I feel like I've already written about this, although perhaps it was prior to this writing challenge. Short term memory isn't always my strong suit.
There isn't much that embarrasses me, which doesn't give me a whole lot to confess. As anyone who knows me well or has read my blog for a while knows, I am very open about my life. Personal relationships stay personal, but that's about it. I attempt not to over-share, but am not always successful.
Hmm. Okay. Here goes my attempt at confessing things that don't bother me at all, but may bother others. Does that count? Hope so, because it's going to have to.
- Even if Fox hadn't gotten sick with cancer, I had no plans whatsoever to neuter him. He didn't have papers and wasn't show dog material even if he was; he absolutely had field potential and that is what he was bred for. Elhew through and through. I am an extremely responsible dog owner and he had very, very few undesirable behaviors that seem to be expected of intact male. I put the time and effort into training him, which included manners in the house, with my dogs, and with dogs in public. His only negative trait is that he was very dominant toward males dogs (especially intact males, for obvious reasons) visiting our house and if he was challenged he would initiate a fight. In public he had no interest in intact males or any other dogs. He was all about meeting people and getting as much attention & love as possible. Fox was a total love sponge. Also, balls don't bother me. Even when a dog has gigantic like his that probably made some human males feel unendowed. Not my problem, dudes.
- One time I spilled some cold coffee on Gatsby's head and never bothered to clean it up. Does this make me a terrible dog owner? It's not like you could see it on his solid liver head anyway.
I can't really think of anything else, so this will have to suffice.
Onto Day 12's topic!
Showing posts with label Gatsby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gatsby. Show all posts
24 January 2014
Blog Challenge Day 10: Memory
The first memory I had planned to write about was one of the most vivid memories of my childhood. It also makes me sound like an egotistical, arrogant jerk. In a nutshell, my first day of kindergarten I cried the whole way there. Typical. The teacher, who was used to this for obvious reasons, tried to calm me down by telling me all the fun stuff we'd be learning that year. Which were all things I already knew. This was the day I realized that many of the people around me are pretty dumb.
Hey, I sound a bit like a jerk anyway. Oh, well. Let's proceed to my second choice of topic.
Just over a year ago I began a running program called "Couch to 5K." I was overweight, depressed (the dosage of meds I was on were 1/8 of what I take now, so basically they did almost nothing), and I had a dog who was going nuts because he didn't have enough opportunities to really burn off some energy.
I only followed the program for 5 or 6 weeks which was when the running times drastically increased and my asthma because a real problem. So I began to run as much or as little as I felt like and at whatever speed didn't cause a severe asthma attack or cause pain in my left knee which isn't horrible, but isn't great either.
Admittedly there were times that I wouldn't run for a couple of months or so, then I would take it up again. Each time I was further along stamina-wise, which was encouraging because I wasn't starting from scratch. Last autumn I sprained my ankle and had to take 6 weeks off. It was horribly frustrating, but I sucked it up, gained 12 pounds, and was very cranky. Within a month of running I'd lost the weight again just in time for Foxtrot (my English pointer) to be diagnosed with terminal hemangiosarcoma. I still ran, but only twice a week most of the time. When I had to put him down exactly a month ago I didn't run for about two weeks.
But new running shoes, new ear buds (the sort that don't fall out of your ears), an armband for my iPhone, and Gatsby's impatience got me back out on the trails. I was surprised at how easily I picked it back up again; I was more or less where I was a month prior.
Now Gats and I are back to running every other day which has over time become something we absolutely love doing together.
Yesterday the thought popped into my head while running that I bet I could run a 5k now! That has been a goal of mine since I began running, when a two minutes jog had me out of breath.
The epiphany that immediately followed that was, "wait a minute, a 5k is only 3.1 miles! I do that every other day!" It is one of the best feelings in the world to not even realize how far you've come and then have it hit you like a ton of bricks! I was so amazed and proud of myself.
So, who is down for running a 5k?? We can just run our own if there aren't any coming up in Tucson in the near future! :)
Hey, I sound a bit like a jerk anyway. Oh, well. Let's proceed to my second choice of topic.
Just over a year ago I began a running program called "Couch to 5K." I was overweight, depressed (the dosage of meds I was on were 1/8 of what I take now, so basically they did almost nothing), and I had a dog who was going nuts because he didn't have enough opportunities to really burn off some energy.
I only followed the program for 5 or 6 weeks which was when the running times drastically increased and my asthma because a real problem. So I began to run as much or as little as I felt like and at whatever speed didn't cause a severe asthma attack or cause pain in my left knee which isn't horrible, but isn't great either.
Admittedly there were times that I wouldn't run for a couple of months or so, then I would take it up again. Each time I was further along stamina-wise, which was encouraging because I wasn't starting from scratch. Last autumn I sprained my ankle and had to take 6 weeks off. It was horribly frustrating, but I sucked it up, gained 12 pounds, and was very cranky. Within a month of running I'd lost the weight again just in time for Foxtrot (my English pointer) to be diagnosed with terminal hemangiosarcoma. I still ran, but only twice a week most of the time. When I had to put him down exactly a month ago I didn't run for about two weeks.
But new running shoes, new ear buds (the sort that don't fall out of your ears), an armband for my iPhone, and Gatsby's impatience got me back out on the trails. I was surprised at how easily I picked it back up again; I was more or less where I was a month prior.
Now Gats and I are back to running every other day which has over time become something we absolutely love doing together.
Yesterday the thought popped into my head while running that I bet I could run a 5k now! That has been a goal of mine since I began running, when a two minutes jog had me out of breath.
The epiphany that immediately followed that was, "wait a minute, a 5k is only 3.1 miles! I do that every other day!" It is one of the best feelings in the world to not even realize how far you've come and then have it hit you like a ton of bricks! I was so amazed and proud of myself.
So, who is down for running a 5k?? We can just run our own if there aren't any coming up in Tucson in the near future! :)
16 January 2014
Blog Challenge Day 4: Pet Peeves
I had planned to write a long and snarky list of the many things that irritate me about people. Incompetence, ignorance, bigotry, etc.
Instead I choose to take this topic literally. Pet peeves.
This evening I read an article detailing the results of a survey conducted by the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. Shockingly the study indicates that younger people (between 18 and 34) do not view pets in a shelter or rescue as acceptable companions. As some experts have interpreted, I agree that advertisements and marking showing shelter pets as sad, cowering, and sick does not help them find loving, adoptive homes. Shelters pets have a lot to offer and honestly some of them have a lot more to offer than a puppy or kitten. Many adult dogs and cats are housebroken/litterbox trained. So many animals are given up or lost and never reclaimed by owners through no fault of their own.
I am absolutely NOT anti-breeder and know many responsible, conscientious breeders. Whom all support rescue in one way or another.
The most disturbing part of this survey is that one would expect (certainly I would expect) that younger people would be more progressive. I find this hard to stomach, but I suppose I am not wholly surprised. I think the idea of dogs and cats from shelters give many people the idea that they are difficult and require a lot of rehabilitation to be "normal." While this is true of some shelter animals, in my experience fostering over two dozen dogs in the past three years (nearly all of them from shelters, a small amount directly surrendered from owners) most of them have been easy peasy. I'd take an adult dog over a puppy any day. They are easier to train because they have a longer attention span and therefore are more focused.
One of the most common misconceptions I have encountered as the director and founder of a mostly purebred dog rescue is that an older dog (basically older than one year old) will not bond to you as strongly as a puppy will. This is absolutely false. I grew up having dogs and cats my entire life, most of which were acquired as puppies and kittens. I have never had a dog more devoted and bonded to me than Gatsby, my 8 & a half year old German shorthaired pointer, whom I adopted at the age of 6. I met three dogs the day I chose to foster him. He was the oldest and the least interested in me & Lola. But I had a feeling about him and he seemed nice. Boy was I ever right! He is my dog soulmate.
If you find the right dog (or cat) they will bond to you strongly, whatever their age. All of my dogs were shelters dogs; some rescued by me directly (Lemons and Foxtrot) and some rescued by other rescue groups (Lola and Gatsby). True, some were easier than others. Honestly the only dog I got as a puppy (Lola) was the most challenging of the four. The older boys, even Fox who was basically semi-feral when I got him, were by far easier from day one.
The bottom line, for me, is that there are an enormous amount of dogs and cats out there looking for homes. They are not damaged. They are worthy to be your companion and will enrich your life if you just give them the chance.
If you would like to read the article I mentioned above, you can read it here.
Instead I choose to take this topic literally. Pet peeves.
This evening I read an article detailing the results of a survey conducted by the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. Shockingly the study indicates that younger people (between 18 and 34) do not view pets in a shelter or rescue as acceptable companions. As some experts have interpreted, I agree that advertisements and marking showing shelter pets as sad, cowering, and sick does not help them find loving, adoptive homes. Shelters pets have a lot to offer and honestly some of them have a lot more to offer than a puppy or kitten. Many adult dogs and cats are housebroken/litterbox trained. So many animals are given up or lost and never reclaimed by owners through no fault of their own.
I am absolutely NOT anti-breeder and know many responsible, conscientious breeders. Whom all support rescue in one way or another.
The most disturbing part of this survey is that one would expect (certainly I would expect) that younger people would be more progressive. I find this hard to stomach, but I suppose I am not wholly surprised. I think the idea of dogs and cats from shelters give many people the idea that they are difficult and require a lot of rehabilitation to be "normal." While this is true of some shelter animals, in my experience fostering over two dozen dogs in the past three years (nearly all of them from shelters, a small amount directly surrendered from owners) most of them have been easy peasy. I'd take an adult dog over a puppy any day. They are easier to train because they have a longer attention span and therefore are more focused.
One of the most common misconceptions I have encountered as the director and founder of a mostly purebred dog rescue is that an older dog (basically older than one year old) will not bond to you as strongly as a puppy will. This is absolutely false. I grew up having dogs and cats my entire life, most of which were acquired as puppies and kittens. I have never had a dog more devoted and bonded to me than Gatsby, my 8 & a half year old German shorthaired pointer, whom I adopted at the age of 6. I met three dogs the day I chose to foster him. He was the oldest and the least interested in me & Lola. But I had a feeling about him and he seemed nice. Boy was I ever right! He is my dog soulmate.
If you find the right dog (or cat) they will bond to you strongly, whatever their age. All of my dogs were shelters dogs; some rescued by me directly (Lemons and Foxtrot) and some rescued by other rescue groups (Lola and Gatsby). True, some were easier than others. Honestly the only dog I got as a puppy (Lola) was the most challenging of the four. The older boys, even Fox who was basically semi-feral when I got him, were by far easier from day one.
The bottom line, for me, is that there are an enormous amount of dogs and cats out there looking for homes. They are not damaged. They are worthy to be your companion and will enrich your life if you just give them the chance.
If you would like to read the article I mentioned above, you can read it here.
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| Me with Gatsby. |
16 August 2013
Vocabulary Lesson: Couler
You learn something new everyday; or you can if you make an effort. Yesterday I learned what the term "couler" means when describing an action a pointing breed dog can perform in the field. There is a link to a very informative YouTube video at the bottom of this point (because I couldn't get it to properly embed).
Makes me wonder if that is what Gatsby is actually doing (on his own, without my direction) when he points and then starts creeping toward pigeons (who are usually milling about). I will have to watch him more closely to see if he only does this when the bird he's found is on the move. He definitely has a more solid point on doves, which tend to be pretty stationary. Gats does seem to enjoy menacing and chasing pigeons, which he doesn't do with other birds. More on that in the following paragraph.
Not knowing about his past training (I got him when he was 6) and relying on the opinions of a field trainer and a couple experienced upland bird hunting friends (one w/ GSPs, the other w/ GWPs) to determine what Gats knows/doesn't know... general consensus is that he's without doubt been hunted but doesn't have the manners of a field trial dog (also he's huge and FT dogs tend to be small & quick) or competition dog. He's also a point stealing jerk who flips out if another dog gets to retrieve the shot bird, but that's another story for another day. Like I said: no manners. The dudes also think that his desire to bump pigeons (causing them to fly without stopping/pointing) could be because a lot of trainers use them and he doesn't take them seriously because he knows they're not "really hunting" when he's been exposed to them. I will absolutely admit that I don't know enough about this subject matter to agree or disagree and am very open to other interpretations of Gatsby's behaviour.
Couler is when a dog points and then begins to creep stealthily toward a located bird, usually because the bird is moving and they're trying to get it to set (sit still) to reestablish point so that the hunter can flush and shoot. From what I understand, dogs are not supposed to do this on their own and should only do so when signaled to do so by their handler either by touch or motion/gesture (or a very quiet verbal command, so as not to startle the bird).
Makes me wonder if that is what Gatsby is actually doing (on his own, without my direction) when he points and then starts creeping toward pigeons (who are usually milling about). I will have to watch him more closely to see if he only does this when the bird he's found is on the move. He definitely has a more solid point on doves, which tend to be pretty stationary. Gats does seem to enjoy menacing and chasing pigeons, which he doesn't do with other birds. More on that in the following paragraph.
Not knowing about his past training (I got him when he was 6) and relying on the opinions of a field trainer and a couple experienced upland bird hunting friends (one w/ GSPs, the other w/ GWPs) to determine what Gats knows/doesn't know... general consensus is that he's without doubt been hunted but doesn't have the manners of a field trial dog (also he's huge and FT dogs tend to be small & quick) or competition dog. He's also a point stealing jerk who flips out if another dog gets to retrieve the shot bird, but that's another story for another day. Like I said: no manners. The dudes also think that his desire to bump pigeons (causing them to fly without stopping/pointing) could be because a lot of trainers use them and he doesn't take them seriously because he knows they're not "really hunting" when he's been exposed to them. I will absolutely admit that I don't know enough about this subject matter to agree or disagree and am very open to other interpretations of Gatsby's behaviour.
Anyhow, I've gotten completely off track (typical) and having provided a definition for the term I began to write about in the first place.
Couler is when a dog points and then begins to creep stealthily toward a located bird, usually because the bird is moving and they're trying to get it to set (sit still) to reestablish point so that the hunter can flush and shoot. From what I understand, dogs are not supposed to do this on their own and should only do so when signaled to do so by their handler either by touch or motion/gesture (or a very quiet verbal command, so as not to startle the bird).
~Click on the link below to watch an instructive and well presented video demonstrating what this looks like in an actual field setting. Trust me, it's fascintating and worth a few minutes to watch!
23 July 2013
Morning Rituals
Summertime in the Sonoran Desert for a lot of people means getting up at the crack of dawn (or earlier). We've been having a remarkably cool summer thus far (knock on wood), so I've usually been getting up around 5am. The past two summers I've gotten out of bed around 4am to get as much work done as possible before the heat turns on full blast.
*I don't actually eat three breakfasts; these are just examples of typical breakfast meals.
Like most people my mornings follow a pretty predictable pattern. Fox jumps into bed to cuddle, whine, and roll upside down. Gats runs outside to find doves (and dig holes). Lola starts dancing around demanding breakfast. I haul myself out of bed, take my mood stabilizer and allergy pills. Put the kettle on and feed the dogs their breakfast. Give Lola her morning dose of Benadryl; if her allergies are flared up she'll get prednisone and cortisone anti-itch cream wherever she has been scratching (lately it's been her armpits). Sweep the living room and kitchen. Go outside and fill in Gatsby's recently dug holes, if there are any. Make coffee or tea, then sit on my back steps relishing to cool air and early morning quiet. Watch Gatsby run around like a maniac playing with his rope or empty laundry detergent jug (his two favourite toys). Meditate (while still on the back steps). Take Lola & Gatsby for a run, if I feel like it. Make myself breakfast. Depending on the time I may read a bit before checking the news (BBC, NY Times, and Al Jazeera English). I then groan, sigh dramatically, and check my email. Sometimes check Facebook (although I've been mostly avoiding that lately; it's too stressful). Then dig into whatever I have on my To Do list for that day (sending out resumes, returning emails/phone calls (ugh), working on whatever projects I have going on, working on blog posts whether I actually finish them or not, housework/yard work, etc.).
My morning in photos:
*I don't actually eat three breakfasts; these are just examples of typical breakfast meals.
19 July 2013
Meet My Dogs!
I've had a few new readers express interest in my dogs' backgrounds, how I got them, etc.
Ask and you shall receive! (At least in this instance; clearly this does not always apply.)
Because my dogs are such a integral part of my life and are basically my surrogate children, I have given them their own biographical page here on the blog.
You can check out their page here: http://www.garnetscarabin.com/p/about-my-dogs.html
Don't forget to stay tuned for future updates detailing their nutty escapades!
Ask and you shall receive! (At least in this instance; clearly this does not always apply.)
Because my dogs are such a integral part of my life and are basically my surrogate children, I have given them their own biographical page here on the blog.
You can check out their page here: http://www.garnetscarabin.com/p/about-my-dogs.html
Don't forget to stay tuned for future updates detailing their nutty escapades!
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| Gatsby, enjoying a green smoothie from Whole Foods. |
17 July 2013
First Page of a New Chapter
Several life changes have been brewing for a while now; like most changes they don't transpire overnight but unfold at whichever speed they do.
It goes without saying that I love animals, dogs in particular, and German shorthaired pointers most of all, I have been thinking of ways to expand my participation in the field of animal welfare. Honestly, I don't want to run a dog rescue forever just like I didn't want to volunteer in the isolation kennels (aka, "sick bay") at my county shelter forever. The long term high stress, extremes of high and low, and risk of burn out are enormous.
Tonight I sent an email to the Pet VIP therapy dog coordinator at the Southern Arizona Humane Society; my intention is to train Gatsby as a therapy dog and once we are certified to visit the residents of the local veteran's hospital. Perhaps there are more significant ways to thank them for their service and sacrifices, but this is one way that I am able to show my gratitude and hopefully brighten their day. Who wouldn't want to see a big, ol' hunting dog with a sweet, crooked grin?
As for my other ideas, aspirations, and daydreams... those will have to wait another day to find expression.
It goes without saying that I love animals, dogs in particular, and German shorthaired pointers most of all, I have been thinking of ways to expand my participation in the field of animal welfare. Honestly, I don't want to run a dog rescue forever just like I didn't want to volunteer in the isolation kennels (aka, "sick bay") at my county shelter forever. The long term high stress, extremes of high and low, and risk of burn out are enormous.
Tonight I sent an email to the Pet VIP therapy dog coordinator at the Southern Arizona Humane Society; my intention is to train Gatsby as a therapy dog and once we are certified to visit the residents of the local veteran's hospital. Perhaps there are more significant ways to thank them for their service and sacrifices, but this is one way that I am able to show my gratitude and hopefully brighten their day. Who wouldn't want to see a big, ol' hunting dog with a sweet, crooked grin?
As for my other ideas, aspirations, and daydreams... those will have to wait another day to find expression.
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| Future therapy dog? |
28 June 2013
Something Fishy
Did you know that one serving of ahi tuna is allegedly only three ounces? Whoever decreed that probably never ate a nine ounce sesame crusted ahi steak, seared in sesame, oil for dinner.
It was some of the most delicious 800-some calories I've ever consumed in one sitting. The spring mix with a made-from-scratch-by-yours-truly bright lemony ponzu vinaigrette was a perfect foil for the fishy richness of the tuna.
It was some of the most delicious 800-some calories I've ever consumed in one sitting. The spring mix with a made-from-scratch-by-yours-truly bright lemony ponzu vinaigrette was a perfect foil for the fishy richness of the tuna.
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| Hello, my pretty! |
33 minutes was the duration of my run/walk with Gatsby. Nine minutes total running (in three sets); the rest of the time walking briskly, jumping over ledges & benches, and running zig-zag through the trees.
Gats is an excellent running partner: he never gets tired, he matches my pace on locks into that speed like cruise control which keeps me going even when I want to wuss out, and sometimes if it's breezy his ears flap adorably.
The only time he slows down is to try to swerve into every bar or pub we pass... is he my dog or what?!
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| This is not a photo of me hand feeding Gats a piece of perfectly seared ahi... |
10 March 2013
Not the Post I Had Planned
The update that I promised and didn't deliver is still not written. I think I might need another couple of days to continue to decompress and fully grasp what I saw when I spent the evening in the company of friends and dog rescue veterans at a place called the "Dog Patch." It's a dumping ground for dogs, out in the desert, but it's so much more than that and I wasn't expecting the severity of the impact that the time I spent there had on me. That is still another post for another day, albeit one this coming week.
Instead I'll shared some photos of my German shorthaired pointer Gatsby who went with me to the Book Fair on the University of Arizona campus today. I bought him an ear of roasted corn (which he normally LOVES and will steal from the grill if you're not watchful), which he refused to eat until we got home.
He also locked onto a pair of doves on our way home, as you can see by the photo of him on point to the above. Not the best angle, but it was a solid, intense point. Good boy! (Click the photo to see it full sized!)
Instead I'll shared some photos of my German shorthaired pointer Gatsby who went with me to the Book Fair on the University of Arizona campus today. I bought him an ear of roasted corn (which he normally LOVES and will steal from the grill if you're not watchful), which he refused to eat until we got home.
He also locked onto a pair of doves on our way home, as you can see by the photo of him on point to the above. Not the best angle, but it was a solid, intense point. Good boy! (Click the photo to see it full sized!)
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| CORN DOG! |
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| Gatsby loves corn on the cob. And the cob itself. But not the husk. He spit that right out! |
07 March 2013
Quiet Possibly the World's Worst Update
While I should be cleaning my glorified dog kennel (aka, my house), here I sit attempting to write something substantial enough to be worthy of my friend Cheryl's plug on Facebook. "Read Garnet's blog! She hardly ever writes a post because she's too busy rescuing dogs, eating organic sprouts, having vegan tea parties or watching Foyle's War on Netflix!"
Crap.
To same time and words, here is a photo: (I am now going to look through recently uploaded iPhone photos to select something suitably attention garnerning.)
Okay, here we go. This was an AWESOME dinner created by the contents of our Sunizona FarmBox (organic CSA from Willcox, AZ which is about an hour & a half from where I live in Tucson) and the contents of our (me, my friend S. & her mom) pantries. Brown rice with ginger peanut sauce and mushrooms, carrots, red peppers, green onions, cilantro, crushed cashews, and sriracha. Possibly a few other things. It was tasty! Not only is sharing a CSA box easy on our pocketbooks, but it is so nice to cook a family dinner together and have a real family meal. Makes my heart happy and is just as good for my depression as my meds, if not more so.
Obligatory dog photo. My beloved German shorthaired pointer, Gatsby, on the left and my supposed-to-be-foster-dog-but-probably-my-dog Foxtrot the Elhew English pointer on the right.
Crap.
To same time and words, here is a photo: (I am now going to look through recently uploaded iPhone photos to select something suitably attention garnerning.)
Okay, here we go. This was an AWESOME dinner created by the contents of our Sunizona FarmBox (organic CSA from Willcox, AZ which is about an hour & a half from where I live in Tucson) and the contents of our (me, my friend S. & her mom) pantries. Brown rice with ginger peanut sauce and mushrooms, carrots, red peppers, green onions, cilantro, crushed cashews, and sriracha. Possibly a few other things. It was tasty! Not only is sharing a CSA box easy on our pocketbooks, but it is so nice to cook a family dinner together and have a real family meal. Makes my heart happy and is just as good for my depression as my meds, if not more so.
Obligatory dog photo. My beloved German shorthaired pointer, Gatsby, on the left and my supposed-to-be-foster-dog-but-probably-my-dog Foxtrot the Elhew English pointer on the right.
I will be undertaking a unique adventure this evening, that has ties to Lola Lulu's puppyhood. The best part is that my friend is one his way and I haven't swept the floors, washed (or hidden) any dirty dishes OR taken a shower. Yay!
Stay tuned for a poignant post (with photos) later tonight.
17 January 2013
Oh, January Where Hast Thou Gone?
While I can believe that it's taken me a week to find the time to write another post, what I can't believe is that January is already nearing its end! I didn't make any formal resolutions for 2013, but I did hope (somewhere in the back of my addled mind) that it would be a successful, happy, productive year and so far I've gotten that in spades.
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| World's most handsome office assistant: Gatsby! |
probably brushed my hair and gotten dress a total of three times. Most days are spent in front of my computer (laptop on a vintage TV tray), on the sofa, with the dogs as bookends, while trying to coordinate 4 rescues, 3 transports (2 from out of state), and 2 adoptions between messages/comments on Facebook, the rescue email, and texts on my iPhone (plus FB and email there, on the rare moments I escaped from my home office to do exciting things like buy dog food and pick up a cute pair of librarian-esque green loafers).
I feel a bit like I am reneging on my promise to myself that I would only buy garnetscarabin.com for my blog if I kept at it until the end of 2012. Admittedly, post-layoff from my job, I found it hard to find both the energy and the time to coincide.
Hopefully after weekend my life will slow down just a bit. Enough to take a breath, do some laundry, drink some tea, and knit while watching Netflix while attending to my responsibilities as the president and director of a dog rescue that has tripled in size during the past year.
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| Shoes worthy of Nancy Drew. |
This is the nature of rescue; it fluctuates between non-stop chaotic activity interspersed with downtime where almost nothing seems to happen.
Also: check out my next post to meet the four above-mentioned recently rescued dogs!
07 November 2012
Daily Gratitude - 7 November, 2012
#1 - Today, I am happy to be an American. We're an imperfect country, but we're moving in the right direction!
#2 - An apple empanada is a thing of beauty. (Even if it isn't pumpkin as I'd hoped...)
#3 - I rode my bike to work in only 18 minutes! (My fastest time ever!)
#4 - Porter and Gatsby are now playing! He is the 3rd dog Gatsby has ever played with in the year or so I've had him. He greets dogs politely, then ignores them & displays no interest in interacting. Normally he only plays with Lola and if Lola is inside with me, Gatsby is outside digging holes in the yard. He hasn't dug holes for a few days now! (I can tell, because I recently filled them all in with a shovel.)
#5 - Also in Porter-related news, he slept in bed with Gatsby and me last night (his first night not sleeping in his crate) and was very good! No "accidents" in the house and he slept through most of the night except for a few coughing fits (he still has kennel cough).
#2 - An apple empanada is a thing of beauty. (Even if it isn't pumpkin as I'd hoped...)
#3 - I rode my bike to work in only 18 minutes! (My fastest time ever!)
#4 - Porter and Gatsby are now playing! He is the 3rd dog Gatsby has ever played with in the year or so I've had him. He greets dogs politely, then ignores them & displays no interest in interacting. Normally he only plays with Lola and if Lola is inside with me, Gatsby is outside digging holes in the yard. He hasn't dug holes for a few days now! (I can tell, because I recently filled them all in with a shovel.)
#5 - Also in Porter-related news, he slept in bed with Gatsby and me last night (his first night not sleeping in his crate) and was very good! No "accidents" in the house and he slept through most of the night except for a few coughing fits (he still has kennel cough).
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| Gatsby & Porter |
01 November 2012
Smooth Sailing!
On Monday I was terrified of beginning Week Four in C25K. I had skipped a day of training the week before and spent half the weekend recovering from a killer hangover (one of the many reasons I almost never go "out" on a Friday night).
But you know what? WE DID IT. The running parts doubled in time, the walking in-between parts decreased, and not only did we do it but we did two laps of our downtown course (two weeks ago we were doing one lap in 20 minutes) in 25-30 minutes if you count a few minutes of walking to cool down afterward.
Yesterday I biked a total of 10.5-11 miles, back and forth to work, the doctor's office (more about that later...), and the grocery store. Not only was I not exhausted, but when I got home from the store at the end of the day... I felt tempted to go bike a couple more miles! Crazy!!
This week has marked a significant turning point in how I view and I how I feel about exercise. Other than yoga, hiking, and dancing... I can't say that I've EVER enjoyed physical exercise. I used to joke that the only time I'd run was if I was being chased.
I think those days are over. I can definitely see how people can become addicted to running or biking!
Tonight I have another doctor's appointment (more later... yadda yadda...) and will be running Day Two of Week Four with Gatsby. Friday night I'll be having another German shorthaired pointer boy stay over and he'll be meeting his potential foster family on Saturday morning. Later that day R. and I will conclude Week Four; on Sunday we'll be doing the Scavenger Dash which is part race, part scavenger hunt, and part adventure with clues and puzzles to solve along the way. Fun, right? Exercise AND mystery solving. What could be more up my alley than this?
But you know what? WE DID IT. The running parts doubled in time, the walking in-between parts decreased, and not only did we do it but we did two laps of our downtown course (two weeks ago we were doing one lap in 20 minutes) in 25-30 minutes if you count a few minutes of walking to cool down afterward.
Yesterday I biked a total of 10.5-11 miles, back and forth to work, the doctor's office (more about that later...), and the grocery store. Not only was I not exhausted, but when I got home from the store at the end of the day... I felt tempted to go bike a couple more miles! Crazy!!
This week has marked a significant turning point in how I view and I how I feel about exercise. Other than yoga, hiking, and dancing... I can't say that I've EVER enjoyed physical exercise. I used to joke that the only time I'd run was if I was being chased.
I think those days are over. I can definitely see how people can become addicted to running or biking!
Tonight I have another doctor's appointment (more later... yadda yadda...) and will be running Day Two of Week Four with Gatsby. Friday night I'll be having another German shorthaired pointer boy stay over and he'll be meeting his potential foster family on Saturday morning. Later that day R. and I will conclude Week Four; on Sunday we'll be doing the Scavenger Dash which is part race, part scavenger hunt, and part adventure with clues and puzzles to solve along the way. Fun, right? Exercise AND mystery solving. What could be more up my alley than this?
16 October 2012
C25K - Day Two/Week Two!
Whew! Done! I had to use Google Maps to calculate the distance I ran/walked in 21 minutes... 1.5 miles! Which equals a 14 minute mile. I'm not sure how far R. and I ran on our first day training, but I'm pretty sure I couldn't have traveled a mile in 14 minutes on my own to feet at that point.
The best part is that Gatsby is a GREAT running partner! Well, aside from wanting to stop to lift his leg every minute or two. Gotta love boy dogs. Granted, Gats power-walked while I jogged, but he was still very easy for me to walk and jog with tonight. What a relief after the bad run I had with Lola on Sunday!
Overall I am proud of myself for going out and completing today's regimen. Better late than never, right? I still miss running with R., though. Gatsby was really fun to work out with and I will definitely continue jogging with him, but he's not much of a conversationalist and his own encouragement is a sideways grin over his shoulder every so often.
Again, I am experiencing my chest feeling constricted and I keep coughing. If I try to take a deep breath, I only wheeze and then can't stop coughing spasmodically... I think I really do need to make a doctor's appointment. Pretty sure this is another possible asthma attack.
The best part is that Gatsby is a GREAT running partner! Well, aside from wanting to stop to lift his leg every minute or two. Gotta love boy dogs. Granted, Gats power-walked while I jogged, but he was still very easy for me to walk and jog with tonight. What a relief after the bad run I had with Lola on Sunday!
Overall I am proud of myself for going out and completing today's regimen. Better late than never, right? I still miss running with R., though. Gatsby was really fun to work out with and I will definitely continue jogging with him, but he's not much of a conversationalist and his own encouragement is a sideways grin over his shoulder every so often.
Again, I am experiencing my chest feeling constricted and I keep coughing. If I try to take a deep breath, I only wheeze and then can't stop coughing spasmodically... I think I really do need to make a doctor's appointment. Pretty sure this is another possible asthma attack.
05 September 2012
Daily Gratitude - 5 September, 2012
#1 - My 90 day review which was postponed until next week has been move up to tomorrow! :)
#2 - I had a pumpernickel bagel with hummus for breakfast. Yum!
#3 - Lots of exciting stuff happening at work in the next few weeks!
#4 - The vintage Nancy Drew cookbook I won on eBay arrived and it's AMAZING. Can't wait to share some of the bizarre recipes here!
#5 - ...and the very best of all: Today marks one year since I picked up a depressed, shut down, and antisocial German shorthaired pointer from the boarding kennel where he had lived for two months. That dog has changed so much over the past year... yes, I'm talking about my GATSBY!
#2 - I had a pumpernickel bagel with hummus for breakfast. Yum!
#3 - Lots of exciting stuff happening at work in the next few weeks!
#4 - The vintage Nancy Drew cookbook I won on eBay arrived and it's AMAZING. Can't wait to share some of the bizarre recipes here!
#5 - ...and the very best of all: Today marks one year since I picked up a depressed, shut down, and antisocial German shorthaired pointer from the boarding kennel where he had lived for two months. That dog has changed so much over the past year... yes, I'm talking about my GATSBY!
04 September 2012
Sandwich School!
Want to learn about sandwiches from around the world? Serious Eats put together a really neat slideshow. There is even a sandwich called the Gatsby from South Africa! (It sounds kind of gross, though...)
Check it out here.
Check it out here.
19 July 2012
29 January 2012
Just Another Wild & Crazy Sunday Night!
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| Yes, I know this photo was taken last Sunday. This Sunday is pretty much the same. Different pajamas, different yarn... but the same crazy looking dog. Who gets this excited to be a knitting assistant? Gatsby, apparently! |
23 January 2012
Fresh Peppermint All-Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
I have a lot of hobbies and housework isn't one of them. One of the things that helps me get into the mood to clean (other than watching episodes of "Hoarders") is a nice smelling cleaner whether it's almond hardwood floor polish or rose scented dish soap.
Making your own homemade cleaners is great for a number of reasons. Here are mine:
You can make this easy, non-toxic, all-natural, blah-blah-blah cleaner in any scent you choose. I made peppermint this time because:
The recipe is easier than pie (which comes naturally to me, but I hear is torturous for others).
I use an old Method brand spray bottle with duct tape wrapped around the label to obscure it. Classy, I know. That is why I didn't include a photo. Someday I may make a pretty label for my all-purpose cleaner bottle... but let's face it, I probably won't.
Uses:
Making your own homemade cleaners is great for a number of reasons. Here are mine:
- I'm
brokefrugal! - I have dogs and don't want toxic chemical cleaners on surfaces they may lick. (Don't ask...)
- I try to be conscious of the impact my lifestyle has on the world around me, even in little ways.
- I like things that smell good.
- If there is another reason, I've forgotten it.
You can make this easy, non-toxic, all-natural, blah-blah-blah cleaner in any scent you choose. I made peppermint this time because:
- It opens my sinuses.
- I used bergamot last time.
- I made lemon-rose the time before that.
- I couldn't find my lavender essential oil.
- Gatsby doesn't like it (short explanation below).
The recipe is easier than pie (which comes naturally to me, but I hear is torturous for others).
- 1 part plain ol' white vinegar
- 1 part plain ol' filtered water
- Several drops of essential oil (more or less depending on which you use, peppermint only needs a few because the fragrance is so strong, you will need more for subtler scents like bergamot)
I use an old Method brand spray bottle with duct tape wrapped around the label to obscure it. Classy, I know. That is why I didn't include a photo. Someday I may make a pretty label for my all-purpose cleaner bottle... but let's face it, I probably won't.
Uses:
- Kitchen and bathroom counters & surfaces.
- Laminate cabinets & furniture.
- Mirrors & windows.
- Dogs who pee on their own legs (e.g. Gatsby)
(P.S. I love lists, don't you?)
18 January 2012
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