February already

A loose collection of thoughts before I head into the office on this rainy morning:

- People to the north, south, and west of us are being buried in snow. Here, it's just wet, wet, wet.
- There was a time when I'd have been jealous of those in the snowy regions. Now, I think of the people in our city who don't have a warm place to sleep at times like this.
- For the third time this year, canvascommunity is turning its worship space into a warming center where people who normally sleep outdoors can spend the next few nights. Overnight lows this week will dip into the teens and twenties.
- I've written about the warming center elsewhere, for my job. I've also given my time and resources to help. And for the first time in my life, I've gotten to know individuals who are homeless.
- We haven't decided whether we're going to make canvascommunity our church home. But we've been attending every Monday, and have helped serve Communion twice, including last night.
- I can't recall that I've ever seen an adult as happy to receive Holy Communion as Patrick, a 5-foot 2-inch man who lives in a dugout cave near the river.
- Just three days ago, the weather was so sunny and beautiful that The Alpha convinced me to hike up a mountain in a nearby state park. We took the dogs, and many other people we encountered on the trail had brought their four-footed hikers, too. I was impressed with TuesDog. I didn't expect her to have the stamina she displayed. At a couple of points, she actually pulled forward enough to help me in my climb.
- Later that afternoon, The Alpha's parents came over and we completed the dismantling of the 12-foot koi pond in the backyard. With barely any water left in the thing, we still found one last living fish (total rescued fish: 18), and took it over to the pond in my brother's neighborhood.
- Even if it were dry outside today, I wouldn't leave the dogs unsupervised in the backyard. Just after the koi pond demolition, TuesDog took a bite of the muck that once held aquatic plants. We don't want her feasting on such things.
- She has been hiding from the thunder this morning. Thankfully, it seems to have passed, and she's now lying on the floor beside me.
- Angus The Boy seems to be doing well. We were concerned about some weight loss last week, but we adjusted his food and are giving him a spoonful of peanut butter now and then for good measure. He seems healthy otherwise, and isn't due for a checkup for a couple more months.
- Uh-oh, some more distant thunder. There goes TuesDog, just a few steps in the direction of the bedroom closet.
- I spent several hours on Sunday pregnant-lady-sitting Friend Regina, who is on bed rest. Her shower is Sunday, overlapping the Super Duper Name-Trademarked Big Game kickoff. It's the only time we could get her church's parish hall (yes, she will still be on bed rest; we're going to borrow the fainting couch from the church bride's room). I wonder how many women will skip wishing their friend well in favor of watching a bunch of men they don't know run headlong at each other. Hers has been a particularly difficult pregnancy; I'd show up for her anywhere, any time.
- Been hungry a lot lately. Wondering what hole I'm trying to fill with the extra food, but not wondering hard enough to really explore it.
- More thunder. TuesDog went ahead and moved to the closet.
- Now that the rain has picked back up, it's time to make the dogs take one last trip outside before I leave them indoors for the day. Joy. Poor poppies.