there must be a setting...

there must be a setting on here for food...if i could just get my paws on it for a second...

must be nice...

There is a park sitting in this backyard. Let me repeat - there is a PARK sitting in this backyard! Why am I the only one excited about this? You're all sitting around shmoozing over lunch and i am simultaneously at someone's home and at a park! This is incredible!! So maybe it's just a huge backyard but it definitely has the park de jour...still there's something missing...hang on...it'll come to me...

ah, there it is.  Essential different between enormous backyards and parks:
1. no crumbs left behind from picnics
2. no other doggy smells to discover
3. no other friends to play with

In other words, gorgeous lonely landscape.

The expensive lawn furniture isn't stocked with pee-mail, the grass isn't hiding left-over food, and i'm just lying here quietly next to you until you're ready to leave (and also just in case you drop some food.)

So while it must be nice to live with the luxury of a park-sized yard, nothing takes the place of hearing "Gracie, you wanna go to the park?" everyday and both of us slipping into the sanctuary of friends and laughter that we find there...


plus the dropped food!

Big trouble

I was in trouble yesterday.  BIG trouble.  The kind where I know my mom wants to shake me silly but instead gives me a time out and glares at me.  Well I can glare right back Missy, and you just foiled me attempt that snatching that ice cream sandwich.  It seems that when she yells, “Come”, we have a communication breakdown.  

I heard my name, glanced over at her, acknowledging her existence, and then went about my merry way.  I vaguely remember some background dim of “Come” but I was busy.  When I’m busy, I turn my cell phone off! Status update: Not available…hunting for food. Straight to voice mail!

Hence I didn’t get the memo detailing the definitions of “Come”, namely "Come right now, do not pass go, do not collect $200." 

Ok, that makes sense…but we were talking about an ice cream sandwich.  Where’s the compromise? Where’s the love? I propose “Just a sec” as an alternate command.  Yes, I hear you, and I fully intend on returning to you just as soon as I’ve wolfed down this morsel of food I’ve managed to find.  No? Not so much? Hum…we’re at a standstill.

Needless to say, yesterday I didn’t even come in a sec because once I know I’m in trouble, what’s the rush? Not my wisest move.  There were harsh words and forced sits and long time-outs.  But as soon as we’re done, I’m over it and she feels horrible, whispering apologies and giving me tiny treats and lots of hugs.  Thinking she might not be quite ready for one of those small humans I see around. 

The part that’s different between us is that I’ve already forgotten the incident and am moving towards my next target.  She’s still stuck in the past, beating herself up for getting mad.  And I’m the one that did something wrong! Does anyone else see a problem here?

Like I said, it’s a communication thing, which I notice being a problem for a lot of you humans.  Someone hears a comment with a slant that was unintended, or gets their feelings hurt over a perceived slight that the other party neither meant nor has any clue that something’s wrong.  Then the resentment starts and the eggshell walking begins and no good comes from that.  At that point we all just need to lie down before we hurt ourselves!

 I just need her to spell it out for me.  I’m not a mind reader, so her “Right now!!” probably means something other than how I take it – “Mosey on over here at your leisure.”

Worth the Wait

Let’s be clear – I’m well aware I’m a lucky dog. I get to go to the park every day – sometimes two a day, I get tummy rubs, treats, games of fetch, and lots of cuddling pretty much just for breathing in and out.  Plus, I have a clique.  That’s right, I’m part of the in-crowd at the park. I’m one of those cool girls you want to be wagging her tail, sporting a pink puffy jacket, and racing around the grass…I know, I know, you want to be part of my clique too.  But the best part of the park is my friends.  Tillie Lou is my best friend, and there’s Parker and Coltrane and Jack and Navarre that I get to play with every day…I know, wipe the drool from those jowls.  I’m a lucky girl like I said. 

Plus, my mom has her whole group of friends that she gabs with while I wander around looking for food and sniffing tushes.  I pretty much take full credit for her friendships and joy that she gets from the park though since it’s only because of me that she met any of them.  It’s true – we would come to the park for me to play two years ago and she met all of these ‘park friends’ who’ve turned into real friends.  And now she has her group that she gets to see every day too – and it seems like the park must have some kind of magic power because no matter how rushed and stressed she is before we get to the park, once we’re there it all melts away. 

It’s our grassy temple, our meditation center, and our place of peace all wrapped up with trees and fields.  And while the rolling hills and sunny patches are gifts in and of themselves, the biggest blessing is the friends we’ve made. 

She’s sitting there (leaving me at home, I might add) in the hospital waiting room, biding her time until her friend is ready to be taken home.  They left her house at 5:15 am, shared sleep-deprived giggles in their slaphappy states, and kissed goodbye when her Tillie Lou’s mommy walked down the sterile hall.  And now my mommy waits for her friend because that’s what friends do.  Because Tillie Lou’s mommy is a true friend, which humans apparently only get a scant few of in a lifetime.  My mommy woke up at 4:30 because her Tillie Lou’s mommy hears her and listens to her, supports her even when she doesn’t agree, makes her laugh when she’s stressed and cries with her when she’s sad.  Tillie’s mom shares inspiration and compassion, patience and kindness, and mostly loves her exactly as she is, just because, every day.  And that earns her endless puppy licks from me and the title of true friend.

 

So that’s the blessing of the park – we get to play and run and lie in the sun all while cultivating friendships that go beyond grassy fields but rather are rooted deep, strong roots that withstand California winds. 

Like I said, I take full credit for all of the joy of the park because if it wasn’t for me, I wouldn’t have my doggy posse and my mom would still be sleeping cozy in bed right now…wait, wait, that doesn’t sound right….

Oh right, she’d be cozy and snuggling with me but without her true friend. No question about it – she’s happier in the waiting room.