Obsession

My little one is obsessed with puppies these days. He pretends he's a puppy. He only chooses dog books at the library. He talks incessantly about whether he should be a dog breeder or a trainer when he grows up. His favorite place to go is not the the playground, but the dog park. He's thinking maybe he could have his own dog park when he's a breeder/trainer.

I was somewhat prepared for this, because my oldest son spent his preschool years memorizing the names of NASCAR drivers, learning who the sponsors were for each car (Mommy? What's Budweiser?), and matching the cars to their numbers on the racetrack I drew for him on brown craft paper.

I have to admit, the puppy obsession is more up my alley than NASCAR. I can appreciate oohing and aahing over the pictures of sweet little Spaniels and hounds in the books. I am more than happy to play "vet" with the stuffed animals that crowd my little guy's bed. And when he wants to wear his plush puppy costume out to the store, I don't argue. He'll soon outgrow this phase - too soon, I fear - and the next obsession is sure to be less innocent, less sweet.

In the meantime, it's puppy love.

So long, Tree Top Toys

My local toy store, Tree Top Toys, is closing its doors. The owners are retiring and moving to Costa Rica, so they've got happy days ahead. But I'm sad about the closure, for a few reasons.

First, for purely selfish reasons. I hate going to Toys R Us or Target to buy toys. There's too much (crappy plastic) stuff, they're too far away so I have to face traffic, and if for some reason I have my children with me we all get overwhelmed. It's not fun. Tree Top was right around the corner, had a nice selection of good quality toys for all ages and best of all they gift wrapped! For free!

Second, it's just more evidence of the larger trend of small independent businesses facing extinction. This is a real concern for me, as my husband owns an independent bike shop and it's his salary that puts food on our table, and the tables of his employees. When you spend your money there you aren't lining the pockets of big-time CEOs and corporate shareholders, you're supporting families in your neighborhood.

The experience is just not the same when you have to drive to the mall to shop. I like buying from my neighbors. I like running into people I know at the local bookstore or neighborhood pet supply shop. I like that I can conduct almost all of my business within a 3-mile radius. It's good for the community, it's good for the economy, it's good for the environment and it's good for me.

So next time you drive past a little local independent business on your way to Target or Wal-Mart, think about stopping in. It's something small you can do to keep your community strong.

Sunny day at the dog park

I've been telling my brother and his girlfriend (newcomers to the Pacific Northwest) that just when you can't take another day of rain, the sun comes out and you're reminded how beautiful this corner of the country can be. You go out, and soak it up, and then you're ready to face another 3 months of gray skies and drizzle.

Sunday was that day. We woke up to dazzling sun and clear blue skies. I love that the mountains are more clear in the winter than in the summer, that you can see forever on these days. I swear the whole neighborhood was stepping out into the fresh air, blinking in the light as if we'd all been woken from a long sleep.

My family was no different. I talked the boys (including my husband) into skipping their Cub Scout meeting so we could take Beckett to the dog park. She's just six months old, so this would be her first dog park experience. After all those rainy days, Beckett needed to run as much as we did.

We ventured to Magnuson Park's off-leash area. I had no idea there was so much to it! There were big play areas covered with gravel, long paths, fenced areas just for small dogs, and best of all: a wide swath of lakefront for canine swimmers. Beckett thought she had died and gone to heaven. She kept looking up at me, as if to say "Really? I can run and play too?"

The boys were completely enamored as well. They were thrilled by all the different dogs, and kept pointing out their favorites. They were partial to the little ones - Yorkies, pugs (there were so many! who knew that pugs were so popular?) and a trio of beagles. I was interested in the way Beckett seemed to seek out other Golden Retrievers. Did she somehow know that they were related?

All in all it was an amazing day. By the time we got back to the car, Beckett was exhausted and filthy, as any happy dog ought to be on a sunny day. We couldn't coax her to jump into the car; instead she decided to lie down on pavement and take a little nap right there in the parking lot. A dog's life!

New year, new....

So, I'm a little late with the whole resolution thing. Maybe that should be my first resolution: Stop procrastinating!

Seriously, though, I am back. I have resolved to write more and spend less time thinking about writing, reading about writing, or otherwise finding ways to avoid putting words on paper.

To that end, I'm trying to narrow my focus from life and all its events to those things that are most central to my life right now: my kids, and (of course) my dog. No shortage of material there! The rhythm of my days has so much to do with the small people and animals in my life, it seems only natural to write about them. I promise to keep the poop stories to a minimum.