appearance. Everyone has a dish to share as they enter the house, minus one green bean casserole that ended up in my sister driveway instead of the table. O’ well we have plenty to eat.
In our house, we don’t eat desert till after dinner, instead it is time for walk and playing games. Only two watch football on TV otherwise know in this house as taking a nap. The rest of us are playing a card game “Up and Down the River†I lost by one point. Desert and coffee served by 4:30 PM and everyone except my kids are gone soon after that.
Friday- Thanksgiving continues as we have brunch. My mother and stepfather return, as does my sister minus one daughter who drove back to Philadelphia to work. My oldest brother is working but his wife and son come over. My other brother arrives with his wife and three kids. Let the cooking begin, eggs, French toast, pastry and fruit. Afterwards family quiz time, I asked my nieces, nephews and son questions to see how well they know their family history. There are ten cousins, only the four youngest and my son who is the second oldest were there. It is a great way to start conversations and to tell family stories. We laughed and marveled at all that was spoken.
By noon my brother with his family of five goes back to New Hampshire, my brother’s wife goes home, and her son walks with us in the campground. After the walk everyone leaves except my son and his wife. They are busy washing their clothes and getting ready to stop at his high school reunion before going home to the Burlington area.
After everyone left that day, I find myself in the living room reading a book, then falling asleep and waking up to two cats sitting on top of me, two in chairs nearby and the dogs just woken up staring at me. “It’s time to eat.†They tell me.
Thanksgiving is a holiday that I can wrap my mind around. It is a holiday that doesn’t go overboard being commercialized. It is a day to say Thank-you to all of those you care for. A day to share memories, stories and gratitude with family and friends, a day to be grateful for what and who you have in your life, and a day to express your love. Giving thanks is something I do everyday.
Monday, I had a meeting in Bennington for Second Chance Animal Center at the library. I had to take a left onto Main Street to get to the library, only it was closed. Along the sidewalk every foot were brown paper bags with white lights inside. These lights lined each side of the street. People were walking in groups to find a place to stand. It hit me then that the Bennington Chamber was having a parade to send the chosen Christmas tree to Washington’s Capital. One of the board members commented “A parade for a dead tree!†“No, I said a parade to show respect for a breathtaking tree spirit.†And as several trees passed by the window on their way to different Veterans Hospital I said thank-you to each and every tree spirit. As I ran in my front door that night I was in a hurry to get ready for a phone conference. I looked up and saw my Great Dane Elera standing on the steps. I quizzically asked her “What’s wrong?†I heard her say “I don’t feel good.†Taking a closer look I walked over to her and started massaging her legs. I had a feeling that she had Lyme Disease again. Tuesday- 6 AM exercise- spinning 7:45 AM feed my animals, shower, call veterinarian to get Elera tested for Lyme disease and feed self 9:15 AM hair cut 11 AM home to walk dogs and eat lunch 12:45 prepare for conference phone call with client 1 PM conference call on a cat that has passed over 1:30 PM prepare for conference phone call with client 2 PM conference call on a dog who is a the end of life preparing to pass over 3 PM load up dogs and head for veterinarian’s office. The veterinarian checked out Elera’s heart, lungs, gums, temperature. As he takes her blood to test it he says she’s in good shape. What makes me think something is wrong with her? Is she growling at you? Is she moody? This is not my regular veterinarian. I said “I’m an animal communicator and she said she wasn’t feeling well.†No comment. I could tell he expected nothing to be wrong with her. As I waited for the blood results I heard him say to the vet tech. “The test was negative?†She replied I just ran it I don’t know yet. A few minutes later, the vet tech came out to wait with me till the results came in. The test turned out to be positive. I was glad to know that my intuitive connection with my dog was validated by the test results. I was not happy to know that she had Lyme disease again. First round antibiotics, then herb protocol as a follow up to make sure its gone. 9:45 PM day is done
Many people have a hard time sitting still empting their minds to meditate. So it’s not so surprising to have someone ask “How is it you can sit and not be distracted? Unlike meditation you are not sitting still emptying your mind. In a journey, you are actively involved with spirit guides and power animals.
I use all of my senses when doing a journey. I never know what I might see, hear, smell, touch or on very rare occasion taste. I keep alert to the way that an animal reacts to questions or situations in their life.
Even though I an in an altered state I have to be mindful of sudden noises around me. It is rare but the phone can ring. The initial ring sends waves of shock through my system. I then freeze in the journey, I have trained myself to hold that space while the sound of the ringing phone flows right through me. When it stops I continue my journey. You may ask why don’t you unplug the phone or cover it with a pillow. I have, only I don’t always remember to put things back to the way they were when I’m done.
My dogs usually join me during the times that I journey. They find a dog bed or a spot on the floor to sleep. This week I journeyed to a horse that had passed over. I was just asking the horse about its death. The horse was showing me a picture of a barn/ stall area, when suddenly my dogs jumped up and started barking. It was the kind of bark that says “Danger, Danger!†they took off running downstairs. This is very usual for the girls to act this way. I was looking at the horse’s face when the alarm was sounded, I held that space as if captured in a photo. The noise of the barking faded away and I heard the horse say “…. then I died.â€
The distress that my dogs voiced during the exchange with the horse I knew had to do with the horse’s death. I didn’t understand all the pieces that I had, yet. I was hoping the phone conference with the owner would clear things up.
The night the owner and I talked, I asked if the passing of the horse was unexpected. Yes, she replied. I explained that during the journey my dogs set off barking alarmingly through the house. My gut feeling said that this is what happened in the barn that day with her horse. An alarm was raised and before anyone knew what was or had happened the horse passed on.
She told me that the horse had developed colic and died very quickly. She was saddened by the fact that she was not with her horse at the time of the passing. I assured her that her horse knew that it was its time to pass on and knew that she was loved.
This is one example of how I pay attention to what is happening in non reality, the journey and what is happening in reality, my environment. All of life is connected we just need to be aware when the messages come to us.
My own pets show signs of slowing down and taking life easier. The dogs no longer want to hang outside in a sunny spot for very long. In fact, Elera much rather cuddle up to the fire as close as she possibly can. My three male outside cats, who all summer long, only come in to eat and ask for affection in the evening hours are suddenly inside cats. Even the mice look for a warm place with plenty to eat for the winter.
I can feel myself slowing down as the outside world has less and less hours of daylight. In these dark cool mornings I just want to embrace the warmth of my bed. Five out of seven days a week I am up early to exercise. On the weekends, I enjoy the thought of sleeping late. The animals were just getting the idea that we didn’t have to get up on these dark mornings. Then Daylight Savings happened.
Laying in bed I can hear the sounds of Flip and his uneven gait coming down the hall. He pulls himself up the bed covers and launches himself so that he lands on my chest. “Are you awake?” Squirt joins him near my head, not totally convinced I’m awake yet, he reaches out his paw to touch my nose. Of course the dogs are now cued into the fact that its time to get me up. Elera comes to my side of the bed and plants her lips on my mouth, tickling my nose with her whiskers. The sudden surprise of the morning kiss startles my eyes open. Malloki stand on the opposite side of the bed talking to me. She has a voice and language that sounds like a wookiee from Star Wars. Elera not satisfied with my non movement places her head under the blankets and starts flipping them up and off me.
“OK! OK! I give up!” Turning back the clocks does not mean that I will get an hour more of sleep.