Faith's Little Note - NYC 1/31/2011

I tried writing you a letter yesterday. I’ve been putting it together in my head for a few weeks now. When I reread it this morning, it seemed void of heart – trying to say too much, I ended up saying nothing at all. I put the letter away and turned to a movie I’ve known about for a couple of years, thanks to Catherine and Kevin Cray.

This being my sabbath – a day of rest, contemplation, and delight – I turned off my phone, put on a blanket against this winter chill (snow still lies in feet-high mounds all around the city), and experienced Into Great Silence. I read that the film was “one of the most mesmerizing and poetic chronicles of spirituality ever created, [dissolving] the border between screen and audience with a total immersion into the hush of monastic life.” It has quieted me today – stilled something in my heart for the moment, which makes me more able to think clearly.

Some Sun in Sunnyside

Today has been one surprise after another.  First: I socialized with a pretty cool dog at the park this morning.  He was a big collie mix named Ozzie.  We sniffed each other, and although I let out a couple of growls setting my boundaries, we enjoyed each other's company while our people, Faith (mine) and Bernadette (his) chatted a bit.  Second: It was actually sunny here in Sunnyside!  So, Faith took me on an hour long walk around parts of the neighborhood I hadn't even seen yet.  It was wonderful.  I had to jump over a few lakes of slush, and I waited until Faith lifted me over a few others that I was unsure of, but all in all, it was super fun.  I came home, and immediately curled up to sleep after our time in the out of doors.

Now, Faith is getting ready to send another of her NYC letters, which made me think it might be nice if I let her post them here.  I'm happy to share the space. It will let you in on what my person is like and why it is I try so much to be a comfort to her.  

Snow Day Plans

Hey buddy, can you help a sister out?  My paws are freezing!

I already explored the world outside our door today. Snow, snow, and more snow. I enjoyed forging my way through the piles.  If I didn't shiver so much, I'd want to stay out there all day.

Faith's office must be closed, because she hasn't headed out the door yet, and she's set herself up with her computer and a cup of tea.

My plans:  lay around, take a few short walks outside, lay around, eat a snack, occasionally bark at the neighbors making noise, and lay around some more.

Faith's plans: enjoy the gift of this snow day by catching up on two work projects, drinking tea, taking me on a few short walks outside, and making a long-awaited Peter Berley recipe this evening.

Pigeons are Yummy

Did I mention how much I love to chase pigeons?  Or did I mention the fact that I have snagged TWO pigeons since Faith moved me here?  Colorado sunshine was wonderful, and boy oh boy do I miss the amount of winter walking we could do in the city -- lots of sun and not so much shivering as here.  Around here, all I do is shiver and either jump or wait for Faith to lift me over the slushy puddles of mushy rain/snow.  I think it bothers her more than me, but still...it sucks.

Thankfully, there are loads of things to hunt here.  Namely: Pigeons.  Lots of them.  All over.  So far, I've caught two of them in my mouth, but then Faith so quickly shrieks at me, that I drop them in an attempt to calm her down.  What I would do if she just wouldn't freak out.

Of course last night, Faith walked me right up to this window, and while these aren't pigeons, I could quickly think of some games I would like to play with these young pups...I'd school them well in the ways of being a dog and help them see how they need to mind their manners.  I mean I've got five years on them -- I've got a lot to teach, and it's clear they've got a lot to learn.

A dog is a dog is a . . .

"That's what I love about dogs:  they never pretend to be what they're not.  

I mean look at 'em.  

You get what you pay for with a dog.  No artifice.  -Dr. Tom on Being Erica

Kissy Faith

Sending her love . . .

I don't get it.  While I find myself a warm, comfy spot on the couch or in our super cozy bed, curling up into whatever blanket is handy, Faith is usually moving around the house.  She seems to love to clean -- always wiping down surfaces after spraying her organic-thyme-oil-cleaner all over.  Lately, she's also been unpacking box after box.  I mean, who cares?  I'm pretty happy just shaking off the dirt of the city streets, settling down and letting the boxes balance in their towers around the room.

Another thing Faith seems to like is taking pictures.  She's always asking me to pose -- which I completely avoid.  She has to catch me unaware to really get a good shot; if I see her turn the camera toward me, I pretend I'm a cat and that I just don't care what is going on around me, turning my pretty head away.  It seems she takes more self-portraits now that we're out here in New York.  She often uses her phone for that, and I see her typing in a message and sending it out to our people.  She deeply misses these people, and I think it's one of her ways of staying connected.

Since Faith insists on taking my photo and posting it Lord-knows-where on this computer, I decided turn-about is fair play.  Of course, this also works in her favor, since she loves sending love, and this kiss might just do that.  Now I'm off for more sleeping and lying around until George gets here to walk me!   

January Slush

Madge in Sleet - drawn by George

Have you seen reports on the weather out here?  I am NOT a fan.  Sleet.  Rain.  Where are my amazing piles of snow that I can jump into on my walks?  I'll tell you where they are -- buried beneath sheaths of ice.

This morning, I jumped up on a mountain of snow only to quickly hear a crackling sound beneath my paws -- I stood waiting to see what would happen before the ice broke beneath me and I was plunged into a mixture of heavy snow and slush.

Later, when George came to walk me, I decided I would not have it.   Sure, I peed a little to make it seem like I would cooperate, but then I just stood there, putting on my best, "I am miserable," look while inching my way toward our building's front door.  Thankfully, George ushered me inside and we played, instead of him dragging me all around slushy, mushy, cold Sunnyside.

If I had any sense of the future, I'd be looking forward to the sunny days of Spring; instead, I'm cozy-ing up in our little apartment, happy enough to eat, sleep, and play indoor games.

I Have New Friends!

I have always enjoyed looking out of the window of our home.  When Faith first brought me back from Lafayette, Colorado to her home in Denver, she spent the first couple of days at home with me.  The third night she went to something she called Book Club and put me in a roomy tent-like container, zipped up the top, and walked out the door.

Little did she know that I was smart enough to unzip anything you throw my way.  I had no interest in destroying anything in the apartment; I just couldn't see out the window from that little tent.  When Faith rounded the corner of the apartment building, she looked shocked to see me calmly lying on the window ledge.  From that day forward, I would take my spot on the ledge and watch the world go by.  Back then I had a great view of the pool; now I get to look out on to the active area where three streets intersect at an odd angle.  Watching all the movement keeps my mind active, which helps me deal with being alone while Faith is at work in the city.

Recently, I got something even better to break up my day: Dog Walkers!  Last week George and Lesley started taking turns visiting me in the middle of the day and walking me around the 'hood for a while.  It's great to be able to get outside and explore while it's still sunny out.  The great thing is that Faith doesn't seem to realize what's going on, because she still walks me when she gets home! It's pretty cool to have friends that come over just to see me, so I'm keeping this new development to myself . . . for now.

Why the coat? WHY?

Why does she do it?  Someone tell me, why, oh why does my person insist on putting me inside clothes?  I mean she's made it clear that she does not like to dress me up.  I hear her telling our other people that she doesn't see me as a person -- she sees me as a dog. She wants me to be a dog and not considered her "baby." I'm not really sure what this is supposed to mean.  I know I'm a dog.  I'm proud to be a dog -- bark at guests when they ring the buzzer (I mean, what if they aren't welcomed guests after all?  It's my job!!), chase pigeons on the street, sniff other dogs' butts.  That's how I roll.

Regardless of her surety that I'm no baby, she still dresses me...and I hate it! It seems to bother her that I shiver so much this time of year. I admit the New York wind is much more biting than our predictable Colorado cold followed by some warming sun around noon.  Still, there's no call for wrapping me in faux fur. So, I just make sure I walk as slowly as possible and look pitiful until she takes it off of me.  Then, I shake and shake with happiness and start diving into the snow piles all around!  I shiver, yes, and I have a great time once I'm freed of the princess-looking-capey-thing.  Wooooohoooo!

One Giant Tree

I KNEW it!!  Faith tells me how she's going to be home from work for the whole week between Christmas and the New Year.  Then, out of nowhere, she just leaves one day, taking my Uncle Glenn and Grandmama Toni with her.  I mean really.  They come out from Denver to visit me, and she takes them away for several hours?  Rude.

Then, I see this photo on Facebook.  They went to visit a GIANT TREE without me?  It's hard enough to find trees in this city.  It's so hard, I've taken to being happy to have garbage bags to pee on these days -- there seem to be plenty of those in this concrete town.  Do you know what fun I could have had with such a wonderful tree? Believe me, I do. It's a good thing I see how happy they look here.  And maybe it was better not to brave the remnants of the recent blizzard.  They look a little cold to me!

Rest in Peace, Pecola Vye

Pecola Vye 1.31.01 - 12.25.10

When we arrived in this new city, Faith moved us in with her friends, the Lenger Kangs.  Now, in this new home, there was also a dog named Pecola Vye.  I could see that Faith had a previous relationship with this dog, and sometimes I felt threatened with this whole new set up.

I felt compelled to growl and snap at this beagle from time to time.  In fact, I must have worried Faith a little, because I heard her talking with our trainer on the phone about how to stop this behavior.  Eventually, I settled in, and I even tried to get Pecole to play with me.

P-Dog was older than me, and she moved a little slower than I was used to.  I was confused when we went over to the Lenger Kang place after Christmas, and I couldn't find Pecola.  I smelled something strange in the bathroom as I hunted for her -- like she had been here recently but then the scent faded away.  When I looked up at my person, she said that Pecola was gone.  Faith has been pretty sad since this happened and has reminded me that she knew Pecola when she was just a puppy.  I try to go see the Lenger Kangs when I can; I know they really loved Pecola and miss her so.

Faith would like me to be at least a little sorry for my growliness, but what can I say?  I'm a dog.  I act like a dog.  I know Pecola understood that.

Denver Gardening

Here I am at our beautiful West Washington Park Garden plot in Denver, Colorado (2009).  While I do miss our daily walks to water the garden, it's my person who really misses this daily dose of gardening sanity.

As for me, I'm just as happy to smell around any patch of dirt I can find, and frankly I've found a lot of stinky stuff here in New York City!

Also I notice Faith has found a new way to destress in this wintry climate:  crocheting.  (I'm just praying she never crochets me a sweater -- it's just so embarrassing to be dressed.)

Why I blog by Little Miss Madge

What am I doing here?  Why am I keeping this blog?  Well, my person (Faith) took me in as a stray over four years ago, in Colorado.  Then, last year, I hop into the biggest car I've ever seen that says UHAUL on the side, and BAM four days later, we're in the Big Apple.  So many things are happening, I just have to BLOG.