Puppy energy can help enliven isolation

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/04/2020 (1979 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: To entertain myself, I just took in a homeless puppy and he is creating all kinds of fun as he shakes the devil out of his toys and couch cushions, rolls, barks and fetches a ball.

One of my nephews saw him online this week and said, “Auntie, we can’t wait to come and meet the puppy!” That’s exactly what I need to get the kids and their parents over here, as soon as we can starting visiting again. They live nearby, but we are observing isolation.

I’m also thinking of getting a cat when the puppy calms down. I used to have a lot of pets and I’d forgotten how much fun animals can be! There’s never a dull moment around this house now, and I can take my puppy walking and never feel alone.

— New Fur Baby Mom, Wolseley

Dear New Mom: This challenging time could turn out to be a boon to animal adoption — especially because of people like you who live alone and can’t have visitors for now, yet have enough income to support a pet.

Sadly, some people will be surrendering their pets if they can no longer afford to keep them, so one has to be sure, before adopting, that they’re in a position where income won’t suddenly change.

 

 

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I hear you enjoy finding out about some of the silver linings that come with COVID-19 social distancing. I just want to tell you about my wonderful photo box project.

I’m a grandmother, and I had kept big and little boxes of old photographs in the basement for decades — shame on me.

Some of them smelled a bit funny. But I was so bored recently, I hauled them upstairs. What good were they down there?

I have hundreds of pictures of family, some pretty crazy!

I’m having a fabulous time making a whole wall of photos in the guest bedroom — some of them already framed and now hanging. The rest are tacked to a big cork board on the other empty wall. I can hardly wait to have family and friends come over when it’s safe to go visiting again.

Meanwhile, I plan to take photos of parts of the wall collection, and send them out as teasers to family and friends on my computer.

Hint! It’s best to put names under the photos and approximate dates. Then people aren’t scratching their heads wondering who is in them, as people in extended families can look a lot alike.

— Happy Photo Gram, St. Boniface

 

Dear Photo Gram: What a great idea! When you can go shopping freely, you might also want to buy some photo albums, copy the best photos, and make gifts of them for close family.

And, when we’re able to gather for parties again, have everybody over to your house to view the entire photo display in all its glory. Then, at the party, gather everybody up and have a good photographer take a new photo of the whole 2020 family crew to send out.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m a grandmother in my 60s with grandkids scattered across Manitoba and Ontario.

Since I got pushed into using online contact with Skype at Easter by my oldest grandson, I now have daily contact with some of my grandchildren — and we’ve arranged Sunday hellos with each family.

It’s a gift of connection I never would have pursued if it were not for coronavirus isolation. I need my family badly now, and not just on the phone.

Seeing their faces has dissipated the growing depression caused by missing my friends and neighbours, clubs, indoor sports and volunteer work.

— Happy Skype Convert, North End

 

Dear Skype Convert: Here’s another connection: If you have Facebook Messenger on your cellphone, you can tap the little video camera icon (looks like a hot water bottle) and immediately be in a face-to-face video chat with another friend, if they accept your video call. Lots of fun!

 

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.