Advent Theory

The last weekend, I tried to keep it technology less. Tried to avoid the computer. I accomplished lots of stuff. Saturday morning. Went to the park with the kids. They played on the swings, slides and monkey bars. I even joined and had a contest with my son on the monkey bars. And I did not win. I lost to my 6 year old son. That was fun. In the afternoon, my wife and I went to a Baby Shower for a friend of ours. She attended, while I took care of the kids. A nanny, in other words. Sunday morning was mostly rest day. And finished off the day with some gardening. Mowed the lawn and did some weeding.

Today was what I call a black-dog day. The term “black dog” was reportedly coined by Samuel Johnson and later popularized by Winston Churchill. It refers to a bout of depression. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) at the age of 16, and have wrestled with the condition for most of my adult life. It never goes away entirely, but the good news is you can manage it. It’s possible to have a rich, happy, and contented life even with MDD. On a normal day I get straight up and dress as if I was going to work, even down to my shoes. That might sound silly, but when you’re self employed it’s a good idea to start your day off this way. It makes you feel confident and efficient. However, on a black dog day I often end up mooching around in my gym pants and a t-shirt. I usually like to prepare something healthy for lunch, like a salad or pasta in a sauce. A home-cooked lunch is one of the perks of self-employment–much nicer than canteen food! But today I ended up having nothing but a cheese sandwich and a drink from the keg refrigerator. Things perked up when my partner got in from work. His smile always makes me feel better.

Living in the city or in the suburbs is different for dog owners than living in the country.  We can’t let our dogs run around freely in a big back yard or through the fields because there just isn’t enough space.  They have to be kept in a fenced in yard, or on a leash. This is for their own safety and because in some instances, it’s the law.  Of course, as every dog owner knows, dogs love going for walks. So, when it’s time to get your pooch and your self a little exercise and fresh air, grab the designer dog collars and leashes and take a nice stroll through the neighborhood.  It can be lots of fun running into fellow dog walkers and dog lovers; just don’t forget the pooper scooper!

One of my favorite meals when I was younger was mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs mixed inside of it. Yesterday, I was craving it since I have not had it for years. I was feeling nostalgic and decided to cook up some of my favorite childhood meals! I made two boxes of mac and cheese and grilled up six hot dogs in butter on the stovetop. I cut them up in the pan so they could get nice and cooked on all sides. I put the cheese, butter and milk in with the macaroni and then dumped the hot dogs into the pan and mixed everything up. I completed the meal with a side salad with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. I poured the mac and cheese/hot dog combination into a bowl and put the leftovers in some tupperware so I could eat it for lunch today!