This is my Zen-like world today. I’ve got the windows open, and Fergus and Sophie are snuggled up with me sleeping off their breakfast.

Have y’all seen the app¹ that sometimes appears in your social media showing a video of rain falling on leaves advising you to do nothing for the 15 seconds of the snippet? I love when it pops up because I really do stop scrolling through the SM feed and just watch and listen for that tiny bit of the day. In the times we live in, we have to look for a little peace wherever it can be found, n’est-ce pas?

This being Day 13 of Cavalier Camp, Summer 2018 Edition, I can report that every single day of the past two weeks has brought me joy, belly laughs (Sophie is such a clown and whip-smart at communicating to this human exactly what she demands to be done), puppy kisses and snuggles, and long walks through the woods. When stress starts to build, whether because the World is going crazy or because I’ve self-imposed too many projects and deadlines on myself, I just step away and play fetch with puppies for awhile. It’s impossible to be frazzled when a silly, little dog is leaping about trying to catch a bouncy ball in her mouth. And, because our day got off to such a peaceful start, I will not look at news today. Instead, we will hang out together in the Snug so I can make more progress on the closing chapters of Winter’s Thaw!

Sophie and Fergus keeping the faith while I write new scenes for Winter’s Thaw

Fergus and I love when Sophie visits, and this has been a delightfully long “camp” because Sophie’s mom has been doing her road warrior schtick. We are really going to miss her when she’s back home. *sniff*

¹ If you don’t have silly little dogs to take you away from your cares and want to download the Calm app, you will get the rain on leaves vid and others that run for around eight hours and more to help with sleep and meditation. If you’re ready for a nap, this is the 8-hr version: