Puppies and Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken...Fueling My Soul After a Grueling Five Weeks

 "Puppy Breath Alert...Puppy Breath Alert"

That's what I heard from the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions Office yesterday. Linnea, one of the administrative assistants, was given a puppy as an early birthday present. I didn't make it down to see her (crunching numbers, doing grants, and fist-fighting with WorkDay), so she brought her fuzz-nugget to come see me.

I instantly fell to the floor and she ran to my lap and tried to fall asleep. They named her Sailor.

MELTED.

Truth be told, I watched the Purina Puppy Bowl for the first time this past Sunday and I quickly got that itch for another fur-bomb in the house. I know that is stupid, because all I do is cuss about Glamis's shedding and neediness, but when you smell a puppy's breath, you simply can't help but wonder, "Hmmm. What if Glamis had a sister or brother?"

Sailor swiped any and all stress away and I was thankful.

Meanwhile, I returned home to take Glamis for a long hike because I simply needed to decompress the day. I try my best to stay productive and with the right mind, and after all the frustration, I simply needed to clear my mind on a walk. I try to live a life without regrets and without resentments. Sometimes that is very hard.

The walk, and then a bowl of Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken made everything alright again. Of course, the puppy started the rebirth in me. And even if the soup looks like something Glamis upchucked on a bedspread (well, she has...hence the analogy), I can assure you it was the warmth I totally needed. And all you anti-carb heads out there can go to another blog. There's nothing better than 'everything' bagels and using them to scrape the remains in the bowl was simply incredible. Delicious.

Okay, Thursday - tis a day of meetings. Truth be told, as part of the anti-regret and anti-resentment, I spent the rest of last night baking for our GSEAP faculty meeting. Sometimes I picture myself in The Matrix and I like to swirl all the negative energy that comes my way and twist it into a ball that can be pushed aside so that more positive energy can enter my universe. So, that's what I did. I baked for others. With all the ubiquitous hate put into fashion these days, I will aim for love. That's the salvation.