Tisen posing on the top of the sledding hill with the bridge over the wetland in the background

Although we seem to have largely skipped right over spring, we didn’t skip over the storms.  I’m not sure if we’re still having spring storms or if we’ve moved into summer ones, but we’ve had some doozies lately.

Now days, Tisen usually sleeps through storms–provided they’re not too loud.  Before we moved, the rain would hit the roof and echo through the metal sheeting, creating a drumming sound so loud that if it was raining really hard, I had trouble hearing if I was on a conference call.  That is one of the perks of our new location–unless there is thunder and lightening, the rain can only be heard hitting the windows.

But there has been thunder and lightening.  In fact, one day earlier this week, a storm broke loose with what seemed like almost constant thunder and lightening.  Because I was on a conference call with noise-blocking earbuds in my ears, I really didn’t notice the thunder until Tisen suddenly wiggled his way between my chair and my desk and managed to wind himself around my feet.  I couldn’t figure out what had come over him until I took out an ear bud and looked out the window.

Tisen hiding from thunder

I had to attempt to photograph him wound around my legs.  However, it was a bit challenging with my iPhone shooting from straight above. When you look at this photo, the thing in the top left is my knee.  Directly under Tisen’s nose, if you look carefully, you can see my foot with Tisen’s legs over it.  Just below his nose, you can see one wheel of my desk chair.  You can also see the various items under my desk like power cords, a printer, and a basket of office supplies, that Tisen wedged himself between in order to have physical contact with my foot.

I don’t know exactly what makes Tisen feel safe when he is in contact with my foot.  I’m certain that if I’d been sitting on the sofa he would have been up in my lap trying to press himself against me as if he was trying to get inside my skin.  However, he made due with my foot since my lap was wholly unavailable.

Tisen preparing to go out

Tisen has other ways of finding comfort.  He doesn’t like to leave without a toy.  Sometimes it seems he holds his toy more tightly than others.  I’m not always able to figure out what exactly makes him nervous.  I know large crowds make him cling to his toy more tightly, even in hot weather.  But on the day I took pictures of him with Pink Elephant up on the sledding hill, I’m not sure what inspired him to carry Elephant all the way to the top.

Perhaps indicating confidence, he’s left a trail of toys lately.  He dropped Moose one day and Duck the next.  Two days later it was Duck again.  It’s a good thing our neighbors know whose door to leave stray toys in front of!

Another pose on top of the sledding hill