Saturday evening

Just so you know, Desie likes to have her things with her.

Here she is in her bed upstairs in my room with the toys she gathered a moment ago: her knitted [and very adorable] mole she usurped from me recently; one of my blue stripped socks she borrowed from the laundry basket in the closet; and one of her many tennis balls that are kept when not in use in a antique wooden carpenter's toolbox in the hallway and which she has free access to. She and I have just come back from a lovely walk on the Fire Trail where she chased pine cones and sticks and had a grand old time. So did I. Today, Desie did not run off what-so-ever. Good girl, Desie. When we got home, I washed the mud off her paws. Dried them, of course. And then gave her dinner and made mine. It is waiting for me downstairs. Desie's carrot treats for her dessert are ready for her too. I am up here at my desk thinking about things. Desie is close by. And I am happy.

Desie brought the mole to me when she visited me in the very early morning on the day of her thievery. To ask permission to jump up and snuggle with me. The little guy had been perched in one of my antique utility boxes by my desk. Desie always brings something with her--a toy, a sock, a tennis ball, whatever she can find in the dark--when she visits me in my bed like this. And I must say, she was [and is] very gentle with this little guy [as she is with her other offerings]. I am not sure why, but I decided to let her keep him. Desie and the little guy look so sweet together.

This knitted mole was a gift from me to one of my granddaughters. I gave a knitted [and a very adorable] rhinoceros to the other one. I can't remember which was which--it was probably two or three years ago--but I got them these little guys because they make a person happy just looking at them. [I give books and sometimes very special stuffed animals to my grandkids on all occasions that call for a gift.] When I visited them last time, I found the mole--unfortunately a bit dusty--squished behind some books in the bookcase in the girls' room. [When I visit my grandkids, I like to gather up some of the books I have given them to make ready for reading time.] I asked about the rhinoceros but they did not know where he was. A bit later, Jordan told me I could take the mole home with me to keep me company.

I like to have my things with me. Just like Desie. And I like to have these things of mine in places where I can keep track of them so I can think about them and appreciate and understand them.