This morning, the first thing I saw out my window was a line of animal tracks on the deck.

A Raccoon or a Possum had walked up the steps. The animal had stayed near the railing until it reached the top of the stairs, from there it moved to its right; which brought it to the door leading into my bedroom.

This past summer a Raccoon had tried to rip off that door by sticking its claws into the wood around the glass. I  taped it back in place and had been meaning to fix it with caulking. But I never got around to it. (Bad me)

After today’s  animal peeked into the window, he turned back the way he came and strolled to the other end of the deck. Yesterday afternoon I had put out some stale bread for the birds. The animal had a snack, then he wandered off the deck using the same path he used to come onto the deck.

I just missed meeting him.

By the time I grabbed my camera the tracks had already started to fill in. The winds were blowing snow off the roof, which mixed with flurries that were adding even more snow to the deck as I tried to photograph the tracks.

I went back inside, warmed up my toes and had a cup of coffee, while my husband surprised me with a birthday cake.

We don’t have a local bakery so the cakes are from Swiss Maid Bakery in Harvard, Illinois and our little store in town keeps them frozen.  So, my cake was frozen and …well, I was impatient and the knife got stuck.  It eventually defrosted.

Happy Birthday, Rebecca!

She was on the go even before she was born. During my pregnancy, she was impatient and wanted to hurry up and get on with her life. I had to keep off my feet for seven long months. My dog, Buddy a  120 pound an Alaskan Malamute mix,  stayed by my side the whole time; when Rebecca was born then he made it his job to protect her.

When she was around six months, I had placed her in a walker with a pillow to keep her comfortable and upright. As soon as I turned my back, her toes touched the ground, and she stood up, tossed away the pillow and charged through the house. Then right down the stairs. After being checked out at the ER, she was back in the walker, with all the doors closed and locked (I saw her turning door knobs).

Instead of diving down the stairs, she shot around the house. Sticking her feet in the dog’s food, then having him lick it off her toes, to pulling out drawers, pulling things off of table tops – she stood on her tiptoes trying to get a good look around,  zeroed on her goal and took off running. I gave up and took the walker away from her.

She loved laying on her blanket on the floor, where Buddy laid next to her. He never moved from her side, even as she held on to his tongue, shared his food, and crawled on his back grabbing handfuls of hair as she jumped up and down on his back. She crawled after him at top speed. He taught her to stand up; she held onto his fur as he slowly stood up taking her with him.

By the time she was seven months she was tottering around the house. At eight months she had decided to widen her horizons. While her father was watching her, she walked out the door. Buddy started whining. I freaked. I ran after her. Rebecca ran down the block, laughing. Totally unafraid of the dark.

She knew what she liked and didn’t. Pink was her color any other would bring out an intense yowling.

When we hand fed orphaned robins she didn’t hesitate to try to taste the worms.

When she was three she learned how to play chess with her brother.

She carried a bag of toys so she had something to play with; she liked to read bedtime stories

She is no longer that little girl. She is an amazing woman.  She hasn’t stopped running after what she wants. Her enthusiasm is never-ending

She has helped a lot of people and has a very big heart. She has never lost that need to explore.

I love you my daughter, and I wish you health, wealth and happiness; may you never lose that enthusiasm to see what is around the corner or behind each closed-door.

You will always be my little girl.

Love Mom