November 16, 2016

White Dog said, "Do what works for you, Momma. Don't get dazzled by technology with its alerts and beeps and bells and whistles. There is nothing wrong with handwritten notes and circles on a paper calendar." She was chiding me for my attempt to "go electronic" with scheduling the events and moments in our lives. It does not come naturally to me but I had recently questioned whether I was clinging to "old ways" and was embarrassed when everyone at a meeting took out their phones or tablets to check dates and I flipped to the calendar in my spiral notepad.

So I vowed that November would be my plunge into the modern age, a rejection of Ludditism.

And it was a miserable failure.

My YoYoMa turned twelve on the 1st; My Tiny Dancer, Bella, celebrated her third Gotcha Day the same day. I missed them both. Did not even think of it...until last night at bedtime. I rushed to check my White Dog Army notebook of important dates. Yep. totally blew it; let my babies be forgotten.

I checked the electronic calendar on my desktop. Both items were there but I had not flagged them to beep or jingle to alert me at a particular time. So I was notified at 12:01am on the 1st. Lot of help that was.

The White Dog Army was a bit bedazzled at the idea of a bacon breakfast treat, especially midweek and a work day. YoYoMa did not ask any questions when he plunged his snout into the extra creamy coffee this morning. Bella danced as she usually does but was surprised by actually winning a chunk of toast with jam.

I held both extra long during "Good Mornings" and begged to be forgiven for my failed memory. Their forgiveness was gracious in coming and lavished even more when White Dog announced that tonight we would have a true White Dog Army celebration...gyros and cucumbers with honey cookies to cap things off.

Baking the meat and chopping up cucumbers divided the numbers of the supervisors into two camps and when Steve served warm toasty pieces of pita bread covered in strips of lamb gyros and cucumbers topped with a dollop of yogurt. I felt truly as if they understood..

But White Dog is right. I am going back to what works for me...ink on paper for this old-fashioned girl.