Instant Chaos: Just Add Puppy

Jake bounded into our apartment, tail wagging, and was delighted to see that there were already playmates for him to chew on. The cats, however, did not greet him with the same level of enthusiasm. For the first few days they regarded him with dubious curiosity, keeping a safe distance. Slowly Sweet Pea has allowed him to get close enough to feel the power of her clawless paw as it collides with his puppy head. She’s a lot stronger than you would presume. Now he regards the cats with a measure of caution. Ginger isn’t the type to hit, but she isn’t afraid to hiss in Jake’s face if he invades her personal space bubble.

He is still smaller than the cats, but he makes up for it with rambunctious energy. Jake runs around the room, his front paws lifted so high that he has to lift his entire backside off the ground to compensate. He looks like his run is too big for him as he bounds and leaps, eliciting giggles of amusement from the humans and skeptical stares from the felines.

There’s a reason God made all baby creatures cute. Why else would we tolerate their antics with a bemused smile instead of guarding the peace and quiet of our home? The puppy is definitely using his cuteness to his advantage.

I’m not really a dog person, though you may think otherwise after all the puppy pictures I’ve posted on Facebook. The truth is that I’ve always preferred cats. The only reason we are now in possession of a dog is that it brings joy and happiness to my husband’s heart. And I since I love him, I enjoy seeing that little boy grin that spreads over his face every time he holds his puppy. Although I have to admit, Jake’s wormed his way into my affections with his cute little puppy face.

We don’t know exactly what breed Jake is, since his father is completely unknown. But it’s entertaining to note that when Ben holds him, he looks like an average puppy, and when Grace holds him, he looks like a baby beast. But as long as he turns out to be a gentle giant, I guess I’ll waive the weight restriction that was part of my initial agreement with Ben on the selection of a dog. I have a feeling Jake may equal or surpass me once he’s full grown.

And so the peace and tranquility of my home has now been permanently overtaken by the arrival of puppy Jake. Or maybe that happened already when I married Ben… Either way, life is a lot more exciting (and chaotic) than it used to be!

Share the Road

It’s that time of year when the birds are singing, the days are getting longer, and the temperature’s getting warmer. This can mean only one thing: it’s time to pull out the bikes! Road bikes for the week days and mountain bikes for the weekends. Right now my couch-sitting muscles are stronger than my hill-climbing muscles, as my ride over the weekend proved to me. But a few weeks of steady riding and I’ll be back in shape.

If you happen to be driving in Crofton and you spot a giant man and a small woman cycling, please don’t stare, curse, or honk. We know that cyclists can be a source of annoyance for drivers, but if you’ve never tried it, you just can’t understand how much fun it is. Ben and I don’t do it for the exercise, even though it is great for that. We do it for the sake of pure enjoyment. Most days. Some days are about beating my record time, other days are just about finishing. But we always have a good time, and we’ve found it to be a source of bonding in our relationship.

With perhaps a few exceptions. Like the first time I was learning to ride my road bike, which was also the first time I had cycling shoes clipped into the pedals. I had just clipped in and was starting to roll through the parking lot when Ben became lost in thought and drifted in front of me. His rear wheel rubbed my front wheel and took me down. My feet were locked in and all I had to soften my fall was my hip and shoulder. You could say I was a little irritated with him. We laugh about it now.

The clips do come in handy, but you have to remember that your feet have become one with the pedals. At the end of St. Stephen’s Church Road where it runs into Defense Highway, there’s a steep downhill curve that can be a little intimidating for a first time cyclist. As I slowed to a stop, heart pounding, grateful that I hadn’t careened out of control or lost my grip on the brakes, I let out a sigh of relief. Just then, I tipped sideways in slow motion and landed on the same hip and shoulder that I had banged up in the parking lot. This time scraping my knee open and prompting the experienced cyclists that passed to stop and check on me. Despite the blood trickling down my shin, my pride was more badly injured than my knee. I have to admit that it took several such slow motion falls before I remembered to always unclip before stopping.

Ben is not a naturally patient personality, but he was very encouraging and tolerant of me as I learned to cycle. Well, most of the time. I do have a vivid memory of being called “Gear Retarded” because I was having a bad day and struggling to get into the right gear at the right time. But I don’t believe he ever made that mistake again. And I improved drastically after that, out of sheer spite.

But despite a few minor mishaps along the way, we’ve found cycling together to be a great outlet for stress and a great opportunity to grow together as a couple. Ben knows when to be patient if I’m not at my best, and when to push me when he knows I can do more.

Remember when you used to ride your bike with your best friend as a kid? It’s like reliving those moments as we soar over the pavement together.

The House on Happy Lady Lane

We’ve been studying the real estate pages for almost a year. We’ve driven by and walked through a fair number of homes. We prayed for God to make it glaringly obvious where we’re supposed to be, and what house we’re supposed to buy. And He did. So, this summer we’ll be moving into our own home on Happy Lady Lane!

Centreville, Maryland is a little town on the Eastern Shore, about twenty minutes past the Bay Bridge. It boasts the oldest courthouse in continuous use, and one of two 18th century courthouses in Maryland. Population in 2010 was just over 4,000. The middle and high schools both face fields which, although they are now barren, will soon be green with corn.

As you drive into town you pass three immense and beautiful Victorian homes, which also contribute to the town’s ambiance. Ben and I have driven through town numerous times in the last few months, just enjoying the beautiful Victorian and Colonial homes that line the streets. Intermixed of course, with modern homes, such as the one that will soon be ours.

Perhaps at some time in the future we’ll sell this little green house on Happy Lady Lane and buy one of the modest and sweet Victorian homes with their artfully painted exteriors and inviting front porches. But for now we are excited to be the first occupants of a newly constructed home, complete with stainless steel appliances and pristine wood floors.

A small town isn’t for everyone. But we’re excited about the slower pace, about the feeling of community that you feel when you step into the Commerce Street Creamery to buy a sandwich and a piece of Belgian waffle dipped in fudge and everyone is warm and friendly. We’re excited about taking our evening walks with our puppy Jake down streets that offer a quaint and appealing view. From our new home, we can ride our bikes to the water and walk along the banks of the Corsica River and daydream about jet skis and boats.

I’ll have to find a new job once we move, but I’m praying God will provide a way as He has in the past for me to also continue to invest in my dream of having a writing career. This little town, full of history and character, has what Anne of Green Gables would call “scope for the imagination.” And I’m looking forward to tapping into it as I pursue both publishing my current novel and writing another.

For now, this is the chapter in life called “Buying a Home.”