A Strange Shadow

A few days ago, Diamond and I were on our daily walk enjoying the early evening breeze and lengthening shadows. The sun was low on the horizon ahead and to the right of us, casting our elongated shadows slightly behind us, to our left.

I was gazing at the sky and deepening green on the trees lining the road, when Diamond began slightly pulling on her leash. I glanced down at her to see that she was looking back over her right shoulder. Thinking about the bicycle race we had encountered the week-end before while walking, I immediately thought that she must be looking for bicyclers coming up on us from behind. I tugged on her leash, gently scolded her, and got her back into a heel position, giving her a treat for obeying my command.

We walked on a few more steps when she looked back again. I glanced back to my left, where she was at her station beside me, about to scold her again for not behaving correctly. I was startled to see a third shadow on the road behind us. I wheeled around to see who was following us, seeing nothing but empty road. There was no one there. Diamond continued to look back, as if she could see something.
I re-checked our shadows, and the third shadow was gone. Now, I joined Diamond in looking back behind us every few steps. What could have caused the third shadow? What could Diamond see that I couldn’t?

As we continued our walk, Diamond calmed down and began paying more attention to the road ahead. My thoughts wandered to thoughts of guardian angels, ghosts, and other explanations for an additional shadow on the road with ours. I decided that something, or someone, was following us and got caught by the sunshine. When I related this event to a friend of mine, she suggested that it might have been one of my parents watching over me that afternoon.

I don’t know who or what it was, and have no good explanations. I do know what I saw, and it was, indeed, a shadow that didn’t belong to either Diamond or me. I might have thought it was all in my imagination if Diamond hadn’t been acting the way she was, looking back and putting tension on her leash as she kept turning her head to check the road behind us. I felt no fear, but instead a warm reassurance that we were not alone, and certainly not in any danger. Diamond never growled, barked, or moved into any defensive protective stances with me. Whatever it was, it simply caught her attention and curiosity, like the bicycle riders we had seen a few days earlier.

Those guardian angels need to be more careful about their shadows!

My Girl, Diamond

Yesterday was Diamond’s appointment for her yearly physical with her vet, Dr. Jeff. She knew something exciting was about to happen when we pulled the car into the parking area of the clinic. She could hardly wait to get out of the car and into the building. She loves Dr. Jeff and his staff, and also relishes the smells in there. Forgetting the ‘Heel’ command, she practically dragged me from the car to the door.

We were called into the examination area as soon as we signed in, not giving her a chance to sniff the floor and furniture first. “Let’s see how much you weigh,” the assistant said to Diamond, then to me, “She’s too big to lift. Can you get her to walk onto the scales?”

Obviously, she didn’t know my girl very well. I took the leash and pulled slightly in the direction of the huge scale. Diamond knew what I wanted from her, and stepped gingerly onto the platform and sat down. Then came the surprise – 102 pounds! Diamond had gained over 5 pounds since last year. I silently gave a prayer of thanks for the daily longs walks we take together – it could have been much worse!

Once settled in the examining room, we waited patiently for Dr. Jeff to come in to see us. Diamond kept her eyes focused on the closed door, and cocked her head in anticipation with every sound she heard from the other side. Finally, Dr. Jeff stepped into the room, greeted her warmly, and she was a happy girl.

Diamond didn’t know what Dr. Jeff began talking to me about. If she had, she might not have looked quite so happy. “Diamond is a Senior Dog now that she’s 7 years old,” Dr. Jeff told me. “Have you noticed any changes in her since last year?” I admitted that I had. Besides the weight gain, she seems to be getting lazier and not so energetic about racing around the yard or playing. She also has been showing less interest in her food, although she eats well. She’s just not excited about dinner the way she used to be. She also has trouble at times getting up from her favorite position, “Down –Stay.”

Dr. Jeff looked at me, and said, “She’s just like us. As she ages, her metabolism slows down and things begin to change for her.” It felt like déjà vu for me – I had heard almost these identical words at my annual physical exam a few months ago. We’re both getting to be old ladies!

Dr. Jeff proceeded to give me his advice. No more table scraps, except for special treats. No more bones to gnaw on, unless they are big and lean (and don’t let her chew them up), increase the daily exercise (walking), begin including glucosamine and chondroitin in Diamond’s diet for arthritis, take off a few pounds. The good news was that peanuts are still o.k.- Diamond’s favorite treat. I was relieved to hear this, and I felt like Diamond was, too. While he talked, he slipped in 4 shots, which Diamond didn’t even seem to notice. She was fascinated with Dr. Jeff’s voice and his gentle ways with her.

“Let’s give her three to four months of good eating, plenty of exercise, and the glucosamine and chondroitin,” Dr. Jeff said to me. “Bring her in to be weighed on a regular basis. If she doesn’t perk up and lose some weight, then we’ll run some tests on her to see if there’s something going on inside that we can’t see.” And, to Diamond, he said, “You’re a beautiful lady, Diamond.”

And she is. As we left Dr. Jeff’s office, Diamond looked up at me with understanding in her eyes. “We may be getting older, but we’re in this together,” her eyes said to me. Wagging her tail and giving my hand a nudge with her nose, I knew she was ready for a walk and a treat for being such a good girl.

The long walks will do us both good!

Diamond and the Social Circle Friendship Festival

Yesterday I took Diamond to Downtown Social Circle for the annual “Friendship Festival.” This was 100% Small Town America at its best. The main street was lined with vendors selling everything from temporary tattoos and face-painting to home-crafted soaps, jewelry, fall flowers, baked goods and handbags. The town was adorned with Autumn decorations, and every door along the main street was open, inviting people to come in to visit and shop. And, of course, there was the ever-present perfume of carnival foods. It was a treat for all of our senses.

As Diamond and I strolled up the street, we ran into a few people we knew and stopped to chat for a few minutes. Nobody seemed to be in a hurry as we all delighted in the sunny October day and the festival atmosphere around us. Diamond especially enjoyed the afternoon. She was the recipient of lots of attention, and didn’t notice the few individuals who demonstrated panic and fear upon approaching her on the sidewalk. She was very well behaved as always, and had no idea that there was anyone on earth who didn’t like her.

I was very impressed with the manners of the children that we met. Someone is teaching them well – I’m not sure if it’s their parents or school, but I’m guessing it might be school. As we paused to stop at booths for me to window shop, children would approach me and ask politely, “May I pet your dog?” Of course, my answer was “Certainly, her name is Diamond, and she loves children.” Many parents exhibited surprise at their children for the way they approached us and asked before they stretched out their hands to pet my big girl, which makes me believe they are learning this courtesy somewhere other than home! Diamond and I heard all about their pets, and many wishes that they might someday have a dog, too. They loved her kisses, and were reluctant to rejoin their parents to continue their way down the street. As we were walking, a delightful young woman, obviously with many challenges, was sitting on a park bench with her mother. With speech that was slightly garbled, she called out to me, “I love your dog!” Diamond and I took that as an invitation and walked over to be closer to her. Her mother had a look on her face that is very familiar to me – fear- but her daughter obviously wanted to get to know Diamond better. I reassured Mom that Diamond was friendly, and she relaxed somewhat. The young woman petted Diamond and cooed over her while telling me how much she loved dogs. We talked for a few minutes, and then I gently suggested that it was time for Diamond and me to move on down the street. “Thank you for letting me pet your dog,” the young woman said as we got ready to leave. She bent over to hug Diamond, who responded with a great big kiss on her face. We walked on down the street, still listening to her laughter and recounting to her mom about “that dog’s kiss.”

Diamond loved the afternoon. She met many new friends and got to sniff hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, barbeque, and other assorted treats. While she didn’t get the chance to sample any, she didn’t seem to be disappointed. She was too busy looking for children to love and other dogs to make friends with.

Diamond loved the Social Circle Friendship Festival!

A Dog Named Buddie

Anyone who reads my blog knows by now that I love animals, both my own and other people’s. While my pets hold a special place in my heart, I have many animal friends, and I am always on the lookout for one who might be my next pal.

New York City is a perfect place to make animal friends, especially dogs. They are everywhere! I see them walking on sidewalks and in parks, traveling through airports and on planes, and waiting patiently while their people enjoy an outdoor restaurant or rest in a park. Whenever I can, I ask permission to pet these wonderful creatures, and more often than not, I am given the all-clear for a pat on the head and sometimes a lick on the face.

This past week, when I was in New York visiting Brian and Roy, I spotted a perfectly adorable little dog while riding the subway. He was nestled in a pet carrier on his owner’s lap, and all I could see were two bright eyes, a long nose, and two of the longest ears I’d ever seen. He and his owner were seated across from Brian and me. After gazing at the pup for a few minutes, noting how calm and content he seemed to be, I pointed him out to Brian, and asked if he thought it would be o.k. for me to take a photo of the little dog. Brian whispered that I’d better not do it without asking permission first. I asked Brian to nudge the man, and after getting his attention, I asked him if I could photograph him and his dog. He said that it would be fine and then inquired if I was using a digital camera. After acknowledging that indeed I was, he pulled out a business card and asked me if I’d email him the photo. I found out that the little fella’s name was Buddie, a name which seemed to fit what I could see of the little guy snuggled up in his carrier.

I watched this duo until they got off of the subway, thinking about master and pet, and imagining this little dog napping on an office floor somewhere while his owner worked. I thought how nice it was to be able to take Buddie to work and for a ride on the subway.

After returning home from my trip, I downloaded my photos from my camera and pulled the man’s business card from my wallet. I wrote him a quick note, attached the photo, and sent it on its way.

As so often in my life, this was not the end of the story. Last night I received an email thanking me for the photo. The content of the message brought tears to my eyes: “Thank you so very much for the photo! Buddie is actually rather sick and hasn't got long to live so the pic meant a lot to me. Hope you enjoyed your time in New York.”

As I look back at that particular subway ride, I am glad that I asked permission to take the photo. It turned out to be much more than a chance encounter. Even though I don’t know Buddie or his owner, I count the little guy as one of my animal friends and he holds a permanent spot in my heart.

A New York Adventure

In my collection of days, it often happens that some days run together and merge into a memory of giant, collage-like, proportions. This happened to me with my trip to New York last week. As I look back at everything that happened to me and around me while I was there visiting Brian, I find it very hard to separate everything to write something legible and interesting.

So, first of all, I’ll chuck the interesting and share some glimpses of the four days that I was there, aiming for the legible and memorable. It might be boring for the reader, but it helps me as I take care of my collection.

It was an amazing collection of days. I arrived at White Plains airport on Friday, with a darling senior citizen gentleman tailing me as we exited the plane, hitting on me all the way. He really was quite cute, but not my type. My eyes were glued in the direction I was headed, searching for Brian. He wasn’t hard to find – it’s a tiny airport, and quite a surprise for someone who is used to the chaos of LaGuardia. It took a total of five minutes for my bag to appear on the belt at baggage claim, and before we knew it, Brian and I were in his car heading toward the city, talking and catching up on anything and everything we could think of to talk about.

It was raining. I was glad that I had an umbrella as we journeyed down to the Village from Brian's apartment to the Fringe Festival headquarters to deposit some postcards of “The Jungle Fun Room.” As always, the subway ride kept me enthralled as I watched people and marveled at New Yorkers, wondering what each one was doing on the subway and wishing I could follow them home to see where they lived. I knew that each one had a story to tell, and I wanted to know it! But back to the rain….. after leaving the subway, we sloshed our way to our destination, dodged oncoming umbrellas, deposited the postcards and pinned a newspaper clipping about the show onto their bulletin board, and picked up some programs and other promo stuff. Stopping for a slice of pizza before subwaying it back to Brian’s place, we took care of our growling stomachs and escaped a downpour. That was the first day.

Saturday welcomed me with sunshine pouring in through the living room windows where I was sacked out on the couch. Thank goodness, the rain was over for awhile. This was the Big Day – the day of the show. A little drama welcomed us as we shook off the cobwebs of our night’s sleep, and listened to the television news reporter telling us that LaGuardia was shut down due to a potential threat. Brian’s friend, Christy, was in Norfolk waiting to board a plane bound for LaGuardia! Since she was the inspiration for one of the characters in the play, and one of Brian’s very special friends, we were on pins and needles, hoping against hope that somehow she’d make it to New York that morning. Fast forward a few hours….. we were waiting in the theater for time to enter, and she hops out of a cab. She made it!

It was an afternoon of reunions, both real and in memories. “Checking In” was a great show, and pulled out memories of friendships and relationships long buried, as everyone in the audience saw themselves in at least one of the characters, laughed, cried, and cheered. After the show, we all convened in a local bar, where the reunion continued. Many of Brian’s friends, several of Roy’s, along with the cast all celebrated the final performance, and partied. This continued into the dinner hour, when a small group of us moved to Brian and Roy’s neighborhood for supper. Of course, there was drama along the way – there always is when a group like this gets together – but the evening ended on a happy note, and we all slept well that night.

Brian had to work on Sunday, and I accompanied him to Marble Collegiate Church for the day, again wading through a New York rain – my feet got soaked. It was fun meeting the people he works with and seeing his day job stomping grounds. I especially enjoyed attending a Bible Study and the 11:00 church service, and wished that I had a church home like that one. Etched into my memory is the beauty of the sanctuary, the magnificent music, an inspiring sermon, and the warm and friendly people. For the sake of brevity, in Forrest Gump style, this is all I have to say about that.

Cocktail hour with neighbors late in the afternoon rounded off the day. I always enjoy meeting Brian and Roy’s friends, as they are so interesting and engaging, and this couple was no exception. And they had a great dog, Valentino – I love the dogs of New York and their cool names!

Harry Potter on Monday at one of New York’s oldest and most beautiful theaters, then a quiet dinner with Brian at a local pub, while Roy drove his mom home to New Jersey. No rain this day, which made it an almost perfect day. Back at home, Brian and I ate cheetos and drank wine until we got sleepy, and called it a day.

White Plains Airport on Tuesday showed me another view of this little airport. It was a zoo – crowded, unorganized, noisy, and fun. It felt more like a train terminal than an airport, and had a party atmosphere. Although everyone was jammed up together, sitting in row after row of terminal seats, trying to understand the blaring loud speaker announcing the flights, everyone seemed to be in good spirits, and took everything with a sense of humor. I was very glad that I had checked my bag and didn’t have to deal with it, but I had a nagging feeling that I might not see it when I reached Atlanta.

Finally home, I grabbed my bag from baggage claim – it arrived on the same plane with me, wonder of wonders! – and thus ended my New York adventure.

There is much more to tell, but it will have to wait for another day.