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Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / Argo the wonder dog / Did I forget to mention we live in the Arctic?

Did I forget to mention we live in the Arctic?

January 15, 2010 Filed Under: Argo the wonder dog, life, lists, rochester, weather


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Originally uploaded by AlliesAnswers

Oh, another week of meaning to blog and not quite getting to it, so here’s a pretty picture, and now I’m going to do one of my rundown lists on the events of the past week. :)

  • Last Sunday, J and I grabbed our very underused crampons, and went out to Chimney Bluffs on Lake Ontario to climb around on the ice and pretend to be Arctic explorers. We took tons of pictures on our phones, and if you click on the link above, it should take you to them — if, you know, you’re interested in seeing 60+ pictures of ice. I’ll have to steal J’s camera later and upload some of the ones of me in my sweet bright orange jacket (sale item, but super warm). It was the first time in a long time that we put aside our insane to do lists and just went out to play. It was much needed.
  • Stella was due for her shots and I suspected (correctly) that Argo had an ear infection, so I did what any dog owner who doesn’t think enough before she acts would do, and scheduled an appointment for both of them AT THE SAME TIME. The double lead leash works super well for walks when they are both going in the same direction. Not so much in waiting rooms when Stella wants to hide and Argo wants to cuddle with everyone. When the vet tech was weighing Stella, Argo taught himself how to open the exam room door and let himself back into the waiting room to, presumably, cuddle with everyone. And when the vet came in, Argo got super protective of Stella, so after he got his ears checked out, I had to run him out to the car. I have realized it is not, in fact, easier to take both dogs in at once. Separate appointments from now on, unless J can come and wrangle dogs with me.
  • I got J hooked on Friday Night Lights so I have an excuse to watch all the episodes again. As a result, I have been walking around singing, “Oh, Landry! Well you came and you gave without taking, but I sent you away, oh Landry,” because a. Barry Manilow is awesome, b. it totally fits, doesn’t it? c. Landry is awesome, and d. I’m weird.
  • I launched, Operation Please Stop Making Your Husband Look At You Wearing 15 Year Old Theatre Production T-shirts (or OPSMYHLAYWFYOPT) and bought myself some actual PJs that don’t have holes in them or advertise the most awful, un-diverse production of The Wiz that ever was performed.
  • I faced the fact that online to do list systems don’t work for me, no matter how much I love the idea of being all high tech about organization, and went back to writing things down.
  • I played phone tag with Lady.
  • I took a good, long bath, complete with bath salts, a mass market paperback, and a good glass of wine.
  • I started my days this week with 30 minutes of writing exercises.

What have you been up to this week?

11 Comments

Comments

  1. Kate says

    January 16, 2010 at 12:25 am

    While I may take the cats to the vet together, they have to be taken in one at a time. Sigh. Way too much hissing and launching themselves across the room every time they hear another animal come in.

    Reply
  2. courtney says

    January 16, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    I originally read your Manilow song verse as “Oh Laundry,” and while it made no sense, it made me laugh. On the plus side, I now have a new song to sing whenever I do laundry.

    Reply
  3. Lara says

    January 16, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    Ok – we both read incessantly, like Barry Manilow, and love German Shepherds…are you sure we weren’t separated at birth? :)
    My week was spent dodging plumbing problems at the homefront and trying to figure out how to be a grown-up and still have fun. Not sure I succeeded at either but there is always next week to try again!

    Reply
  4. Noelle says

    January 16, 2010 at 10:07 pm

    I was just wondering if I could ever part with my old theatre shirts, actually… They’re at the bottom of the gym clothes pile, constantly ignored because they’re in the “I only wear XXL” phase of my life.

    OH! And I went to a writing class today! I told them I was inspired by you, and read an unpublished article I wrote. They liked it, but next month I’m going to have to bring in some real fiction, I think.

    Reply
  5. The Modern Gal says

    January 17, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    Hell ya, Barry Manilow is awesome. As is the song Mandy, so I commend you.

    I just worked this week. A lot. Like a whole, whole lot. If you google news my name, you’ll see the evidence.

    Reply
  6. Allie says

    January 17, 2010 at 8:25 pm

    Kate – I can take a dog and the cat to the vet at the same time. The crate helps. But two cats would be really hard.

    Noelle – I’m not getting rid of my theatre t-shirts (don’t have the heart to). I just moved them to a box in the basement. Maybe I’ll make a t-shirt quilt someday.

    MG – You’re not kidding, lady! That’s insane! Go you!

    Reply
  7. Allie says

    January 18, 2010 at 12:20 am

    Oh! And Noelle! Congrats on the writing class! I can’t wait to hear more about it!!!!!

    Reply
  8. Reluctant Blogger says

    January 18, 2010 at 10:05 am

    Reminds me of the time I took two of my children to have shots at the same time. The nurse gave one of them the shot and he screamed and then the other one tried to bite the nurse rather than have his shot. Never again!

    Wow, ice climbing. I’ve never done that. We’ve just got rid of our snow and the world looks very grey again.

    What have I done? I’ve been keeping my head down and working. I’ve felt glum so I reasoned that at least if I worked, when I come out the other side and feel jolly, at least I won’t have to wreck my happiness with piles of work to do!

    Oh and don’t mention wine – I am exactly halfway through my 31 days of alcohol-free living. Perhaps that is why I am glum???

    Reply
  9. Willow says

    January 18, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    This week, well, let’s see. Last night, we watched the most recent Harry Potter movie on Netflix while I spun some superwash wool. I’m starting today with a VERY slow morning because I don’t have to be out early. Watching the raindrops drop, I am sipping a second hubby made latte. In a few minutes, I’m off to do several hours of prep work at my boss’s house.

    I have a question for you–since you’re Canadian, right? Did you learn to write using IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) methods?

    Reply
  10. Allie says

    January 21, 2010 at 11:24 pm

    Lara, we may actually be. You have curly hair too, right? If you figure out the whole grown up/fun thing, can you let me know?

    RB – Our snow melted this week and it’s got me kind of down too. I don’t love the snow necessarily, but if it’s going to be cold anyway, I’d rather the ground be clean and bright instead of muddy. Hope you feel better soon – I like your plan of working so your work is done when you feel better!

    Willow – I LOVE that your husband makes you lattes – that is so sweet. I’m not actually Canadian. We’re in Rochester, NY – only about 2 hours from Toronto, but I actually haven’t heard about IEW methods (although, now I’m interested to find out).

    Reply
  11. A Free Man says

    January 26, 2010 at 10:50 pm

    I love, love, love Friday Night Lights. Although I’m a Tim Riggins guy through and through, can just relate to a life of bad decisions!

    Reply

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Internationally bestselling author of STAY, WHY CAN'T I BE YOU and SWIMMING FOR SUNLIGHT. THE PEOPLE WE KEEP coming from @gallerybooks on 8/3/2021

Allison Larkin
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Back at it, because I knew the longer I waited the Back at it, because I knew the longer I waited the harder it would be to get back at it. Sticking to wide trails with good visibility during wild boar piglet season. #trailrunning
A few days ago, I took this photo of turkeys while A few days ago, I took this photo of turkeys while I was out on a run, marveling at how wild animals do not seem to mind when they see me. Once, I almost bumped into a deer, the way a couple might meet-cute in a rom com. We just didn’t see each other. I’ve always thought it was a fun little quirk. Not even bunnies are afraid of me. But this afternoon on my run, I came up over a hill and was suddenly within fifteen feet of a wild boar. Thankfully, a year or two ago I got curious about the big traps that show up trailside around the bay, looked them up and learned about how fast, ruthlessly aggressive, and unpredictable a wild boar can be. Otherwise, I might have (stupidly) thought I was in the middle of another one of my Snow White moments and been all “Hello there, Mr. Pig! Look at you!” believing that I could quietly observe in wonder. Instead, I knew this was a bad situation. The boar grunted and moved to the center of the trail. It felt very ‘You shall not pass!’ But I did not want to pass. I wanted to get away. I backed slowly for a few moments and then turned and ran faster than I ever have in my whole life. I’ve since learned that there’s no way that boar chased me, because there’s no chance of outrunning a boar (climb a tree if you can). But I know that boar saw me and also wasn’t happy about the surprise, and I had a moment, racing back over the hills I’d just run — not daring to look behind me more than once or twice in fear I’d lose my footing — when I truly did not know what would happen. I’ve been in scary situations, but they were a different kind of scary. I don’t think I’ve ever flat out run for my life before, but that’s truly what I thought I was doing. Right now I am still full of adrenaline and also exhausted and so so thankful to be okay.
My lemon is a happy fox. #fruitfaces My lemon is a happy fox. #fruitfaces
I think there’s something about getting older an I think there’s something about getting older and reaching back to the core of who you are. I’ve always been at my happiest when I’m up in a tree.
Portrait of the bestest girl. Stella may be slowin Portrait of the bestest girl. Stella may be slowing down, but she’s still exceptionally curious. #dailystelladog #germanshepherd
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