Tea, Tiffin and a Greyhound

Yes.  The humidifier does help.

So does having the occasional dog in the house.

Last night I was joined by Chief the Wonderdog.  He drops by every once in a while when he needs a warm place to spend the night.

As a voice teacher - or singing teacher - or chorus teacher - or whatever the heck it was I did in the public school sector - I was amused to discover that I could sing for hours on end, especially in the peculiar counter-tenor range a man needs to use to sing for kids.

So it is ironic that my voice could blow out talking over an Orchard full of people after only two days.

It was easy to have the most interesting imaginary conversations with Chief because I didn't have to say anything out loud - which meant he was also free to answer in an imaginary voice.

Making for a relaxing evening.

The weather has hit a definite warm spot.  Right now, on Sunday evening, it's in the low 50's and all the magnificent snow banks left from last week's Nor'easter have condensed into thick piles of dirty white.

Chief and I walked down to M's apartment to pick up the reading glasses I'd left, last night.  The walks and streets are all damp - and not all are free of ice.

This renders night walking a little risky for both large-boned Cherokees and thin-boned greyhounds.  We both had insecure moments getting around, each doing his business of the evening.

His early days were spent at the racetrack in Boston, where, though large for his size, he was moderately successful.  Recused after a hip injury he was adopted by my very good friend C.

Chief has a very serious approach to life.  Perhaps it comes from his previous background as a professional athlete.  It tends to build a sense of personal discipline and focus.

I have noticed that he takes to a leash very quickly.  C. gives him a different set of rules for his country life, which, given the large dog run and long country lanes to work with, is understandable.

However here in town he needs to work well on a leash - Doctor's Row is bounded on three sides by some of the busiest streets in Portland Town - if he belts across an intersection without thinking he'll get smashed.

He and My Lord Sebastian have about as calm an entente cordiale as can be expected of two such formal animals.  Even though Chief had about 60 pounds and 5 times any dimension on him, Sebastian gave him a swat on the nose during their first meeting and established exact ground rules.

Chief lives with three cats at C.'s house in Windham - I think the dog is pretty much "kitty whipped" there, so being treated with a modicum of respect by Sebastian is an incentive to behave well when visiting.

Off we walk, down the dark, damp streets of Portland, while the sound of dripping snow and hiss of rolling tires paints the night air.

Afterwards I sat, having a cup of tea to soothe my throat, a bowl of beef stew and rice to refresh my body. Chief sat on his doggy doily by the heater, watching me, getting up to put his big head in on my legs (he knew better than to bother my laptop).  Sebastian sat on the sofa arm behind me.

It's a pleasant way to pass time and it makes up for horrors of animals lost in my childhood.  I promise at some point I'll write about it.

For now I have to rest - going back in to the Orchard on Tuesday (unless a panicked call for help comes in - then I'm honor-bound to go, throat or not).

A lot of things will start happening in the next week.  I have to start to get my head around the next year, even as the days grow perceptively lighter.

Chief and I have a lot to talk about.