My stepmom made a gift for me. It's a four inch tall wooden artist's jointed model tied into bondage with embroidery thread. It has a chest harness, a two-column tie on the wrists, and a ladder tie up one leg. It's a piece of artwork that I am delighted to have in my home. The fact that it was made for me by a parent speaks of acceptance. I understand that she spent a lot of time googling the term "shibari" to learn how to perform the ties.
My second present was the adoption of a senior (8yr old) retired racing greyhound. She is very calm and good natured and a wonderful addition to the family.
The dog has required some adjustment. Like most newly retired greyhounds she has had no experience with wooden floors or stairs. While she is slowly learning to navigate these scary features of the house we have made some accommodations. We added an inexpensive Costco area rug to the living room and a series of adhesive-backed pieces of AstroTurf to the interior staircase.
