A Present of the Present

 

A Present of the Present

 

by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

 

 

Where is that yellow satin ribbon?  I am wrapping this August day in a pretty, sunshine yellow bow.  I am giving myself a present of the present.  I am savouring this summery day, when, at the time of this writing, the temperature is 75 degrees with the unbelievable humidity reading of 38 percent.  (Yes, Alexa gives the humidity–unlike some weather people I know.)  The 2.16 inches of much-needed rain on Monday night cleaned the air, and now a breeze feels most pleasant on this gift-wrapped day.  The flowers and herbs of my container garden are quite content and lovely after the shower and soaking bath that still nourishes them over thirty hours later.  Like August of 2017, the prematurely fallen, dried leaves are dancing on the sidewalk of our inner courtyard.  Do you know the tune to which they are dancing?  “Fall Is Coming.”  Nevertheless, I relish this August splendor.

 

We sometimes speak of a “funny bone.”  Well, I do hope that most people who know me think that I do have a sense of humor and that I am sometimes humorous.  However, I do imagine that most people would say that I have a very well-developed “complaint muscle.”  Yes, complaining about what should be complained about does come quite naturally to me.  Not to worry!  I absolutely refuse to exercise my complaint muscle on such a beautiful day in Milwaukee.  All is mostly right with our world at this moment, as my fourth Leader Dog Willow naps on one of her three beds–the one beside my computer desk.  Being out in the rain on Monday evening made her black hair even softer than usual–actually, it is “rainsoft.”  Willow is my blue ribbon on each and every day:  her especially gentle, highly intelligent, unusually polite, and sweetly affectionate ways help me to treasure the present of the present.  Like my three previous Leader Dogs, Willow is a gift for all seasons, as well as for each day.  I am blessed that she shares this splendid day with me.

 

On this bow-tied day, as Willow and I walk through our neighborhood, we carefully cross four tracks of the streetcar project twice successfully.  Willow hits all of her marks at each new “curbless curb”–that is, she stops at the tactile markings.  The streetcar construction–preparatory work and laying of tracks–that plagued us for almost three years no longer confronts us on our walks, like this one on this 22nd day of August.  However, at one of the city’s parks, some work is being done:  I hear a machine of some sort.  Willow stops.  Despite my suggestions of “Willow, forward.”  She stands her ground and exercises her “intelligent disobedience.”  After repeating the suggestion twice, I know I must trust her decision–her “intelligent disobedience.”  So, we do a U-turn and take a different route.

 

On our walks, my British Black Labrador likes to have a destination; so, we go to one of her favorite places–the bank, the only place where I trained her to “find the button” for opening the door of the high-rise tower.  (Due to a wind tunnel, at times, this door is difficult to open when not using the automatic-door opener.)  After finding the door, I tell her “find the button,” which is placed unusually behind us and to the left on a pillar.  As always, she takes me directly to the button.  I praise her and give her a treat.  After I press the button, we return to and go through the doorway into the almost two-block long lobby.  In the “E-shaped” lobby, she, following my command of “find the bank,” walks confidently on the somewhat slick flooring and guides me directly to the door handle of the bank.  While the teller is greeting us, Willow takes me to the counter.  She waits patiently, as ever.  Next, we visit briefly with someone else at the bank; then, on my command, Willow finds the door to exit the bank.  After going past numerous other doors in the lobby area, Willow leads me to the door which I prefer to exit the linked-double-tower complex.  We head home by a different route and enjoy the lovely weather.

 

At home, for the first day in a long while, we come home to open windows.  A breeze, not air conditioning, refreshes our townhouse.  Due to the clouds of dust and/or construction noise of May and June, as well as the too hot days throughout this summer, this day of being able to have the windows open is another present of this day.

 

In the midst of this lovely day, I realize that so much of my writing is re-visiting the past, treasuring memories, reflecting on yesterdays.  Additionally, so much of life is focused on the future, planning ahead.  For a change, how utterly pleasant to bask in the present of the present.

 

Now, time for playing with Willow while I exercise my brain by listening to DAYTIME JEOPARDY and while a juicy Colorado peach ripens on my kitchen counter.

 

Wishing you many gift-wrapped days of summer!

Alice and Leader Dog Willow

 

August 22, 2018, Wednesday

 

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