pepper spray

12/7/25

today was the first day I was able to sit cross-legged normally. I haven’t been able to sit this way for like the past seven months because of the way this sitting position requires the tops of feet to press against things. today was the first day I could because skin has healed enough. it felt good in that: a relief to not have to contort myself into a position I didn’t want to be in, and just move how i wanted. please let this last. please let this be the last time.

12/8/25

had small weeping on left foot last night, but it wasn’t painful and I still feel like I’m getting better, even though it isn’t in a perfectly straight line. 

12/9/25

today, since feet have been reliably dry,  stopped putting in the adhesive pads in my socks, and I’m just wearing my loose organic cotton socks as a first layer, with regular socks over those when I go out.

12/13/25

today, we were at Ace Hardware store for some screws and we also decided to buy pepper spray, one each for R and I. The first day we got to the park we’re currently staying at, I was unloading stuff from the truck into the trailer, and on one of my trips coming from the truck, I looked up and there was this medium size, a little scary looking, I don’t know what breed, but had a very square jaw, short hair, black and brown splotched coat, dog right in front of me, on our site. no leash or owner around. My initial reaction was a high-pitched “Hiii!”, even though I was pretty startled, then I backed away and went back into the truck, and then for some reason I got scared he would follow me and bite me, so I shut the door and just sat in the truck for a minute until I could see out the front window that he had crossed the road and was now over near the bathroom area a safe-ish distance away, then I came back out and went inside our place. R saw the dog too. then the next morning, R came back in and was pissed – he had just stepped in a fresh pile of dog doo that was right next to our truck. we called the office about it and told the guy, who told us to call back if we saw the dog on our site again. since then, have found another dog poo on our site and some around the bathroom facility which is right near us. Then last night, we were coming home from a day out, and I had entered the trailer, and the door was still open behind me, with R still outside with Hunter, who was bouncing on his new bouncy ball with a handle, when I heard barking that sounded like it was right outside our door – it gave me a bad feeling and I rushed to the door, just as Hunter and R came in and R told me that the same dog had appeared behind Hunter out of the darkness and started barking, and R had just taken off his hat and waved it at the dog, shooing him away. R could hear our neighbor, whom the dog belonged to, chiding the dog, “don’t scare the neighbors”, but not saying anything to us. But we were shaken after that – what if the dog had pounced and attacked our child? We called the office again and let them know immediately after it happened, but they said there wasn’t much they could do, that the guy would come out and try to take a look who owned the dog. but we never saw anyone drive by looking and no one visited us, so we weren’t sure if they even came out. So that’s why we bought the pepper sprays today – after all these instances, we’re kind of scared walking around here now with a loose dog (we know who it belongs to – we’ve seen the dog sitting next to his owner, who is our neighbor and seems to never have him on a leash- he seems to be permanently loose) especially with our baby, and with the barking and coming out of the dark. I’ve actually never owned pepper spray before, but my mom has given me like emergency whistles and stuff, which I’ve thankfully never had to use. Trying to figure out how to wear it – I’ll probably put it on a lanyard?