Category Archives: Editorial

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Categorical Names

Posted on September 19, 2017 | Leave a comment

Every Greyhound on the track of last resort, Caliente, had the same name from their handlers. When they “retired” instead of being shot in the head they came to a place that rehabilitated them and found the right people to adopt for individuals or families.

In the meantime we took them out, fed them and gave them their medication, mostly for low thyroid. And we gave them temporary names on a theme, before their forever home would change it.

They always had the same health certificates to cross the Mexican border to the US, and no name.

Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss,

Julia, Simka, Alex G, Iron Chef

Tyler, GZ, Emeril,

Emily (Dickinson), Beatrix Potter, Jane Austen

Edison, Marconi, Galileo,

Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Sun Tzu,

Callas, Horne, Sills (opera)

Madonna, Cher, Lady Gaga

Trisha, Garth, Johnny Cash

CSNY, PPM, Dylan and Baez

James Taylor, Dave Mason, Van Morrison,

Harry Chapin, Jackson Browne, Simon & Garfunkel

Prairie (for PPL), Emmylou, Jimmy Buffet

Marty Robbins, Burl Ives, Juni Fisher

Bucky (Buckminster Fuller), he asked me to call him Bucky, Leonardo Da Vinci, Eddy (Thomas Alva Edison)

Donatello, Michelangelo, Fra Angelico,

Secretariat, Man o’ War, Seabiscuit….

I made lists of a correlated bunch every week, these are only samples I thought of, just now, from many years later. This is a mind burst that reminds me of the needs of these beautiful creatures, Yes, I assigned the naming task to myself. I wanted them to have at least a temporary name before they were healthy and adopted. That’s just who I am. Now may I be excused to take out my dog? She’s slowing down at near 14 and we have to see the vet and consider options at some point.

Hating to think of her demise, I ran into a gentleman yesterday who opened a door for us and said she was the nicest dog around. Even at her age she teaches young ones and as an old lady, puts them in their place with just a stare. Just like my father did with my high school dates! She would never growl or bark consistently (only when the window washers hit their boots coming down to our windows, then I take her out and say they’re our friends and here to help us) or bite.

Naming these sad Greyhounds is like re-naming Zoe. Her adoptive name was unacceptable. She was sick and then had hip problems. I did research on names, came up with twenty, narrowed it to five. After she jumped out of the box and sniffed the wind and was enamored being in the car on my lap we named her Zoe, Greek for life, and I hope I helped thousands of rescued Greyhounds before I ever met this sweet girl.

We never adopted one of these couch potatoes but may think of it if I’ve a good fenced dog park around, as I love to see them as they run, on their own, for joy. Cheers in dog-dom, Dee

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Posted in dogs, Editorial, Zoe

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Pajamas

Posted on September 18, 2017 | Leave a comment

I never wrote this one. Must have become too tired. As a child I had to go through onesies, baby dolls, then nightgowns. I was too young to complain about the onesies…..

Longer nightgowns just twisted around as I got into my teens (no, I wasn’t allowed to date). It took me a long time to figure out a perfect solution.

For winter, a xxl tee-shirt, one of mine says save FIDO, Fiesta Island Dog Park in San Diego) where they worked for this off-leash dog area for ten years, gained it for a few and now they may be kicked out for condos. Another is from a really cool guitar shop and I took my guitar in that day when the shirts arrived and they were so cool I could get a “sleep shirt.”

I worked with FIDO peripherally for years as we all did so bought their tee when they asked me to help out from far away, it’s a great sleep shirt. If it’s hot out (doesn’t matter, we have A/C) I’ll put on a camisole or silk shirt but that’s usually it.

For bottoms I love very light weight silk underwear, full-length that lets my legs breathe and keep my feet out from under the covers! WinterSilks, great under jeans or ski pants. No I don’t get any compensation from this, it’ll just save you some time at department stores and online because research has been done by my husband, with a physics and engineering background who is a methodical and creative shopper.

And his wife who wears the silks. I got him a pair which I try to remember to take for him whenever he is traveling to a cold climate. I think even though he has never worn them, if he was in a frigid climate in business-wear, he could get away with it and make it to his presentation.

With all our winter gear outdoors I try to keep my core, head, feet warm and dry, and hands in the right set of gloves for whatever weather with we have to endure if we have no power and have to adjust to the weather. I try to do the same with sleepwear.

Assess the situation. Make a decision as to what makes you happy and comfortable. Cheers! Dee

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Do

Posted on September 14, 2017 | Leave a comment

Honor your family and friends, and neighbors. They will take you through things.

Learn how to take care of your loved ones the best way that you can.

Get a hobby and be good at it whether it be mechanics on a really cool ride or just singing a bit of Johnny Cash while playing beginner guitar.

I cook, that is my vice and passion. Do it with that in mind.

Write if you’d like to do so. It is good for the soul. A poem for a loved one, a story or even a blog. Say what you wish to say. If you don’t want to write for anyone keep a pen and pad by your bed and place a note and go back to sleep.

Read books. Start with the Iliad and the Odyssey and move up from there. Try Shakespeare. Start with Romeo and Juliet and move on to Hamlet. There is a list out there of the best 400 works so start with that. I have probably gone through 100.

When I make a pork-related omelet I always call it a “Hamlet.” Sorry William.

Education. Recently I spent money on a dual edition of a 1973 version of a 1971 version of the OED. It came with a magnifying glass that was original from Bausch and Lomb, in a separate drawer. It was a two-volume version. I gave it away to two smart boys and their mother thanked me because she doesn’t want them on the internet all the time.

Give. If you have time or money, just volunteer or give. We give now to a book mailbox in the park. I’m going through my books and giving a few at a time. It’s one of those European models where at a cheap hotel, students/grads give a book, take a book while traveling. I love it!

That is how I can best leave you, Dee

 

 

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Dont’s

Posted on September 14, 2017 | Leave a comment

Do not call your little sister dumb, stupid or idiot as you will be fined 1/10th of your allowance.

Do not forget your hat or gloves when you go to church.

Never tell the nun that you do not need weekly contribution envelopes for the next year because on Sundays you go to the other church up the street. My sister did that.

Don’t get into an elevator alone with a horny elected official. I mistakenly did that before sexual harassment laws were passed. It was verbal and nasty. I learned to stay away from these guys. Another safe elevator will come by.

Do not ever go out with government counsel, even your own, if he keeps trying to ask you to dinner. We finally went out to a restaurant that knew me and had a quick burger. He wanted to see where I hung out because friends were meeting there. They weren’t there.

He drove me home and asked to come in. No. No. No. No. Then he said the worst line of my life “You’re an attractive woman, I’m a man, we both have needs.” No way. I almost wet my pants on the way upstairs (he was locked out) and all my friends were there. They laughed like crazy.

Never get caught in the Speakers’ office the next day. I was asked in to #3 and told to shut the door. I thought I was in deep trouble for work, and I was always good at work. He asked me exactly what happened the night before and I told him. He laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair. His friends had been at our apartment having a beverage with my roommate when I got home early from dinner and he wanted to confirm the story.

Do not ever critique a family recipe, new or ancient. Trust me, it is not a good thing.

Never carry a feral cat in your arms when he/she is awakening from anesthesia after being neutered or spayed. Trust me on this. I helped spay/neuter 2,500 ferals. Yell for a breather to bring in crate 117 asap and do your best.

As to negative or dangerous people, have a really good dog. They will know who to trust before you can do so. If the dog says no, you say no to a date.

Not that I’m dating anymore. I’ve never been in a physically abusive relationship but would not tolerate it. After 20 years working with pets I find that abusers start on pets, move to their kids then their spouse. Never deal with bullies, learn clues to their behaviors and stay away. That’s a big no.

If you buy a dog from a breeder or adopt from a shelter, know what you’re getting into. I’ve had four successes (100%) over the past 30 years but a dog I’ve known for years bit me the other day. I finally filed a report. Luckily he appears to have had all his shots. I love dogs and cats and mine got along, dogs used to run away from home to visit my cats. Kittens would walk in my front door and snuggle with my dog for a year.

Don’t buy a trailer estate or home, loft, apartment in a flood plain in Florida or the midwest. We were in hurricane Ike, Cat 5 nine years ago. The mayor told us to stay put. No-one ever cared about it or raised money for it. We were on the Mayor’s power grid so were OK for power after a few hours, my husband and dog slept through it. I blogged it. 150 lofts, 149 damaged. All but ours. Out of water for two weeks. No gas, no food, no water. No management or maintenance for days. My husband sucked water through a hose to get it out of our garage and stop flooding the first floor. A neighbor cleaned out the storm drain so we wives could go visit every neighbor there and see if they were OK.

Never sneak a grill out on a stairway facing the fire department. We never got caught but did it a few times!

Please do not treat any person or animal badly. These times demand attention and action. If you are unaffected in a hurricane area please donate and volunteer locally. The usual suspects are advertising on TV for donations and most of it goes to overhead, not to you. Who I am is an honest fund raising consultant, retired. Try the Do’s! Dee

 

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Posted in Editorial, telling the truth

Themes

Posted on September 13, 2017 | Leave a comment

As to interior design, I’ve no experience but have made good decisions according to our parameters.

For several years I’ve been working with a framer. What good is art if it is in a box in storage! In the front entrance it’s mostly yellow, orange and red. Two of my father’s works of Tuscan and Maori origins, and one a wood block from Japan, the first artist to ever do full-color wood block prints in the 1700’s. Something about a letter to a courtesan. If a kid comes in here and asks, I just say her little sister is delivering the mail.

Then you see the kitchen, a mash-up of culinary memorabilia and one homage to dance from the Stuttgart Museum, just a Degas fan print currently in a plastic frame for over thirty years.

The living room ended up mostly blues and browns and charcoal. I had a charcoal drawing taken out of the cheap “uni-frame” it came in nearly 30 years ago, a gift from Dad from a winner of an art school review. My inspiration came from Dad. The owner was at the shop, not K, my usual consultant who throws ideas at me to consider and has a great eye for framing art.

I decided on everything myself with no consultation except to use a fillip. It is a charcoal sketch of dancers and I wanted to evoke the movement of the dancers with a dark red mini-matte, beaded fillip, charcoal matte and undulating frame. Five layers. I called K the day after and wanted to ask if I made any major errors without her. She didn’t let me ask, she just said that she loved my choices and she couldn’t wait to work on it.

Dad’s charcoal gem was done two days after his funeral so he never got to see it. It is a focal point of our living room along with a quilt which portrays the seasons, a gift created by my mother-in-law. Most of the colors are blues and browns. The blues include small paintings from an artist in Florence.

The only thing in the den worthy of note is a gift to my husband, a B/W photo of the Brooklyn Bridge that I had framed for him that one sees directly upon entering our abode.

The hallway and entrance to the master are the “greens.” Mostly photos I, family and friends took. Each photo has a different green hued matte. Our bedroom has a large Tuscan scene painted by Dad in his 80’s, when he took up art. My husband’s favorite is a crayon drawing from me, of me at age five, of me/Dorothy with the scarecrow, lion and tin man. I’ve also one for him waiting at the bus stop with his old dog who brought the brothers there in the morning and picked them up in the afternoon.

There is also a collage of a play book for a theater event I created and had funded. In the hallway to the bedroom there are also framed collages of my parents’ wedding, and one of me and my sister as little kids.

Yes, I’ve things to add. Dad gave me artwork from southern Italy that shows the seasons. Once I get those framed they’ll go in our room or the den, I’ll figure it out to echo his Mom’s creation. I just didn’t know that my individual choices became themes until now. Two more walls to go. I’ll work on it.

I had a cooking toolbox, red metal, that I decorated in culinary photos. It now holds small office equipment and looks cool next to my desk. All we need now is to move to the country on land with a view and use all our shared experience to build the right home. Cheers! Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Home Improvement, Uncategorized

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Greyfriars Bobby

Posted on September 12, 2017 | Leave a comment

As I marvel at the people in our neighborhood from business people to young mothers and their babes, old folks, musicians and dog owners, to the smell of quiche tarts or ribs from our oven it recalls my childhood. Not that Mom ever made ribs or quiche tartlets.

Nearly ten years ago my husband and I lived in Scotland for a bit, and it was a short train journey to Edinburgh. We went to see the statue of Bobby that day, the church cemetery and the art museum (the museum was my idea, not my husband’s favorite thing).

When I know mothers of young children, not babies, I offer information on books or movies their kids might like to see. Greyfriars Bobby was the dog that hung out in the church cemetery and was kicked out until the caretaker took him under his wing. A year later the caretaker died and Bobby sat on his grave for 14 years. At the 1:00 gun (Scots are frugal and don’t want to waste 12 cannon balls when one will suffice to allow ships in the harbor to synchronize their watches) Bobby would go to the local pub outside the Church gates and they would give him lunch. Then back to the grave. This was in the 1860’s.

We went, and in the cemetery plot the owner and his dog are buried next to each other and there is a statue of this persistent Skye Terrier in a plaza across the way that was recently refurbished because all the folks who petted him were wearing away the bronze statue. There is a book and at least two movies about this amazing dog. I told a mom about it today, also about the animated movie “Up.” She amazed me by watching “Stick Man” twice while her kids were sleeping!

My dog is nearing 14 so there’s no way she will sit on my grave for another fourteen years! So here’s what I did. I bought a Scottish Royal Stewart tartan 1/2″ leash for our dog from Edinburgh back in the day, then gave it away to last weekend’s guest dog who broke things, peed and pooped immediately after a walk, and tried to eat my arm while teething. I snatched her up after she broke the lamp to make sure she couldn’t cut herself and placed her in the guest bath. She either ate or scratched the door frame and I’m trying to fix it and not doing a great job.

I ordered a collar from London, a 1″ Martingale collar for our old girl Zoe. I hope Scotland won’t get mad at me but they didn’t have any! We got it yesterday and I took her out in it this morning for the first time. It looks great and reminds me of our days in Scotland. Cheers! Dee

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Freedom

Posted on September 11, 2017 | Leave a comment

I have cried “Freedom” before at the premiere of Cry Freedom in NYC with Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline at the next table.

It was an honor to help write and create the first Martin Luther King day. A bunch of us got into a station wagon to drive to D.C. We each had an assignment. Mine was water and sodas. Upon arriving at the Subaru wagon with said goods I was told I would not be allowed any as “tiny tank” would not be allowed to have anything lest I made them stop at every other gas station on the NJ Turnpike. Fair enough.

We stayed with my former room-mate in Washington. What a day she had planned. Church services, memorials, and finally an incredible service at an AME church with a choir, and Coretta Scott King, in person, spoke to us. We spent 14 hours at memorials that day. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to be a part of making this day of remembrance and first holiday in his name.

I am a white woman who champions human and civil rights for all. Animals included. Abuse of any living being is not to be condoned. A couple of years ago we went to Memphis, I hoped to see the hotel where MLK was shot but it was under construction.

Whatever anyone else believes is not up to me, I know that by his principles he changed our world for the better. This morning I got up to take out the dog and gave a hug to a Black lady who is starting her new job in charge today (I gave her a reference without ever being asked).

For me, it’s always been the same. In the south, it’s different. We spent an hour a year learning about the Civil War. Why they called it “civil” I’ve no idea, brother against brother. They spent the entire year studying that war. They focus on it today, on losing the South and their way of life.

Get on with it, folks. Who would have expected a northeastern gal to drive south to celebrate the first national MLK Day? Dee

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Thumbs Almost Up

Posted on September 11, 2017 | Leave a comment

I don’t know that I’ll ever have full feeling in my right thumb from where I cut myself, but it is healing well and the worst thing now is skin loss from bandage adhesives.

It is always a pleasure to write to you and let you know what is going on, in Dee-Ville. Oh, how I hate that term, from a lame French teacher in high school.

At least I can tell old dog Zoe that I once again have opposable thumbs, something she will never have so will depend upon me for dinner until the end. I will be there for her at that time, and she will always have my “thumbs up!” She’s almost 14 years old and we met her at the shelter at five weeks. We’ll get through this but she she is changing and I need to care for her and prepare all of us for her passing.

My husband does not wish to know this or be there. I’ve said we adopted her nearly 14 years ago. We have to decide when she goes and be there for her. You can’t cop out of this one on a business trip and make me do it alone. I’ve done it alone before, several times. For heaven’s sake you’re chosen as a pallbearer at every family funeral. You just don’t want to see them die, and I need to do that.

Zoe is slowing down so much, she is sleeping more that 20 hours per day and has cataracts and is losing her hearing. Have your dog learn basic hand signals that are broad and even with cataracts they can see you and follow to come to you to go out.

I loved my Chani and taught her well. So I did Zoe because we got her as a very young pup and not as an abused and incarcerated dog for two years like Chani. I now prefer teaching a shelter dog pretty much from scratch. Both were/are great dogs.

A photo showed up of Chani with her old friend Sam. Sam was a neighborhood cat that walked in through the gate and slept near Chani for several hours a day out in the courtyard. They enjoyed the sun and the company a few feet away from each other.

I love all my pets, Nathan, Chani, Mickey and Zoe. All but Zoe are gone now, years ago. I’m still thinking there’s another pup in me (my husband can’t deal with cats for allergies) and I’d be willing to train her. Right now I do not wish for Zoe to have to deal with a pup 24/7. She wants to be with us.

As the Stones would say, “you don’t always get what you want,” but we always give her what she needs. Right now it’s not a puppy. Remember what Aretha said about RESPECT. My husband and I respect Zoe. Cheers and take care of your pets! They are family. Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Mickey Mouse, pets, Zoe

“Normal”

Posted on September 10, 2017 | 1 comment

I do not know what that term means, only that neither I nor my husband for nearly fifteen years probably do not fit most people’s description of the term.

He is from the south and grew up milking cows, mending fence, splitting wood and building his own workshop as a kid to invent things and learn physics. When he was two years old his grandmother started reading him the encyclopedia. He is brilliant.

I grew up in the country, up north, where I had access to a university, music, art, dance and was relegated to the back of the classroom with a boy during reading hours for advanced literature of our choice. Yes, he was reading sports books and I was reading Death Be Not Proud and The Diary of Anne Frank. I was six. I’m smart, too, but in a very different way.

We’ve never been considered “normal” by many standards but we met shortly after 9/11, fell in love, met the folks and eloped. My folks had split up and I didn’t want them to have to sit together or anyone to pay for anything for us. Cheers from the architect of the War of Northern Aggression, no I wasn’t born in 1800 but am starting to look like it! That’s what his father calls me, I am the cause of the Civil War. I love him!

I’ve always been a glass half-full kind of gal and my husband a pragmatic physicist and engineer, which is more half-empty. When things go kerflooy around here I take care of my family (including the dog) and batten down the hatches. He goes on as if everything is OK, and it always turns out to be OK. He just does things like normal. We change roles.

Heaven forbid, the last thing we wish to do is be normal. Come on, I volunteered for six years to take care of Greyhounds rescued from racetracks, and spay/neuter 2,500 feral cats. Is that normal? My husband didn’t think so. When we moved I had to give that up. We both had strict upbringings of very different sorts but when we are together our personalities mesh into what is our version of normal. Cheers! Dee

 

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Stains, Love And Life

Posted on September 9, 2017 | Leave a comment

Yes there are stains on the dishes and laundry, and much to do in the kitchen and bathrooms. My husband is home to write a book and wants to learn how to cook. His favorites are spaghetti and meatballs, and really great fluffy pancakes for which I have to make egg whites to stiff peaks.

He usually sleeps immediately and like a champ but was up last night so today I’m going to make mini-quiches with eggs, cheese, prosciutto and he’ll love it.

He gets spaghetti sauce on his shirt, the walls, everywhere. I clean it up. Forget about pancakes, too many dishes to count. And when he decides to wash dishes, I follow him around like a second shift and clean up after him as there is water, water everywhere. Shower and shaving, too. He is called The Human Tornado for a reason. Yes, I gave him that name many years ago.

Do I love him? You bet I do. He is my love and my life. Stains included. He is my soul mate, savior, bete noir some of the time. With a love of life, cheers, Dee

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Posted in Editorial, loving life