What did you do today?

[Nanno]

Today was a wonderful day. I signed up as a volunteer bell ringer for the Salvation Army at our local hardware and grocery stores a few times during the next couple of weeks before Christmas and today was my first day. I spent 2 hours down at the local Ace Hardware with my Salvation Army apron, my Santa hat, my pot, and my bell with little Pongo by my side. It was a snowy day and not a ton of activity down at the hardware, but Pongo delighted everyone who came by and he delighted me most of all. I worked with him during those two hours to teach him to ring the bell. After about an hour and a half of off-and-on clicker training, first to touch the bell handle with his nose, then with his lips, then nibble it, etc. he started figuring out that he had to hold it in his mouth and shake it. It was awesome!

It started snowing in earnest as I was packing up to leave and Pongo and I were both covered in a wet white blanket by the time we got in the truck. It wasn't supposed to start snowing until later in the afternoon, so next time I'm bringing his goat coat if there's any chance of inclement weather! Pongo rode down and back in the front seat of the truck. I put the console down so it could be a bench seat and he lay curled up against me just like when he was little, with his head resting in the crook of my elbow. We took it slow on the slick roads home, listening to Christmas music on the radio and enjoying the hot blast of the heater. When we got home Pongo was basically asleep and I wasn't ready for it to end, so we sat cuddling in the truck for another ten minutes in the driveway and listened to a few more Christmas carols while a perfect Hallmark snow blanketed the truck. Seriously... I haven't seen such perfect snow in years. It was thick and steady with not a breath of wind, and all the flakes looked perfect. Not too icy, not to clumpy, not too wet or too dry. Lucy (A Charlie Brown Christmas) would have approved. What a lovely day! I can't wait till our next outing on Friday!