ROUTINES and CHANGE

Being in this Sanctuary, I tried to keep up my routines - WAKE up and walk under the stars, followed by YOGA and BREATHING exercises, followed by BREAKFAST and writing in my journal. This is my preferred way to start the day. At home, with only WSM Noah and my three MEOWS, this is easy.

Here, I had to ADAPT and CHANGE and BE FLEXIBLE.

LITTLE MAN and SCOOBY came first. And they are not early risers. They made it clear that walking at 5:30 a.m. was a ridiculous idea, especially when I could stay cuddled under the blankets and squished between them in the bed. All that wonderful DOG-GOD energy. Just couldn't say NO. So, we slept in until almost 6:15 a.m. and then I threw on some clothes and we went for our morning stretch and pee and WALK as the sky was changing colors from dark blue to purple to pink. And SPOT came to meet us and saunter along behind us.

And then after the walk, I had maintenance - washing all the bowls and putting fresh food and clean water. And then letting the birds out so I could clean their cage and change their food and water bowls. And then the dogs want to go out again. LITTLE MAN has a ball in his mouth. Time to play FETCH. New routines and new ways of being. And finally, we join the birds outside on the patio for some yoga.

Now, I have three MEOWS at home. And while they love to be with me, they do not necessarily need to have physical contact to be with me. Not so with the dogs. LITTLE MAN is a lap dog - loves to be nestled in your lap and giving off his heat. And so is SCOOBY. For me, Yoga became an exercise in stretching and bending around their bodies. It gave me more focus and clarity while attempting my moves.














And in order to become friendly with the birds, I needed to be still and DO NO THING. Just sit and BE so that LEO and CLEO could be comfortable with me & my presence and check me out. Which is what CLEO eventually did - she landed on the back of my chair and proceeded to feel safe enough to watch me as she balanced on one foot and cleaned the other. LEO rewarded me by singing a melody - a tune I once knew that resonated with my heart.