Secondly, I am the dream interpreter around my house.  I am asked regularly to help to explain away the meaning of a dream.  I know dreams are highly personal, but, if asked, I find it fascinating to hear other people’s dreams and will analyze a weird dream to pieces.

But now, I am the subject.

Lately, I’ve been experiencing dreams of animals that I am either keeping safe, am looking to save, or am finding neglected.  They don’t represent pets, though.  I have had three dreams thus far, two of which I remember clearly.  These dreams leave me feeling almost out of breath out with relief of saving them or finding them still alive after a brief period of worry.

In the first dream, I was swimming in a vast lake with two golden retrievers.  Odd, I know.  One dog was swimming right beside me, seemingly in recreation, and that one was obviously my own dog for whom I felt great affection.  When I put my head underwater, though, I found that my dog was swimming directly above another older golden retriever that was trapped beneath, though not in despair.

I lovingly push my own dog off the older, saying, “(What its name was), get off (whatever the trapped older dog’s name was)! You’re going to drown him/her!”  At least that was the emotion I was feeling, but it was somewhat playful but corrective.  And then we all three swam onto land, which was a lush kind of green setting with a lakehouse built on it.

Next, I found myself on the raised balcony that led inside, where, still dripping wet in my swimsuit, I looked down on two women visiting on a couch.  They hollered up to me something like, “Oh, you’re back?  Where is (yet another dog’s name)?”

I turned around at the door, saying, “Oh, (third dog’s name) wasn’t with us.”

They hollered up, “Yes, he/she was,” apparently not too concerned, knowing the dog’s safety was not their problem.  However, I felt obligated to check and turned in a sense of urgency on the balcony and looked down to find a third dog just coming onto land, dripping wet and slouching forward.  It was a kind of liver-spotted spaniel of some sort.

I felt a twinge of relief and let out a low sigh, relieved the dog was all right and that I would not have to look for him.

Yes, I am a dog person, so this dream is somewhat understandable.  But my second dream is not and is a bit macabre:

Somehow, I realized in the middle of a chore that we owned hamsters that we had neglected to feed for about a month.  I felt a twinge of terror as I noticed a Habitrail-like cage covered with a sheet, which I guess is why it had slipped our minds, and I ran to uncover it.

Upon looking in, I had the feeling that I was remembering two hamsters were in the cage.  However, I saw only one — a reddish hamster — positioned on a raised Habitrail compartment right at eye level.  I looked straight in to see that it was missing an eye and that its mouth was full and chewing on something, obviously engorged.  He/she was intently staring me down with its one eye while chewing, in a kind of judgmental way.  My first thought was that it must have eaten the other hamster.  I was grossed out and apologetic.  I felt no deep affection for the animal, only compassion for its poor conditions.

As for the third dream about animals, I cannot remember it.  The reason I know I had it is because I woke myself up tossing and turning, with the words, “Seriously?  Another animal dream?”   That is all I know about the third.  But it had left me with the same emotion.

Apparently, I am not alone.  A lot of people have animal-related dreams.

Everywhere I read, it seems animals in dreams represent basic instincts and desires, but mine did not seem to be those things.  I am thinking that the animal dreams stem from feelings of being overwhelmed and feeling inadequate, as though one is unable to keep up with what is expected.  I think the animals must represent responsibilities.

Anyone else out there have experience with animal dreams?  I guess I expect them to continue until I have either saved all the animals on the planet or I have my life in perfect order, whichever comes first.

A bird on a wire, perched still on a cloudy day,

One of many politely mapped out in loneliness, each respecting personal space.

A decision whether to sit it out together,

waiting for a stray ray of sunlight to break through,

or to push off in search of better surroundings

and to survey just how far this colorless sky extends.

Only one must break out so that others may follow.

I hope I would be that bird.

• I absolutely love People and Us Weekly magazines, but only for the fashions.  I hate the notion of celebrity and loathe the superficial stories, but I could look at the lovely clothes, shoes, jewelry, and accessories for hours on end.
• There are times when warm water and soapy suds on the hands while washing dishes is all the aromatherapy and massage I need.
• That said, wet/damp sleeves are a major pet peeve of mine.
• There are days that the fortune cookie paper fortunes are what keep me afloat in hope. The cookie’s good, too.
• Someone adds water to our shampoo; I just know it.  How to coax a confession out of one of my kids is beyond me.
• Why would one add water to shampoo if he/she is not the one who must buy it?
• I do not have enough money in my bank account at any time to justify the number of receipts floating around in my purse.
• I will never understand why children bite/wipe their mouths inside the collars of their t-shirts.
• And why have the schools taught them this sneezing/coughing in the elbow pit now instead of into a tissue?  It is probably helpful to lower transmission of germs at school, but it is havoc on my laundry and feeling good about a hug.  My child must now change his shirt as soon as he comes home from school.
• Speaking of which, why do people who work in health professions wear scrubs in public?  Isn’t that ironic?
• If all my makeup is kept in a makeup bag, then how does blush powder always find its way down to the bottom of my purse?
• I hate celebrity-endorsed perfume.  I cannot tell you why.  I am sure it smells fine, but I would feel silly wearing it.  That’s just me, though.
• By the way, purses and totes without compartments should be outlawed.  I mean, how is one supposed to find the cell phone in a reasonable amount of time?
• I do not know how people drink black coffee and enjoy it. Mine consists of half milk.  I am overweight, and this is probably the biggest reason why.
• It is strange how some people’s eyes with brows that were low to begin with simply do not seem to age.  There is a limit to the sag, I guess.  However, people with raised brows when they were young indeed do appear to age more. I would rather start off looking very tired and stay that way than looking very fresh and then appear much older in my later years.  Just saying…
• Ever notice that SoftSoap bars clog the drain?  This does not make sense.
• The staples in a household seem to be on a schedule of depleting interchangeably; hence, detergent is empty, but softener is full; finally plenty of frozen meat, but potatoes and rice are gone; just bought big bag of oat cereal, but full gallon of milk disappeared yesterday.  It is a constant run to the grocery store no matter how much one stocks up.
• Carpet is the worst thing ever invented.  It is a fixed wall-to-wall rug that you can never take outside and fully beat or shake out, with a base pad that soaks up all things nasty. The best one can do is run a machine over it that does the equivalent of sharply breathing in, and hope for no allergies despite inevitable dander and odor.
• I am a conscientious objector to the notion of planned obsolescence.  I will not replace a computer before it kaputs on me, nor will I buy a new phone until this one breaks.  Our culture is spoiled, bored, and unwise when it comes to consumerism.  Just because they market it does not mean we must have it.
• Eye contact with a beloved dog throughout the day on a regular basis means more than most verbal conversations with most people on any given day.
• If you have a child who gets new underwear and/or new socks and goes on and on about loving them, you have not overly spoiled your child.
• A happy home is one from which everyone runs out to help a parent bring in groceries, all the time checking the bags, and running back inside with them like bandits.  Score to your frugality if your child dances with his favorite bag of cereal on his head.
• Teenage boys do notice when you forget the softener.  I think that’s sweet.
• I really need to take those two chains in to be repaired.  Why do I procrastinate on this one errand?
• A good shower curtain is a joy forever — you know, the kind that goes full around to the other side of the adjacent wall and has magnets and suction cups to keep the water spray from escaping.
• DampRid is the best product ever invented if you live in the humid South…like, ever.
• I need to buy Weed-n-Feed and grass seed tomorrow, no fail.  I am an embarrassment to my neighborhood.
• I think most everyone in our generation dreams of having a family business to pass down to our kids, rather than working for an ungrateful corporation that will most probably lay us off before our kids are out of college, despite our many years served there.  If it weren’t for the benefits, we would do as well on our own.
• The discovery of one’s first age spot on the hand is a sobering one.  These are what I remember of my grandmother.  I would opt for dark freckles all over my face than for this one, single age spot.
• It is nice to have a lovely grown daughter because there are often fresh flowers in the house from all the beaus.
• Flea control products are grossly overpriced.  Ask a scratching dog.
• It is probably best to check your 10 year-old’s toenails from time to time — just take off the sock and check.  He can grow them to phenomenal lengths before he would care or you would notice in winter sock season.  I learned this today.
• A Jack Russell terrier is the epitome of the dog stereotype — right down to burying bones, chasing and biting kids’ bottoms, and jumping up with muddy paws onto a clean bed.  Still, they are somehow a joy around the house.
• Finding a magical author who articulates in your same soul language is like finding buried treasure.
• I wish free public radio stations could play the same content as subscription-based Sirius radio.  Advertising be damned.
• I really should not have enjoyed this cup of coffee while reading before bed.

I will stop for the day, since it is now the next day.

Painter’s feasting plate

mingling sea, steel, orange peel

wells of wet hues wait

And Kimbra is his perfect complement.

(from his new album Making Mirrors - one of the best albums I’ve heard in a while)

#musicmykidsandishare

P.S.  You should probably comment if you find yourself absentmindedly humming this song later today, especially if you do so with the same pained face.  (No explanation required.)

A delicate, droplet-soaked fairy skirt flower, in the palest of pinks.

We came across this tree whose shapely trunk strikingly resembles

a human female torso extended in a balletic pose.

True to form from all angles, we now call it the Torso Tree.

Time to fall at last onto the asphalt, stubborn old oak leaves…

Spring is on the way.

I love nature walks.  A rainy day is the perfect excuse to take one.

2011 World Press Photo of the year by Samuel Aranda, Spain

This image of a Yemeni protester being comforted by a female relative is evocative of Mary comforting Christ, who also suffered to bring about change through revolution against an antiquated system.

“We might never know who this woman is, cradling an injured relative, but together they become a living image of the courage of ordinary people that helped create an important chapter in the history of the Middle East…

‘It stands for Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria, for all that happened in the Arab Spring,’ said juror Koyo Kouoh. ‘But it shows a private, intimate side of what went on, and it shows the role that women played, not only as caregivers, but as active people in the movement’.”

Very moving, indeed.

For each, just click on the picture to take you to the instructions:

Or a better visual step-by-step is shown here for that one:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/61951289@N08/5672821563/sizes/l/in/photostream/

This next one’s, eh, not so much for the little ones…:

but hilarious nonetheless.

Actually, I’m a bit of a stickler for grammar, so it’s actually “palms” (plural) above.

This one’s my favorite:

As romantic as some of us are feeling…

One of the cutest I’ve seen lately…:

If you’re just looking for a pleasing wrapping idea, try this:

or

For around the house before the kids get home…

I think kids love getting messy and being amazed, so this next — that I call Volcano of Love –

looks like a science experiment but would actually be a blast if you use red food coloring!:

And I saved the best for last, which is what my youngest son is doing for his Valentine’s cards –

a photograph of himself with either wearing an adhesive mustache (for boys to sport),

or handing out a Charm’s Blow Pop (for girls)

I hate that I must now stop this Valentine’s crafts post

because there are SO many ideas to show ‘em you love ‘em!

Those were a few shared ideas in case you’re like I am and procrastinated a bit.

Don’t fret.  Remember that >>Pinterest<< is always there

with even more crafty creations if these don’t quite satisfy.

Love, LnE

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