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  Do we have any Mastodon friends in or near Spokane who could recommend a store that would deliver a new mattress and take away the old one? I need to buy one as a housewarming gift.

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  I realized today that all the good news didn't make me less tired. Literally years of dealing with a flood of negative crazy hateful stuff coming at us at breakneck speed every single day takes a toll. The new reasons for hope are great but it's going to take a minute to adjust. Summer says that she understands. I thank her because being close to her brings my blood pressure down and my hopes up. Her limitless capacity for joy and love helps everything that ails me. She gives me the...

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  Last night's election results were hard to believe. We are so used to disappointment followed by despair. I actually woke up in the middle of the night and had to look again to be sure the blue tsunami was real. It was. This morning Summer wanted to sit on our deck and ponder. She looks towards the ocean but she can't see the wave. I told her that it is one of those things that you feel in your heart and soul not see with your eyes. She asked me what's next? I asked back what she...

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  My postcards might have helped. It is time to shed some happy tears over a bowl of ice cream.

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  What's wrong with this picture? Summer thinks I won't notice that she pilfered one of my socks. She finds comfort in holding a forbidden sock. With all of the angst and unrealized, so far, hope in our corner of the universe today I will choose to allow her this small comfort. She never chews them up. Today seems like a good day to let her hold my sock as her touchstone just like I hold her as mine. We are so thankful to hear that her happiness is contagious and touches others. It...

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  I took way too many pictures of Summer at the beach today. It was windy. She retrieved my hat several times. The sun was intermittent. What a joy to spend an hour on the beach with a happy dog. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  Summer is a little nervous about it being election day. She is already asking for results. I told her not yet. She says she is staying under the table until we know. I said that I would start cooking breakfast anyway. Just in case. Low and behold she changed her mind to check out the tantalizing aroma. We will know when we know. Fingers crossed. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  These two have a special way of communicating. They make funny noises. Trade kisses and cuddles. Summer was only eight pounds the first time she sat on our laps. Now she is a perfect seventy six pounds. Are there lap dog weight limits? Summer says not. She is very smart and knows lots of things so we know she must be right. She also knows when my husband can handle a few minutes of in lap cuddles and is super careful. A great way to finish a great day. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  Early morning for all of us. My husband had to be at the hospital for a scan so we had to get a move on. After the scan we had to do a quick turn around to get him to the dentist an hour away. As few things go as planned... The person doing his scan screwed up his ileostomy bag so a frantic drive home to clean up and make repairs before the dentist happened. Yikes. But back to the start of our day. Summer and I opened the front door to dark clouds. She insists on wandering the entire proper...

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  After all the appointments we decided to get some outside time. The weather was perfect and Summer said that she would lead the way. It is always fun to adventure together. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  More Summer beach adventure from this afternoon. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  There were a gazillion brown pelicans and seagulls on the beach. We watched them come and go. Whole families of birds. Aunts, uncles and cousins. #Birds

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  Tomorrow all of the windows in our house will be replaced. Today I am shuffling furniture, medical supplies and anything else in the way. Baking cookies for the contractor and workers. No time for tooting. Take good care Mastodon friends. Happy Wednesday.

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  Lots got done today. We are almost ready for new window installation tomorrow. Cookies were baked for the work crew. The windows will be the last planned improvement at our house this year. Next year we will work on more accessible bathrooms. I told Summer that I'm allowing myself to feel hopeful. Way better feeling than the opposite. I figure why not? There are positive signs that people might be tiring of the current US political leaders. I am wondering if I should plan to be st...

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  I had business to attend to this morning so it looked like Summer's birthday adventure might have to wait until tomorrow. All of the sudden opportunity knocked. We quick grabbed our backpack and drove towards the break in the weather that seemed to have stopped right over our favorite beach. Summer was so, so happy. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  My sister sent me a packet of family photos today. I have been looking for a particular photo of my mother that was taken when she was working for the Howard family at Ridgewood Ranch. She also worked for the famous author Jessmyn West. I don't know what happened to her set of autographed books. The missing photo was of her sitting on Seabisquit. So far I haven't been able to find which family member ended up with the framed keepsake. It is probably lost. After she left Indian Boardi...

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  Today I tried to explain Mastodon to Summer's vet. I told her that Summer has friends all over the world. The vet asked what she does that is special. I said that I'm not sure that she does anything more special than other happy dogs. I said that we share photos of her doing everyday dog stuff. Usually she is smiling though. She asked if Summer's friends know how sweet and soft she is. Extremely huggable. If they didn't know this fact before they do now. The three of us wat...

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  I took this photo through a double pane glass door. The only way the hawk would pose for me. A sure sign that the seasons have shifted and are barreling towards winter are the birds who share our hillside. The birds of prey are back to haunt our fenceposts and stalk our resident covey of quail. The geese that honk their way over the house, in formation, on the regular. The flickers who tap on the house to pester Summer. I'm glad they feel welcome here. #BackyardBirds

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  Summer's beach adventure today. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  Yesterday I responded to Indigenous Peoples Day by sharing some of my family's history. I have one more story for you. My mother was born Wailaki and lived on the Round Valley Reservation. At least seven families lived on the ranch. Three generations of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. My mother always said that while the country was starving during the depression they had ample game to hunt, fish in the Eel River and a massive garden. But when she was sent to Indian Boarding Scho...

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  I am an indigenous person. My mother called us Indians. So did my classmates. In the pecking order that existed at my elementary school that fact put me squarely at the bottom until the first black people came to our school. At that point I shared the bottom of the order. Being Indian was lower than being a poor white person. Meet my grandmother. She was sent to Carlisle Indian Boarding School with her siblings. They were all tough as nails. She didn't stray far from the reservation a...

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  Summer was surprised when I started packing an adventure backpack. The fog was so thick you couldn't see much of anything. Exercise is the point so away we went. We couldn't see the ocean while we were standing on the beach. Stick throwing and retrieving happened anyway. Fun was had. Good morning Mastodon. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  So my daughter has dahlia growing skills. She was picking flowers in her garden today. #BloomScrolling #Dahlias

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  Summer brings her pal his slippers. Nothing makes her happier than being helpful. After she brings the slippers she slides right in to supervise the putting them on part. #Summer

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  Summer wanted a laugh. We all cuddled up together on the sofa to watch the Jimmy Kimmel monologues from last week. She loves a good Natalie Harp joke. We are on a mission to have fun. Summer is egging us on. She says go for it. This week will be the eat our favorite foods, go to the beach whenever we want and binge television that tickles our funny bone. Not to say that we won't take care of business but only if it doesn't interfere with the festivities. Hope your party is as fun a...

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  The moon barely seen through the clouds.

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  The last of our beach adventure photos. This was way more fun than staying home and doing housework. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon

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  The media reminds us daily that the bad guys are running amok. Destroying everything in their path as they increase their access to power and wealth with no consideration for anyone outside of their class. It is a sad state of affairs. Yet those of us who live in the real world class have to figure out how to make the best of what they leave for us. We are not alone in this mess. I met some new people on the phone and in person today who seemed like they understand that we are all trying to g...

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  I spent some time lodging complaints about the lab that gave us bogus water test results. In the process I found out that they have had their certification suspended multiple times. I talked to the head of our county environmental protection department, my State Assembly person, my county supervisor and the CA State Water Board. I also lodged a claim for a refund of the test kits through our credit card. After that it was time for some fun on this beautiful day. A quick vote on where to go and...

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  Summer is such a helper. When nobody has time to take her for a walk she says no matter I'll do it myself. Away with the formalities and right to the exercise part. There's nothing Summer won't do to lighten the load on everyone else. I asked how her walk went. She said perfect. #Summer #DogsOfMastodon