The Thinker is thinking thoughts today, and so am I

It is supper time, and I haven't yet posted my thoughts for today.  The Thinker is reminding me to share some thoughts.  Okay.  Sue and I planned to have lunch together, but I decided to go down to our Circle@Crown Cafe early to have my breakfast when they opened at 8:00 a.m.

Alice McC. joined me at my table.  When Sandy M. showed up, I invited her to sit with us because today's her birthday.  Sue arrive a little before 11:00, as she had planned to do, and joined those of us already sitting there.

When I got a call from Sandra H. asking if I'd like to meet her in the Cafe (she lives in the neighborhood near here), I told her I was already in the Cafe, so come join us.  She was coming to the Crown Center for a program that met at 1:00, but she had time to eat with us before it started.

So my friends from here and there just came and went all morning, and I ended up being in the Cafe with various people as they met each other and left for their own activities.  Do you wonder how long I was in the Cafe?  From 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. as those folks chatted and ate together.

When I finally headed home, after walking around the block (going the long way home to get in my steps, in other words), I ran into Dora H. sitting in the lobby and sat down to talk to her awhile.  Other friends stopped to speak to us as they passed by us, like Alyssa with her dog Hazel, and Betty B. who sat down to talk.

I think I got in a good day's worth of socializing:  Alice, Sandy, Sue, Sandra, Dora, Alyssa, Hazel (yes, dogs count), and Betty.  And these don't count the ones we said hello to as they came and went through the lobby.

Hazel and Bonnie . . . Happiness Is . . .

This little dog is Hazel, and she likes me — can you tell?

Hazel comes running when she sees me.  She often jumps in my lap or let's me take her leash from Alyssa so we can run together.  Okay, so I'm running with a Rollator and my hands are safely on the brakes, but it's running, sort of.  We're going fast, anyway.

Late yesterday, I was sitting in the empty Café talking to Fay when Hazel, on her way out for a walk, spotted me.  In the photo on the left, she is telling me she likes me.  (See that kiss?)  In the photo on the right, she listened carefully as I told her she's such a good girl.

By the way, Alyssa took these photos and came up with the title of this blog post.

The iconic phrase "happiness is a warm puppy" debuted when this Peanuts strip by Charles M. Schulz was first published on April 25, 1960.

Cats and dogs ~ and one bird

It wasn't a rainy day, but I happened to think of "raining cats and dogs" when I got up last Sunday morning.  So I've found a way to stretch your mind for a few minutes.  Come up with answers for these questions about cats and dogs.  To make it even more interesting, "L" must be the first letter of every answer.

1. This item is used to walk the dog (or CAT, see Clawdia above) ______________
2. Cats are said to have nine of these ____________________________________
3. What sibling kittens and puppies with the same mom are called ______________
4. Name of a well-known collie who starred in movies ________________________
5. Where a cat often naps on a person ___________________________________
6. How Alyssa's dog Hazel mastered her obedience training _________________

My friend Emily left a comment on one of my blog posts in November 2019:

"Purring is such a peaceful way to communicate."

Some things for you to ponder today, since it's Caturday!

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** I borrowed the activity idea above from page 90 of my friend Donna's Little Moments of Joy Adult Activity Book by J. K. Timmet (2019), adding my spin to it and rewording it.  The book has easy puzzles, coloring pages, brain games, word search, and writing activities in it.

Isn't this a pretty bird on the cover?  Does anyone know what it is?

Answers:  Leash, Lives, Litter, Lassie, Lap, [and she] Learned

A doggie graduate on Caturday

This is Hazel, my friend Alyssa's dog.  Hazel has just graduated from doggie obedience school this week, and this photo shows her wearing her mortarboard with a tassel.