Summer Evenings

After a muggy, hot day, evening was wonderful- cooler, a very slight breeze.  It was getting dark as we walked Canon around the block. It made me think of childhood, when we'd play outside until it got too dark to see.  Those are some wonderful memories- playing baseball with a tennis ball, either in our yard, between the willow trees, the Daulton's yard or the mesa;  hanging out in front, talking, walking up and down the street.

I remember a great game of capture the flag at the Hanna's house and thereabouts.  Running down to the Beckley's house to visit.  Trying out a skateboard.  Coming in when we couldn't see anymore.

Sweet memories.  A time I wouldn't mind revisiting...

Close to my Heart

I don't own a heart locket.  I recently was given a heart pendant to symbolize appreciation for chairing the technology committee for Assistance League.  I don't know if I've ever had a heart pendant, or a heart locket.  This may have started me thinking about how necklaces are often close to our hearts, which led me to think about what is close to my heart.

The most obvious my dogs.   Literally my tripawd pendant necklace remembering Rondo which I wore today.  And that, of course, leads me to Caprice and Canon.

Friends.    I have my family, my dogs, things to do.  Friends fill out the corners of my life.

Sweet family memories.  Memories of growing up.

This post is unfinished...

My Heroes

For a long time I've adhered to a classical/literary defintion of hero- one who endangers himself or encounters adversity for the benefit of others (not that I've looked it up lately).  For that reason, athletes are usually not heroes to me, or the President of the US, or most famous people.  Lately, with some of the sadness around me, I've been thinking about my own list of heroes.

Of course, Rondo, and the other BCD dogs (and other dogs with problems and disabilities come to mind, maybe dogs in general).  Their existence is to please their humans.  Rondo, for example, must have had great pain, and had his share of trouble, but he was always there to way his tail and lick my ear.  These animals, by their nature, take their adversity in their stride and don't let it define their lives.  They are heroes.

My friends and the countless others I have know who deal with cancer in their lives.  Because this has been on my mind lately, I want to write about them.

Clara Shwartz, my mother's friend-- that in itself is heroic because it took drawing my mother out, making an effort to talk to her and go out to lunch with her.  I don't know that she got anything in return for her efforts.  After Clara was diagnosed with cancer, she tried to remain positive, although she admitted she was scared.   Clara carried on with her life, as my realtor, taking me to see houses when the effort exhausted her.  At the time, I saw a pushy realtor.  Now I think of a hero.

This is unfinished...

Campus Walk

Because of the weather and the distance from the UNM campus, we haven't had a walk around in some time.  I forgot how many things there are to enjoy on a sunny, warm spring Sunday afternoon.

New Lobos on Campus

 

Fountains

 

 

The Duck Pond (with spring ducklings)

 

The Birds (and the Bees)

 

 

 The Flowers

 

The pictures are enough to make me smile all over again!

 

 

 



Road Kill

How to get back to regular blogging?  I've had lots of ideas for writing, but didn't sit down at the right time to put them down.  Now, oddly, here I am, and my topic--road kill.

Today (or yesterday) I drove past yet another dead rabbit in the middle of the road.  This always disturbs me, even if it's been there awhile.  Obviously it's been run over more than once, and it makes me wonder about the value of life, any life.  It seems a travesty to leave a dead animal in the road to be run over and over again. Disrespect for life.  I find myself apologizing to the dead animal for the indignity of being smashed in the road and lying there until it is unrecognizable.

 

And then I choose to look up an image for road kill, where there are rows and rows of pictures of dead animals, jokes about picking up and eating road kill.  I chose to use one of those for my blog.  I see road kill stuffed toys.   I even have a pair of road kill rabbit earrings that I bought years ago. 

 

I remember hearing how some native Americans apologized to the animals they killed for food, and showed their respect for not wasting any part of the animal.  Is today's attitude desensitization?  Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?  Road kill isn't funny to me anymore.  Do I need to lighten up? 

Random, Odd, and Inappropriate Thoughts

I've been storing these in my head for several days...and now I can't remember a one!

Three is great!

There's not much about Max on this blog, since he has his own, but he's very much a part of our lives.  Two dogs are harder than one, and three is harder than two, but it's a joy!  I love having three dogs and I love having a little one.  He's a little one who can very much hold his own with the other two, even Canon, who I thought was going to kill him in the beginning.

 

Isn't it amazing how there's always more love to give?

 

 

Remembering once again...

As I remember Rondo tonight as part of Pam Storto's annual candle lighting in Maine, I think of this strange community I am part of-- those who have lost pets to cancer.  Pam, who I only know through the internet, has placed stakes with pets names on them, and lights the candles at the end of July, today in fact. She invites people throughout the world to light candles at 7:45 EDT.

I've written before about how dealing with Rondo's osteosarcoma and death changed my life, mostly for the better.  Tonight I "met" Jill, who is dealing with the loss of her standard poodle who passed three months ago.  It reminds me how hopeless and lonely I felt, and yet how, through the Bone Cancer Dogs group, I was not really alone, not the only one who felt this grief.  As I said to Jill, for me the grief has never left me, but the edges are blurred.  Rondo led me to fill my life with dogs-- Canon, Max, obedience, agility, BCD.  I honor his life for what he was, a young, sweet poodle boy, and for what he has brought to me.

Betrayal

Betrayal- a breaking of trust
A deep down hurt
Anger
The need to protect myself and lash out at the same time
There is no reason
No calm
No

On the Marathon Bombing

No one ties his shoes before a prestigious race and thinks, "Today I may die in a bomb blast," but it happened at the Boston Marathon.  Sadly, it happens in Beirut and Somalia and other places on an almost daily basis.  I am deeply disturbed.  First because of Boston.  Because of the World Trade Center.  But because this happens all over the world.  I am disturbed that no one is really safe.  I am disturbed that my niece worries for her infant daughter.  I am disturbed that people hate so much or are so sick.

Yet it exists in our daily lives.  There are people in parts of the world that live with this all the time, and I have to admit, I am not disturbed all the time as I should be.  People hurt other people and we seem powerless to do anything about it.  What can help?  What can stop this?   It should hurt every day, when senseless acts hurt people. 

Tit for Tat

I  put this as my Facebook profile picture yesterday in support of same sex marriage.  I believe in equal rights for all.  (Michael would disagree with this statement.  I'm fine with convicted felons losing their vote.)  I had no idea this symbol would make all sorts of people take up arms, literally and figuratively.

First I saw the symbol transformed to two rifles, to support right to bear arms, I suppose.  Then it was transformed to a cross.  Again this is an assumption on my part, but I think this is in reaction to the same sex marriage by those whose religious beliefs disagree with that.

Facebook seems a place where people immediately say, "Oh, yeah?  Well take that!"  I don't post anti-religious statements when confronted with people's affirmation of their Christianity (or any religion) on Facebook.  Why do some have to immediately react to support of peoples' rights?

What would Jesus do?  My guess is not contradict everybody on Facebook.



Passive Aggressive

That bright yellow harbinger of spring, beating out the daffodils- the dandelion.  I pull off the lion-maned flowers, soon-to-be spreaders of seeds.  The plant itself resists my pull in this hard, dry soil.  No one protests.  The next day the flowers are back in what seems to be greater numbers, daring me to pull them again.

I do.

Agility Bloopers

When one doesn't blog for a long time, there are so many things to write about, but for now, my favorite subject-- dogs. Luckily, I don't have many readers, so indulge me with my agility talk.

 

Canon and I have participated in our first two weekend agility trials this month.  The first was the beginning of the month, in Clovis.  Canon did well on the drive, but not so well in the hotel.  Being a "watch dog," he informed me of every sound in the motel, and he just couldn't seem to relax. He did, however, perform well.  We finally got our Open Jumpers title and moved to Excellent.  We also got
two Excellent Standard legs, as well as a qualifying score in Time to Beat.  Canon has matured quite a lot since our last trial.  Hopefully his handler will live up to his good example.

This weekend we competed again.  We earned our Novice FAST title and a leg in Excellent Jumpers with Weaves.  Other than mostly handler errors, we ran very well, time being our biggest enemy.

Today (Sunday) the handler stunk!  Our first run of the day came after studying the Standard Excellent map for several hours and watching countless dogs run.  Did I make a mistake where I thought I'd have a problem?  No!  I forgot the course on the third obstacle in.  Bad Barbara!  After I lost my way, I was a bit rattled, but Canon did just what I asked of him.

Our Jumpers run was one of our best, even faster than usual.  I was so excited that I forgot the final jump!  I started celebrating and started to hug Canon when I heard moans and calls from the crowd.  When I figured out I wasn't finished, I was able to take the boy over the last jump.  The kind judge did not call it a refusal, and we finished with our best time ever, even though it was one second over time.  Somehow we got first place out of that one.
Here's the link to YouTube.  http://youtu.be/6NRHFRox47A

I was reminded this weekend that agility should be about having fun and encouraging people to do their best.  Our judge certainly did that!  This sport is special to me not only because I get to spend time with one of my dogs, but because I also spend it with some wonderful, supportive people. This is an environment that lends itself to supporting and enjoying others.  What a great way to have a tiring, but happy weekend.

 

Writing Again!

I'm blogging again-- for little Max, our foster miniature poodle.  Whether he stays with us or moves on to another family, he'll have a history...at http://maxthepoodle.blogspot.com/ .

Something to write about!

It's been a long time, and there have been lots of things to write about, but I didn't get to them yet (or may never get there!)  But I got something in the mail yesterday which was something I've wanted since I was in my teens:

A CD title for my dog.  I started thinking about this when our first poodle, Gigi, earned two legs in obedience, almost there, but we never went to another trial.  I still have the Nambe ashtray she earned as high in trial or best in show, whatever it was then.  I've thought about it every times I've taken a poodle to obedience training, with Triska, Persi, Caprice, and Rondo.  I didn't  take the time to practice, didn't have the support or commitment.  But Canon and I made it!

 

It wasn't pretty, but we got through it.  Two plus years of training.  More driving to and from training than actual training, I think.  Lots of treats- Charley Bears, chicken, hot dogs, whatever else I acquired.  Lots of dollars.  Canon's attention is still not riveted upon me.  He often follows when there's nothing more interesting around, and at a trial, there's something more interesting.  He paid attention just enough, followed my commands just enough, to earn us what I've thought about for a long time.

 

Thank you, Canon.  Good boy!!!!!

 



The Games have begun...

Last night I stayed up late to finish the second volume in the Hunger Games series, Catching Fire.  I kept thinking, "This is an allegory, a parallel for our world."  The Hunger Games is about a world where an all-powerful Capitol leaves the districts around in in poverty and hunger, and, to assert its superiority over the districts, forces them to annually pay tribute, in the form of two residents, who must come to the Capitol and fight for their lives, until only one victor is left.

I read the first volume and thought, "Interesting, but brutal science fiction story with a young adult protagonist.  OK."  As I finished Catching Fire, I  started thinking that this is closer to our world than we might like.  Not that we have brutal government, but that our world inspires brutality between its inhabitants.  Wars, both declared and undeclared.  Zealots or misguided indivials bombing and gunning others down.  Efforts made for fellowship and cooperation crashed by a perceived need to survive.

Then I woke up this morning to the news of a lone gunner shooting down  people in an Arvada, Colorado, theater at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises.  I haven't seen the movie, but based on others, I'd say a movie with its own share of violence.  (But then again, this isn't the issue-- or is it?)  Is this not science fiction itself-- a crazed madman demolishing helpless others?  But then, again, we have police shootings, soldier killing civilians, human beings being held in bondage and sold.  Science fiction?  A world going wild? 

I'm speaking in extremes, but wondering.  Man's inhumanity to living creatures, including himself, is existent.  The scenario in The Hunger Games may not be reality, but perhaps it is based on what is, to its extreme.

The Lonesome Dove

I'm sitting at home alone, and relishing that aloneness.  It doesn't happen often.  Even though Michael and I do our own things independently, there's something different about being home alone.  Freedom?  Total peace?  I'm not sure what the difference it is, but I know it feels different to have the place alone to myself.  One isn't necessarily better than the other, just different.  I was more aware of sounds than I usually am.  And I especially noticed two lonely sounds. 

Last weekend Michael found an injured dove on our front patio.  He brought it in to protect it from the hot sun and gave it water.  When it cooled off, he put it back on the patio with water.  It hopped around awhile, but by the next morning it was dead.  Ever since then, I've noticed a mourning dove calling, and I can't help but wonder if it's mourning its mate.  We hear plenty of doves here, but suddenly the sound of a dove makes me sad for that one unlucky visitor.

The other lonely sound I heard was a dog barking.  I'm not sure which dog in the neighborhood, but it was a lonely bark, not a play bark, not an intruder bark, more of an "I want in: I want others" bark.  I  wonder what dogs expect to gain from that lonely bark.

It's quiet right now.  I have about an hour of aloneness left.  I'm going to go enjoy it.

Rondo's Legacy

Today I had the opportunity to visit the Animal Humane of New Mexico site and visit with exectutive director, Peggy Weigle.  (Yes, they're looking for money.)  They're planning an expansion project to offer animals an optimal environment during their stay-- expanded clinic, dog and cat rooms, a meeting area, and all sorts of good things.  I was delighted to get a tour of the facility, as well as an overview of the plans.

One thing that amazed me was the number of unadopted pit bulls or crosses I saw in the pens.  I can understand people worrying about adopting these strangers, even though AHNM personnel have evaluated them, but I worry even more about the dogs and their lives.  There was a lovely boy who has been there 10 months.  Most likely he hasn't been adopted because he's a barker.  I saw the "pen" (indoor-outdoor facility) where they keep a number of overweight cats.  They call it the "Jenny Craig room."  We also visited the clinic, where, among other things, low-cost pet care is offered.

I was impressed.  So much care is put into this facility.  So I put some of my care into it with a donation.  I got to name the SAFER test room (I believe this is for animal evaluations).  Who to honor?  My father?  Caprice and Canon?  The room will be named for Rondo, who brought me here, brought me to my present relationship with my dogs, agility and obedience training with Canon, new friends. 

And so, dear Rondo, you have contributed to helping other dogs.  All those pennies you have sent me (and many more) are being put to work.  You have had a direct influence on my life, from the grief, the rememberance, and the good things that have followed.  You were and are a special part of my life.   I will always love you. 

When I don't like Facebook...

I have quite a few Facebook friends that are dog and animal lovers.  Great!  I have some Facebook friends who are involved in animal rescue.  Also great.  Some of these people post pictures of dogs in need-- starving dogs, injured dogs, sad dogs.  Great, but not so great.  Those images linger and tear at my heart.  I can't help them, but I have to see them all.  Not for me. 

And so, for today.  The picture is blank.  Not that I don't want to help.  Not that I don't care.  But that I find the number of animals in need and in pain so very hard to bear.  I'm a wimp for not being able to look, but I'm not uncaring-- just frustrated.

A Title! Canon-June2012-AKC

We got our Novice Standard title this weekend from the last run in this video.  I'm so proud of my boy!  This marks the end of novice competition for us, and the beginning of open in both standard and jumpers.  I'll miss novice.  It's the elementary school of agility competition, when there's room for mistakes and support.  It's made easier so we can achieve some success.  It's about learning more than the competition.

Bye-bye Novice.  We'll miss you.