There's Something About Goldens....

I enjoy walking the dogs. It gives me time to think.  Sometimes I ponder deep thoughts, sometimes I contemplate the trivial and other times I come up with topics to blog about.  Over the last few weeks I must admit I have felt overshadowed and maybe a smidge envious of the dogs.  When we walk all eyes and attention are focused on them.  It wasn't long before my brain did a little hop skip and a jump and made the connection between the movie "Something About Mary" and what I encounter when walking the dogs.  In this scenario the dogs are of course "Mary".... me.... well I am Mary's trusty side kick Magda!  You would think that over the years I would have become accustom to the dogs taking centre stage where ever we go.  Really if there is anyone to blame, it is myself for choosing to eternally link my life with the Holy Grail of dogs... the Golden!

From the moment Gimli entered the picture adoration has fallen at his paws.  He received Christmas presents from strangers and  every  human that passed our house sang the following phrase-  "How cuuuuuuttttte!" for months.  Gimli refused to let an opportunity for the public to praise his handsomeness go by.  If "Jo Blow Public" did not comment on his "cuteness" immediately, Gimli  follow them and ham it up until they shower him with attention and accolades.  This is how he grew up and what he has become accustom to.   Really who could resist this little face.... I know I couldn't.

Baby Gimli

Well that can be expected when you are a little puppy and during the goofball teen years...... ohh those teen years!

Attempts to go incognito as a Lab

Rocking the frosty beard

The Defender of the Inukshuk

It gets harder to pull off when you are 11 and starting to loose your teeth.  Gimli somehow has managed to keep up his allure.   Maybe it is the way he sidles up to people and then melts into their legs while he lifts his head and implores with his big brown eyes-  "Love me, please.... I don't get any attention at home and it just breaks my lil' ole' heart!"  As the people pet he sinks into their body more and turns up the charm factor by looking up at them with adoring eyes and adopting a pleasure filled grin.   It is usually around this time people comment on how much he really likes them-  "Just look at him!  He can't get enough of me!!!!!"  Gimli is a consummate charmer.

Demo of the prancy pants strut

A dignified black and white

I would like to say that only my dog has that power but that would be false.  Over the last 11 years I have noticed something.  Pretty much everyone loves a Golden and when possible they seek to make a connection with them... going out of their way to come over and pet them;  shouting compliments across streets and out of car windows or stopping their car so they can get out and steal some Golden love.   Other dogs don't seem to garner the same type of attention.  You walk down the street and a Bull Mastiff is coming directly toward you... most people will cross the street.  My sister is forever commenting on how parents will pull their children in close when she passes them with her Labs.  Got a Shepard... be prepared for people to be on guard when passing you.

What is it about Golden's that make people forgive pretty much anything that they do....

Jumping all over people; showering them with kisses.... the response....

"Ohh those Goldens!"

Stealing food and stuffed animals from small children......

"Ohhh how cute.... I just love Golden's.  They are such people dogs.  Oh don't cry honey... the Golden just wants to play with your toy. You need to learn how to share!!!!"

Golden's seem to have been blessed with the proverbial get out jail free card.

It was not too long ago, I took the boys to the park behind the house.  I broke trail for them with snow shoes.  After 45 minutes of fun in the snow we were headed in.  I was bending down to take off my snow shoes when the boys decided on mutiny.  A woman was walking by the house and they wanted to say "Hi!".  One hamstrung me, tipping me over on my a$$ while the other charged toward the woman and started jumping all over her.  I was yelling at them while floundering into an upright position.  The woman- who you would think would be mortified.... was mortified..... but at me.  How could I yell at such precious creatures???? Everything was okay.... they were just coming over to say "Hello!".   Somehow I don't think her response would have been the same if the boys were pit bulls running over to say a friendly hello.

It goes one step further..... Gimli has peed on, not one, but two people in his life time and he was full grown when this happened.  Both times he dragged me over to hold court with his adoring public.  The only problem was he had not peed yet.  Well there is something about "pets" that seems to relax the bladder and he peed... and peed.  Instead of being mad, which would be a typical response, both people reacted like they had just been anointed by a higher power.  "Ohhh, he must really like me.... he is trying to mark me as his territory!"  "Ha ha ha!!!!!!  He knew my feet were cold!"

Seriously!!!!!!  I am not making this shit up!  Golden's could rule the world if they so choose!

The 11th year seems to have marked Gimli's transition from "forever puppy" into wizened sage dog.    A dog that was always go, go, go is more of a go once, twice.... hmmm I think I will skip the third time.   This year has also marked a dramatic change in his zoom, zoom.  He used to be uber fast and could make it down the length of the park in less than a minute.  I remember someone once asking me "What type of dog is that.... he's fast?"   The man was shocked when I said Golden... he thought Gim was a greyhound or other type of race dog as he had never seen a dog move so fast.  Gimli used to set the pace of our walks and the pace was fast.  Now days he starts off strong, but it is not long before he is lagging 5-6 paces behind me.

When I was home my mother commented that Gimli was getting "old person" fur... the wispy does whatever it wants to- type of fur.  It's true he is more sliver fox these days than Golden and I can spend 30 minutes brushing him and in the end it looks like I haven't even touch him, which is contrary to the evidence piled up on the floor around him.

But here is the amazing thing..... even with all the recent changes in his speed and looks he still has a certain je ne se croix about him.  The other day we were out for a walk when a teen pops his head out of a car window and starts taking pictures of Gimli while screaming "I loooooooooveeeee your dog!".  Later in the week, while walking down a dark side street I hear this deep male voice emanating from a house- "You have a beautiful dog!"  Sure it was high on the heebee jee bee factor, but I must admit it did make my heart swell with pride.

Even funnier was my Mom's response when I told her about the two occurrences.....

Mom: "Well Ferg is a nice looking dog!"
Me:  "But it wasn't Ferg it was Gimli."
Mom:  "Are you sure it wasn't Ferg?"
Me: "100% positive."
Mom: "Hmmmm.... Gimli?  Gimli?????  Well good for him".

Goofball Gimli!!!!!

What do I do when stuff like this happens.  I get all proud and say "Thank-you"..... like I had a hand in his creation.

Ferg takes after me and puts the "C" in competitiveness.  I think it has thrown him for a loop having Gimli steal his thunder.  His response-  he's been bringing his "A" Game to our daily walks....   prancing up a storm and fishing for compliments of his own.   He is also well practiced at amping up the cute factor.  He learned from the best..... Gimli!

Baby Fergus

Rub my belly... a fan Ferg fav!

I didn't do it!

Whatever he is doing it is working.  The other day we were walking down a busy street when a man stopped his truck in the middle of the road and rolled down his window to comment on what a gorgeous Golden he is.  Later, on the same walk, we met a man with a shepherd pup who also commented on what a good looking dog I had.

Ferg knows he is handsome and he uses his looks to his advantage.  My favourite thing to watch from the safety of the house is his  "Ferg Trap".    Ferg goes out on a tie-out rope, as I don't have a fenced yard.   He loves the outdoors and often will refuse to come back in.  Why would he want to come in when he can "trap" unsuspecting people.  People pass and Ferg serenely lays on the ground or sits nicely on the edge of the lawn.  People think-  "Ohh look at that well behaved Golden! I must go and say "Hi!"".  Unbeknownst to them, it is all a ploy to lure them into the strike zone.  As soon as his victim enters the inner circle of the tie out zone Ferg unleashes his inner maniac and jumps and zooms around to the right to the left, now he is launching himself in the air.  The people are frozen..... "What the in h.... e.. double hockey sticks is happening???????"  "Ahhhhhhh!!!!!  Make it stop!!!!!!"  They want to move ,but Ferg is too fast and blocks their retreat.  Now you would think they would only be fooled once right!

No!

The same people try over and over again and get the same kamikaze results.

Ferg has one bad habit.... okay he has multiple bad habits but the one that really irritates me is his jumping.  He has been through two rounds of dog training and for the most part now knows that   "jumping" on people is frowned upon.  So now he sits and then slowly climbs up people to give them "kisses".  It is hard not to laugh at him while he is doing it,  as he has this look of "Ahhh I am getting away with it.... they haven't noticed I'm getting taller.... ohhh I am close to their face!!!!" SLURP... yes enter bad habit number two.... licking!

All the hours and hours of training have not fully cured him.  He will be great and then WHAM!!!!! He is catapulting himself at unsuspecting people in the park. I wonder if he thinks he is "Baby" from Dirty Dancing as he usually is running at full tilt before he launches up in the air with a look of "Catch me!!!!" on his smiling face.

I am usually yelling "FERRRRRRGGGGG!  OFF!!!!!" but it is usually too late.  What do the people do????

We get comments like-

"Ha ha ha... his is a bull of a dog isn't he!"
"He really loves people doesn't he!!!"

I hang my head in shame, clip the  leash onto his collar and lead him away.... muttering under my breath that he has lost off leash privileges.... yet again.

A Collection of Turkey Town's finer moments

THE DUDES- Double Teaming

A double double of cuteness!

I can't leave you thinking my dudes are handsome.  There are times when they take on a Gladiator vs Alien persona.  

Clash of the Titans

They constantly reenact this scene from Ferg's youth.... usually when I am on the telephone.  They really do have impeccable timing...... oh those Goldens!!!!!!

The Laugh Spiral

This post is dedicated to Aunt D, a lovely woman with the most infectious laugh.  

Your laugh will forever echo in my memory and warm my heart.

This week has come in like a lion and lets hope it goes out like a lamb.  It seems just when I get my sea legs there is another surprise.  Yesterday's news was a death in the family.  I have been trying to concentrate on all the things that I am grateful for, as without that talisman there is a high risk of me turning into a puddle.  

I have many blessings in my life and my family is definitely one of them, especially my brother.  J and I share a similar sense of humour and today we were on fire.  It started with a random comment about something that I had blogged about. Which led to a mocking statement, a visual picture and   laughter.  I fell into the laugh and I found that I couldn't stop.  This of course made my brother laugh harder, which made me spiral out of control.  There was snorting, wheezing and squeals.... ohh and the tears, but for once they were tears of enjoyment.

At one point my brother commented "Now, now- you're getting into ugly laugh territory!"

My response.....peels of more laughter.  I was laughing so hard Ferg thought I was in distress and he ran over and tried to apply his own version of CPR.   In case you were wondering doggie CPR involves repeatedly jumping on the distressed person's chest and trying to clear the air way with his tongue.  Now I was laughing uncontrollably and trying to fend off the dog which resulted in....... of course more laughter  

That's when the gagging started.  Yup, I laughed so hard I almost puked.  Gimli came running over at the first hint of a dry heave.  Sadly he has never lost the puppy response to regurgitation.  Thank goodness I was able to contain myself before the situation became critical.    

Man I needed that.  

As I was walking the dogs I was trying to remember the last time I laughed that hard and then it hit me..... the eve of my sister's wedding.  (At the time we all agreed what happened in Regina stayed in Regina but my mom has agreed to let me share this story with everyone, as she knows it would have amused Aunt D and the room would have filled with her trademark laugh). 

My sister insisted we play a game the night before her wedding.  The game was Cranium, the teams were me and J against N, S and Mom.  We are all pretty competitive and were in it to win it.   Through most of the game we were neck and neck.  Then I pulled a game card that required me to pick an opposing team member and move that person's limbs to act out an activity.  I picked my mother.  The action I believe was cross country skiing.  My mom stood there and I started moving her around.  Well, it seems all the movement caused a chain reaction in her gastrointestinal system and the chicken paprikash we had for supper would soon make a return that would haunt us all.

I started moving her arms fast and nudged her legs forward in a reciprocal fashion.  During the height of the movement Mom started tooting.  It was a small toot at first, but that was quickly followed by a series of short rapid loud farts that had a staccato rhythm.  I'm standing behind her trying to keep her moving, but laughing so hard I am close to peeing my pants.  My brother and sisters were rolling in their chairs, tears streaming down their faces.  It struck S's funny bone so hard she was repeatedly say her trademark "Sheshk" and wiping the tears off her face.  It was no use, as quick as she wiped them away more took their place.  My mother couldn't help but join in the laughter.  The only problem was with every laugh there was a toot.  I couldn't take it any more and sprinted for the washroom, in fear that there would be a puddle to laugh about if I stuck around.  

Our laughter went on so long and was loud we woke up my father, who normally can sleep through a bomb.  He stalked out in his tightie whities and stood there staring at all of us.  By this time we were double over, gagging and gasping for breath.  When his "stern stare" couldn't sober us up, he demanded to know "What are you doing?"   Someone was able to eventually choke out that we were playing a game.  He shook his head, turned on his heel and went back to bed, probably questioning all our sanity.  Man that was a moment for the family history book.  To this day we all get a little nervous when Mom eats chicken.

Laughter is truly the best medicine.  Thanks for sharing your medicine with everyone Aunt D.

Confessions of a Sleepaholic #182- Not everything needs to be a learning opportunity

Sometimes sleep eludes me and I stay up for hours and hours reflecting on choices, replaying scenarios and having conversations that will never happen.  Last night was one of those nights.  Not even David's Tea- Mother's Little Helper could slow down the bullet train of my brain.

After hours of reciting my mantra-  "A rest is as good as a sleep.", I finally passed out.  Enter the dreams.  My brain could not let go of what it needed to think through.

The dreams were a plenty.  There were two that I can recall with solid detail.

In one dream I was flying in a plane high above the earth.  The weird part was it was an open-air airplane and there were no seat belts.  At one point the plane made a turn and I tumbled out of my seat and started floating down to the ground.  I landed on some very cushy trees and walked away without a scrape.  Dream Max was pretty calm about it all and relished the sensations of floating and drifting.  Dream Max also appreciated the comfy landing.

The other memorable dream from last night involved partying at a wedding.  I was dancing up a storm and was overjoyed by the fact that when I jumped I flew higher and higher into the air.  I would float back down and land lightly only to bounce back up to a new found height.  At one point my head was brushing the 10 foot ceiling.   My stomach was doing flip flops but I was exhilarated..... finally I had enough hang time that I could do split hi-cuts (a Highland dance movement that has alluded me).   The wedding reception was fun and everyone was happy.  Everyone but the young woman who hung in the shadows and did not interact with others.  I finally approached her to ask what was wrong.  Her response sent a chill down my spine-  "He is coming and he will kill her if he doesn't find me."

"WHO????" was my query.

The girl bolts to a back entrance and opens the door into the night.  I see a young girl standing at the edge of the street about 50 feet from us.  Then I see a man in the distance.  Based on the way he moved and his actions I knew that he was the one the girl had referred to.  The man is stalking from house to house and with each passing second his actions are becoming more erratic and agitated.  The girl can't take it anymore and screams- "I'm here, leave her be..... it is me you want!"  I could feel her terror and my skin started to crawl.  The man looks up and starts beelining it to the building.  I could sense that the elation of the wedding would soon be replaced by blood, gore and loss.  I yank the girl back inside and bolt the door.  I scream at her to hide and don't come out.

I grab my brother and start forming a plan on how to get us and my mother to safety.  I am gathering running shoes for all of us and phoning 911.....that is when I couldn't take the tension any longer and woke-up.

You would think that after chance to distract myself I would have settled and fell back asleep.  That's what any normal person would do......

Not I, said the reflector.....

I started reflecting on what I could have done differently; on how selfish I was being i.e. in the same amount of time I could have warned everyone and we could have barricade the joint and all be safe; on I could have done to get us all out.  Front door, back door which had the better odds?

Why, why, why??????? Because it seems I need to learn from every stinking experience, even if it is just a dream one.

I thought I was a lost cause and up for good at 4am in the morning, but the next thing I knew my alarm was blaring and it was time to start my day.

This evening I Googled dream interpretations. It seems that the main themes from my dream were signs that I am going to overcome my hurdles and I need to take chances because any current risks will lead to success.

Tonight I doubled down on the Mother's Little Helper.... it better work!  Fingers crossed I am more rested on the morrow.

I Need Some Purple Fuzzy Unicorns..... STAT!

Have you ever had one of those days.... where you wake up relatively ready to conquer the world and then you get to work and by slow and then raging fast increments your confidence in your abilities and your ability to measure up are eroded to the point where you find yourself driving home with tears streaming down your face trying to pull yourself together should you become a spectacle to gawk at stop lights.  One of those days where every fibre of your being is screaming QUITTTTTT!  A day where the thinking part of your brain is tossing out "helpful" references to Internet memes-  "You only fail if you quit trying!" and your emotional brain is reacting by flipping your thinking brain the big fungoli?

Well that in a nut shell was my day.  I started the day listening to Sia's- The Greatest, as I had decided on the weekend that this would be my theme song for the week..... "Oh oh I got stamina!".  Driving home  tonight  this song came on and my response was "NOT NOW Sia!"  Truly, why was she mocking me.  The greatest at WHAT...... Suckitude!!!!  If that was the case then I was her woman.

It is days like this I wished I lived closer to my parents.  Second year university I was having a hard time of it.  I phoned my parents and with a lot of sobs, hand gestures and cry talking I informed them I was going to quit school.  An hour and a half later there was a knock at my door.

I was puzzled as I was not expecting anyone.  I pushed the mountain of Kleenex off my lap and answered.  It was my parents.  They had come to pick me up.  I was elated... I was going home and everything would be fuzzy and warm and be covered in purple unicorns.

First stop was for ice cream.  Next stop was the Village for some sweet treats.  Then my parents brought me back to campus.  Walked me to my door.  Patted my shoulder and said "See!  Don't you want to stay now??  and they hastily retreated before I could say no.

But guess what.  Their technique was effective.  I didn't quit.  In fact I went on to complete four more years... that's how effective it was.

In the absence of my parents the dogs decided to take a stab at cheering me up tonight.

I'm sure they thought they had nothing to loose.  My brother was first up to bat and informed me I was the chosen one for my nephew's school project.   Sorry Auntie with the Black Dogs, I needed the win today.

Blogging helped a little but I was still prone to leaking from my eyes.  That is when I decided it was time to get outside.  Maybe walking the dogs would blow the stink off of me.  If that didn't work maybe the endorphin release would.

We were trucking down the street at a pretty good pace when a thought struck Ferg..... "What cheers me up?  Hmmmmm smacking Gimli in the face with a toy until he plays!!!!! Sitting on Gimli's head!!!! JOY!!!!!!   Hmmmm.... I don't know if Human will find that fun, but games.... games cheer people up, especially if they are interactive games!"

And folks that is how Hide and Seek the Pooh version was born.  For those who have not had the luxury of playing this particular game it goes a little like this.  Walk down the bare side walk and withhold pooping.  Spot a big pile of leaves and get ready to squat.  Squat and start pooping but remember this is supposed to be hard so start spinning around in a circle while pooping and remember to maximize leaf movement so that they drift down over the poop and hide it better.

Ferg:  "I am doing an amazing job!!!!!  Look at Humans face!  I think I will move over to this larger pile and pretend I am pooping just to keep her searching longer!"

Me:  "What the....   FERGGGGG!"

Ferg:  "Human is definitely pleased.... she is squealing my name in delight.... good dog... good boy... Ferg is awesome."

Gimli:  "???????"  "Ah fudge, no one said I had to come up with a game!!!!!"

Gimli:  "Bingo!..... I mean Twister!"

I don't know how he did it but Gimli managed to get tangled up in the split lead.  He was wrapped up like Houdini.   I was a little slow on the uptake and didn't notice his predicament.  We resumed walking....  Gimli lurking around like a zombie. I looked down to see what the problem was and that's when I realized he was facing backward, Ferg was facing forward and the lead was wrapped around Gimli's legs and middle.   Now the fun of untangling The Dude.  I lifted and pulled and lifted and shifted.  It was worse than when I started.  I tried again and was able to free one of the legs, then the middle and finally the last leg.  I was hot, sweaty but laughing.

I guess Ferg knows best.  Games do cheer people up.  But I still prefer my parents methods.

To a better tomorrow!

The Furry Herd Makes Friends

Every now and then I like to mix things up to see what it would be like to expand the herd.  Instead of jumping right into adopting another fur child I test the waters by dog sitting.  This last week a co-worker was in a bind.  She was going on holidays and her dog sitter had to leave for a few days to travel for work.  I suggested her dogs could stay at my house for the days when her sitter was travelling.  My co-worker nervously accepted.

At first I thought her hesitation was related to a fear that I would not be up to the challenge.  As it turns out she was worried how one of her girls would react to being in a house with other dogs.  I guess her youngest likes to rule the roost and she was afraid she would have the boys cowering in a corner.  We arranged to meet the Sunday before handoff to allow the dogs to meet on neutral territory.  Her two were perfectly behaved... mine... well Ferg was Ferg and he managed to trip me on the walk.  Nothing quite like falling ass over tea kettle in front of the person you are trying impress with your sage dog skills.   

After the walk we headed back to my place and my co-worker commented about having the girls check out my house.  

I froze.  See my home is like my fortress of solitude.  I and I alone get to use it.  I don't have people over.   Really close friends who have known me for years and years and years barely  make it past my front entrance.  They are all shaking their head in agreement right now.  

Don't ask me why.  Maybe it was because visitors to my childhood house led to panicked cleaning and dread.  Maybe it is because I suck at hostessing.... I truly don't think about other peoples needs and when I go to other peoples house I reciprocate by trying to minimize use of dishes and having to attend to my needs.   Maybe it is because my house is in a perpetual state of "improvement", one that I can live with, but others may not understand.  Maybe it is because I need a safe zone, one where I can be myself and where I don't have to worry about being judged.  Maybe it is the fear the dogs will misbehave jumping and slobbering on those to enter..... which they invariably do.  

What I do know is- people in my house= anxiety and I don't like to feel anxious.  

What to do?

My co-worker felt very strongly that the dogs need to come in and check things out.  I attempted to deflect-  "Ohhh they will be fine!".  She insisted some more.  I reluctantly agreed.  I tried to Heisman my co-worker at the entrance.  Skillfully keeping people in the foyer is something I am usually really good at.... where I fail Ferg picks up an assist.  Somehow my co-worker pulled out some Ninja like stealth and made it past me and back-up Ferg.  Before I could say Ahhh she was walking around my house.  

Checking out Gimli... the sane one!

The dread level started to rise but was waylaid when the thinking part of my brain pointed out to my emotional centres that I should be celebrating.... I had quickly cleaned earlier that morning.... Whoo hooo!   At least mega slob status was off the table.

Fergus was overjoyed!  WALKS.... New Female Peeps.... VISITORS.... in that HOUSEEEEEE!.  He could not contain the bubbling over joy and enthusiam and launched himself at my co-worker as she settled on the couch.  The force of Ferg throws her back where her earring becomes entangled in the fringe on the cushion.  She is now trapped.  Ear welded to the cushion and Ferg in her lap, washing her face with gleeful abandon.  I run over to rescue her apologizing and silently wishing a pox upon Ferg.    She laughed it off, but after the third Ferg attack I could see the wariness in her eyes.   Meanwhile Gimli decided co-worker had had enough time to settle in and now she needed to pay the admittance fee.... legs to lean on, continuous petting and reserving all her love for him and him alone.

What were my co-workers' dogs doing.... the youngest developed a drooling issue that did not rectify itself until she left, the other froze with her little eyes bugging out and turned to face a corner.  If she could talk  WTF would have been on a loop.    I don't know if the visit allayed any fears my co-worker had or if it filled her with more worries.

How long low can you go...

The day finally arrived for the girls to come over.  The pick-up was successful, as was the entry into the house.  I decided to take them all on a walk so that they could start bonding and forming a shared pack mentality.  I was expecting full on pandemonium, but there was only a slight juggling of leashes and reconfiguring positions after each one stopped for a Number 2.... or left pee mail for the neighbouring dogs.  The boys insisted the girl's pee mail have an addendum-  "They are with us" added.  I guess that is what is fashionable in dog world right now.

The walk went so well, the group commanded the attention of passersby.  Drivers and passengers alike would look point and watch us walk by.  I am surprised there were no accidents, as more than a few drivers seemed to care more about our progress than the fact that their car was approaching a busy intersection.

Can you get that honking nose out of my face????

Walk finished, we entered the house.  "A", the one I was most worried about,  adjusted the fastest.  It seemed all she needed was to establish a "spot" and then she was set.  Her spot was the big couch cushion.  She nestled on in for the night.

"L" on the other had broke out into a nervous drool.  There were points where the drool spanned from her jowls to the floor... a very impressive feat and nothing a paper towel hankie could not correct.

By meal time A was settled and L was still having issues.  I put out the food but apparently the girls could not eat in the same vicinity as the boys.  I moved their food and A ate but only the kibble from the floor.  L refused to even try.   I will admit I was nervous, as both are known to be strong eaters.  I reintroduced the food dishes before bed and had a little more success.  A would still only eat from the floor but at least she was eating.  L decided to humour me and finish half a bowl.

It is stressful eating when you have an audience

I am almost 100% positive that L was of the opinion she would be fine at home.... alone... away from them all.  Any time "just the girls" were outside, L would try to make a break for it across the street or to the vehicle.  She would cast a look over her shoulder like "Wanna go on an adventure.... just the girls?".

The next morning I decided to experiment,  I switched the girls food from tin bowls to fine china fruit nappies... not because they required fine china but because that was the only thing that I have that is fruit bowl sized.  Success, both were eating from the new bowls.

I came home for lunch, wondering what I would find.  What I did find was the boys both trying to share the front door mat and the girls curled up in comfort on the couch.   It seems the boys had been told.... or maybe they were just being gentlemanly..... I prefer to think it was the latter.

The view as I left for work,,, Ferg and his girls

Walking continued to be a source of entertainment.  I was questioned by all that we encountered-  "Are you a professional dog walker?"  "Are those all yours?".  There were also the confidence boosting statements-  "You really have control over them all!!!"  This coming for a dude on a bike that was having difficulty keeping his pooch from crossing in front of him to say hi to the herd.  I was on top of the world.

By the final evening the only thing that the girls were not used to was the cat.  They were petrified of him and he knew it.  If he came in the girls froze or retreated.  Bill even tried to keep them trapped upstairs by sitting at the top of the stairs.  The girls started to walk-  got the heebee geebie eye from the cat and would not move another muscle.  Recognizing this might be an issue when I was gone at work I spent time encouraging the girls ignore that cat and continue on their merry way.  A & L would dart past the cat looking the opposite direction and race down the stairs to freedom and the cat free zone..... think cat trying to get away for Pepe Le Pew and you will have a pretty accurate picture of what that looked like.  Thank goodness Gimli and Fergus did not cotton to this or they would have started using Bill as their hired goon to take back the couch.

A and L were excited on the final morning when we pulled into their driveway..... HOME AT LAST!!!!!

Bill pretending he is a dog and sniffing bums

So what are the take aways from this-

a.  If you have made it past the front entrance of my house you are a very special person.

b.  Heck if you have made it in the front entrance or even remotely close to the front entrance you are special.

c.  Your dog may be invited in but please do not be offended if you aren't.  

d.  There is a chain reaction-  people in the house= increased anxious thoughts for Max; increased anxious thoughts= Ferg excitement level X 1, 000 which is equal to or greater than the odds that you will be jumped, licked or body slammed by said Fergus.

e.  I do have pack leader potential.  Something that is dangerous to know as it means I can successfully add to the furry herd should I choose.  

f.  Cats can be nefarious!

g.  There is no place like home.

Confessions of a Sleepaholic.

Sometimes the act of waking up exhausts me and all that is left to do is......
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A Superior State of Mind

This blog is dedicated to my fan Anne.... sorry it has been a while since my last post.  

I have the evening off of teaching dance so I thought... why not write a little something.  Here I sit on my therapy ball, rocking out to Kings of Leon's- WALLS racking my brain to come up with a topic to write about.  The process is hindered by the fact that I am decisioned out, as I normally am by this time of the day.  All I really want to do is change into my super comfy lounge wear and curl up into a fetal position on the couch and not think; but I promised myself I would write tonight... so I write!  

Luckily the music is creatively inspiring and a topic popped into my head.....  How I Spent My Thanksgiving.

For the last three years I have avoided the traditional Thanksgiving in favour of communing with nature.  Partially because I love to commune, but mainly because the last Thanksgiving my parents were here was the bestest in all of history and I don't think any other attempt at a traditional Thanksgiving could top it.  Seriously there was Mom's stuffing, perogies, pies out the waazoo and there was even a Nerf gun war!!!!

Totally awesome to the extreme...... and sadly never to be repeated, as one of my parents had a stroke the following year and can no longer travel.

The year after the "new normal" began, I figured the way to avoid the melancholia that was threatening to over take one of my favourite holidays was to do something the polar opposite.  Gone was spending time with family and in was retreating to the bush to spend time being thankful for natural beauty, challenges and survival.  The first two Thanksgivings were spent in Killarney Provincial Park with a friend and her son.  Given we were backpacking there was no turkey, stuffing or any of the sides.  Our new traditional Thanksgiving meal became a Harvey's burger and fries.... don't ask me why by when I backpack I start craving meat... specifically burgers.  It consumes me and I am not happy until I have a burger in hand.

This year I opted for car camping at Lake Superior Park.  Now you would think that car camping would be exciting.... camping with the convenience of running water, the presence of amazing snacks, etc.  Sadly I found myself lost.  I have spent way to long packing and repacking my backpack so that I only leave with have the necessities, it has now become a way of life.  The addition of choices was throwing me for a loop and I was at risk of packing everything in the house including the kitchen sink.   With the goal to "not over pack"  I had to make some big decisions.... that in itself was a lengthy and challenging process as I really don't like thinking after a day of work.... UGGGHHH the thinking!  The only way I could convince myself to deal with my dilemma was to do a little each night.   In total it took me one week to pack for a short camping trip.... hand to forehead Duoh!

How did I end up making my choices??? Well the thing that was scaring me the most was the food decisions, so I opted to simplify that choice by going with backpacking food augmented with some tasty treats.  That juggernaut of a decision made, I was free to concentrate on decisions that focused on survival and entertainment.    The bulk of my indulgences centred around bedding, books, jackets and footwear... oh yeah and knitting... can't forget the knitting.

A few days before the trip I was close to backing out.  I had an emerging cold and the weather report was rain and lows of zero.   As the work week progressed and my stress increased I realized backing out of camping was not an option, even if exposure to the elements pushed my immune system over the edge and I came back with sinuses full of mucus.    I needed to retreat, to replenish and refocus.  Without the break I would not only have a cold.... I would also have a broken spirit.... which is far harder to recuperate from.

I left town on Friday afternoon in capris and flip flops.  As I drove North the temperature started plunging.... 20.. 18... 15.  It reached a low of 13 by the time I arrived at Agawa.   Then the rain started.  I drove up to my site and hung out with the dogs while I waited for a break in the rain.    After about 30 minutes the rain stopped and I started the process of putting up the tent.  The only problem was the wind.   It was so strong,  the tent kept blowing away.  I had to resort to staking and restaking the ground cover, tent and fly as I added each additional layer.  I can now add putting up a tent in gale force winds to my list of accomplishments in this life.

Now you are probably thinking how strong could this wind actually be?????   Let me see.  It made the tent rock even though it was fully staked.  It made the full sized half ton truck rock and I am pretty positive that if I had attempted to fall into the wind I wouldn't have face planted as the wind would have kept me aloft.

Exaggeration?????

I think NOT!!!  The wind whipped the tent fly so much it undid the zipper in the middle of the night... yes it was undoing zippers strong..... now that is a very, very, very strong wind. Luckily I had abandoned the tent for the safety of the truck by that time, but I digress.

Setting up the inside of the tent had to be done in fits and spurts as the rain kept making a reappearance and I did not want to risk getting my bedding wet.  I must admit by this time I was thinking to myself.... Why am I doing this????? Oh yeah sanity..... good cause.... I've got this!"

Yes, in the absence of people I talk to and answer myself!

Taken on day three.... the first non-windy day

Tent up and stocked  I made a hearty meal of Mr. Noodles with some added dehydrated veggies and cashews.   The hot liquid warmed me from the inside and I was toasty for a few minutes.  I whittled away some more time knitting and reading Harry Potter.   There is something hypnotic about knitting in a vehicle that is swaying to the rhythm of the wind, the windows fogged up with the heat of the occupants and the sound of the crashing waves echoing in your ears.  It made it easy to forget everything  and to concentrate on the sensations of the moment.  

To just be.  

Occasionally I would run the truck, more to defog the windows than for heat.  During those few minutes I would get to listen to the only radio station that I could pick-up.,,,, a religious station.  I learned a lot about the reoccurring numbers in the Bible and about Shabbat that weekend.... it was an inclusive religion station.

By evening the wind continued but the rain had disappeared.  It made for some dramatic lighting and picturesque sights with the 10 foot high waves crashing onto the shore.   The dogs and I went for a walk to explore the campground, as this was our first time there.   It was really nice.  While walking I kept scoping out camp sites that might not be as windy, should I ever come back.  I thought I had committed the site numbers to memory, I repeated them so much over the weekend, but two weeks later I can't remember one of them.  I am hoping  that should I ever go back, fate will be kind to me and I will serendipitously select an semi-sheltered site.

I started Friday night in the tent.  It was warm enough but after two hours of not so gentle rocking and being surrounded by ripping and roaring sounds.... I retreated to the truck.  The boys had the back seat and I the front.  It was around this time I mentally high-fived myself for purchasing a full sized truck and for being not mega tall.  I could almost stretch out fully when lying on my back which was a totally awesome surprise.  I originally started with my head by the steering wheel but after my flailing arm set off the horn, I decided it would be kinder to my neighbours if I switched ends.

I went through the process of reorienting myself in the truck but as soon as I laid down I knew I had a a problem.  My feet were higher than my head.  I was kicking myself for parking in a pit.

ARRRGHHH!

It did not take long for me to recall that I like to drive with the driver's seat the highest it can go.  That would be an easy fix.

Not so!

The task of moving from a hellter-skelter, downward facing tetter-totter position to sitting upright  would have been quite simple to perform in my teen years.  Now it was very daunting.... gravity is not the friend of the ageless.  After a few failed attempts at defeating the pillowy volumes of goose duvet and pre-winter padding I was finally sitting up.  Thank goodness for "O Shit Handles" and steering wheels or I would not be blogging, I would still be lying there in that head swelling recumbent position.  Seat lowered I was calmed by the knowledge that this simple change fixed my problem.  I  snuggled back under the mountain of duvet and jackets and drifted off to sleep.  

I claim this spot.....

It was an early day the next morning.  The dogs and I decided to take advantage of the break in the clouds to check out the other side of the campground... the side with the dog beach.  We made it as far as the path to the beach when Mother Nature halted our progress.... rain.... a down pour.

Our posse made it back to the tent by using a series of darts down the road and deeks under trees for cover when the rain started again.

We took shelter in the tent.  The dogs stretched out and sighed blissfully.  I frantically searched for dry socks.  Once dry I settled into the small space left to me by the dogs and knitted and knitted and knitted.    My back screamed, my legs lost feeling and I ignored it all.  All the mattered was that pattern and changing that yarn into something that could be used for warmth.  The minutes turned to hours and I sat there in a meditative state focusing on the only thing that was keeping me sane.... that afghan strip.  Bone numbing cold eventually broke my trance like state and forced me out of the tent in search of a hot beverage.

While sitting in the truck, sipping the nectar of the God's- Twinings Earl Grey tea, I turned-on the truck to warm myself.  The religion station had a program on that was talking about the ravages of storms, wind and the effect on the sole.  I looked out the window and laughed... surrounded by dark sky, rocked by the winds and bitterly cold.  I could relate to what they were talking about.  The tone of the program then took a turn.  It started talking about sun breaking through the darkness and storms passing.  Low and behold the sun broke through the clouds and bathed the site with a warm soft glow.  The wind died down.....   I was now invested in the next line of the show..... we were on to something.  It was a magical moment when words and nature coalesced and worked together.  The break in the weather could not have come at a more perfect moment.  My spirits were uplifted and I was ready to explore some more.

The boys and I headed north to explore a part of the Coastal Trail.   I was delighted by the moss and fungi that grew all over the area.  Gimli was also delighted by the fungi.  He likes to sample.... "Is it poisonous???"  He doesn't know, nor does he care..... he eats all that he finds, much to my chagrin.  Hence the reason why one of his nicknames is "Truffles".

The reprieve from the weather did not last long.  It was like Mother Nature was luring us out into the forest only to unleash her stores of rain once we were the furthest out we could be.  Huddling under trees did not work this time, as the rain had moments when it was coming in sideways.  My glasses fogged and the water droplets merged to form gigantic blur spots.  I would wipe my glasses only to have to repeat a few minutes later.

Actually on the Awausee trail but it fit nicely here

If there is one thing that I dislike it is getting wet.  I don't like the process of transitioning from dry to wet.  It irks me and chafes at me, but the funny thing is, once I am wet, it is like "Oh well!" and what was leading up to an epic melt down is gone and acceptance takes its place.  It is just one of my weird idiosyncrasies.

Once over my Grr Arrgh... I started seeing the beauty in how the sun would break through the rain and play with the lighting, the majesty of Superior waves crashing on the shore in a fast rhythmic progression,  the lone yellow bench bathed in light with a backdrop of rain.  These things mattered and made up for the fact that I was soaking and that it would not be long before I started to freeze again.

Thank goodness for dramatic lighting and for vehicle heating systems.  These are the things that become life lines and inspire a "you can do it" attitude when you want to pack it in.

As you have noticed there are no photo's of the large waves and dramatic lighting.  Sadly these moments are only mental snapshots in my brain.  I was not brave enough to risk the phone.  

Sunday brought a break in the weather and a calmness that felt a little unreal.  I could hear the transports driving by again and the sounds of the raven inviting me to come out end enjoy the day.  The boys finally made it to the dog beach and frolicked with some other Golden's while I looked for stones for my nephew's Christmas present.  The dogs made me chuckle with their antics.... running through the water, zipping down the beach and playing games of keep away with sticks.   Their coats glimmered a golden hue as the sun shone down on them.    LOVE!

Later that day we hiked the Awausee trail.  I have hiked this trail once before, so knew there was A LOT of uphill, but man I was not prepared for it.  The first .25 of a km wasn't bad but then I started to notice that my legs were starting to feel like Jello and I was sucking wind.... MEGA sucking wind.   I would stop to regain my breath and forged forward but the Jello feeling started to become a constant and then I noticed I was starting to loose my peripheral vision.  This has only happened a few times in my life and it often is followed by a temporary loss of vision.  Not something that you want to be experiencing on a trail..... but be damned if the trail was going to WIN!!!!

I persevered on and it was totally worth it.  Here was the view from the top.  Okay not quite the top as there was still more uphill after this... but this is the view from almost the top!

One of the Awausee look outs

The fall colours were slightly past their prime but it still made for some dramatic sights as the sun bounced off the leaves and illuminated the various shades of red, orange, rust and yellow.    The Boys' were having a hay day as they had a Golden buddy to hike with.    As you can see one of the Golden's is consistent in his photogenicness... my two are goomba's.... either close their eyes or look away at the last moment.  If I had a dime for every blurry picture of dogs on my phone I would be a rich woman.

Gimli, Hudson and Fergus... The Golden Trio

It definitely felt like there were more uphills than downhills on this trail.  In truth though I prefer the uphills as I am less likely to fall when walking uphill than downhill.  I had one minor tosser on Awausee when my foot decided it wanted to beat the rest of my body down the hill.... well played foot... well played!!!  

Look up and to the right... my raven friend

Sunday night delivered an invite to supper.  I of course said yes, as it is rare that I have a meal made for me let alone a gourmet meal and ice cream for desert.  My raven friend followed me to the camp site and hung out for about 5 minutes watching me, watching him.

I stayed for a camp fie after supper.  It was so toasty sitting around the fire, but it turned out to be a tactical error.  My core temperature dropped with every step I took away from the fire.  By the time I reached my campsite I was a solid block of ice.  I quickly changed into my three layers of sleepwear, donned two toques, mitts and wool socks.  I could not warm-up.  I dove into the -30 degree C sleeping bag and covered it with the down duvet followed by the -10 degree C sleeping bag.

No good!

FROZEN!!!!

Really... you are soooooo DRAMATIC!

I coaxed the dogs closer and fashioned a third toque out of my wool vest.  The shivering and teeth shattering would not subsist.  I became fixated on  the thought of freezing to death.   "I was going to die." and I just accepted it as a fact.

One minute I was thinking "Shit this is it!"  and the  next I am waking up to the croak of the raven.   It was morning, I hadn't froze to death.  In fact I had kicked off most of my coverings through the night.  

It's funny how the mind works.   When I went to bed I was lamenting that I wasn't at home where there was heat but I woke up thinking-  "I don't want to this weekend to end!"  How exactly does that work?

The raven returned the next morning.  He sat watching me as I packed up and followed us when I took the dogs to the beach to soak up our last minutes of bliss before heading home.

I sat in the sand and watched the dogs explore.  They found a 10 foot small tree and worked in tandem to pull it from the water-  Gimli on one end and Ferg on the other.  Once the tree was free their tune immediately changed from cooperativeness to possessiveness.  They both wanted the prized tree to themselves.  A tug-a-war ensued until Gimli lost interest and abandoned the tree to Ferg, as foraging for morning fungi took precedence over winning.

Ferg appeared not to enjoy his easy win as it did not take long for him to abandon the tree for a stump that was in the middle of the pond.  Ferg wanted that stump badly, but was freaked out by it.  He would wade into the water until he was close to stump, then he would quickly retreat to the shore and bark at the stump.  I could just picture his conversation with the stump..... "Just come over here.... I won't chew on you!"  As much as he wanted to get that stump, his fear of it would not let him get close enough to it attempt to pull it out.

OHHH Ferg!

It took supreme effort for me to pull myself up and head back to the camp site to say my final farewell.  My mind kept going over ways to extend the trip and/or come back the next weekend.  I did not want to say good-bye for the year.  Lake Superior is my touch stone, it helps me decompress, to appreciate what I have (good and bad) and to focus on the moment.  It is hard to say good-bye to something that you are so very thankful is in your life even if the parting is for a short while.

As the wind started picking up  I took that for a sign that it was time.  That my restoration was complete and I was strong enough to face what was coming my way.

We headed back to the campsite... the long way... lingering good-byes are something my family is known for.  Along the way my friend the raven came back and paced me all the way to the campsite.  What started out as a cute coincidence,  quickly turned into foreboding.  Was this a sign of something to come????  Was it a good sign or a bad sign?????

Needless to say I drove very carefully all the way home.  The dudes were oblivious to my state of angst.

Seriously how cute is that!!!

As it turns out the raven was a good omen.  I came back feeling thankful for the natural beauty I am surround by, for opportunities this life has offered me and for....

Thanksgiving dinner!