Category Archives: Editorial

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Looking Up

Posted on September 1, 2015 | Leave a comment

We always want options. We look to the future, whatever it may bring. After I got to know myself, it took a while, I got into the business of change. My husband and I are vastly different in personality and abilities but we’ve been together nearly 14 years and have a great dog.

We both effect change. It doesn’t matter the size or type of organization. If it’s broken sometimes we can fix it if the tumblers are in place. If not, our work will be sabotaged and those who are only about CYA will show us the door.

We are people, too. We do not like to put our best foot forward (I say this as I’ve broken a little toe and walking is painful) only to be shown the door because people do not want to be their best for themselves and the company that pays their salary, benefits and 401(K).

I’ve rehabilitated institutions. It’s in my blood, thanks Dad! Retired now, I rehabilitate dogs. Ours is nearly 12 and has no hips. I can’t tell you the amount of research I did in two weeks to decide on two FHNO’s three months apart before she turned 10 months old so she had an 80% chance of recovery. That is a femoral head and neck ostectomy, a removal, aka no hips. She grew her own from cartilage. Yesterday she ran around like the proverbial Tasmanian Devil from old cartoons. CHANGE.

A few months ago my husband wanted us to move. I started the process but knew he was coming home and wanted to make the MBR a Tuscan retreat. He returned and said “you’re not packing, you’re nesting!” He was correct. I was as well because we’re still here and have a few pictures on the walls and I told him anything I can see, I can pack. There are rules around this issue.

Oh, I found the corn pudding recipe I’ve made and want to make it into a quiche with puff pastry. Change. Yesterday my husband’s favorite picture (I drew it in crayon age five of all the characters from The Wizard of Oz) fell off its “command” strip and broke the only thermostat so we had no air.

I cracked a window and opened a door, despite nasty bugs from the MMPA swamp on the old train tracks many floors below. I was told that it was an issue not warranting maintenance attention. I begged to differ. I literally was closed in, breathing my own carbon dioxide because the door tolerances are so great that the gnats were getting in anyway so my husband put weather stripping around it so it’s solid. Waiting, I cracked one window and opened the front door all the way knowing our loving dog would never leave my side.

Maintenance, T, showed up with a container from food I gave him. Story is J, who trained him, had a container of my corn pudding as a going-away gift. T, who was staying with J, ate it. J calls it corn quiche and loves it. T was in the dog house that day.

My mission, if I choose to accept it, is to make a true corn quiche for T to thank him for coming back after hours to make sure I was OK. My husband was out of town until very late and he would have made things work but T was there so he’s going to get a puff pastry quiche. Or Mom’s simple pastry crust quiche. I’ve parchment paper and beans for blind baking and look forward to a challenge.

T also found that no-one has been around to change air filters and ours was really bad. Luckily my husband has several micro filters for his allergies so T put one of those in as well. He does deserve a good meal! I think I’ll add ribs. To Change! Will the late Andre the Giant find us two white horses? Dee

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Toes

Posted on August 27, 2015 | Leave a comment

They’re essential. I broke my fourth toe the other day on the wooden post that sits up our sofa. I think I broke a few bones but do not want even an air cast because that would be useless. Ice packs and a bit of OTC pain reliever has brought it from a sharp pain to a dull ache but stepping on it is problematic.

Don’t worry, Zoe’s going out as my husband is home for a week or two and she loves going out with him.

Not much cooking going on but before the swelling I did make some nice St. Louis style ribs with a rub and sauce. I then placed the remaining three ribs in the oven yesterday in foil, in a dish for about 40 minutes while cooking par-boiled potatoes and making a salad. That’s the least I could do. Today we had frozen pizza for dinner. It was good.

I wanted to talk about doing things and being unable to do things as I get older. This is definitely one of my five-year “klutz weeks” where I injure myself in mysterious ways. It was certainly not my intention to break my little toe.

Years ago I was a long-term volunteer at an animal shelter every Friday. I awakened one morning and could not move my neck. After seeing the doc I found that I had a congenital malfunction since pre-birth so was given drugs and a neck collar and told not to go volunteer with the dogs and cats.

When I got home I called the volunteer coordinator and told her I would not be able to resume my regular duties for a few weeks but if it’s OK I’d like to sit in her kennel with Chani because she needs me. Chani had been abused by an officer for a year then left in the shelter for another. We started there the same day and became close. We just sat with my neck brace, and talked. Soon a fellow volunteer turned staffer told me they had a meeting about her and as one of the first no-kill shelters put off a decision to euthanize for a week.

Apparently she presented a danger to men (especially in uniform) and children, who used to throw rocks at her over the fence. That was in her file. The next day I adopted her and took her home for ten years where she learned to love me, me jumping over her instead of kicking her, every child and even men in uniform. The neighborhood donated a tree to the city in her memory and I can see it on Google.earth. It is doing well and has a great view!

Change is the theme. My first kitten was flown across country by my brother at my sister’s request. Burmese mix, a talker. He was five weeks old and didn’t know how to drink water. I gave him milk and it was so hot (no A/C) that it curdled while I was at work. He watched PBS and the nature channel at night which were the only channels available while we tried to wire the city.

Nathan became a really cool cat. He was named for Kevin Kline’s character in Sophie’s Choice and the hot dog empire. He learned to walk on a leash and love my dog and never let me get the last word until the very last moment.

I like to learn something new every day, also to give back. Passion, compassion, Dee

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Marriage

Posted on August 26, 2015 | Leave a comment

That’s something my husband and I talked about a week after we met. We married 14 months later. Oh, we eloped. What we said that first week is that the marriage is more important than the wedding. Our young friends are proving that to be true.

Marriage is about yesterday, nearly 13 years in, on a klutz week, I have them from time to time, every five years or so. I think I broke my near little toe on the wood leg to our sofa and had to get up to ice it again. He brought me an ice pack and a naproxin sodium for pain. Thank you, dearest!

In 2003 we were moving and had the car, the truck was on its way to its new destination and we were at an old Holiday Inn, new name, the round ones. The room was angular. I was up and pacing middle of the night and because of the non-squareness of the room when I stubbed my toe on the desk my husband, in his sleep, said “hurts, doesn’t it.” To this day it’s a joke here and he doesn’t remember saying it. That’s marriage.

People spend tens of thousands for weddings when they should consider their future. I did our wedding planning, flowers, site, dress (rental with tiara and lovely white scarf, hair, makeup, shirt and tie for my groom, lunch for eight and honeymoon) for $2,000. Yes, tell me to get out of here. That includes permits.

My husband and I asked an older couple (married for decades) for a meeting at their home. It was a Tuesday afternoon. They had been very kind to us, me before I met J, for years. I said that we have decided to marry. If you don’t have any plans at noon Saturday, we’d love for you to be there. I called them Mom and Dad.

I asked “Dad” if he would marry us. As a retired Navy Captain I’m sure he thought it would be on a ship, and “Mom” to sign as a witness. He took a moment in the other room (perhaps shed a tear because he has three sons and no daughter to give in marriage). He came out, asked how it would be done and told me he wanted to write the vows.

They were not great on computers so I said I’d type and print the vows for him in caps and double spaced. We found an illegal venue less than 24 hours before the wedding and were in and out of there in 15 minutes to go to my favorite Northern Italian place on the patio for lunch for eight. The chef gave us wedding cake. Then we went home to call our parents.

Yes, that 2K got us one night at a senior’s resort on Rte. 66 (my husband’s choice and it was karaoke night) and two in Vegas courtesy of a concierge who saw my bouquet and told us to come back after lunch and gave us a gorgeous suite on the 33rd floor for $88 per night!

It was an incredible four days planning and executing but worth every minute. We did what we wanted to do. Simple, elegant, and we met each others’ families first. His mother interrogated me for five days. Smart she is, because whenever I tell her that her son is on a five month project that takes over my kitchen work space and is driving me nuts all she says is “I told you.” Yes, she did. Cheers! Dee

ps “Dad” is now interred at Annapolis. Of course we were there. God rest his soul. As his “daughter” I’ve permission to visit any time. I just have to wait a month for a parking permit. Dee

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Young People

Posted on August 25, 2015 | Leave a comment

We just received a wedding invitation from a lovely young couple. No save the date, no card to respond, very chic and modern with a photo of the couple.

I’ve never met the groom but have known the bride since she was about eight years old and I gave her and her cousin cooking lessons on holidays.

Oh, to be young and in love. I wish them every happiness. The groom’s name is one I gave my first cat in 1987 (I accidentally typed 1876 which seems like the right date some days when arthritis kicks in) which means “gift.” The five-week old kitten was a gift to me from 3,000 miles away. He was with me for 13 years and I never got in the last word, he was a Burmese/Siamese/Tuxedo DSH talker. Until I held him on his last journey, the one with the pink syringe. Then I just got to miss him, and his presence in my life.

Dear groom, it is a noble name to be cherished, and for your wife and families, certainly not for my cat. We wish you everything life has to offer. D & J

ps M, your photo is up on our frig for now but will be framed. I’m so happy for you! D

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Quiet

Posted on August 25, 2015 | Leave a comment

I like quiet. A dear friend now interred at West Point told us a story at lunch one day. They had about 1,000 acres and a home within and a neighbor complained of noise at their home. He said, “then stay off my property!”

My dog thinks she’s in charge here and barks once at any noise because protecting us is boring, she’d rather protect everyone, herders…… But neighbors slam their doors. I know my husband is ready to shave and get into the shower when he slams the toilet seat down.

I tiptoe around and am quiet so my husband and dog can sleep when I’m up at 3 a.m. Even when I take the dog out early morning I close our door and lock it quietly so I don’t awaken neighbors and wear Crocs in summer, soft, quiet shoes.

What I don’t understand is when a neighbor calls for an elevator and hears me locking our door, hits the close door button instead of doing what I do. Anyone there? They either say I’ll be right there or say they forgot something and to go ahead. I know everyone and do not know who it is that closes the door in my face. That is not on point but it is about neighbors.

Rant of the day. I may have more. Cheers! Dee

 

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Battle

Posted on August 24, 2015 | Leave a comment

Every day, Battle Fur. Zoe has an undercoat with which I could have made several nice sweaters over the years but I do not have a loom and can’t knit anything anymore. I only did golf club covers because they were mittens without a thumb. Petit point went somewhat further and I made some interesting gifts.

Our guest for the past couple of weeks was an American Silken Windhound. Gorgeous coat and I didn’t think she had an undercoat until strange grey tufts came up from Zoe’s bed, which she laid on many times. She went home the other day and now grey tufts of undercoat are coming up all over the place!

I think she wanted to leave some of her with us. Good guests do that. Fur, OK. I got a bite today from a teething pup. I didn’t know it until I went to our door and noticed blood coming from my wrist. I lent them a frozen peanut butter-filled Kong (black is nearly indestructible) and we already gave them a puppet designed for teething so the pup will not eat hands. He’s an Old English Sheepdog and if they train him, he’ll be a great dog. Tendencies are good, just teething and in pain. Frozen stuff will help him get through this. I’m OK.

Another trick. Take clean old athletic socks, dip them in chicken broth and wring them out. Leave them wrung and place in a plastic bag and freeze. That may help with teething. Bad side is that he may always want to eat your socks.

Yes, I trained as a chef, am a good cook and the dog lady. Why can’t I work in a professional kitchen? I’m stubborn, talented, do not speak fluent Spanish, will not get minimum wage for maximum effort or buy and clean my uniforms, will not get tattoos all over my body, plus I’m too old. I cook for my husband, his grandmother knows he eats well, and we feed the dog frozen raw duck, venison, and more. Perhaps frozen wabbit, all with carrots and blueberries. Cheers, Dee

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Missing Her Already

Posted on August 19, 2015 | 1 comment

She hasn’t left yet, after nearly two weeks but Ms. L is loved and cherished here and is welcome back as a guest anytime. Any dog who can use her paw or tail to corral the sunshine from her eyes looks good to me.

No, I can’t see her in a Stetson. Too little and bony for the hat. She’s getting along with everyone in the neighborhood except she wants to eat skittish Yorkies and teeny poodles. Luckily she’s on leash. A neighbor was caught downtown today with two dogs, one really old, off-leash and was given a warning.

Her owner and I, she’s a neighbor, met because of the dog and bonded over collars. Martingale collars, no buckle, hand made Asian silk. They each have two. That collar has kept Ms. L from squirrels, Yorkies and miniature Poodles as she is a sighthound and looks for prey.

I can control her in a heartbeat. Walking two dogs, a sight hound and a herder, would be difficult without a leash splitter that the owner holds with one hand and the dogs have to stay on the same side and walk at the same pace.

They’re  couple of pounds from each other even though L is tall and skinny and Zoe has more fat and an undercoat. They’re now separated, which allows me to write this. No roughhousing for 20 minutes!

Zoe is under the bed with the door closed. L is on the sofa sound asleep as well, wiht her tail covering her eyes. It is remarkable how similar they are for different breeds.

My mother-in-law gave us a quilt years ago, all hexagons, 100 years old from a great grandmother. She kept up the pattern until dementia set in, then started using wild colors and patterns. I tell visitors that these strange patterns on the outside (my husband and I) met in the middle and married years ago.

I think that’s what is happening with our “sister” dogs. I will miss her when her Mom comes home. Such a sweet girl. Dee

 

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Approaches

Posted on August 17, 2015 | Leave a comment

and meeting the goal.  People want a job without politics. There is no job without politics. Husband and wife, parents and children. Hirer and consultant. Yes, my husband and I have had the same job in different circumstances.

We’ve a guest dog for a couple of weeks while the dog’s mom is way out of town. Our dogs have gone through many things, from our dog peeing on our guest L’s bed at the outset and me throwing it in the wash, to them play-fighting to bed switching, playing keep-away with our only toy and now sleeping four inches apart. It’s like Congress actually talking to one another and getting things done. For my part I like congress not passing anything except the budget minus “pork” and use this as a tribute.

That is dog politics. I never wanted to be involved in politics and years ago thought of myself as a legislative policy person. I was wrong. Since I was born I was a politician, not of the traditional sense. I argued for a milk formula, a clean diaper and didn’t want to go down for a nap. That’s politics.

Oh, my parents would walk me around the living room while I cried, then put on Jackie Gleason’s Music, Martinis and Memories record and if that didn’t work, they’d drive me around the block and I’d be sound asleep. That’s baby politics.

My husband calls it sneakiness, but that only comes into play when I find the best way to a place we need to go to avoid traffic. I live here. He’s off for months so I have to get to know a new place. Word to the wise, be nice to everyone, until they cross you or humiliate you. Then, think about it. Think about the best way to fix their error for your family.

Then act. Kindly. Write a bad review of Fazio Automotive because he kicked you out of the shop for no reason after spending thousands of dollars there over the years. He wants to kick women out so he can have his motorcycle buddies hang out there. He actually bragged to fellow mechanic shops about kicking me out. That’s politics. Luckily I’m smart enough to shut him down, through zoning and Federal Civil Rights laws.

I didn’t write laws for 34 million people to sit still and let people treat me badly. I’ve also spent my life on volunteer work that has helped people and animals. My husband and I are problem-solvers and innovators and that makes us clash from time to time. He is more technical, me more social change.

We are agents of change. You hire us to fake change. Make it real for your bottom line. It will be worth your while. Dee

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The Girls

Posted on August 16, 2015 | Leave a comment

We’ve a loaner dog for another week and things change every day. They’re in my kitchen and that’s verboten. Guest L took over our bed last night and Zoe slept underneath, despite my husband’s efforts to put them a few feet from each other.

Zoe needs attention now, but there are three dog beds in the living room plus a huge sofa and so they trade.

I think I’m too old to do this with two dogs. A friend of mine, sure you heard of Jake who died over a year ago, I just got a photo of a new pup from Jake’s family line. He is so cute. I try to stop by Jake’s favorite tree in the park every day.

Jake’s owner/dad and his sister are close by, after Zoe’s dear friend goes home we’ll host a dinner. The current dogs may be competitive with each other but can sleep well and walk well together. They’re sisters for good or bad. I’d tell you about but you’d never remember “Sisters” as sung by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in White Christmas with Dee in our home harmonizing along, cheers! I don’t even know if the dogs could handle that! Dee

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Hello in There, Hello

Posted on August 14, 2015 | 1 comment

It’s an old, revered Joan Baez song with the silken voice. She sang of old people being left alone because no-one cared about them anymore.

I believe strongly in “hello” and greet fellow residents and even make them dinner on moving day. My term is different than what is happening here.

Late last night, after “last chance” for the dog, as our “hello” we got a dunning notice saying we owed $40, due immediately. No information on what the charge is for and certainly not a “hello” from new management.

Neil Diamond once sang Hell0, Again, Hello. Bear with me. Having a fake party at another venue piggy-backing to make it a tent event with residents having to take photos of the new “team” to gain two tickets to something insults all of us. We pay through the nose to live here and you treat us like errant children. If anyone can put a stop to this, I can.

Hello, indeed. Dee

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