On return from Massachusetts: New puppy, new housemate, black gold, son Colin’s year-long transformation

I started telling puppy Shadow

on our two-day drive back from the east coast all about the new puppy, a rescued. year-old Rat Terrier, renamed  “Hank” by housemate Dan. Not only had I yet to meet him (and yes, we hope he takes to hunting down rats), but I knew Shadow would be deeply traumatized to walk into his domain to confront a strange dog guarding the door.

And that’s exactly what happened. Hank barked like crazy, and Shadow looked stunned, and instantly depressed. In fact, for the next 24 hours, he moped around, and refused Dan’s attentions. I guess he figured it was Dan’s fault that this little pistol of nervous energy had invaded his world?

Then yesterday, Shadow actually, quietly, slowly, went up to Hank and touched noses with him. Now it was Hank’s turn to look stunned, and glad! From there the two proceeded, in a slow, methodical manner, to turn toe to tail and sniff each other’s assholes.

Okay! All’s right with the world!

Poor Alex! Our new housemate,

whom Dan and I and our other podmates had all met at the Community Dinner before Thanksgiving, had not been informed about the new puppy before she moved in.

On the same day! Oops! Nobody even thought to tell her! And she’s never lived with animals before! But she’s okay with it, even though Hank has peed once on her bedroom floor. Yes, not quite trained when he arrived . . .

Meanwhile, Dan had forgotten to check our two worm farms while I was gone. So I did it, and discovered gobs of thick black goo, black gold really, which I placed around a few lucky plants outside.

On Saturday, son Colin and I went to brunch at Scenic View Restaurant, our regular spot. This meeting was also to commemorate the first year’s anniversary of his total life change. Starting December 1, 2016, he and his girlfriend split up, after seven years. Exactly at the same time, he decided to renew his relationship with his own body. And to that end, has been working on all levels to bring himself back to the person he was as a young man. To date, he’s released 60 pounds, and has, he says, about ten more to go. His transformation has taken place due to intense physical exercise (the gym every day, plus biking), and a total change of diet (way more fresh, organic produce, no more sugar or white flour), and something that I had never heard of before, “intermittent fasting,” whereby you eat only two meals a day, leaving 16 to 18 hours between two of them. His entire regime is working like a charm, and as I told him, I am so glad that he finally began to reverse the course he had inadvertently set himself on. For the last few years I’ve been concerned that he might die before me, his mother. That concern has vanished.

Before and after shots, both taken at The View!

The before shot, from about 18 months ago, has him in his baby picture tee-shirt.

Here’s the man he is remembering himself to be! We are both very pleased.

 

About Ann Kreilkamp

PhD Philosophy, 1972. Rogue philosopher ever since.
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4 Responses to On return from Massachusetts: New puppy, new housemate, black gold, son Colin’s year-long transformation

  1. Janice says:

    Your son is a beautiful man!

  2. Laura Bruno says:

    Way to go, Colin! His aura’s shining so brightly now, too. So good to see him caring for himself like he cares for our planet. 🙂

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