Category Archives: Pet

Someone on my travels the other day slipped and mentioned what the Chamber of Commerce conveniently left out of the description. Snow melts. Much of it goes down storm drains et al but some of it turns to mud, and for a “season.” Now I’ve seen late Spring and Summer photos and it’s gorgeous here, we just have to get there.

Now, in Texas, where we moved in 2003, the Chamber of Commerce AND my loving husband forgot to mention 5-6 months annually which I termed “Hotter Than Hades” season. These are the continuous days and nights of extreme heat and humidity, so that even if one takes out the dog at 6:00 in the morning, sweat and curly hair ensue along with sky-high A/C bills.

I took Zoe to the vet this morning and liked him. I was advised by her hip surgeon to “go for the Aggie.” We liked him. And she was fine, just a bit of a tummy ache the past two days. I skipped her dinner last night and she was fine this morning. And I learned of the diseases prevalent in TX that don’t really exist in the Western states, as well as the fact that elk (and probably moose) hate dogs and will stomp them to death. Not that I was going to go walking in the nature preserved calling for elk, but it’s good information to have. We haven’t seen one yet and spend time watching the birds on weekends. Jim’s thinking of getting a pair of inexpensive binoculars.

Tomorrow is Friday and I hope Zoe’s cool enough, well enough, with being left in her new crate for a couple of hours so we can get lunch on Saturday and see a movie. The new Russell Crowe flick got good reviews. Well, cheerio and wish us luck for “mud season.” Dee

This is Spring?

Yep, that’s it. I’m staying off the roads and Zoe’s got herself a sore tummy. If it doesn’t clear up by tomorrow I’ll arrange to take her in. She needs the rest of her shots next month and I wouldn’t dream of adding that to her current burdens. Just hope it’s the move and change that are bothering her.

Best, Dee

So inviting, indeed. When I was a baby and cried, as all babies do, my parents put on a record featuring Jackie Gleason entitled “Music, Martinis and Memories.” If that didn’t work, they drove up and down the street until I fell asleep. No, they didn’t abandon me in the house, I was in the car with them but safety seat? Dunno.

As early as age five, I had (have) a mad crush on that Hoboken boy Frank Sinatra. For college graduation my folks took me to see him at Carnegie Hall. He was old then but thanks to Tommy Dorsey, his phrasing was still intact.

My favorite album is Come Fly With Me, favorite song Isle of Capri. Don’t know why because it’s such a sexist song. My sister even made me a felt “sculpture” with the notes and lyrics to the first stanza.

Autumn in New York is on that album. I bought a CD of it but gave it to Rocco, owner of Piazza Italia in Glasgow, Scotland at our going-away party. I thought of it as I view “Springtime in Utah,” which consists of hourly blizzards followed by sun and large hunks of snow falling on the decks.

The small stream about 20 feet away has grown in size commensurate with mountain snow melt and the ducks are floating downstream with no visible paddling.

I braved the worst of it this morning and put the Honda in the garage to shed snow and ice. Jim stole the Acura, which is good, as today I only had minor errands to attend to.

Happy April 15! I got the last W-2 yesterday (ours were lost in the move) and finished up last night. It’s like a ton of weight off my shoulders so I’m not pushing it today. Zoe’s been sick, vomiting and diarrhea. I did cut up two oz. of steak the other night and added it to her dry food. We did get her a new crate and she’s been left in it according to prior “routine” for an hour or so at a time. I don’t know if she’s stressed by the move or what.

At least we met a local vet! I’m going to look up the one who is an orthopedist, though. Her non-hips are getting bad on these stairs.

All the best to you and yours. Dee and Zoe

The Greater Sandhill Cranes announce their presence with a certain trill and trumpet or vocalization that is clearly distinct from the ducks and geese regularly seen by most Americans. They also do it very loudly, when they land or whenever a threat is present. I wouldn’t think our 40-lb. Hipless Wonder Dog would have ruffled their feathers, as she didn’t even see them 20 feet away across the fence to the nature preserve, but the male started kicking and putting up a fuss even though we walked on a public trail outside the fence briskly and moving forward.

Our temporary home is a few hundred square feet larger than our old place. The old place was on one level and integrated, space-wise. This place has high ceilings and two floors (17 steps) so no communication. Jim went upstairs and I had no idea he went to bed. It’s taken two weeks but I have to find out when he gets up in the morning (not evident from the kitchen) but knowing when the shower gets turned off that leaves me time to finish breakfast on a weekday morning.

But then he calls downstairs and asks what to wear. Husbands! Years ago he bought walkie-talkies because he wears headphones a lot and wanted to be in touch upstairs/downstairs in case of emergency (you should see his hurricane kit). They didn’t work because we were living in a low area so after testing, we returned them. That may be a solution.

It’s dark now and I’m looking directly at Bald Mountain, which anchors Deer Valley Resort. Just turned off the light over my “desk” which is the dining table looking out at the mountains and wildlife.

I hope I thank Jim enough. Both of us have been tired lately with the job market, packing, moving, driving across country and moving in and starting a new job. Plus the dog has to come with us everywhere yet stay in the car. This weekend we got her a crate and she tried it for the first time today and did OK for 2 hours.

Back to Jim, we’ve lived through adversity, had it when we met, a year later in dot-bomb era and have experienced it since. Jim’s grandmother wanted him to work his whole life for one company and end up with a gold watch and pension at the end. His parents ran a dairy and while they could have extended “and Sons” they expected both their boys to get a college education and leave the farm.

Jim’s brother is now a banker that caters to farmers. His big brother is a different animal altogether. Math, aerospace engineering. Now he’s a software engineer that caters to bankers or writes software that runs banks et al.

I still don’t have a full pantry, brought herbs and spices with me. If I make a white bean salad with Italian dry salame, red onion, and a red wine vinaigrette I’ll have two cans. Rinse them out, poke a hole in the bottoms and take a string and we’ll have an upstairs/downstairs phone! Why didn’t I think of that earlier. Cheers, Dee

Hey folks,

It’s another day in near-paradise. Three weeks ago Jim and I drove 1,500 miles without incident, except getting used to the altitude after several hours driving in the high plains of Wyoming. Since I was young, I always wondered what a “high plain” was as plains are flat. Now I know.

Yesterday I drove to the grocery store, about 1/4 mile each way. While there I stopped to get the mail and pick up Jim’s drycleaning. I placed the car back in the garage, closed it electronically and all was well. Jim wanted “my” car this morning because of the snow. He called from 100 feet away with a flat tire. Upon putting on the spare, finding a garage and assuring “dog towels” and garbage bags to stow the wet and snowy flat in the car, he left. I neglected to tell you there is a construction site about 1/8 mile down the road, which I passed twice yesterday. At the garage, Jim found the tire was repairable but had two nails and a screw in it. So, that’s how the day began.

And Zoe has become a barker. For weeks she was terrified we’d leave her and followed us (me) everywhere. Now she leaves me at my desk downstairs to head for the guest bedroom, which provides her with her only front-of-the-house view. Driveway shoveling, bark then run downstairs to tell me. Dog and owner walking by on trail, bark and run up to the laundry to see me. I know, she was used to being on the 4th floor and we got her used to it (even got her a backpack that Jim had tailored and took bottles of water to the guard at the municipal lot downstairs). It’ll work out and it’s not that she yaps all day long, but she is a darned good watchdog.

Here are the photos, I’ll tell you the stories. Most are of the sunniest (of two) days we’ve had in the past nearly three weeks since our arrival in Utah.

Looking west to east, there’s the Olympic ski jumps across the way, The Canyons Resort, front side of Park City, and the bald mountain behind is Deer Valley. Then I believe you’ve two photos of the overnight wet snow, a tree and a bush. I promised myself years ago I’d never shovel snow again but did the downstairs deck this morning. Then the Sandhill cranes came on this side of the stream. I heard them coming so rushed to get the camera. Impressive birds. There were two pair out this morning, and one resident told us they’d seen up to 20 in the past, but only in the Spring before they migrate north to Canada.

I’m going to have to find out who is doing construction so I can let them know to clean the road of debris. It’s very expensive for Jim to take two hours off work. He’ll make it up but won’t be home until after eight this evening. After all, he’s on contract and that’s hourly, no matter his level of expertise in writing software. My only alternative is to find my way through the adjacent townhome community to avoid the construction site. They have ominous signs at the entry, that no dogs are allowed to be walked on the property except service dogs. I wonder if I can drive Zoe through or if they’ll pull me over and confiscate her. Ha! Let them live with Her Neediness for a day and she’ll be back.

Hope you’re having a great day. Cook something great for your family. I’ve a roast chicken and some red potatoes and carrots and onions to … perhaps make Lazy Chicken? Just thought of that, thanks for the inspiration. Cheers, Dee

When I started as an insurance analyst for the state at the ripe old age of 22, a few months went by and my car insurance was cancelled. It was due on the first of the month. I sent it early so it would get there on time but it arrived on the second day of the month so they cancelled my insurance.

The state had a mandatory 15-day grace period. Of course they cashed my check. I called and they said there was no way to reinstate my policy, back home a seven-hour drive away. I called the insurance broker several times and his secretary always told me he was unavailable.

Wouldn’t you know there was a reception that night and the state insurance commissioner was there. I’d known him since he was a lobbyist. He asked “What’s up?” and I told him. He asked me to call him directly the next morning with the broker’s name and number, stating that he wanted to deal with this issue personally.

Before noon he called and said “I love my job! I love doing this stuff!” A few moments later a shaken insurance broker called me, apologized profusely and said my policy was never cancelled. Whatever gave me that idea in the first place? Of course he knew he cashed my check and cancelled my policy in the same heartbeat.

So, like AIG (this wasn’t AIG) insurance is an ephemeral thing. It’s something you never want to have to use. No one wants to have a car accident or get cancer. The slimiest ones are those who go door-to-door and sell single-illness coverage to poor folks. Dante has a special place for those people.

Today I spent three hours on the phone with our car insurance company changing our address and getting rental coverage that doesn’t just cover us but the 99% of our lives we have in storage. It took three companies and two calls to our temporary state’s insurance office to get things straightened out. Then I took on the phone company. Remember when the Supreme Court told Ma Bell to break up? It’s back in business and called ATT. No, you can’t call this line they directed you to because you no longer have a combined bill. You only have three cell phones (sounds combined to me) and not a land line or a modem as well. Gimme a break.

Over forty years ago my great uncle told my father he was taking him off the will as executor as he moved too much. In this economy people need to move to get jobs, even temporary jobs. We’re lucky, in a way, as we don’t have to rip kids out of school to move halfway across the country. Taking the dog out of Urban Tails and Doggie Daycare isn’t a biggie.

I want to make it easy for corporate execs like Jim to move short-term with a minimum of effort. Right now it takes me a couple of weeks to enter a place and at least that much time to leave. There must be an easier way and I aim to find it. In the meantime, I spent too much time on the phone today with these blood-suckers, walking Zoe to get her nails cut and trying to find a summer gig for one of my fav musicians. You know who you are, Juni Fisher!

Jim’s out with Zoe looking at the cranes. Cool birds. Keep cooking. Not cranes, of course. It’s the next day and the cable/modem guys were here for a couple hours today as I was unable to get online yesterday to send this. Thursday, when the expanded cable and modem were installed, the guy reported a problem that is not only affecting us but everyone up here in this part of the world, homes and businesses alike so they had crews out making repairs to the main line to give us more power. Cheers, Dee