“No problem. I can do that. Wow, thanks Nate.” Like I said, Nate is starting to grow on me.
We went outside and I showed them where the goats, chickens, and dogs live from where we stood in the driveway. We grabbed some of my things I’d asked Liv to bring and set them inside the house, and I could tell they were ready to go. Liv gave me a hug and told me to come back to their place anytime I needed to (Nate nodded agreement) and to keep the key, regardless. The wind started to pick up, so they got in their car and left, Liv waving furiously as they turned around and drove away.
Once they were gone, I went inside and sat on the couch, and it hit me. Now I don’t just stay here, I live here.
February 3, 2013
I woke up at 8:02 a.m. to a knock at the door. I took a look at my UW sweatpants and Pixie’s t-shirt and thought that whoever knocks at this time of morning should have low expectations. I opened the front door, and…
There. Stood. Jodie. From the library.
She was catching her breath and grinning the way girls do in cold weather. She had a snow shovel balanced on her shoulder.
“Hey, did you know it snowed like a foot last night?” I shook my head no. Then I looked past her to the driveway. It was covered in a smooth layer of the white stuff, other than a set of deep boot prints that led from the road to my porch.
“My dad is clearing Sheila’s driveway with his tractor. Do you want him to get yours, too?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” I was still surprised to see her. I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door.
“How did you know I live here?”
“I knew your dad… and I take care of Sheila’s horses. Derp.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I’m still asleep.” I am so stupid.
“Sorry.”
“No, no, I appreciate your help.” I stood there shivering with my arms crossed tightly, my teeth about to start chattering any second.
“Okay, well, he’ll clear your driveway when he’s done with Sheila’s. If you want, I could come back and help you shovel some paths so you can get to things.”
“Oh, that’d be great! Do you want me to help with the horses?”
“No, I got it. I’ll see you in a few.”
With that, she turned and headed back up my driveway.
February 3, 2013 (continued)
I crammed down a pop-tart (organic and gluten free from the Co-op), and got dressed and ready for snow shoveling by the time Jodie and her dad, Russ, showed up. Russ was a broad-shouldered, easy-going guy, who greeted me with a big, warm smile. He was happy to clear the driveway out, and he and his tractor made short work of it before heading down the road, towards Elliot’s place, I assumed. That left me and Jodie to shovel out paths to the goats, chickens, and dogs. I’m no stranger to snow, having been to Snoqualmie Pass more than a few times in the last four years, but I think I have only actually shoveled snow once in my whole life. And that was a sidewalk. It’s a lot different shoveling over gravel and grassy areas, since the blade doesn’t have a flat, hard surface to work against. I have to give Jodie credit, because not only did she shovel circles around me, she lined out all the paths, showed me how to clear the gates, and did not get all condescending over my ineptitude.
When we got out to the kennel, the dogs were yelping like the hounds of hell, like someone’s leg was in a trap. I had to fight Pippin and Bruno to get the snow off the gate just to open it. We went inside and gave them all snacks, then shoveled snow out of the run part and where it had drifted into their shed, so they could get around easier. I tried to scoop up some poo, but it was frozen to the ground and didn’t want to budge. I got out a little digging tool and finally got the pile and a good chunk of earth lifted out and put in a bag.
“The glamorous side of pet ownership,” Jodie said. She scratched Lucy behind the ears and checked out the kennel.
“Well, it’s better than the alternative,” I said. I turned to put my treasure into the trash can and suddenly felt my feet slide out from under me and my butt make hard contact with the ground. The poo bag left my hand, flew over my head, and landed at Jodie’s feet.
“Score!” She yelled, causing the dogs to get excited again.
“Sorry.” I wanted to turn red with embarrassment, but I joined her in laughing at me instead.
She slid over to one of the dog houses and peered inside. “What’s going on with you, little guy?” It was the Scottie mix.
“Is something wrong with Frodo?” I walked over, rubbing my backside through my snow pants.
“I don’t know.”
Frodo crawled forward to the edge of his house and stopped. I reached in behind his shoulders and gently lifted him out. His eyebrows twitched with worry.
“Frodo, what’s wrong?” Jodie asked and leaned over me to boop his nose. She cleared some clumps of snow and dirt out of his paws with her fingers, but when she got to his back left paw, he yanked it away. “Uh-oh.” She touched his upper leg and wrapped her hand around it, pushing his paw out into the air. Frodo tolerated her enough to let
