Yesterday was NCD Day--National Chocolate Discount Day (which conveniently follows Valentine's Day)--and I am proud to say that I did NOT partake of the festivities. Granted, that was because I ran out of energy to go to the store, but it still was a mile-marker of sorts for the passing of time.

Flowers? Bah! Gimme Chocolate!

I do have to say that Valentine's Day is not a real mental problem day for me. My late husband and I never really gave it much thought as we pretty much scheduled our holidays when both of our bodies were cooperating (which is harder than it sounds). BUT, we did always go shopping for goodies the day after.

Maybe that is why I avoided it yesterday, and I just kept busy to avoid thinking. Or maybe I was tired of watching my waistline increase over the last year and skipped the chance to get more candy. I like that second reason better.

In good news, I am starting to think that my dog really is a life-saver. My life. He keeps me going on days that I just want to curl up and ignore the world. He pushes me to get out into the world and just GO, even if it is just for a two-block walk in the neighborhood. Even on days when lousy health is combined with mental funk, he noses me into moving, makes me grin, and laugh out loud when those are the last things I want to do.

My Alarm Clock

At the moment, he is reminding me that a healthy sleep schedule is good for me by looking up with big brown eyes and yawning big before pawing gently at my leg and going back to sleep next to me. Does he do it on purpose? Oh, probably not. But it sure is nice to have him nudging me along.

Do I suggest every grieving person run out and get themselves a brand new puppy? Heck no! I had given up for the time on getting a pet when I got adopted by my (at that time very malnourished) pup. If I had a full time job or children to juggle I probably would not have even kept him... probably. But I was lacking a daily grounding motive--what kids or a daily work routine provides for many people.
 
The morning of NCD Day I wanted to alternate snoozing in bed with slouching around in pajamas, but the dog's soft chirp escalated into a whine insisting that it was time to get up and go. So, instead of staying in bed or going for a quick trip down to the supermarket, I was out hobbling around a dog training class. I was out in a park socializing with strangers (read: avoiding doing other tasks that I didn't really want to do). I was listening to the squawk of sandhill cranes and Canadian geese. And I was giggling out loud at my dog trying (and occasionally managing) to catch flying objects with his paws. 

We are LOUD

There are days that I press the snooze button and kick the pooch out to romp on his own in the yard, but I a grateful that the fuzzy fifty-pound alarm clock decided to adopt me. And that he made my NCD Day much more pleasant than it would have been--pile of chocolate or no.