I didn’t sleep much the night before last – too stirred up by Christmas – so I lay down on the sofa yesterday afternoon in front of a crackling fire. I felt some pressure on my chest and woke up to see this sweet little creature sleeping on my chest.
Zinnia, it turns out, has been a great gift to me. She has already joined Fate in our therapy work, and she and I have connected in a way I didn’t expect from such a young puppy.
You know how it goes, sometimes humans and dogs just click. She is a wonderful Christmas gift for me. I smile every time I see her, and her quiet but steady affection is a wonderful thing to me. I think Red definitely left instructions, she just seems to get it.
Today, we are heading out after lunch to see Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” there is a lot of excitement about this film, I plan to review it. We’re stopping at a Mexican restaurant to get some Tostados.
I am grateful for many things, including the gift of Zinnia.
I also thank you, good people, who have responded to my Christmas Eve request for blog support.
If you missed it over Christmas and wish to contribute to my blog, the engine that drives our work and my life, you can send a donation via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Blog Support, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, at the bottom and top of every blog post.
Blogs, farms, animals and photography are all expensive to maintain, and I will continue to share all of them openly with you along with the workings of my mind. The blog is my great work, my memoir, I am okay with being paid for my work. It took me a long while to get there.
I thank you. For now, I’ve foregone books for the work I am doing with the Army Of Good. This is the most important work of my life, and the work I am called to do. I am doing what I should be doing.
I much appreciate your support, without which none of this would be possible.
I can’t wait to see “Little Women,” Maria and I both teared up just watching the trailer.
It’s probably partly because of the angle of the picture, but Zinnia is starting to look less like a puppy and more like a dog. She’s growing up! Such a sweetie!
Just got home from seeing Little Women. Took my 16-year-old neighbor girl who has never read the book. She cried a lot. I grew up loving the books Little Women, Little Men, and Jo’s Boys 65 years ago. She can’t wait to read the book now. I loved the movie and look forward to reading your review of it.
I think the lady who complained about your very reasonable request for support, based on the amount you spent to acquire a pure-bred dog does not realise the value of said dog! Zinnia is obviously a quite extraordinary creature that has already, at such an incredibly young age, accomplished so much. There is no way to measure the value of bringing cheer to people who are feeling alone in assisted living, for example. It is a joy just reading about Zinnia’s daily activities and accomplishments. She is an absolute treasure! No question, you were meant to be together.