Good morning! The sun is shining. It’s the 5th day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I had to get a few difficult things out of the way before plunking myself down here. Otherwise my day would be lost. As much as Sheba hates getting her ears cleaned, it is a weekly must. We learned the hard and expensive way. A perogy ear (ear hematoma) caused by an ear infection, 5 visits to the vet. clinic and 2 weeks of no sleep taught me well. We are starting the new year off with clean ears!

I’m surprised that I didn’t get sick from all that stress. It was not so much the vet visits and the expense. The nights of no sleep were the hardest. She bore the pain stoically, as all dogs do, and was good during the day. However, as soon as it was bedtime, Sheba was anxious, panting and pacing all night long. There were nights when I had to take her out in the backyard 3 or 4 times. That’s what I had to do even in winter, in the middle of the night. I would put on my fake fur coat, pulled the LED toque over my ears and slip my feet into my boots and out we went. It was a little reprieve. I breathed in the fresh cold air and looked at the darkness around us. It was restful.

I didn’t bother hanging up my coat for those 2 weeks. It hung on the back of the chair in the dining room. I never thought of not doing any of that. There had been many nights when I couldn’t sleep in the past. Sheba would get up and be with me. Her quiet presence was comfort enough. I had to do the same for her. I had to be there to make sure she was safe. I could not let her go bumping and bashing into the furniture with her cone collar. I had to be there outside to supervise so she wouldn’t use the bush to take her collar off. I never once thought of I can’t. I can’t. I’m the little train that can. I could. I could. Chug. Chug. I’m rounding the corner. I’m almost there.

I’m a sucker for stories – children’s, fairtales or whatever, that puts in a bit of sunshine and builds me up. They put a little steam into my engine so that I can pull into the next station. Whatever works is my motto.