21 November, 2020 - Big Ole Puppy & We’re Thinking About You!

 Dear, Mom -

How are you today? Still pretty tired? Ugh. The weather is gray and so, so foggy. Usually I really like the fog. I’ve noticed when I take Elsa out in it in the early morning or the evening, I can barely see to far ahead of me. Especially, if I am using a head lamp. It is really pretty. It is almost like a minuscule barrage of miniature snow flakes. When we would drive in the falling snow with the head lights of the car shining on the snow, walking in the fog is very similar, only the beads of water are much smaller. I think you get the picture. My most favorite thing is to hear a large ship come by on the Willamette River in the dense fog. They will blow their horn, which is very deep and loud. The sound gets caught in the fog and echoes south down the river a ways. It is a bit haunting, I suppose, but it is also one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. I have always wanted to sample the sound of the horn in the fog and put it in a song. That’s the kind of stuff Holly does in her music. When I was at University of Oregon doing a computer class where we did things like this, I told my instructor that I wanted to take train horns (because they are usually major chords) and write a song with the horns as the base of the structure. I should still do that. Whenever I hear a train horn I wonder to myself why I’ve never tried. There is still time...

My day today was very ordinary. Elsa the dog got up very early, not even 7 am, and started pacing all over the place. I could here hear walk to the other bedroom and her tail wags and knocks on the wood. It was one of those mornings when you wake up and you are in the perfect sleeping position and you feel warm and fuzzy and you definitely don’t want to move. I had to move. She was so restless. In the past, that usually means she is telling us she needs to go to the lou. I got up and geared up and walked her a block and a half to where the road ends. That stinker just wanted to get up and go outside. There was no urgency. I don’t like it when she does that. So we got back and I tried to go back to bed, but she started up again. Walking to the kitchen and back. Pace pace pace. I caved in and fed her and early breakfast. Since I was already up and now unfortunately awake, I decided to take her outside for her morning constitution. We walked for a 45 minutes, she did her business, and we came home. I went back to bed. It’s Saturday. I got nothing going on and I want that feeling of sleeping in the perfect position and being warm and fuzzy back. It worked. I fell back asleep and it was very nice.

Speaking of dogs, look at this “puppy”. I showed you a picture a picture of him a while back, but boy oh boy, has he grown like wild flowers. He is such a soft puppy, too. He is Paula’s new joy and is going to be around 125 lbs or so. He. Will. Be. HUGE! But loveable. And very loyal.

Paula and Watson. He’s a really fuzz ball.

I went to visit Ward for a hot minute with Elsa the dog in tow in the back seat. When I got to his and Kim’s house, I just stayed in the car. He had some episodes of the new Star Trek Discovery for Holly and I to watch. You know Star Trek, Mom. The handsome Captain  Kirk and his Vulcan Number One, Spock. Well, that was the original Star Trek from right before I was born. It has had many lives and many different captains over the last 50 years. This year, it is fantastic. I know Dad would totally love it. I’m pretty sure I get my science fiction nerdiness from him. It’s a badge of honor. Holly and I spent the evening watching 3 episodes back to back. We figured we might as well. Like I said, it’s a Saturday. We have nowhere to go, no one to see...because Governor Brown is trying to keep us all safe by keeping us at home. My only regret is I’m not able to come see you right now, but we will very soon. Things are looking up!

Here is a sample of what the cast of Star Trek look like in 2020.

Mom. I want you to know you have lots of people thinking about you right now. All of them would come to visit, but right now we just aren’t allowed. Kim’s Mom and Dad, Nella and Rick, have a prayer chain that they always mention you in. Bob’s son Philippe says a prayer for you. Holly’s Mom and Dad, Betsy and Doug, are always praying for you. Birgit lights a candle for you, and her daughter Lisa, who lives in Israel, has her 2 rabbis pray for you 3 times a day! Doran and Sue are thinking about you, too. And let’s not forget the Overgaard family! That’s a whole lot of praying there. I think you are covered. We all think and pray for one another until we can see each other again. There will be one heck of a party when that tine comes and it cannot come soon enough.

I will let you rest now. I am sending you all the love I can muster and then some. I have plenty to give you, so if you run out, just let me know and I will send lots more. I want you to know I really miss you and cannot wait to be able to sit with you and hold your hand. I just want to be in the same room with you and talk to you for hours on end. We will take it all one day at a time. Mostly I love that you are my Mom.

❤💛💚💙💜I love you very much, Your Daughter, —-Sal Ann💜💙💚💛❤