Just Meandering

Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps, for he is the only animal
that is struck with the difference between what things are and what
they ought to be.

– William Hazlitt

Gosh, it was a beautiful day today. Bright blue October skies and crisp fall air the way only Wisconsin can make a blue sky in September and October. As I walked Igor down to the dog park late this afternoon, shuffling through the leaves that had been falling all day, I was transported back in time to another day with another dog.

The only thing that was missing was the smell of leaves burning. Well, that and Gram’s apple butter simmering on the back burner, turning into a tasty sludge that I would happily slather onto her home made bread in the winter.

My friend Kathleen and I walked Igor up to the Capitol Square tonight for the last potty run of the evening and enjoyed the relatively warm temperatures and the waning Hunter’s moon over the shoulder of Lady Forward. You could definitely see the face of the “Old Man In the Moon” tonight.

I did four loads of laundry so I definitely got my exercise in for the day. I stopped in at the chiropractor,Aaron Abplanalp,who has set up in the Metro politan Place retail space as Life City and asked if he accepted medicare and medical assistance. He does so I made an appointment. He’s awfully young but then anyone my son’s age and younger seems awfully young and my son is almost 37.

I feel a bit guilty about taking business away from the chiropractor I have been going to but this guy is just around the corner and it would be so easy to pop in to see him. So if he’s any good, I’m going to switch because I know I would get to him more regularly.

Patches is still residing on the dresser but she is getting braver about the dog. Boy if she had claws, he’s have a very sore snout! She has walloped him hard enough to hurt a couple of times so he backs off when she gets that dainty little paw into position. I wish she’d come back to bed with me. I miss the nightly interaction we had with her massage and the purring.

B

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Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

 

One of my constant readers <grin> at Living in the Edge of Madness commented that he was glad I got a dog/friend rather than a weapon to protect myself. So I started thinking about all the good stuff adopting this dog did for society that a weapon wouldn’t.

First of all, I saved him from ending up at a humane society pound which is almost a virtual death sentence for many animals. Granted Igor is a handsome animal and has an appealing personality so he has a better than average chance of getting adopted. However, those goofy legs of his might turn prospective adopting families away before they even get a chance to know him.

I added to Madison’s economy by taking him to the Vet here in town and bought him toys and food as well as a new leash and a training collar at the pet supply store. I’ll be spending more on food every month and vet bills twice a year. I’m kind of sappy and since he’s prone to play with his toys, I’ll continue to buy them. The new leash and collar have already paid for themselves in terms of saving my back and arms from untold pain and misery. I really recommend The GentleLeader HeadCollar. Even my son was impressed.

He’s helping me recycle. Every-time I go to the store or take advantage of the food that comes in from Second Harvest I get plastic bags. It takes only 14 plastic grocery bags to drive a car one mile (per the Cap Centre Grocery Store). That is astonishing! I use grocery bags as garbage can liners for my sewing trash bin , the bathroom trash bin and the kitty litter trash bin but I STILL had more than enough to fill a paper grocery bag. Now I can use them as waste receptacles when I’m out walking Igor.

 

I’ll spare you photographs of this.

Trust me, it ain’t pretty…

He’s getting me up off my butt and exercising so I will undoubtedly lose the weight I gained after I quit smoking and maybe more. I’ll be much healthier in no time. I’m beat at the moment but I think I will adjust quickly and it’s not like he’s a power walker. One or two 6 block walks a day satisfy his needs to go rambling. I’m not even sure he appreciates that much he’s such a couch potato!

 

Oh, I forgot the $10 license I have to get from the city. I heard a rumor that there is a $20 fee to take him to the dog parks too. I’ll find out about that when I go to the dog park the first time, I suppose. It’s beautiful out today and I considered going while my son was here visiting with his MinPin but Son said not a good idea with Po–he’s too little and too feisty. He always tries to pick a fight with the biggest and meanest dog with the biggest and meanest owner. My son hates beating people up…

Would you look at these two! Po weighs less than 15 pounds. Maybe not even 10. Igor weighs 38 pounds yet they don’t look all that different in size in this picture.

 

All in all this is a win situation for everyone concerned except for my fat little Calico Cat. She has come out from under the desk at least but now she’s living on top of my dresser. I had to move her food out of the dog’s reach since he has discovered it is much more to his liking than his own food so I put it on the dresser. Then because I felt sorry for her I put a pillow up there. She may never leave.

B

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Fickle Weather In Wisconsin

I should be in bed but I took a 3 hour nap this after noon and I sort of doubt I will be able to get to sleep. Especially since I drank 2 coups of coffee. <derr>

I was in so much pain when I woke up this afternoon I could not believe it. <Ouch omigawd Ouch> I finally got up and took a skelaxin. I don’t like to take those if I don’t have to. They aren’t addictive perse but as with any medication you can become dependent on them and tolerant to their effects. I don’t want to use up my tolerance factors. :^/

I turned on the radio and found out why I hurt so bad. I meant to go to ZuZus for open mic this evening but there was a tornado watch. In October! That’s awfully late in the year.

That means the barometric pressure was either high or low. I forget which way the mercury runs when a storm system is coming through. I think it’s high but won’t swear to it. Whichever it is, it has a tendency to give people with rheumatological disorders conniptions. All their connective tissues start swelling up and aching. I wish I had a cigarette.

Since I don’t know how the dog would react during a storm I decided I better stay home. Damnit. It would not be good to go off and have a bad storm hit and the dog get scared out of his wits and make a mess. There was no storm, the dog didn’t get scared and he didn’t make a mess. However, Patches has thrown up every time she has eaten since Monday night.

She has come out from under the desk though. She is sitting on the dresser watching the dog watching her. He wants to play. She wants him to get off of her bed and vacate the premises. They are adjusting to each other. I like having a dog.

The Vet recommended a Gentle Leader Headcollar to help train him to walk at a heel and keep control of him on busy city streets. Pure magic! It was an instant success. He is walking at a heel now and not pulling my arm out of the socket. He doesn’t like it because it takes the control away from him but we’re both much safer with it.

I think tomorrow I will have to pull the alpha dog bit on him because he has settled down and started trying to run the show. Not in a totally obnoxious way just sort of being obstinate and rebelling when he doesn’t want to do something. He’s not very treat motivated either.

I hope the tornado watch means that a warm front has moved in.  I would like very much to take Igor and go for a walk along the lake tomorrow–up towards Picnic point.

B

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New Camera, New Dog, and an Old Fat Cat

I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven’t got the guts to bite people themselves.

August Strindberg (1849 – 1912), A Madman’s Diary, 1895

I have spent today learning how to download pictures taken with the digital camera that I got last month for my birthday onto my PC. Since I’m using a PC that is totally Windows free and has The Xandros Linux distribution installed and I’m not exactly what you would call Linux literate, I wasn’t expecting this to be as easy as it was. I can’t say enough about this distribution of Linux. It has the ease and familiarity of Windows without the hassle and expense.

I chose the Canon PowerShot 460 mainly because I got such a killer deal on the price at Amazon.com. Regularly $229.00 for $97.00. Sweet. Plus the camera is great. I’ve been practicing with it for about a month now and I think I have the basics worked out. I do have to say that it would probably be worth every penny to buy a good set of rechargeable Double A batteries and a charger because it doesn’t take long before you are looking for new batteries. I’d also get the AC adapter.

So the primary target for the lens has been my fat little Calico cat, Penelope Patches. The great thing about digital cameras is you can just click away to your heart’s content. It doesn’t matter if the cat moves. Refocus and click again. No money wasted on film or shots that have been a bust. Here are my favorite shots of Patches to date:

 

because this shows off her pretty eyes.

and

because you get a pretty good picture of her overall coloring.

Pathches was always meant to be called Penny because of those copper colored patches. Her sister Raggedy Anne was going to be Annie. She was a Tortoiseshell Calico and had Tabby stripes adorning her tri-colored markings. She looked more faded and her black was actually more of a gray. She looked like a little pile of rags and somehow we started calling her Rags and of course Patches followed along after. How odd it is to think that Patches is nine years old now…

This is my Grand-dog Po.

Po is a Miniature Pinscher.  He looks and acts just like a tiny (five to maybe seven pounds) Doberman Pinscher.  Totally alpha.  He drives Patches absolutely up the wall when ever he comes to visit.  She outweighs him by at least five pounds or more but he is a dog on a rubber band being propelled by a hyper-active kid with a paddle.  He is why Patches is hiding under my desk at the moment.

This is the newest member of my family:

 

Isn’t he a handsome fella? He’s a Dachshund/Beagle (Daschle) who looks exactly like the dog we got when I was 11 years old. I just adopted him and I’m changing his name from Snoopers to Igor in honor of the Dachsle of my youth. I was absolutley right in following my instincts about a dog with this lineage. He is incredibly calm around Patches who has been doing nothing but pitching hissy fits since the moment she laid eyes on him.

In fact he has the patience of a saint. If she packed a harder wallop & claws he’d have two or three black eyes and be bleeding all over the carpet. He’s pretty much taken it all with no more than a raised eyebrow. I don’t think even the original Igor would have been that generous.  I’m not sure when she will forgive me but sooner or later she is going to figure out he isn’t as hyoeractive as Po and won’t be able to chase her everywhere she goes except up.  Sooner or later she’ll come out from under the desk and eat again.

In twenty-four hours I’ve heard him bark once when someone knocked on the door. He’s got a pretty big bark for a short fella. He also has double joints in his front legs and possibly a club foot. Looks funnier than hell–he sorta looks like he is walking backwards but I don’t think it’s hurting him any at all. We go to the Vet tomorrow to get shots and everything so I can get him licensed. I bet it will be his first ride in a Taxi. <heh>

Ever since the restraining order incident I’ve been feeling the need to feel a little more secure here in the building. Well since before that but that only enhanced my insecurity. Short dog with big bark and big mouth makes me feel safer. <grin>

So cameras, dogs and fat cats. Full day.

 

B

 

 

 

 

 

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Where Is My Little Dog Now?/My boy, my girl, my pride and joy, bessings all

 

Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone
Oh where, oh where can he be
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long
Oh where, oh where can he be?

Disney?

I am in such an incredibly good mood. Every-thing’s going my way! The Isthmus is quoting me. My Blogs are cooking right along, I’m writing daily without a struggle, I am pretty sure I have found the Dog of my dreams and I am not in excruciating pain 24/7 just 12/3 and 1/2 <snort> Actually, I think I am just finding it easier to ignore the pain because I am engaged in the world and enjoying myself.

I’m this close >< to getting a dog. It’s a choice between a dachshund/beagle mix–a Dachsle and a Yorkshire Terrier/Chihuahua mix–Yorchi. I’m leaning heavily towards the Dachsle because he is cheaper, looks just like my dog when I was a teenager, is low maintenance, and is probably less spoiled than the Yorchi who sounds like a holy terror from the way his ‘Mom’ described him.

The Yorchi is cute as a button but he is four years old and has never been neutered so he’s full of piss and vinegar. It sounds as though he has been spoiled rotten and needs some serious obedience training. I could DO that but do I WANT to? ummm NOT if I don’t HAVE to. There is also the cost. He will cost twice as much as the Dachsle who comes with a kennel and all of his toys and stuff.

I really like the Yorchi’s ‘Mom’ who is my son’s co-worker. And I think I will feel bad if I say no because she really really wants me to take this dog because she has such a high opinion of my son that she thinks *I* would be a great ‘Mom’ for her baby sight unseen. That is so flattering and I am so proud of my son for being such a nice guy that people think *I* must have been a great mother. That is so cool but he deserves so much credit for making the right choices in life when he could have very easily taken the wrong path.

For all the care and heartache
Life has brought to me
One precious gift has made it all worthwhile
For heaven blessed and with great joy rewarded me
For I can look and see my own beloved son

My son, my son just do the best you can
Then in my heart I’m sure
You’ll face life like a man

My pride and joy
My life, my boy
My son, my son

Vera Lynn

The song quoted above is a little misleading since I have a daughter I am also immesely proud of. I have spoken of her before in this Blog. My children are indeed my pride and joy. I have trouble expressing that sometimes. Intellectually I know that what I am about to say is crazy thinking but it is always there in the back of my mind that if things are going too well for me and mine and I express my happiness and pride in my life it will somehow be destroyed.

I need to get over that fear big time because it is putting such a damper on my relationship with my children. I love them so much but showing that love has become so difficult, I am literally subconsciously afraid that *I* will destroy THEM. Maybe by saying these things out loud on this Blog I can dispel that fear. How much more public can I get?

Oh, BTW, Thanks Mom and Dad for installing this huge fear into my ego, id or super ego or WHATever. Lovely.

B

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road

We’re off to see the Wizard, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
You’ll find he is a whiz of a Wiz! If ever a Wiz! there was.
If ever oh ever a Wiz! there was The Wizard of Oz is one because,
Because, because, because, because, because.

Lyrics by EH Harburg, music by Harold Arlen “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”

I’m off to see my Grandchildren tonight. My nephew will pick me up sometime between now (9:15) and Midnight and take me to Edgerton. He works odd hours and doesn’t get off work until 8:00 PM. It works out good for me because then I can sort of stretch that rule the building management has about not leaving pets alone for more than 24 hours out a little.

I don’t like to leave Patches alone for much longer than 24 hours but she does fine for 36. She’s more than happy to see me when I get home though. I got the paperwork necessary to get permission to have a dog in this building but I don’t have a clue what happened to it. They have to be designated as a companion dog. <heheh> Patches could use a companion.

Not so sure about me. Dogs are a lot of work but there are all kinds of guys in this building who would like to walk my dog if I get one. <shrug> I would feel safer if I had a dog but…

I would love a Boston Terrier or a Boxer. Better yet, I would like a mutt mix of either of those. I’m not all that big on pure bred dogs. The inbreeding is nasty. I saw a cute little rat terrier/jack russel mix up for adoption by its owners that I would be interested in but they say they don’t know how she would be with cats. If she hasn’t found a home by mid week next week I will call them. It would be worth a try to see if she is a chaser.

Oh goodie, my daughter just called and she is going to send a note to school with my Grandson so that I can pick him up rather than having him go to daycare. Fantastico! G and I get along well unless he’s feeling frisky and oppositional. He’s a really smart little boy and he likes to pit that smart little brain against Grammy’s brain. Grammy isn’t used to thinking on her feet against smart little boys.

He also likes to tell “stories.” Last night on the phone he told me he had skipped all the way up to 5th grade. Not too long ago he told me he thought he had flunked kindergarten. He had me convinced he believed that. That’s the third time he has caught me with his “stories.” From now on I don’t believe a word he says until I check it with his parents. <heh>

Update on the adoption process. The mother has decided to fight the state’s decision to terminate her parental rights. It may be three or more years before the baby is released for adoption and the mother could prevail. I am afraid for my daughter. This could get really messy. I am very proud of her for hanging in there though.
B

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The Maple Sugar Farm Flood

This is a short story I wrote for my Grandson Gabriel based on a greeting card with the picture of a kitten and puppy sleeping in a basket. He’s seven. I hope he likes it. I really need to find a car with a big old ugly bug on it and write a story about that. He likes bugs best of all. <heh>

This is a story about a dog and cat but really it’s the story of before they became a dog and cat. It’s the story of when they were wee babies, a puppy and a kitten.The puppy’s name was Yeller because he was yellow like the sun and because when he was hungry he would yell in his funny squeaky puppy voice for his Mama to feed him her good milk. He yelled louder than all his puppy brothers and sisters.

The kitten’s name was TigerLily because she had tiger stripes but she was pretty like the summer Lilies. She had a  chin that was very white like Easter Lilies but an orange nose like the Tiger Lilies. TigerLily was very gentle and sweet. She did not yell. She mewed so quietly her Mama could hardly hear her.

Yeller and TigerLily were very happy with their Mamas and their brothers and sisters. Their Mamas loved them very much and took very good care of them. It was lots of fun to play with their brothers and sisters.

They lived on a big farm called the Maple Sugar Farm by a beautiful river named The Crawfish River with a very nice Farmer, his Wife, and thier family of little boys and girls. Life was very good for puppies and kittens growing up there.

Then one day it began to rain. It rained very hard. It rained very hard the next day too. The river got very full and TigerLily’s Mama got very worried. Her hiding place for her kittens was getting soggy. She decided to move her babies.

Mama Kitties have to move their babies one by one with their mouths so TigerLily’s Mama Kitty hurried because she had five babies. She decided she would wait to move TigerLily last because TigerLily was the smallest baby and Mama Kitty knew she was going to be very tired after moving four babies.

It was raining so hard it was hard to find a dry place but Mama Kitty found a place in the barn near where Yeller and his family lived. Yeller was very excited about getting new neighbors! He watched Mama Kitty move all her other babies and he could see she was getting so very tired when she went back to get TigerLily.

He ran to the barn door and almost fell over his puppy feet with excitement to watch her make that last trip to her hiding place to get TigerLily. It was still raining very very hard. The ground was all muddy and the river was beginning to flood the farmer’s fields. Yeller could tell the Farmer was worried but he didn’t know why.

Yeller was just excited and he yelled. “Yelp, Yelp, Yelp!”

Then he saw Mama Kitty coming across the barnyard carrying little TigerLily in her mouth. The rain was coming down in great big drops and it was thundering and lightening. BOOM! CRACKLE! BOOM!

Mama Kitty was up to her knees in mud and the wind was blowing her ears against her head. She was so tired she could barely pick up her leg to take a step.

Oh my… Yeller was scared for Mama Kitty and TigerLily. He could see they were in trouble. What could he do?

He did the only thing he could. He did the thing he did best.  He yelled. “Yelp! Yelp! Yelp! YELP! YELP!”

He yelled louder than he ever yelled. Then Mama kitty dropped TigerLily in a mud puddle and she meowed with fright! “Meow! Meow!”  Her poor baby kitten!

TigerLily was scared and she mewed too. It was a tiny scared “mewwww!” The rain was coming down in such big drops they were almost as big as her head. The puddle was getting deeper!

Yeller yelled some more. He yelled as loud as his little puppy voice would yell “YELLLUP! YELLLUP! YELLUP!”

The farmer turned to look at him and said “What are you yelling at Yeller?”

And Yeller danced on his little puppy feet with excitement until he fell on his head. But he kept yelping while he watched Mama Kitty struggle to pull TigerLily out of the mud puddle. The Farmer looked where Yeller was looking and ran out to help Mama Kitty save TigerLily just in time.

The Farmer’s Wife cleaned poor little TigerLily up and put her on a heating pad in a little basket to warm her up. They let Yeller come in to visit so he would stop yelling.

He fell asleep snuggled up with TigerLily to help keep her warm. Soon TigerLily was just fine and the Farmer’s Wife took them both back to the barn.

It stopped raining the next day and the river stopped flooding. Pretty soon the mud dried up and the Sugar Maple Farm went back to normal.

Yeller and TigerLily became very good friends and had wonderful adventures on the Maple Sugar Farm by the Crawfish River.

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How Much Is That Doggie In the Window

How much is that doggie in the window (arf, arf)
The one with the waggley tail
How much is that doggie in the window (arf, arf)
I do hope that doggie’s for sale

Patti Page “How Much Is That Doggie In the Window” written by Bob Merrill

I’m thinking about getting a dog. I’ve been thinking about getting a dog for some time but I’m serious about it now. My admirer’s antics have touched off a nerve that won’t quit screaming for attention. My back hurts like hell and I don’t think going to see Dr Ted is really going to help deal with this backache. I don’t feel safe.

I haven’t felt safe for a long time. Thhe question is will having a dog help me feel safer? Yeah, I think so. I think I will feel like no one will be able to sneak up on me and I think it will be harder for people to intrude with a dog on this side of the door raising holy hell.

Not only that, a dog will remember who intruded and if they get too friendly he will want to be all friendly in public and that will make me suspicious and if they hurt him he will be in atttack mode in public. They lose either way.

I am going to talk to Harry tomorrow about recommending that I have a service dog because then the building management will have to allow it in addition ot my cat who is going to be peeved as Hell. She’ll get over it eventually.

I looked up Miniature Pinschers in Wisconsin on google and found Guy. I like the fact that he hasn’t been docked at all. He looks so goofy compared to Po, my son’s dog. He’s about a year and a half old which is pretty young. That’s good, he’ll be staying around awhile and he’s still feisty. They haven’t trained that out of him yet.

Still, I have to consider all the work having a dog entails. Can I walk a dog three or four times a day and manage a cane or find people who will help me with those chores? I want an alpha dog but I waant one that I can train to know I am alpha in this house. I did that with Po who still recognizes me as the alpha female but do I have what it takes to take on a dog all by myself day after day? Picking up warm poop. Dealing with aa dog’s neediness.

For all I laugh about Patches’ neediness and psychiatric problems, she really isn’t all that much of a PITA. She comes to the door and weaves around my legs meowing to great me while I drop whatever I am lugging off in its approppriate space–sometimes I have to tell her to back off because on more than one occasion she has tripped me–and runs to the bathroom where she knows I will head next so she can get an ear scratch and a hug but then she goes back to napping contentedly when the social amenities are over. Dogs are much more demanding.

They want to get the hell out of confinement. They are ready for a WALK!   Or they want to PLAY!  NOW.  Patches, my fat littell Calico cat never wnats to play.  I have wasted so much money on toys and catnip  trying to entice her into playing it’s ridiculous.  In fact, Patches is boring. Until I get my yarn out to knit.  THEN she wants to play.  I keep telling her my yarn is not the appropriate choice for a plaything and gave her her own small ball of yarn.

Was she happy?  Hell no, she wants MY YARN whcich does interesting things like move around and diminish in size if I’m rolling skeins into balls.  She sits there and watches it and her whole body twitches with frustration because she knows she’s not supposed to play with it but she waits until I am not looking and then when she can’t stand it anymore she attacks.  I will look at her and say “Patches what are you doing?”  in my most stern mother voice and she sill look at me with that innocent who me expression even though she is practically  wrapped up in yarn and slowly free herself and go back to her post where she can watch in frustration again waiting for the right moment to strike and kill the yarn monster.   Patches is a hoot.

B

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