I can barely handle the cuteness. Mr. Acorn has learned how to fetch, but seems determined to master it as quickly as possible. He’s got stubborn puppy written all over him – last night, he refused to come inside until I’d chased him around the yard to his heart’s content. Finally, firmly, I told him it was time for bed and grabbed his rope toy. He reluctantly trotted behind me back into the house.

This morning, I caught this picture. He’s lunging for me because I knelt down to take a picture of him chewing and he decided he’d rather jump on me. He’s fantastic.

I did have a moment of realization last night: he might be part German Shepherd. I looked up Labrashepherds or whatever they’re called, and he seems to look quite a bit like some of the black ones. The giant paws, floppy but pointed ears, and white markings seem to fall right into place in that theory so I’m going to stick with it for a while.

***

December is flying by – I must confess I’ve done zero Christmas shopping and even though I know what I’m going to get my mom, I have no idea what to do for anyone else. I remember when I thought that Christmas presents should be frivolous and fun. At one point during my childhood, I declared to myself that I would never give anyone anything necessary, like pots or pans. (I do wish that I’d kept a list of my “When I Grow Up” declarations….I feel as though I’ve deviated from the strict rules my younger self set for adulthood, and even though it’s probably mostly for the better, I do think that some of the more hopeful and optimistic expectations for my adult self would be wonderful reminders.)

I am usually hesitant to embrace holiday seasons for a whole multitude of reasons, but this year, I’ve got a different approach. I’m taking a page out of my brother’s book and I’m trying not to sweat the small stuff. I’m actually not sweating at all. It’s just another day. I’ve got my brother, the boyfriend, the dog, and the cat: my family. (My very grumpy Carlos is still proving to be quite the challenge — the dog(s) in his life are not his favorite thing and as a result, he’s been ignoring me. I miss him.)

We never did get our Christmas tree up – I swear we have one. Maybe. And we definitely didn’t get around to Christmas lights either. Disappointing.