This morning when I got up, I realized my dog had not slept with me as he usually does. I heard him walking around about 6:45 am looking for me. Calling out to him didn’t help because he is hard of hearing so I got up to let him outside. By the time I got to the living room, it was too late. He had gone to his usual “wee-wee” place in front of the TV and did his thing. How could he do that? He knew I had gone to bed and left the light on so he could see to climb up his steps to the bed. Why did he openly do his thing on the carpet?
Hank may not be able to hear or see very well, but he is aware of changes in his routine. Last night, he watched me while I wrapped presents in the kitchen until 10:00 pm. He watched as I typed up instructions for his sitter. When I talked with his sitter on the phone, he began to withdraw. He knew something was going on that involved him and he didn’t want any part of it.
The trip to the sitter will be a little hard for Hank because he gets so nervous. I have to drive on the freeway for quite awhile, which means this usually easy going little white dog is anxiously having a “hissy fit” for 20 miles, until the exit in West Allis. Then I have to put him on a leash and let him walk around and relieve himself. What a drive!
As you can see, this little 14 year old dog is may be old and infirm,but he is as smart as a whip. He fights me all the way there, but when he gets to his sitter’s house, Kathi always makes him feel welcome. Hank always has other dogs to play with. And besides, he’s only going to be there two nights and one day. The last couple of times he went to Kathi’s, he had to stay three weeks each time. I tried to explain to him that it won’t be so bad, but he’s not convinced.
I feel bad about leaving him with a sitter, but I’m glad there will be someone there to give him his medicine and let him outside to do his thing. At least he won’t be alone. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to have a great time.
On the way to Kathi’s, I’m going to tell him the story of Christmas. I’m going to tell him how Joseph and Mary were getting ready for their trip to Bethlehem. Every so often, the Romans required everyone to travel to the place of their birth and be counted. In other words, Joseph and Mary had to participate in a census, just like we do every so often. Joseph was concerned for Mary as she was with child, so he wanted to make the trip as easy for her as possible.
When they got to Bethlehem, Joseph went to a hotel to get a room for himself and Mary. Every room in the hotel was full. Joseph heard the same story from every hotel owner in Bethlehem, “There are no rooms available here.” Joseph asked the last hotel owner if there was some other type of shelter available, because his wife was with child and needed a place to rest. The hotel owner told Joseph that he and Mary could stay in the stable behind the hotel with the animals.
Joseph led his donkey around to the rear of the hotel and helped Mary off. She was weary from the trip. Joseph rearranged the hay to provide a comfortable area for Mary to rest. Mary rested for awhile and then realized that it was time for her baby to be born. Joseph found a manger and filled it with hay. He also found a few pieces of material to wrap the baby in.
Mary did not have any discomfort when she gave birth to her baby. She and Joseph wrapped their baby in the material as warmly as they could and laid the baby boy in the manger. As she had been instructed, she named her newborn baby boy “Jesus.”
As soon as Jesus came into the world, a very bright star shown in the sky. The Bible says it shown in the East. Shepherds saw the star and brought their sheep in it’s direction. When they reached the stable and saw Joseph and Mary as she held Jesus in her arms, they lay face down and welcomed Jesus into the world.
The shepherds weren’t the only people who had seen the star and traveled toward it. Three king from the Orient saw the star and traveled far to bring gifts to Jesus. They brought gold, incense, and myrrh and set these gifts before Jesus. They felt that the beautiful bright star belonged to a king, so as each king presented his gift to Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus, he knelt in homage.
The three kings started the tradition of gift-giving as they each brought Jesus a gift. That is why we give gifts to our loved ones and people we are close to.
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. If you are traveling, please be careful if the streets are slippery. And for heaven’s sake, please don’t drink and drive. Be safe, and I’ll see you on Saturday. As I said yesterday, there will not be an article tomorrow, on Christmas, as I will be out of town. Take care, and God Bless every one, and thank you so much for reading my blog.
