What I Won't Do for My Dogs

This afternoon I was meeting a friend at Magnuson dog park so we could let our dogs have a nice run around. It was a nice spring feeling afternoon, clear and sunny. I arrived a little early so the boys and I went into the small and shy dog area, I know they aren't shy, by any means, but they are on the smaller side. Llelo has a ball in there, it doesn't take long for him to start racing around and having half the dogs in there racing after him, he loves it.

After my friend and his border collie/lab mix arrived we started walking towards the beach for some swimming and fetching action. Along the way to the beach there was plenty of sniffing and peeing. Down at the beach Gus was doing his happy dance, you'd know it if you've seen it, eager for me to throw the toy into the water. Arm back and off it goes, with a huge hulking yellow lab racing after it rather than his own ball. Gus has never challenged any dog for his toys; he veered off as soon as the lab nearly trampled him and refused to go back out for the toy. Nothing I did would convince him to go out after the toy. Now this toy has particularly high value, it's an Air Kong stick, the tennis ball material but in the shape of a stick. It's even higher value since the only kind you can buy now include the stupid squeaker, they fill up with water and sink.

I'd tried getting other dogs to bring the toy back in to no avail. Grr. I began to unload my pockets, extra poop bags, cell phone, digital camera, chapstick, and car keys, everything goes into my jacket pockets. Jacket handed to friend, fleece handed off, and I had to start psyching myself up for the cold water. My friend very generously did offer to go get the toy, but since I live only 10 minutes from the park and was wearing my Crocs, I couldn't let him do it. I did appreciate the offer, though. Bhoo ya! Here we go! I stepped into the water, it remained quite shallow for a long time, mid-calf, knee deep, I might be able to pull this off with only a little bit of suffering. Ya right! The water is now mid-thigh and creeping higher, thankfully we've had those spring-like warm days, the water wasn't nearly as cold as years past. Now I'm in crotch deep water, waist deep, belly button, I'm holding my hands up out of the water. For some reason keeping my hands dry gives the illusion of being warm and/or dry. The water is now chest deep and getting a little deeper, finally I can reach that damn toy. The whole way out I'm hearing the people on the beach laughing in disbelief that someone would be crazy enough to walk out into high chest deep water to retrieve a stupid dog toy. I grabbed the damn toy and hollered "I love my dogs!" as I started the long trek back in to the beach. The tops of my shoulders were still dry! Back on the beach I pulled on my dry fleece and jacket. My feet felt cold but the rest of me wasn't as cold as I expected. Time to head back to the car where I have plenty of towels, ostensibly for drying dogs off. A couple of large beach towels around my waist and the soaking, cold jeans were off and into the plastic tub in the back of the car. Hop into the car, crank up the heat and make haste for home, dry clothes and hot tea.

The saddest part of this sorry tale is the fact that this isn't the first time I've done such a thing. A few years ago, when Gus was much younger, it was about this time of year, first weekend in March, Gus had been fetching for quite a while. It was very early morning, a cold and rainy day, and we were the only ones on the beach. I knew he was getting tired so I tossed it out with the intention of one last time. Gus took three steps towards the toy and stopped, absolutely refused to go get it. This was an even higher value toy, I could not let it float away. I took my shoes off, emptied my pockets and headed out. The water was so cold I had an ice cream head-ache when I was only in ankle deep water and I had to go deep enough that I had to swim to get the toy. I spent the next month being really sick with a subsequent sinus infection. If I had to choose between a day like today and that Sunday morning those years ago, I would totally go out again today, in a heartbeat. My dogs love their toys and I love my dogs, there's nothing I wouldn't do for them. Stoopid dawgs!

Recovery Day

I figured after yesterday's adventures I deserved a leisurely day, not that I really need any excuse to be lazy ... I rolled out of bed around 10 and only then because I felt guilty about the dog's bladders. Got the dogs out and then fed, got my coffee going and started to think about what to do today, if anything. Since the dogz had spent the day home alone a trip to the dog park seemed like a good plan. As we were getting collars on the building wide fire alarm sounded. Stop, pack up the laptop, grab the passport that was still on the counter from yesterday, get the leashes on and get away from that evil sound. We hung around for a bit, no fire, just alarms, so headed out to the park. We saw a number of corgis we'd met on previous outings, had some good fetching and running around, got good and muddy and came on home. I decided today would be bath day after which I was overcome by a major nap. Pedicures would have to wait. Woke up, did all the nails and started on baking a sweet bread pudding. It's still in the over and smells great. I'm trying a tip from a friend, I've soaked the raisins in water in hopes they won't rise to the surface and burn, as they typically do. Fingers crossed. Hope you all had a great lazy Sunday.

PS I got the final results from yesterday's race. They came clean and said the race distance was 7.5 miles! There were three in the master women category and I took second, there were only three women who paddled in the race of 31 paddlers.

Life's too short to drink bad wine, but bad beer is probably ok ...

That was the screensaver on the computer in the lab where I did my graduate research, on the old 486 running Windows 3.1. Life is too short for a lot of things and if people remembered that I think, as a people, we'd all be much happier. I was miserable living in Rhode Island in a job that made me very unhappy. Life is too short to live that way so I quit my job and moved to Seattle. There were a lot of twists of fate, ultimately it felt like bad things would have happened if I hadn't moved forward on the opportunities presented. I have been much happier with the various ups and downs life has presented since moving to Seattle.

Life is too short to wear clothing that makes you feel ugly, even if it's only your self perception. My mother passed away last March and I took many of her clothes including the two cashmere sweaters. The pale aqua cardigan makes me feel good and happy, the olive green crew neck makes me feel down and dark. I gave it to a co-worker who really likes that color. She really didn't want to take it from me. I finally insisted that even though it's a great sweater and was my mother's I was never going to feel good wearing it, life is too short to wear things you don't like, regardless of how nice they are. I have plenty of other blouses and sweaters that I will never part with, the colors and styles make me feel good, why do I need one more sweater that I don't like.

Life is too short to vacuum the apartment every day. I'd much rather take the dogs to the park for a fun run around than vacuum all the time. I'm ok with some dog hair, a lot of dog hair, in my life. The joy it brings me watching Llelo sprint like a mad man around the park with a handful of dogs racing after him and Gus swimming for his ball makes neglecting the housework all worth it.

Life is too short to sit back and watch it go by. My mother's passing really was my wake up call. I believe I had fallen into the watch it happen trap, to a degree, and now I'm working hard to get out there and be a more active participant in my life. I realize that I have spent far too long waiting for Mr Right to come knock on my door, I need to get out there and look for him. We all know guys can be resistant to asking for directions, maybe he's out there looking for me and has gotten himself lost! I've been on a few online dating sites, I've answered a few craigslist ads. I've gone on some dates and met a some nice men and a couple that so weren't Mr Right. I'm still looking, it doesn't have to happen today, tomorrow, or even the next day/week/month/year, I just want to enjoy the journey, be an active participant. So, if you know of any nice single guys ... Life's too short to not have another first date!

My dog made me do it

Gus loves to fetch and if he can swim while fetching all is good in his world, no, all is excellent in his world. It is common knowledge that corgis are not particularly leggy, by a lot. At Magnuson Park we would head down to the dog beach for some swimming and fetching, nothing better than a happy tired dog. Our problem arises with the fact that most other dogs tend to have more leg than corgis. Gus is swimming in six inches of water, other dogs are walking in 20+ inches of water. I try to time my throw such that Gus should be able to get the toy without interference, on busy park days I spent most of my time cajoling other dogs to give back Gus' toy and Gus spent most of his time frustrated that I don't throw the toy for him. I finally decide that Magnuson is a big enough park that I should be able to find another place for Gus to swim and fetch uninterrupted.

One day we drove around the park looking for a good place to swim. On the north end of the park I found a lovely little boat ramp, plenty of parking right there, the perfect location for Gus to swim and fetch. With no other dogs around Gus was much more willing to swim deeper, too. One day while swimming and fetching this boat full of people comes paddling towards our lovely little boat ramp. I started chatting with the paddlers, asking more about the sport and I decided that I should give it a try. I went out with them the following week and have never looked back! So there you have it, my dog, Gus, got me involved in outrigger canoe paddling. How many people can say that!

Now all this happened before Llelo was even born. I feel like he needs a little shout out, too. I live alone, it's common knowledge. Living alone I tend to leave the bathroom door open, a habit born of having cats for so many years. The door is closed they need, nay, REQUIRE access to the other side of the door, entering into a cyclic situation, hence I just leave the door open. Gus will come in and lay down at my feet, Llelo will check and see if cookies are forthcoming. I keep a small bowl of cookies on the bathroom counter. The other day I decided a little trick training was on the agenda. You know how some dogs can hold a treat on their nose and then with a command will flip the treat into the air, catch it and eat it. I tried this with Gus, he just tips his head down and eats the treat off the floor. Llelo seems hard wired to flip it in the air and catch it. He hasn't caught it yet, but he's pretty close. Now for the $64k question: which is the smarter dog?