GET FELTED: Day 49

Laura's Ralph and Foo Foo
Originally uploaded by sockhoppers.

***GUEST PET: Meet Laura's heroic Ralph and Baby Bunny Foo Foo.

I'm going to let Laura tell you about them: "Ralph, the 80-pound English Shepherd, meets Baby Bunny Foo Foo. Ralph's the alpha dog on the farm, the valiant protector of all who dwell here. He's
sweet, bossy, loving, gentle, and fierce. He looks after me while I look
after the cattle, and he's trained to stand firm and help me to my feet when I slip on the ice. This dog has walked through fire for me, literally. He stayed by my side for hours during the wildfires last winter that swept across three farms here, and at one point he stepped through a wall of flaming weeds to catch up with me as I hurried to rake dry, smoldering leaves away from the edge of the woods. In the wee hours before dawn, after the firefighters were long gone, he patroled the blackened land and barked a warning when the wind whipped up sparks in hot spots. Then he led me to them so I could douse the coals with buckets of water. He'll stand watch at
an open gate while I sort stock or guard ducklings while they splash in the kiddie pool. As a pup, he was a willing, but clumsy doofus, but he's matured into a fine working partner."

This is one of the many reasons why I think I like animals better than people. I'd vote for Ralph for President.***

So much for yesterday's knitting plans. I managed an inch on some wristwarmers and got a running start on a Christmas red felted bowl before my good intentions slammed up against (here's that word again) reality. That's it. I admit defeat. I am not going to accomplish all that I hoped to accomplish before Christmas. Actually I'm not even sure I'll manage to clean the house or bake cookies. I am drowning in unfinished projects, deadlines, and pressure (both internal and external) and it's time to stop, take a deep breath, and re-evaluate.

That, at least, is the plan.