Rainy Days

Do you have any idea how boring it is when it rains outside?  This rain is after months of cold and cold and more cold.  I am one bummed dog.  Where is Spring??  Where is the SUN??  I want OUTSIDE again!!

Okay, okay.  It's true.  I get outside every day.  I think I might be channeling Faith's misery.  Why am I so loyal and empathetic?  It's hard being a good dog.

The Sun Returns!

Woof, Woof, Woof!!  Jump, Jump, Jump!!  Yesterday's rain has cleared out -- the weather is better with 45 degrees outside and the sun beaming down -- Faith is home early, and she promised me an extra long walk today.  

Ready?

Set...

Go!!

Windy Walk in the Cemetery

It was photo time again today, when Faith took me walking in the biggest cemetery either of us has ever seen.   Faith used to visit the little cemeteries she found in mountain towns in Colorado, finding she could piece together little historical stories by looking at the grave markers, like if an illness swept through a town during a certain period of time, taking the lives of its children or elderly.

I also remember that when we drove from here to North Carolina last year, Faith stopped at a few cemeteries and we walked around.  These cemeteries were small and most often situated in the back yard of Baptist churches right on the main road in town.  Calvary Cemetery is huge.  When you look down at it from the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, it seems to go on for miles.

I had an amazing time getting to explore.  It was weird though, Faith walked me so much before we got to the cemetery I was all out of pee and poop.  When I tried to pee on some lovely grass in front of a big stone with an angel carved into the top of it, I looked pleadingly at Faith thinking, "Nothing's happening, here.  What's going on?"  She told me she had timed it that way, because it could be seen as rude to sprinkle near someone's resting place. I don't know, it seemed pretty natural to me, but with nothing left in my bladder, it was just sniffing and wandering around for me while Faith snapped these:

Dog Book!

Faith talks to me.  She does.  This is probably not surprising to any of you that have ever worked or lived with her.  She used to just talk to herself, as you may recall.  Now, she gets to direct her words toward me.  To be truthful, I love it.  It's great to try and figure out what she means exactly.

Some things I have down pat.  My ears perk up and I start to twirl or patter around her feet when she says, "Walk," "Hungry?," "Treat," and "Let's brush your teeth!"  In fact, she has to be a little careful, because sometimes when she's on the phone and says these words to someone else as a part of her normal conversation, like, "I think I'm going to enjoy a treat later," I come running in, panting, "Treat? Treat!  Did you say treat?  Is it time for me to do my tricks and get some bison jerky?!"  I'm pretty disappointed when I realize she wasn't talking to me at all.

Other things she says I am not quite sure about, so I look at her, tilting my head and raising my eyebrows.  If she repeats the word or phrase while looking at me, I know it's something she wants me to understand.  This is the fun part, adding to my vocabulary.

Recently, Faith came through the door at the end of her day and told me she'd been listening to a story about a dog.  What could this be?  She showed me a little silver rectangle with some of those things she puts in her ears attached.  Later, I saw her looking at this website: Merle: Lessons from a Free Thinking Dog.  She says she is crying a little on the train and smiling a whole lot.  She has begun to speak with me differently after starting this book.  I hope she keeps it up.  I feel like we're getting to a new place as dog and person, together!

Also, I like the sound of that title!  Free.  Thinking.  Dog.

Too Cold for Me -- Way tooooo Cold

The cold is running straight through me, every time I get to go outside.  I'm a tough one and I still try to go, go, go.  But the cold is once again telling my doggie senses, "Danger! You must not stay out in this storm of falling temperature.  Seek shelter!"  Thankfully, Faith took a camera with us on our walk last week, when we had one beautiful day with 50 degree weather.  We walked and walked and walked.  Maybe seeing her random pics (I'm often unsure when she takes time to look at things other than the dirt, trees, hydrants, and trash bags that call to me with their wild smells) will remind me of our wonderfully warm time together and that heat will arrive once again . . . I hope . . . I hope . . . I hope . . .  

Faith stood at this one for a long time.  She seemed to be contemplating something about her world and bumps.

I don't care about soap but it seems Tuesday and Wednesdays are THE days to get them free all around Sunnyside.

I tried to go in this neighboring building - someone was cooking meat!

I did love this crazy bush that was lit from the inside and didn't have a cage around it, so I could explore to my satisfaction.

I'm Disgusted!

Well, I was going to post this myself, after what George told me on our walk today, but I see he wrote about it in his note* to Faith, so here's the story:

"The weather was actually very nice for a long walk.  Hiked down Greenpoint Avenue to the shores of Brooklyn.  I told Madge about the history of pollution of the Newtown Creek, and pointed out the waste treatment facilities and oil refinement that leaked into the ground for several decades.  Madge was disgusted!  It was cold and windy, but the sun was hot and Madge was very happy and energetic.  --George"

And let me tell you, George read my expression perfectly!  Pollution is a real bummer.  Also, I did have lots of fun -- long walks are the best!

*George and Lesley leave Faith notes on how things went on our walks.  While I'm just happy writing keeps them in the apartment a little longer, the notes seem to make Faith smile a lot at the end of what seems to recently be pretty tiring and hard days.

Big Week: Ice, Teeth, and My Butt

Faith likes to tell long stories (I see some of you nodding vehemently out there!), but I prefer quick & dirty versions.  For instance, here's the short & not-so-sweet of my week so far:

1 - Sunday, I started licking my butt, and I don't ever do this, so Faith took me to the vet on Monday.  Fast forward to me staying overnight, and the next morning taking a drug-induced nap while Dr. Weltz (a kind man) lanced an abscess under my tail. I feel much better now; Faith keeps putting hot compresses on my butt and giving me some super tasty pills.

2 - Today, when we went for our morning walk, we got a big surprise as we stepped onto the sidewalk at the park.  It looked perfectly normal but suddenly we began a slow slide downhill.  The concrete was covered with 2 inches of completely transparent ICE!  We both stayed on our feet, but it took us a while to figure out how to scoot over to the street again.

3 - Finally, tonight after a super-slushy and short evening walk (I'm still sleepy from my recent anesthesia hit), I attended to my nightly dental hygiene.  Seafood flavored paste!  Yum!