It's a strange world

They say that when you get a pet you often get one very much like yourself, whether intentionally or not. This is proving to be the case with Claire, my twelve-week (or so) lab and rottweiler mix puppy, in more ways than one.

I am not what one might call an "excitable" person. Even when I am internally bursting with excitement, externally the only really visible sign of this excitement is that I start speaking more quickly than I normally do. Either that or mouth lifts a bit to form a subtle smile. Sometimes, though rarely, both happen.

When the Pope arrived in Sydney for the World Youth Day, I was very happy and extremely excited, though if a stranger looked at me he would likely not have noticed.

When the soccer team scored a goal, I was happy, though, again, a stranger might not have known, unless he saw me applaud.

Claire, too, is generally calm and quiet. Except on days before a storm system moves in.

Whereas my arthritis acts up considerably two days - generally - before a weather pattern arrives, Claire becomes exceedingly hyper the day before a system moves in.

Together, we make a pretty good forecasting team. If what I at first feel remains dubious, I can simply ask Claire in the morning what she feels and she can either verify or correct my initial thought. Though tiring, it is handy.

I can also be rather stubborn. Claire, too, is stubborn, though she has by far outdone me on that one. Hopefully we can work on that together.