Category Archives: Paige

February 3, 2012

Posted on by
Reply

Creature of Habit

Hey Gretchen?

Yep, Rubin.

What exactly is meant by the phrase, “a creature of habit?”

Well, it means that the “creature” — whoever that may be — likes routine and isn’t very fond of a change in their lives. Why do you ask?

I think this might describe me.

You think?

Why are you smiling like that?

I guess I’m just surprised that you figured this out now.

You mean you aren’t surprised?

Can’t say that I am because you are, in fact, very much a creature of habit.

Is that a bad thing?

Absolutely not! It’s just the way you are and I guess it doesn’t bother me because I’m kind of the same way.

Do you think others find it bothersome?

I suppose, but then everything everyone does bothers someone somewhere.

Well, I don’t really care about everyone everywhere. I’m concerned that my people/friends find it annoying. Is it annoying?

What “habits” do you think others might find annoying?

Hmmm, let me see. I don’t like to eat breakfast and would prefer my first meal of the day served after 11 in the morning. Is that annoying?

Not annoying so much as frustrating because sometimes our days are busy and stopping mid-morning to get you to eat can make the day feel rushed.

See, these are the reasons I think it’s important that we talk about this stuff.

Will it change the time you are willing to eat breakfast?

No, but it’s good to know that you feel this way.

Now who is wearing the wry smile?

Are there other things that I need to know about my habits?

Let’s see…I’ve got a question for you. Why is it that when it’s time for bed you always look at the human bed longingly and then, when we invite you up, you won’t come up unless there is an immense amount of coaxing?

I don’t know if you really want the answer to this.

Why not?

I do that because I like to see the two of you do all that gyrating to get me up on the bed. It’s kind of like the last joke of the day and it makes me laugh every time!

So it’s not habit? It’s humor?

Let’s just say that it’s a little bit of both. You have to admit it’s pretty funny.

Actually, I don’t have to admit that and I won’t.

Anything else you need to share about my habits?

Let me make a list…

A list?

Yep, a list.

Rubin’s Top Ten Habits (some annoying, others not):

1. The need to bark in the backyard…sometimes at something (like a squirrel or a opossum) and sometimes at nothing (the “I see dead people” syndrome)

2. The need for daily off-leash time; no off-leash time = Mr. Grumpy

3. The morning routine — wake up, outside break, inside to the warmest spot on the couch, morning nap, then a big stretch.

4. Barking at the two dogs in the neighborhood that you don’t like.

5. Running to hide when your raincoat and/or booties are even a possibility of being removed from the closet and getting anywhere near you.

6. Needing at least 3 hours of exercise each day before you decide you are sort of tired.

7. Sitting in the back of the car looking out the back window so that the drivers behind us point and smile at the “cute dog” in the window.

8. Staring at me whenever I put my hand/hands in my pocket(s).

9. Needing the blanket on the couch to be spread out over the ottoman so you have a tent to sleep under while we read or watch a movie.

10. The way you have me twisted around your paw so that I always add a sprinkle of something extra (cheese, ham, chicken, treats) in your food bowl before you even think about eating!

So what’s the difference between a habit and a personality trait?

Good question. I think the difference is how you react if any of the above don’t happen. If it were a personality trait, you’d handle it better realizing that things like having cheese put on your food isn’t necessary, but because you’ve done it over and over and over again, it’s now a habit that you can’t overlook…nor can I.

Are you suggesting that a habit is one I shape and form and a personality trait isn’t under my control?

Perhaps. All I know is that if certain things don’t happen, you get a bit flustered and when you get flustered, everyone’s day is kind of thrown off.

That sounds more like a personality trait than a habit.

You know, I think you are right, but maybe it’s that your overarching personality trait is that you are a creature of habit — one is nested into the other.

Like those Russian Dolls you have in the front room?

Precisely. You like routine, Rubin. There’s no doubt about it and frankly, I get that because I am the same way. If things change too much, I can stress out a bit and I have to stop and remind myself that the routines aren’t too far away…I just need to find my way back to them.

I understand that completely!

But why do you ask me about all of this?

Well, you have to admit that our routine has been kind of whacky lately and I’ve been feeling the stress of it.

Me, too. But I think things are going to level off here so hang in there, okay? I mean, this past week has been relatively normal, right?

Yes. I’ve gotten to see all my dog walking clients and even though Woobie stayed with us for a few days and Paige came over for a birthday party, it felt a little closer to a normal routine.

Good. Let’s work on keeping it that way in the weeks to come, okay?

Okay! Thanks for helping me work through this, Gretchen.

You bet, buddy. Anything else you want to talk about?

Well, it’s sunny outside today. Any chance we can go run off leash without my raincoat or booties after I bark at the squirrel on the backyard fence and bare my teeth at those dogs I don’t like in the neighborhood and then you can give me some cheese?

Aren’t you the joker!

Forever and always!

Rubin

 

 

Did you like this? Share it:

January 15, 2012

Posted on by
Reply

Unexpected

So much of my life of late has been unexpected. First, the arrival of Max and his subsequent journey — finding his path to health and mobility (that you can read about here).

Next, Rosie and Tyson going on vacation this past week so their house can get a mini-remodel. I do miss them, but I know they are having fun at Mystic Mountain.

Then there were unexpected play dates where I got to not only be with my friends, but run around like the wild boy that I am.

And finally, there was the snow…unexpected and unwelcome by some, but definitely not by me!

All this unexpectedness got me to thinking about chance. Some say our lives are filled with chance and others say there is no chance at all — that everything that is supposed to happen happens and it happens for a reason.

Perhaps it’s my innate Labradoodle skepticism, but I have yet to firmly believe that everything happens for a reason.

Of course then Max came along and I’ve had to question my beliefs. I discussed it all with my friends/clients this week and while Rosie and Tyson have yet to be interviewed, here’s what the dogs in my life this week have to say.

First, Monty. If you first met Monty, I’m not sure you’d consider him a deep thinker, but once you get to spend a bit of time with him, you’d realize what a wise soul he is. Quirky, but wise.

“Monty,” I asked him, “Do you think everything happens for a reason?”

“Well, Rubin,” he said thoughtfully, “I guess it depends on the reason.” He elaborated. “For instance, if I am not fed at 6 every night, I have to have consider the reason. Is it because my mom is working hard to pay for my scrumptious meals or is it because she forgot about me?”

“But I don’t understand?” I said to Monty.

“Well,” he continued, “If she forgot me, then my world is completely different than if she’s just working late at her job. If it’s the former, then my whole existence is put into question. Does she love me? Do I really belong to a family? If it’s the latter, then I can just cool my jets and know that my meal will be coming soon.”

I have to say that that made a lot of sense, only somehow I got the feeling Monty was missing something…a sort of deeper meaning to the whole thing.

So I asked Paige.

“All things happen for one reason,” she said in her very certain way. “All things happen to please me.”

“Seriously?” I asked her.

She smiled and then popped her ears up like exclamation points (a metaphor I stole my friend Cheryl).

“Okay, I’m not that self-centered,” she said, “But I think when people say stuff like that – that things happen for a reason — they are only thinking about themselves. They need to look at the bigger picture, in my humble opinion.”

“Interesting perspective,” I said, “But I don’t think I completely get what you mean.”

“Things happen, Rubin,” she explained, “And sometimes those things really impact our lives and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they impact the lives of others and sometimes they impact things we don’t even think about.”

She went on: “Sure we try to figure out why these things happen — those things we experience — and when we see the things we didn’t see to begin with, we try to figure those out as well, but sometimes there is no deeper reason. It just is what it is. Like I said, things happen – reason or no reason.”

I met a new dog this week. He’s not a client, but since I had more free time, I got to go on a walk at Genessee Park and there I met six month old Blue. It took Blue a bit of time to get to know me (he’s very focused on birds!) but once he realized I was a potentially good friend, we played chase and it was grand.

“Hey Blue,” I asked him. “Do you think our meeting happened for a reason?”

“Were birds involved?” he said.

“Birds? What do birds have to do with it?” I asked.

“Everything that happens for a reason involves birds,” he said.

Maybe it’s because he’s so young, but I was a bit confused by his answer. “Well there are birds here and you’ve been chasing them and flushing them out of the trees and underbrush, so yes, birds were involved.”

“Then yes, we met for a reason,” and off went Blue to find more birds.

I pondered his words the rest of the week and in a way, I kind of understood the Zen beauty of what he was saying. I couldn’t articulate it so I decided to ask Max who, out of all of us, has had the hardest life and therefore, I think, has learned some of life’s biggest lessons.

“What do you think about things happening for a reason, Max? Do you agree with Monty, Paige, and Blue even though they have very different answers?

He sighed, something he’s doing more of these days and said, “Well little buddy, I think they are all saying the same thing.”

“Really? How so?”

“Well, things happen to us and if we are aware of what happens to us then we try to figure out the reason so we can feel comfortable with those things happening — good or bad.”

“So in other words,” I said, “You’re saying that the reason things happen is so we’ll stop and contemplate the reasons?”

“Yes, essentially.”

And then I realized that there are many reasons for Max “happening” to us. First, he has expanded my circle of friends..I’m very happy to include him in my family of friends. Second, I needed his wisdom, which he doles out liberally and daily. Third, he needed us to help him heal (and his whole care team as well including his incredible long-term foster Mom, Suzanne). And most importantly, he has shown us that in helping others (like Max and Suzanne) we help ourselves feel the best parts of love and life.

Soon,

Rubin

 

 

Did you like this? Share it:

January 8, 2012

Posted on by
2

Tired Pause/Paws

Much is expected of a dog.

We are more than companion and friend. Much more than warmth at the end of the bed or laughter wrapped in fur.

We are asked to be counsel and sage, to hold our heads in such a way as to reflect confusion or sympathy, joy or curiosity. We must not be a nuisance yet playful when asked. We must come when called but also come when we’re needed — no words, no motion — just a desire yet unsaid.

We are the silent conversationalist, the affordable therapist, the moment in the day when the sigh finds release. We are unexpectedly silly, a model of patience, and a loving irritation.

Yes, much is expected of a dog and of late, I have felt the weight of my responsibilities.

First, there were the boarders, though I don’t like to call them that since, in fact, Monty and Quillette are my dearest friends. I shared my beds (yes, I have more than one in the house), I shared my treats, and most importantly, I shared my family who loved and massaged my friends just as they do me.

Then there were our clients — Rosie, Tyson, Roux, Monty, and Paige. But again, my connection to them is much more than a business transaction.

They are my teachers, my friends, my playmates, and members of my extended pack.

 

Then there is my family –immediate and extended — who send me emails of love and woofs, who comment on my silly smirk, and who give me gifts like knuckle bones and homemade treats. My paws grow weary from all the correspondences –typing without thumbs my inner most thoughts and my devotion to each and everyone of them.

It is no wonder that, as 2012 unfolds, I find myself breathing in then out a most tired pause and licking the quiet exhaustion of my weary paws.

I am not unhappy. On the contrary. My life is so full I find it difficult to contain my happiness. I often roll on the ground trying to take in the immensity of my joy — as wide as the sky. Still, happiness can be exhausting and I find myself seeking the warm corner of the couch or the surety of my place under the desk.

And now, it appears, we are opening our hearts and our home to another new friend — Max. I have been assured that he is going to be with us for only a short while (two months), but that during that time, my responsibilities will expand. You can read about Max’s full story here and in the coming weeks, read updates about him as well on our blog in the coming weeks.

Today, Sunday, we are going to travel to Vashon Island where he currently lives and pick him up — all Great Pyrenees/Lab bulk of him though he’s really quite skinny and bony for such a big breed. But we, like his current foster family, hope to put weight on him, strengthen his muscles and teach him to walk more smoothly and confidently. I think it’s going to be an uphill battle. Max has such a long, long road ahead of him.

Still, I’m willing to try. I’m willing to open my home (and my heart) to this sweet fellow and do my part to undo the damage of his past, the neglect of his previous life, and the scars that are left on his body and his heart.

So much is expected of a dog. Max is, perhaps, my biggest challenge of all.

Big sigh. Deep breath. One paw, then another.

Let’s begin climbing the mountain.

Rubin

Did you like this? Share it:

December 24, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

The Best of 2011

Another year is coming to a close and every year, we assemble calendars for our clients reflecting back on all of our adventures, compiling them in a 2012 calendar so that our clients can remember the joys of our “best shots”…or attempts at our best shots. I suppose I should be more humble and say that these are all Gretchen’s shots, but since I had to be in most of them (and posed patiently) I think I can take some of the credit.

Anyway, this is one of my favorite things to do — comb through all the photos and choose the ones that I like the best and in the process, remember all the reasons why I have the best friends/clients in the world:

First up, Monty. I put him first because he’s been a part of my life since the beginning. Well, since my beginning. When I first came home at the tender age of 2 months, Monty came for a visit. He was suspicious of me, at first, and when I jumped on him for the 90th time, he finally took his big, curly paw and put it on my head. He even gave me a little growl and from that moment on, I listened to Monty. He is my top dog.

This year we went on many walks together and every once in awhile romped like wild men (just like we did when we were much younger). This is one of my favorite photos of one of those romps…

I think why I like this photo is because, despite our ages, we’ve still got spunk, don’t ya think? Okay, while our romps a few years ago would last 15-20 minutes and they only last about 5 minutes now, they’re still fun and they fill my heart with curly joy!

But mostly, my love for Monty is the greatest when we sit quietly next to each other and know that we are and will forever be best friends. Plus Monty is kind of dignified in a goofy way, yes?

It’s hard to choose who is next. I guess if I’m going chronologically, I’d have to choose Woobie. I first met Woobie on a walk through the trails of Leschi Woods. I’ll admit, I barked at her first (which was my usual greeting when I was younger…I don’t do it so much any more), but Woobie just ran toward me with this big smile on her face. Yes, despite the long hair, her smile shown through like a beacon of friendship. We gave each other a mandatory sniff, then Woobie started to run and I chased her. We chased each other for a good half hour on that first meeting while our moms got acquainted and shared information. A few months later, Woobie was a dog walking client and on occasion, stayed with us while her family traveled all around the world.

Woobie is really good for me. She’s calm and rarely gets flustered. When I’m around her I feel calm, too. The past few months haven’t been all that kind to Woobie. She broke her toe and has been going through all sorts of treatments to help the bone heal and so we don’t get to walk or romp much lately, but luckily Woobie has had a chance to go to the pool and get some much needed exercise and massage therapy there. According to Gretchen, she absolutely LOVES the workout and the healing hands of the therapist’s massage. I totally get that as I love it too!

 

 

 

Next up would be Rosie and Tyson because shortly after meeting Woobie, I met these siblings. But even though I got to meet them, Gretchen had been walking them for about a year. You see, no one was sure how they’d do meeting me. It’s not that they are aggressive, it’s just that Rosie gets a bit anxious when meeting new dogs. Because Tyson is very protective of her, Gretchen decided she wanted just the right moment to introduce us.

I got to meet Rosie first and despite everyone’s fears, we were fast friends from the first outing. Rosie likes me a lot. And I think Rosie’s pretty silly. Tyson on the other hand didn’t seem silly to me at all on first meeting. He was serious, serious, serious. It’s not been until lately that his silly side has surfaced and that makes me very happy. And it also makes me feel safe. Scanning through the thousands of photos we have of these two, I realized that when we are posed together, I very much like to be close to Tyson. There’s a quiet sense of security I get being next to him. I can see why Rosie loves her little brother so much.

 

Next up is Roux (chronologically speaking). I met her a few years back when we were both playing off-leash at a local field. Rouxtook a liking to me right away and since I’m a fella that likes to be chased, Roux and I bonded right away. I ran, she followed. Now, when we arrive at her house, she howls with delight knowing that there’s a possibility that we might go play another round of chase on one of the many fields around our houses.

What I’ve noticed about Roux in all of these photos is that she loves to smile — like serious tongue-hanging-out-smiles that can only make you laugh.

She’s as silly as I am, which is a good thing in case you were wondering!

 

 

 

 

Lastly, but certainly not least is my newest acquaintance — Ms. Betty Paige. I consider Paige my kid sister. She makes me feelyoung again. Paige is an adventurer and for that I love her dearly. As you may or may not know, I have some issues with confidence. My lack of confidence shows up as anxiety and when I’m out in the world, I can be reactive to new sounds and situations.

Running and playing with Paige, though, has helped me tremendously. Paige has enough confidence to fill up the oceans and she moves through the world like a queen reigning over her kingdom. I love following her around as we flush squirrels out of bushes or chase rabbits along the shore. Paige makes me feel confident and self-assured; she makes me enjoy the world around me, not fear it. I have a lot to learn from Paige and she’s a willing teacher as well as a true and honest friend.

Yep, looking through our photos from the past year has really made me realize how wonderful 2011 has been. I not only have some of the best friends in the whole canine world, but I have a pretty incredible life that I get to share with special dogs and special clients.

I know that having this many photos made Gretchen’s computer crash this year, which unfortunately meant that we lost a few good shots, but the photographic record of our time together has not been tainted too much.

Who knows what’s in store for 2012? Maybe Gretchen will finally get an underwater camera and we can take photos at the beach or at the pool. Maybe I’ll find some new canine friends who’ll want me to walk them, play with them, and teach them all I’ve learned from my short time on this earth.

Who knows…the point is, it’s been quite a year and I thank each and everyone of you — blog reader, dog clients and their owners, and everyone in between — your friendship and support is what keeps me keeping on!

Merry Holidays and Happy New Year!

Rubin

 

 

Did you like this? Share it:

November 20, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Eat Play Love

I will admit that I have never read nor seen the movie, Eat Pray Love (nor has anyone at this house), but the other day, while racing across an open field barking at crows, I thought to myself, “Why is my life so wonderful?” I realize that the original story was more about someone finding the wonderfulness of life, but the premise — that what makes our lives so wonderful is all around us in the everyday details — is the same in both stories — Elizabeth Gilbert’s and mine.

So I spent this past week gathering those details (de-tails?) and spread them carefully out on the floor to study them yesterday. Yes, the floor was covered with things like car rides along the lake, a new (really really long) bully stick from my Auntie Sheila, all my friends (canine and human), a warm blanket, music, teriyaki chicken from Toshio’s, snuggling, walks, romps, cuddling with Auntie Jessica…I could go on and on and on.

But as I sorted through the many meaningful moments of my life, what I realized was that at the center of it all are three basics and they can, for me, be summarized as Eat Play Love…though technically it should go in this order: Play, Love, Eat.

PLAY: You can be certain that 99% of the time I have a moment where I stop and say to myself, “Hey self, your life is pretty wonderful!”  I am playing. Play includes running along the lake, racing through the woods, chasing after something (a ball, a bird, a squirrel, a cat, A RABBIT), swimming (at the pool or in some body of open water), hiking, kayaking, running an agility course (though I am no longer allowed to do it), or wrestling with my friends. (I know I’ve probably left something out, but you get the idea — if I’m moving and generally off-leash, I am beyond happy!)

Take this week, for instance: I got to play fetch at the park with my friends Paige and Monty (and Monty’s mom Colleen) and that made me hysterically happy…

…then I worked all week (and yes, for me work is a blast!) walking my friends Paige, Monty, Rosie, Tyson, and even Woobie…

…I got to make Woobie happy by helping her get some warm water exercise at Wellsprings K9 (as we all try to help heal her broken toe)…

…and I got to spend some quality time with my new best friend, Zoe, who visited me from Marquette, Michigan! (and I met a new friend, Chester!)

In between this full life of play is all sorts of stuff you don’t get to see — like I hung out at Auntie Jessica’s one day and we went on two wonderful walks together where I pranced and danced at the end of my leash, proud as a peacock to be walking with Jessica and her dog (and my buddy) Quillette; I saw Lulu and we spontaneously went on a walk together; I saw Liliana at Dog Mania for a Spaw Day; and I even got to go visit Dr. Geisler who gave me a much-needed adjustment on my back!

Which leads me to the LOVE part: Most of my play, if not all of it, is with friends (canine and human) that I love and who, in turn, love me.

Paige stayed with us last weekend and for a few days during the week and the more I get to know Paige (and share my life with her) the more I LOVE her (and yes, she loves me, too!).

Zoe, who I’d met years ago, came all the way from Michigan to cuddle with me on the guest bed. Now that’s what I call love!

There are places that I love and that love me back — like Seward Park — where we took Zoe for a walk…

…a ride on the zip line (well, she rode, I just barked at her)…

…and breathing in all the cool, chilly air on a cool, chilly day by the lake!

And again, there are so many places that I love that you don’t always get to see. For instance, I just got back from the Duwammish River Park where Paige and I flushed out rabbits from behind the bushes and chased them all the way across the park.

And I got to share the love, too  (which makes me feel loved as well) sharing one of my favorite places with my dear friend Woobie (Wellsprings K9) where she got to swim (something she loves to do) and get a massage from Auntie Sheila!

EAT: Okay, I’ll be honest. This isn’t one of my most favorite activities in the world but hanging out with Paige for a few days is the best way for any curly man to learn to eat! Man alive, I’ve never seen a dog ATTACK their food like she does. I watched in amazement as she waited patiently (and drooly) on her (actually MY) bed and then when given the signal, leapt across the floor and devoured her meal in 60 seconds or less! (The title of her book would be EAT, PREY, LOVE!)

That was inspirational. So inspirational in fact, I ate like a “real dog” (Gretchen’s words) the whole time she was here.

Of course, eating can be yummy at times especially when I turn my nose up at my bowl of delicious raw food and Gretchen decides to add some freshly cooked chicken or maybe some Havarti cheese to the mix and then, maybe then, I’ll eat it all up.

Though I know eating isn’t one of my favorite things, it’s certainly a necessity and I’m very lucky to have great food (and great moms) who will provide me with the best meals know to Dog!

And friends who give me bully sticks (dog chews) longer than my own body! (Thank you, Paige!)

So yes, the wonder of my life is multitude of things that add up to an equation I can only wish for every dog: EAT, PLAY, LOVE (in any order you prefer) and don’t let a moment of your life slip away into the doldrums! Yep, I’m grabbing life by the curls and never letting go! (And sometimes it’s good to sleep as well…but only if it’s under a big, warm blanket!)

See you soon,

Rubin

 

Did you like this? Share it:

November 13, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Quiet Before

I am aging. There’s no other way to say it, but straight out and honestly. I. Am. Aging.

It was inevitable, of course. Can’t stop what’s supposed to happen, but this week my aging opened the front door and I could no longer ignore her (yes, my age is somehow a “her” – no explanation). I think she walked in with the weather, but I can’t be sure. All I know is that she was quiet and then like a sudden hailstorm on a metal roof, she could not be denied.

This is not to say that my life is a storm. On the contrary. My life is more than just one thing. It is a sunny day, a standstill snowstorm, a sweet-smelling Spring shower, a gray stagnant afternoon, a pink cloudless morning…I could go on, but you get the idea. My life is full and unexpected, boring and predictable, sweet and sleepy all at the same time, all the time.

I suppose all of this wonder of my life (and my age) showed up at the front step because I took stock of all the amazing friends, family, and life experiences I have each and every week. Yes, part of this is due to the fact that I am a dog dog walker, but it’s also due to the fact that I’ve been born into this one, brief life and it is my nature to capture the splendor of of every second of every sun that rises, downpour that soaks me, and friend who crosses my path.

And all of this awareness coincided with the most interesting week of weather. Sure, we’ve had weather like this before and sure, we’ve had the wide variety of weather we’ve had this week many times in the past. But somehow the weather extremes highlighted all that is good and beautiful in my life and the storm of my realization crept up on me like the (rain, hail, wind) storm we experienced at the end of the week.

It started slowly. Monday was a cloudy day that ended in sunshine and the shimmering colors of Autumn’s last attempt to hang on. We walked with Rosie and Tyson. Nothing extraordinary unfolded — just a walk with my two friends, treats fed to us at all the right times, and six pairs of keen eyes focused on the possibility of cats and squirrels and a hole in the treat bag.

Still. And still. As in quiet still and an anticipatory still. It cannot be denied. I was content on Monday. Content with Boxers in a garden. Content with gray paint across the sky. Content with splashes of color that took my breath away. Content with the windless possibilities of the day.

And then in the afternoon, an unexpected trip with my friend Paige to the rabbit park only I became the rabbit and Paige remained and will forever be the Huntress of my Heart.

Yes, we played. And we laughed. And we smelled all that was good in the world. And we counted the quiet before, the calm of what was to come.

Tuesday was simply Rosie, but I do not say that with any less passion and contentment. There was sun…

and there was Rosie and there was rosy.

Don’t let her serious photographs fool you. She tells some of the best jokes and when I least expect it, she can cajole me into my clownish behavior with just one jowly punch to my side. It took a long time (relatively speaking) for me to meet Rosie (Gretchen walked her for almost a year before we were introduced), but not our tails (her stub and my plume) beat with the same rhythm of happiness when we greet each other.

Wednesday was Monty and Rosie. Now if that doesn’t make you smile, I’m not certain anything can. The city was outlined in fog but the promise of sunshine melted it all away slowly and surely.

By the afternoon when it was Monty and Paige, the sun on our backs was an invitation to play and play we did. First, we walked at Camp Long and told stories at the amphitheater.

Then we headed over to the baseball field and played an imaginary game of baseball.

I think it was at this point that my age knocked on the door. Or perhaps it was that night when my body twitched and ached from my adventures. I heard Gretchen say to Ann, “I think he’s worn out” but I was too happily exhausted to respond.

Thursday showed up with more sunshine and that eerie feeling that something big was coming. Yes, the calm before the storm itched at our skin. Still, Rosie and I smiled and squinted and did our best to enjoy the moment before us.

Overnight the rain came. Slowly and steadily. I dreamt about washing machines and waves and all things water and Friday stepped into the weather with my head up and my curls down.

Even the sharp-shinned hawk we spotted in the tree tucked its head against the rain (I’ve added a photo of what one really looks like with its head NOT tucked!)

The rain was soft and scattered when we started out in the morning and for that, Rosie and Tyson were grateful. By mid-day, the rain found its voice and roared down on Monty and me like a waterfall. Hard to photograph how soaked we were, but trust me, soaked can’t even begin to explain.

 

Ann had the day off from work on Friday and so while Gretchen headed off to the warm waters of Wellsprings K9 to work, I helped Ann wade through the torrential waters of her teaching requirements — REPORT CARD TIME!

And then the hailstorm hit. Water and rocks– that’s the only way I can explain it. They came down with a vengeance and that’s when I opened the front door to find my age standing on the front porch. It’s hard to explain, but the moment before I opened the door, I knew she’d be there. She wore a tattered coat of experience and wonder and a hat as wide as joy and as full as love.

There was no need to invite her in. She was home and I welcomed her with open paws. I couldn’t be the happy and loved dog I was without her. To not appreciate her presence in my life was to deny every curl on my head. And so we laughed and sang; we sat on the couch together and reminisced. We told stories about things we thought we’d forgotten and held paws remembering the losses and the loves.

She’s here now — my age — and I’m not letting her go. Instead I’m going to wear her like my favorite coat (which if you know my disdain of coats is saying quite a lot). When we picked Gretchen up from work on Saturday afternoon, I introduced my age to Paige who I learned was spending some days (and nights) with us. Saturday night was spent watching movies and curling up with each other under the blankets on the couch and I thought it profound that the names of my friends – Age and Paige – rhymed. And how funny it was that Paige collected all the tennis balls in the house and brought them to us.

The rain fell outside — silently and with purpose — and the three of us fell asleep dreaming of rabbits and baseball, visitors and sunshine, friends, flowers, and those quiet, calm moments before (and after).

Soon,

Rubin

 

 

Did you like this? Share it:

November 5, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Wonders of the Week

A lot happens during my week. Some of it you get to read about and some of it you don’t. While I try to describe a wide variety of my weekly experiences there are days and weeks that go by when I wrack my curly head trying to pick through the delectable morsels of my Doodle life. Yes, yes, yes…it’s not all pork belly and marrow bones. There are days when I feel that all I do is wait for action and other days when all I want to do is go to my bed and get some rest.

But I’m not complaining. Not many dogs are as lucky as I am to have such a blessed life. Every day I get to go on some kind of adventure — sometimes just with Gretchen, though most days with one or two or three of my canine friends who I am lucky enough to also call clients. They help put food in my bowl and I hope I help them find joy in strolling through the park, walking down the the lake, or barking at a squirrel or a cat or…

…a partridge.

It was that partridge — spotted on Friday morning, the end of my work week — that is the inspiration for this week’s blog.

We were walking Rosie and Tyson and had just left their house when I heard a sound — like no other sound I’ve ever heard — that made my head snap up and my ears shoot forward.

“What’s that sound?” I asked Rosie and Tyson, but they were so busy smelling the grass and the trees that they didn’t hear it.

“What sound?” asked Rosie.

And then it came again — a sort of warbling whistle, melodic and strange. “That sound!”

Gretchen saw it first, a funny lump on the sidewalk. Startled, it jumped once then flew awkwardly to the lowest branches of a tree. “It looks like a partridge!” Gretchen explained.

“Is that a pear tree?” Tyson asked.

“No,” giggled Gretchen, “But that was a funny joke, Ty!”

“Can we get a picture of it?” I asked Gretchen.

“I’ll try,” she said.

And here’s the part that you have to picture. She has on her backpack (where she keeps her camera, rain gear, extra dog treats, a first aide kit, and some toys in case we stop at a field somewhere to play) — she has three dog leashes in her hand and at the end of those leashes are me — staring up at the partridge not in a pear tree; Tyson — sniffing the base of the tree deciding if he wants to lift his leg; and Rosie, who is, in fact peeing for the fourth time since we left the house…about 200 feet from where we stand.

Without letting go of the leashes, Gretchen slipped her backpack off, removed her camera and pointed into the tree to see if she could get a photograph.

“We need to get closer,” she whispered to me.

“Okay,” but then I realized Rosie was at the end of her leash, her snout buried nostril deep in a pile of racked leaves and Tyson had moved across the sidewalk to lift his leg on the corner of the fence.

“Guys,” I said, “There’s a partridge in the tree. We have to move closer. Rein yourselves in!”

“Aren’t we going for a walk?” asked Rosie,

“I’m being a good boy,” said Tyson, “Isn’t it time for a snack?”

Uncooperative as they were, Gretchen moved us all a bit closer and after about 15 attempts got the photo of the partridge and that’s when it struck me — there are a lot of wonders around me and I better pay close attention.

Of course, it was the end of my work week and I was sad to realize that I’d probably missed a few important wonders Monday through Thursday, but luckily Gretchen had a photographic chronicle of the week. So, when we got back home, I combed through the photos and realized that many of the wonders had been captured. The partridge was, in fact, the punctuation mark at the end of a very wondrous week.

The first thing that struck me was the color of the week. True, it’s Autumn and the leaves are still clinging their orange, yellow, red, and crinkly brown selves to the limbs, but many have also fallen creating these amazing kaleidoscopes of filtered colors.

Yellow…

Pink…

Orange…

Green and blue…

It’s amazing! I never realized how appropriate the name Emerald City is for Seattle!

And then I noticed the light. On Monday, for instance, Rosie and Tyson and I were out on a long walk through the wooded park when Gretchen stopped us on the stairs and snapped this photo. “Sweet,” she said. “The light is amazing!”

I paid no attention at the time, but when we got home and looked at the photo, I too was amazed.

Then later in the week, I walked with Paige and the sunshine of the early part of the week was being pushed out by a gray wind.

The effort it took to get a good photo of us — what with the gray skies rolling in and the gray waters of Puget Sound — was a mighty feat. Coupled with the fact that Paige rarely looks a the camera because she’s always watching for something else to scurry by, I was surprised to find photos of Paige staring right into the camera.

“I know how to behave,” Paige informed me, “I just make the choice not to.”

There are many reasons why I love Paige, but her spunk and boldness are only matched by her sweetness and ability to tell an amazingly funny joke.

Oh and we make a great team — she scents out the squirrels and I use my keen eyesight. Let me tell you, not a single squirrel goes unnoticed on our walks!

Going from beautiful light to gray skies (which later opened up into a full-fledged rainstorm that we luckily avoided!) as well as capturing the beauty of Paige in the camera was only matched by Roux (who we walked the next day) actually staying in place for photographs.

With Roux you get about 10 seconds to take a picture. I’ve learned, as I’ve explained before, that the quicker you behave, the quicker you get your treat and we can be on our way. Roux has yet to fully embrace this fact. But lo and behold, she sat on the picnic table with me for a good 30 seconds…

…and then she was off…sniffing the ground and misbehaving.

Oh Roux! Luckily she comes when called…well, eventually she comes.

We walked Monty twice this week (as usual) and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what was the wonder of our time together then Gretchen said, “You two have been friends now for almost five years Rubin! Imagine!”

And yep, that’s when I realized that sometimes wonder isn’t captured in a camera. Sometimes wonder is captured in time and there’s not a camera fancy enough to hold every moment of five years as well as what I hold in my heart for Monty…heck, for all my friends and family.

But sometimes…sometimes when you least expect it a partridge lands in your view and “snap” you realize all the wonders of the world are right in front of you.

Have a great weekend (enjoy that extra hour!)

Rubin

Did you like this? Share it:

October 28, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Look At This Dog

We got sent this sign via my Facebook account. I know it is difficult to read so I’m going to post the caption here:

Look At This Dog

*Responds to the name Gilligan

*Last seen chilling in my back yard, srsly not giving a sh*#

*Plays by his own rules and apologizes to no man. Or dog.

*Will flip out if offered cheese, especially Kraft slices.

*Borderline obese. Ya know, from Kraft slices.

*Loves rolling in his own filth. But who doesn’t?

*Has a gorgeous, flowing mane, akin to a majestic lion’s.

*Not Lost – just wanted to show you how awesome my dog is.

Yes, I laughed out loud. So did Gretchen. We see Lost Dogs signs all the time and we keep an alert eye open for the missing. We’ve never found anyone and while that makes me sad, when I read this posting, I chuckled so hard my curls bounced. What a great family this dog lives with– to be so loved that they post signs all over telling everyone how lucky they are to live with such a silly, sweet dog.

So it got me to thinking — if I were to post signs of my dog-friends, what would I say? What do I need you to know in eight bullet points or less?

Great idea for a blog, Rubin.

Thanks, Gretchen. I thought so too, but I think I’ll need your help.

Seriously? I think you know your friends better than I do.

Maybe, but do chime in if you feel like I’m way off base or you have something to add.

Okay, will do. Who shall we start with?

Rosie

*Responds to the name Rosie, Rosalicious, Rose-bud, Rosie-Posie, and Wiggle bum

*Last seen poking her brother, Tyson (see below), with her nose, egging him onto play. (I’m not going to use any swear words, okay? Sounds like a plan.)

*Lives to chase cats though she rarely gets an opportunity, though trust me, she’s tried.

*Is so treat driven that she’ll do anything to receive a morsel (except if a cat is involved…then all bets are off).

*She’s built like a tank, but is amazingly flexible. She can bend herself in half in either direction and has a break-dancing spin move that is the envy of the boys in our ‘hood

*Takes 15 minutes to walk 3 blocks partly because she likes to pee on everything, but mostly because her nose is working over time and she knows that every leaf, blade of grass, and tree requires that she catalog its existence.

*Is gold like honey with sprinkles of white around her jowls. And you can’t miss her because she walks like she’s doing a jig.

*Not Lost — In fact, I doubt she would know how to get lost since she’s not only attached to her brother, Tyson, but adores her family so much she’d never leave their sides (well, unless a cat races by then she might have a chance of getting lost).

How’s that?

Perfect! I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Tyson

*Responds to the name Tyson, Ty-Ty, or Chicken Nugget (you know, like Tyson’s chicken nuggets?)

*Last seen with his head in the toy box searching for the hedgehog that squeaks while his sister, Rosie, punches him with her nose.

*Lives to protect his older sister, Rosie. He has often defended her honor and has the scars to prove it.

*While he enjoys normal dog treats and snacks, often stops dead in his tracks to snag a blade of grass and munch on it for whole city blocks.

*The body of a gladiator, you’d never know he’s kind of a nervous fellow. Still, he’s the envy of all the boy dogs I know (including me!)

*A very well-behaved dog on a leash unless his sister sees a cat then he goes into Protection Gladiator and rises up on his hind legs like, well, like a Boxer (I mean, like a human boxer – dukes at the ready!)

*Short-coated, golden like a chicken nugget, with a black, black nose and muzzle and don’t forget about those worried wrinkles etched in his forehead.

*Lost, sometimes, in his own worry, but an amazingly fun-loving guy and goofy as all-get-out if you give him half a chance.

Anything to add?

You’re doing great, Rubin, keep going!

Monty

*Responds to the name Monty, Sir Monce-o-lot, Montague, Montego, and Stinky

*Last seen leaping up and barking at the cars splashing through the mud puddles

*Lives to smell other dog’s heads (yeah, I know, I should be writing “butts” but trust me, this guy has a thing for other dogs and their heads)

*Has a special fondness for anything he finds in my bowl and is not the least bit particular though some foods disagree with him (remember his nickname is Stinky!)

*When recently coiffed, he looks like a show poodle, but that doesn’t last long since he has a fondness for mud puddles. Cutest when he looks like a Muppet and is wearing his pooka shells!

*Has never learned to walk a straight line on a leash. He’d make a great swing dancer since he’s always circling around and spinning in great arcs.

*His black and white spots throw people off. “What kind of dog is that?” they ask and we respond – “He’s not a dog, he’s a curly-coated Holstein Cow!”

*Never lost — he just sometimes looks like he is.

You nailed that one, Rubin. That’s Monty down to the last curl!

Thanks. This is kind of fun!

Paige

*Responds to the name Paige, Pager, Pager-wager, Pokey-nose, and Ms. Betty Page.

*Last seen tearing through the woods on a cold, dark night sniffing out the scent of something very interesting and low to the ground!

*Lives to get her way — even when she can’t, she still tries…and tries…and tries again. And then a few more tries after that.

*Has a special fondness for Chicken Jerky, a Honey Crisp apple, and Gretchen’s socks (ew!)

*Sleek, svelte, and without an ounce of fat on her. A beauty!

*Loves kissing everyone she likes with her wet nose on their noses…or glasses…or ears…(remember, Pokey-nose is her nickname!)

*Has ears that are more expressive than Marcel Marceau’s face…heck, more than his whole body!

*Never lost – she knows exactly where she is and what she’s doing — it’s everyone else who’s confused.

Keep going…you’re on a roll now, buddy!

Woobie

(Who we miss very much — she’s still working on healing that broken toe!)

*Responds to Woobie, Woobster, Woobs, and Woobie Woobie Woobie (said very excitedly!)

*Last seen weeks ago wearing a red cast and still smiling!

*Lives to make everyone happy!

*Is very particular about her treats though will do anything to be rubbed on her belly!

*Distant relative of Cousin It only not creepy in the least!

*Loves diving into the lake and letting her long locks float like seaweed all around her.

*Long, beautiful black and gray hair that flows like a cape and catches the breeze

*Lost? Not in her vocabulary. When you’re with Woobie, you’re found.

Are you a bit smitten with Woobie, Rubin?

Blush.

Roux

*Responds to Roux, Roux-Roux, Roux-ster, Roux-o-licious

*Last seen (and mostly heard) with her tongue out and a wild look in her eye hoping we come by for a walk and a visit.

*Plays without rules, with free abandon like there’s no tomorrow!

*Has been known to dream of licking peanut butter out of the jar instead of just her Kong toy.

*Thunder thighs! Seriously. If she were any taller, you’d swear she was a horse!

*Loves racing around like crazy and then refusing to walk home because she’s too tired.

*Wolfhound is in there for sure, but the other mix (or mixes) are a mystery. She’s a Wolfdle!

*Not lost, just momentarily uncertain of where she is and where she should go next.

Wow Rubin, that was amazing.

Ya think? I mean, I know we haven’t seen Woobie or Roux this week, but I threw them in there because I kind of miss them.

I think they would be honored to be included. But remember, you saw Gemma too!

Oh yeah! She came by for a visit! I know we don’t walk her anymore, but can I make a poster for her?

Of course you can — it’s your blog after all!

Oh and you have photos still…I saw them when you were trying to clean out the photo album. Can I use one!

You bet!

Gemma

*Responds to the name Gemma, Gemster, GEMMA!!!!, and Gem

*Last seen turning her butt into any dog who looks like s/he would want to play (which was me the other night!)

*Believes every rule ever written was to be broken…by her!

*Flips out over ears. Yep, you heard me right. She loves to chomp on ears — mine in particular!

*I’m not saying she’s chunky, but she sure knows how to throw her weight around.

*Loves barking at dogs behind fences — it’s safer than barking at them face to face.

*Is Irish red and like anyone who knows redheads, she’s got a feisty, fiery dog-a-nality to match (but I love her!)

*Lost? You couldn’t lose her even if you tried (though I’d never!) – she’s everywhere at once!

Whew, that made me tired. I think my paws may never recover.

Good job, Rubes! Why don’t you call it a week.

Sounds like a plan! Have a great weekend everyone!

Wait! You need to write one for yourself.

I can’t write my own…you have to write it!

Alrighty…let’s see…

Rubin

*Answers to Rubin, Rubinator, Ruby, Rubes, Rubinations, Rubric, Rubicon, and Mr. Curly Butt

*Last seen chasing a squirrel up a tree

*Has a play drive as strong as his prey drive.

*Has recently acquired an appetite and has learned that all good things come from human pockets.

*Looks big and burly but is fine-boned and delicate (but don’t let anyone know!)

*Loves being off-leash especially if near water or his friends

*Since he has hair he can either look like a curly Muppet (see Monty) or a Meerkat if he’s been to the groomer. He prefers the Muppet look, except when it’s time to get combed out.

*Lost is a state of mind and that’s not a state he wants to visit (yes, he’s a Momma’s Boy)…

HEY! Wait just one minute…

You said I could write it.

Give me back that keyboard.

Have a great weekend everybo…

Woof!

Rubin

 

 

 

 

 

Did you like this? Share it:

October 23, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Facing Facts

I need to face the fact that I am getting older. I will be 5 years old in February and as I approach that milestone, I am becoming more and more aware of what this means.

For one, I am often asked to be more patient. As a pup, I could let my youth be my excuse for being overly frisky and giving into crazed moments of frolic. My humans would often laugh or chase me around trying control my prepubescent exuberance. And even during puberty, they’d often let my Dennis the Menace behavior be moments of amusement and not cause for parental worry.

But now that I am moving away from my fourth year and into my fifth, I am asked to control my impulses more. For those of you who know me, you are most likely grinning that knowing grin – the one that says, “Uh yeah…Rubin control himself?” I hear ya. Sure, I know how to pose for a photo, but what you don’t see are all the times when I throw myself on the ground, roll around like a crazed maniac, and then bark at the sky just because it’s gray and I want it to be blue, or it’s blue and I want it to be gray. (I know you see some of those photos, but mostly you see me behaving…often more than my compatriots!)

So this past week, I tried to bust loose a bit, to resow my oats and let the frisk out of my bones a little bit more because frankly, I will soon not be as youthful and playful as I am now. So the photo above, is of me and Rosie practicing our youthfulness. We’d been posing for about 2 minutes while Gretchen waited for the exact moment and the exact photo that captured us on this particular day. That’s when I whispered to Rosie, “Make a funny face on the count of three!”

Rosie is always willing to let her frisk out so on the count of three, we made the faces you see above. Let me show you the shot right before, next to those funny faces one more time…

This is why I love Rosie…she is always willing to get silly with me.

Another fact I’ve had to face is that while I’m getting older, so are my friends. In fact, most of my friends are older than I am and while I enjoy their elderly viewpoints and wisdom it means that often, at the end of the day, I’m the only one still standing and ready to keep playing.

Monty is one of my oldest friends though not necessarily just in years. He was one of the first dogs to meet me when I was just a pup and he’s taught me a lot in these four plus years. But one of my oldest (as in age, not time I’ve known her) is my buddy Ginger. Now Ginger gives me a whole new perspective on what it means to grow older. Ginger is 12 and if you ever met her on the street YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT!

Ginger is the very definition of youthful exuberance. She is a dog in constant motion. Constant! And when she sees us coming, she goes into overdrive.

Notice the photo to the right — where Monty, Ginger and I are all posing calmly and patiently. Well, if I could show you the whole sequence of photos, you’d see that there is only ONE shot where we all look at the camera (well, I look at the camera all the time) because Monty and Ginger, while still sitting, are looking all over the place.

Especially Ginger who likes to throw her head back and tell us, “Take the darn photo! It’s time to run and play and be obnoxious!”

(Sidenote: In that first photo, they both kind of look like they have headdresses on with those trees in the background, yes?)

Duke is older than I am too, but Duke is the polar opposite of Ginger. He is calm, mild-mannered, and rarely ever gets excited about anything. Duke had to move back to Port Townsend after making an attempt to live in the city, but he came back to visit this week and I took him up to his favorite place in all the world — THE BAKERY!

If you wanna see Mr. Calm get excited, take him to the bakery. This guy LOVES bread (I think it’s the French in him) and he does anything he can to walk past the bakery. In fact, he’s been known to actually stop in the middle of the street, refusing to move, if he thinks we’re going to go in a direction away from the bakery.

At first, I couldn’t figure out his love of baked goods, but then I realized it’s his mom’s fault as Ellen always gives him a taste of what she’s eating. I bet if Gretchen did the same, I’d get a hankering for a croissant or a brioche!

But that’s another thing about getting older — I’m having to watch my waistline.

Yes, I know I’m a svelte boy with fine bones, but now that I have an appetite (thanks to my good food from the Pet Pantry) everyone who feeds me is giving me a bit less because they want to make certain I stay in proper doodle shape.

Luckily, I get lots of exercise. In fact, this week I got some “alone” time with Gretchen and we did what I love to do — went to the lake and walked, romped, fetched, and practiced. Yeah, I know that practicing stuff doesn’t sound like much fun, but in a way, it’s kind of like a game.

Gretchen said it was too cold to go swimming, so we found a stick and played some fetch on the shoreline. Mostly though, I like to just curl up with my stick and gnaw on it! Canine Bliss!

And then we practiced my sit/stay, down/stay from a distance followed by “Come!” I really like the part when I don’t have to stay anymore!

Of course, while exercise is a good thing, sometimes I overdo it. This tends to happen when I hang out with friends younger than me. In a word — Paige. But wow is it ever fun! This week Monty and I both got to hang and romp with Paige and both Monty and I paid for it the next day, but it was worth every sore muscle and achy joint, believe you me!

But don’t let Monty fool ya. He can run and run and run and then, when you think he’s spent, walk him by the lake when it’s wavy. Oh my! He goes crazy wild! Luckily, Gretchen caught him being calm and relaxed right before the waves kicked up on our walk down by the lake!

The passage of time is sort of a double-edged sword. Yes, I can feel the years in my bones, but I can also appreciate the changing seasons. This week the Autumn season glowed and I was very happy to share in the light of the season with all my friends. Time makes you appreciate it more the more time you spend with it. Does that make any sense?

Of course, the changing of this season is bringing about one of the oddest human celebrations I’ve ever experienced — Halloween.

I was reminded again of how odd this holiday is on a walk through the Volunteer Park neighborhood with Monty. Monty wasn’t the least bit worried when we walked by this…but I had to take a second look just to make certain I was safe! Some fears never go away no matter how old you get. There’s a fact I need to face!

Until next time!

Rubin

Did you like this? Share it:

September 23, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Autumnal Equinox

Fickle. It’s the only word to explain how odd our weather has been of late. Here it is, the Autumnal Equinox — when summer fades and the chilly winds (and rains) of Autumn bless us with cooler temperatures and clean, fresh air — and despite the calendar recognition of the spinning planet’s relationship to the sun, we are drowning in fickle weather.

Case in point: Last week Gretchen pulled out a sweater. The day was cold. The chill in the air tickled my nose and made me curl up even tighter in my bed. Everyone we talked to said, “Wow, it’s cold!” and people talked about turning on their furnaces for the first time in months. Then, not 24 hours later, it’s 78 degrees and 95% humidity (okay, maybe not that humid, but we’re sensitive here in the PNW and so it felt like 95% humidity).

And it’s stayed like this for the whole week. We go out for a walk and my tongue instantly sags and sweat pours off Gretchen’s forehead and back. It’s hard to breathe, especially at night, and every time we get close to water (the lake, a drinking fountain, a muddy puddle) I pull Gretchen toward it.

What the heck is going on? This is not Autumn? This is not crisp mornings followed by clear, blue skies. This is not cool nights and misty breezes. This is uncomfortable. Muggy. Exhausting. Weird. No one knows how to handle it. Even the flowers and trees are mixed up. Some leaves are turning and while flowers are blooming. The tomatoes are finally ripening, but the basil looks like it’s suffocating.

We all kind of look a bit like we’re suffocating.

I always look forward to the Autumnal Equinox, partly because I like saying it – I like the way it uses all parts of my mouth when I say it out loud – but what I really love is how it means fall is coming — a time when we snuggle closer together and eat warm foods and sleep in because the sun is not calling us out to play. But with this unseasonal mugginess no one is interested in snuggling, warm foods feel claustrophobic, and sleep eludes us all because we’re all unable to really breathe.

While I don’t mean to sound like a complainer, it makes my job as a dog dog walker exhausting. My tongue hasn’t gotten such a workout in a long time — panting these days has become almost aerobic — and for the first time in my life, I’m wishing I could sweat out of my skin. Something has to change.

My friends agree:

Rosie and Tyson, because of their short snouts, really struggle with the breathing in this humidity.

“It’s like breathing through a down pillow,” Tyson complained the other day.

“But look at the Autumn leaves,” observed Rosie, “What’s with that?”

Even dogs I met on the street were disturbed by the fickleness of the weather.

“I’m an old fellow,” said Joey who I met in Fremont. “This muggy weather feels good on my old bones, but it sure tires me out!”

Even when these two strange people tried to run away with me, I was just too hot to go anywhere! Of course, it didn’t help that they tried to move in two separate directions. What clowns!

My week wasn’t normal in terms of my work, either. I got to see Rosie and Tyson like a normally do, but Monty was on vacation with his Mom and Woobie’s foot is still broken. I got to see Roux, which was nice, though her tongue as low as mine in the muggy air. Of course, when I’m hot I like to roll in the grass. Roux worried that I wasn’t doing what I should have been doing and then she tried to kiss me. Ewwww! It’s way too hot for that!!!

But do you see all those downed leaves?

Yes, there are hints that Autumn may push away Summer’s over-stay.

Either that or Roux’s going to chase summer away!

Getting Roux to sit and stay for a photo is quite a challenge. Right when the shutter fires, she leaps up and races toward Gretchen thinking that the treat is a-comin! You gotta love her spirit!

I got to go on a really fun romp with my friend Paige who agrees with me completely:

(Thanks Auntie Sheila for the photos!)

“It’s time,” she said. “Don’t let these flowers fool you. Think pumpkins,” she suggested and so I closed my eyes and did my best to think about all those things I love about Autumn. Gretchen says the forecast calls for cooler temperatures and rain, but I won’t believe until I feel the rain on my curls, the cool air blowing through my ears, and my tongue shrinking back into my mouth a bit more.

Yes, we try to find the beauty in it all, of course — the flowers bursting forth in their last hoo-rah, the anomaly of fall leaves piled up at the park, and eating dinner on the back porch — but I guess I’m kind of a calendar driven dog. Today is the Autumnal Equinox — let’s get Autumnal!

 

Did you like this? Share it: