Tag Archives: Zoe

Family

Posted on October 13, 2014 | Leave a comment

The trees are changing and getting more bare. A family we know is moving this week across the country. As my husband and I have moved several times over many years, we know that when people move, they’re gone forever.

My father changes places several times per year. We try to keep in touch by email but mostly he re-sends jokes from old buddies.

My husband’s family is in place, on a ranch in Texas. Two, actually, for now. His grandmother hosts Thanksgiving for up to 60 folks every year. This is our annual family event. I started with two but think I’m up to 5-6 dishes every year. My mother-in-law and I have a cook-fest for 2-3 days and it is a joy for me to spend time with her. Lately she’s been concerned that our dog is not coming along, because she helps with floor clean-up!

It’s good to have a family that stays in the same place for decades as I’ve never had that, all my life. Nanny “adopted” me 12 years ago as my grandmothers died before I was a year old.

We only had the family, six of us, for Thanksgiving and my mother was resentful that my soon-to-be husband joined us for dinner. She placed our luggage in the hallway and told us to find a hotel. She’s gone now, no matter whether she didn’t want me ever to be born, she’s gone. I’ve a Dad and another family who actually like me.

This year I have to do boursin and spiced nuts for the kitchen table, mincemeat tarts for dessert, and I’ll try a corn custard for the main table. Yes, I may be flying in with M’s new/old sewing machine but I have a family.

Very few women have a father-in-law who says “I have to try this dish, because I know who made it.” It’s the same guy that after an hour in my presence took his son aside and said “When are you going to ask her? It’s OK with me.” It took his mother another four days but we’re OK now. Fall in love, even if your love is across the country and you only speak 15 minutes a day. Pay your cell phone bill and hope things will work out. Dee

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Lessons

Posted on September 23, 2014 | 1 comment

Over my storied life, I have learned much from my family, school and music teachers, my husband and his family, my work at several venues and of course my dear professors.

There is nothing as educational or wisdom-producing as having responsibility for a life. No, we don’t have children, not our blessing. But I’ve been responsible for the lives of two cats and two dogs in my life over the years.

It’s like being a parent, you watch what goes in and what comes out. Sneezes as a little one and bumps as they age. You choose to adopt and take on a life and at the end, help ease them out of it.

Being responsible for a life teaches care above oneself, humility, joy, and as our Zoe would say ROUTINE. You have to go to the vet for shots, surgeries, even a first senior blood panel and keep your dog quarantined anywhere in the US under the British travel scheme permanently in case you’re sent overseas.

My first dog and cats passed after many happy years over 13 years ago. Now I’ve one old dog, nearly eleven years who we’ve had from six weeks of age. Five walks per day, perhaps six. Creating an indestructible toy. Baths and brushing and her herding us. Deciding to have her hips removed as a pup as she had severe hip dysplasia and going through two recoveries. Oh, she walks just fine and can run fast and corner because she had to grow her own hips from cartilage.

She doesn’t usually bark or whine, just stares until we do what she wants. If she’s over 70 in “dog years” perhaps that is what I should start to do. Just stare at my husband until he does what I want. Ah, well, it doesn’t work with people unless you want a horrible relationship. It does work for a herder, however. Patience is another virtue while caring for another life. It’s 5:00, time for dinner. It’s 5:02, you’re late. Get into the magic room and make my dinner, I don’t care if you’re writing about me on the blog. OK, I’m full, now I need to go for a walk. Stare.

She says “I killed a mouse today. I ate an old dead bird off the pavement and am going to vomit 48 hours later, in a safe place, your bed. Seven loads of laundry later you’ll still love me.” And we do.

Education is key. My first dog was abused for a year then in a shelter for the next. I was a volunteer and met her the first week and we were buddies but she was terrified of men, especially those in uniform, and kids. Even at this no-kill shelter there was word of another meeting to decide her fate. She was home with me the next morning. All it took was a home, love, care and training and she was the best rehabilitated dog in the world. Everyone loved her, and the kids would call out her name from the tot lot and run up to pet her and she adored them.

Did I hear the word sacrifice? No. It’s joy. For many years I was alone, not just single, alone. These were my companions and still are. Our dog Zoe follows me everywhere to make sure her pack is intact, especially as my husband has been off on a work assignment. Trust and loyalty are traits I admire from both me and Zoe. And my old dog’s ashes are in a teddy bear’s heart I move everywhere.

I do not hunt squirrels, however. Don’t worry, she’s on a 6′ leash and couldn’t get them even if she was off it, my dear hip-less wonderdog. Or bunnies. She doesn’t understand why they stay still until she’s 10′ away so they’re just interesting, not prey until they bolt. One thing is that I learn something new every day and that has always been my goal in life in all arenas. Cheers, Dee

 

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Posted in Editorial, Education, Family, Italy, Music, Pet, Recipe Ideas, Travel

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With Your Hand

Posted on September 22, 2014 | 1 comment

“I’ll walk in the rain by your side, I’ll cling to the warmth of your hand. I’ll do anything to help you understand I love you more than anybody can…”

Your hand took mine out of a lovely silver car 13 years ago. The song is by Peter, Paul and Mary of course. You never let go. We never let go.

Dearest husband and Zoe’s “dogfather,” we love you and hope to see you again soon. Dee

 

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Human Beings

Posted on September 20, 2014 | 1 comment

Today I received the most extraordinary compliment. We have security guards downstairs at night and the head guard, after Zoe did her two-second business, talked about how smart she was and asked me to get the game to show the other guard.

I left her with him and ran upstairs to get Zanie’s pizza puzzle. She’s had it for a few months, plays it perhaps once a week and has gone from four minutes to 45 seconds to remove six wooden pegs and three wooden sliders to get a treat underneath. The new guard placed it on the carpet for her to tackle. A couple had just received a gate to keep their dog in their bathroom and they stayed to watch. Zoe also turned around several times and rolled over twice. She was in her element and is sleeping by me now.

The head guy talked about my dear husband and how smart he is and how he looks up to him. Apparently both he and Zoe are smart. But then I got the best compliment, even though I’m smart in a different way from hubby and dog.

Head guy D said I was the first person here to ever say hello and treat him like a human being. As far as I’m concerned we’re all born, live and die. Some have told me to treat people who make less money than us like trash. I disagree. I treat all people well and hopefully I’ll be treated well in return. Trust until that trust is broken by ill will or cheating or lying.

D told me and his cohort I was a nice lady, and that also my chili is very good. Apparently many residents do not treat the staff with respect. I do. I even went out to trim the community herb garden before an event today. It’s looking great (my idea) and I only had to snip a few flowers from the oregano to keep it from bolting too soon as winter is on its snowy and icy way.

Always, thanks for reading and contributing. I’ve “met” some good friends here on the blog and introduced some to each other. Yes, I am smart as well. Dee

 

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In the Doghouse

Posted on September 19, 2014 | Leave a comment

My husband came to visit from a new job far away, for thirty hours during Labor Day weekend. Our dog Zoe would have nothing to do with him as he’d been gone a few weeks. He got in at 1 a.m. so it took until morning (Zoe wants her beauty sleep) but the “fun guy” was back playing ball with her and she was happy.

The other night I got a nosebleed and had to take apart, wash and put back every piece of bedding after waiting overnight for sheets and everything to dry. I got out two soft blankets and placed them on the L-shaped sofa and that’s where Zoe and I slept. She was not pleased with me all night for that, jumping up and down and clicking on the wood floors, until I took her out early this morning and fed her then put the bed back together after everything was dry. She’s happy now.

She only squeaks the ball when I get it down for her. She fetches it for my husband, and squeaks. It is an indestructible toy he “invented” and her first lasted ten years until the materials finally deteriorated due to age. That’s pretty good for a dog who can eviscerate a stuffed animal or tennis ball in 60 seconds.

Years ago when my youngest sister was 1-2, Dad went away every Tuesday for meetings across the state and returned Thursday night. She would cry when he returned as if she did not remember him, then hug him before he left. As a young girl I was somewhat responsible for her care and it bothered me because I knew the days and that he’d return. She was too young to know that.

Dogs remember things and people as well. My first dog always remembered people in uniform because her deputy sheriff owner would beat her. She was also afraid of children because she was left out in the sheriff’s yard and neighborhood kids threw rocks at her. That all changed when she came home with me. I’d like to think that living indoors in a good home with daily training and trust allowed her to let her the past be the past. She certainly showed it in our neighborhood and they loved her for it, military, children, dogs and their owners. Cheers! Dee

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Zoe Stories

Posted on September 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

Our Zoe is nearly 11 years old now. We got her from the shelter at six weeks. I took her out eight times a day but she was always a sleeper and even as a young pup she could easily sleep from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Now as an old lady she jumps off the bed when the sun begins to come up and crawls underneath it, under my pillow so I can’t go anywhere without her knowing. Herder, I love and hate it at the same time, hate it when she serpentines in front of me when I have a load of laundry in my arms to fold!

At nine weeks of age we went to see two of my husband’s college buddies, brothers. We took Zoe and their parents were kind enough to take her while we went out to dinner. We returned and there were towels all over the house. Zoe did not fall into their pool. She got a running start and dove in! Luckily she learned how to swim, swam to the other side and they fished her out. Oops.

Then there was Zeus. We went to Easter that same weekend at the vet who ended up taking out her hips a few months later. Val had many animals, horses, goats, dogs, cats and others. After dinner she gave all the hard-boiled and decorated Easter eggs to the dogs. Zoe got right in there. Zeus, the Alpha dog said NO! She went running. She was probably always Beta but certainly was after that day. When her hips went bad she’d just lay on the hill, tummy up, and no other dog ever disturbed her, I think it’s her kind and happy spirit that kept her from evisceration.

When her hips went bad at five months I looked into treatments. FHNO was the best option (femoral head and neck ostectomy) so we had Val do the surgeries at six and nine months of age as research showed doing the surgeries before 10 months led to an 80% chance of normality. There were no titanium hips available for 25 lb. dogs because they’re not supposed to get severe hip dysplasia (Val said it was the worst case she’d ever seen) so she grew her own hips from cartilage and has been very happy and healthy for over ten years. Still cow-hocked, but happy.

Zoe can corner around a tree faster than any big dog. And she plays outfield and gets the ball first. Smart gal, our Zoe. She now has a complicated game that requires removing wooden pegs and moving sliders to get treats. In a month and 7-8 trials what took her four minutes now takes 45 seconds. Then it’s my turn to fetch, under the sofa and coffee table for pegs to put up for the next time.

Val’s son had a guinea pig in a cage in his room back then. I was downstairs and heard the guinea pig and remarked that I never heard one talk before. Turns out her son opened the cage and Zoe tried to kill it, it was shrieking. After all that we were actually invited to stay other times. Zoe got it back, though. I’d take her out at six in the morning and the animals thought Val was up and they were about to be fed. Pork Chop, a 1,500 lb. cow and Val’s favorite horse followed us. The ground shook and Zoe was so freaked out she couldn’t do her business!

Oh, Pork Chop is buried on the property. Only fitting. Zoe is known around town. People don’t know my name but they know hers. Look, it’s Zoe! She has made many children happy. She even likes cats, one has even come to call for her, sleeping in front of our door because she knew our puppy walk schedule and with us, the brute squad, she could keep away from the mockingbirds.

Sometimes I wonder what Zoe is dreaming when she’s in REM sleep. Yes, people tell us dogs don’t dream, and that they can never remember anything after 45 minutes. WRONG! She runs in her sleep, after squirrels or mice, and she always goes to my father-in-law’s personal spot on the sofa to watch for him on the four-wheeler coming back from feeding the cattle, even if she hasn’t been there for a few years.

All y’all have a great day, Dee

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Missing Pieces

Posted on August 8, 2014 | Leave a comment

Weeks ago we got dog Zoe an educational game consisting of a round MDF base with nine wood pieces, six pegs and three sliders. Basically the humans place a treat in each hole and add the pegs and sliders. Zoe’s now got the game down to 45 seconds and loses pieces under living room furniture. Then it’s our turn to get down there and find them and put them all away for the next time.

We’ve a huge missing piece of the Dee/Zoe game now. My husband. He has been gone across the country for nearly two weeks now trying out what may become a new job. He’s very busy and it would take 12 hours for him to get to our airport lobby on a Saturday and perhaps go out to the car (on a cool day) to say hello to Zoe, then turn around another 12 hours and go back to work. That doesn’t make any sense time wise or monetarily.

This is the longest we’ve been away from each other in our 13 years and with the time difference we rarely get more than a few minutes to speak on the phone. Zoe always knows it’s him when he calls, must know by my voice and key words, and lays by the door expecting him to come home from work in 20 minutes. We’ve only had 30 second calls from work in the past when he was in or near the neighborhood: I’m coming home dear, do you need anything? No, we’re fine. Just come home. My lasagne is in the oven.

[Change that to there’s pot roast in the oven, or I’m marinating skirt steak and working on Chimichurri and everything else and need you to to man the grill.]

Just come home, dear, and we can figure out where our new home might be. I miss you. Dee

p.s. He won’t come home for anything with eggplant in it, thus my stellar Moussaka is a bust here but I could always make it as a gift. Always live on on the bright side of the street. d

 

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Locks

Posted on August 6, 2014 | Leave a comment

Years ago we had levered front doors and our dog Zoe got out of a neighbors’ place who was taking care of her and ran across the street. She also got out in her hallway and went door to door seeking treats.

One day I took in another dog, Kat, and we had two locks on our doors, one for inside/outside and an upper lock only accessible from the inside. After I took out Zoe and Kat, twice Zoe’s size, I turned the key and took the Hurricane Katrina rescue dog next door out for a quick walk.

When I returned, I was locked out. Really locked out. Kat had turned the upper lock from the inside. It took maintenance three hours to drill through the door while I took lock measurements from the dog next door. Everything was OK.

Today I offered to help a woman, who left as soon as she made the request, get a dog running loose in her hallway. Management knew I did so. It took 20 minutes sitting down with eyes averted to calm down the dog and get her to trust me. I took her home via her nice collar and put our Zoe’s collar and leash on her.

I stopped by the front desk and left the dog’s collar with ID et al and took her out. When I got back staff was researching her and she jumped up on the couch and then laid in my lap. Then I was told I couldn’t take her upstairs because of “liability issues.” Too many kind folks had stopped by the lobby to see her and she started trembling again. Forget liability issues. I’ve a job to do.

My dog knows to maneuver levered doors, ones that have the only lock available. She is old and chooses not to do so. She is a herder and never wants to be away from her pack. Not so this what I’d like to call Catahoula mix can do, or Kat. When a levered door automatically springs the lock it’s time for another lock.

I saved a dog today and everyone is angry at me for doing so. I don’t care. I’ve worked with shelter animals and feral cats for over 20 years and did nothing wrong, just helped a dog get back to her family. That’s part of my job. I called her “Sweetheart” and she was sweet but I love my rescued hip-less wonder dog Zoe the best and am always glad to help out. Dee

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Urban Herding?

Posted on August 1, 2014 | Leave a comment

OK, you can call me an over-achieving parent. Zoe, the dog, has an educational game that is ten times more serious as what is made for humans way younger than she, in human years.

She loves the game and loves to be challenged, and wants more. I am having her tested for temperament (she’s done this at least ten times and always passes with flying colors) next week then we may do a class in urban herding, which is herding with balls not sheep. Nosing balls into an enclosure. Well, it’s not what I want to do but she may wish to do so.

Are there others? I can think of a few who may join in. Only if I can walk them to the training site together and tire them out a bit both ways. Thank you G, see y’all next week. Cheers, Dee

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Zoe’s Friends

Posted on July 31, 2014 | Leave a comment

Today was interesting. I’ve been having some health problems so am supposed to not even be sitting here, much less what I did today. Sorry, nurse M. I’m trying!

I promised to bring a dessert to a party for all the residents. Apparently it disappeared quickly and I’ll have to go get my trifle bowl. It was not my usual trifle which is lemon pound cake, a whipped cream and lemon curd middle with much mixed seasonal fruit.

Today it was a key lime pound cake not baked by me, the innards  of whipped cream and lemon curd, and cantaloupe and blueberries. I got to taste a teaspoon of it. It’s good but not my best.

As Nurse M told me to keep off my feet I did go to the store and make the trifle and when I delivered it our trusty party planner needed a bit of help so I spent a couple of hours on yeomans’ duty. She made me sit while slicing all the rolls.

The singer had arrived and we’d met. He was setting up and gave me a pick. All I try to do right now is keep my guitar hydrated.

I left, fed Zoe and took her out and went downstairs to the party. I usually don’t go to parties by myself but did and it was very interesting. People I don’t even know introduced themselves and said “You’re Zoe’s Mom.” Everyone. We go for walks and no-one says hello to me, they just say hi to Zoe and I don’t mind. I think she’s kind of special as well.

In the end I got advice on a spouse being away from home for a while, met several interesting folks, and may be one of two chaperones for a new love match. Tune in to see what happens. The other chaperone was Mama and she approves the match.

So, the musician gave me a pick to try. While I got ready I opened my guitar case and found Woodstock picks from Ernie Ball and slipped one into his hand. After the concert he told me he’d put it up on his wall. Ernie Ball created the infamous slinky string that key rock & rollers use to this day. I know his son, was his neighbor.

He gave me a gift and I gave one back. Plus, he wanted to thank me without mentioning my name and played Amie, a Pure Prairie League stalwart. It’s one of my favorite songs as in college they’d sing “Hey, Dee.” No, I didn’t ask him to play anything. It was just that kind of day. High fives and a bit of magic.

Ok nurse, I’m putting my feet up. Cheers from Zoe’s Mom.

 

 

 

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