Anna Kyle

Plan for the worst.

I prefer to have a bit more control than just hope and plans, but control over the weather, as much as I want that power, eludes me still.

We here in the Midwest have been positively pummeled this summer by scary, violent storms with straight line winds that reach 90+ mph and multiple tornadoes and hail and floods and huge trees dropping and power lines down and holy crap. Seeing the wreckage on television and knowing that some people lost their lives this month in these storms – it’s frightening.

When those town sirens go off and then our phones scream WARNING SEEK SHELTER you feel that primal flood of almost painful iciness through your body, Life and death.

Rational/Logic brain (odds are so very low – but NOT ZERO i feel I must add – that the house will be lifted up like Dorothy’s or the roof will collapse onto those you love) versus instinct/emotional brain (but the tornado could easily tear through this house so really nowhere is safe)

Or more succinctly (and rhymey!), Wizard brain vs Lizard brain as I read in an article recently. If I let it, my lizard brain can spin me into icy almost paralyzing fear and that awful feeling of impending doom.

But…but…but I remind myself that my house has been standing for 70 plus years and is a sturdy little guy. For the next storm (which is this weekend I think) I shall try to be more Wizard than Lizard. I am prepared (but likely will not be needed I remind myself again) to hunker down in the bathtub with blankets and pillows over us. I have jugs of bottled water. I have a battery powered radio ffs and a very cool, powerful flashlight charged and ready to go.

All of that will be ready to be flung into the bathroom at a moment’s notice. It helps no one to freak out, my little lizard brain. Simmer down, cutie. So this is how I can manage my fear. Be a Wizard.

That’s what I can do, to prepare what I can, to control what I can control.. The weather is not under my control – that will be my mantra for the next storm.

Hope for the best, yeah of course, but sure as fuck prepare for the worst.

It feels like the world is moving too fast sometimes

and staying in bed seems like a good option but

work awaits and another day begins and

I hold back the tears for another day.

*sighs*

I love this shot that captures my most excellent bully/pittie/plus shepherd plus Akita plus lab, plus plus plus you get the idea.

We adopted her two years ago. Her story was appalling. Like so many other unwanted dogs she was thrown away and left alone.

Is she easy? LOL Oh hell no.

She has her hang ups but c’mon who doesn’t? You live any length of time and you accumulate quirks to get yourself through life intact mentally and physically.

This girl is smart as hell and loves her people.

This girl is not shy about telling me what she needs.

This girl happy tappies every day. Her joy in the ordinary is contagious.

This girl makes me laugh every day

I try every day to be this girl. She’s amazing just the way she is.