My throat is KILLING ME. It even hurts under my tongue. And my ears aren’t much better. I’ve been living off of ice cream for days now (wait, maybe I shouldn’t complain about that). I just needed to run across the street to the store to buy some salt so I could gargle with warm salt water to see if that will relieve some of the pain since even my beloved thera-flu has stopped working. Ella was eating her dinner, and I was sure she’d be fine for just a few minutes…
Thing is, she probably would have been fine if I didn’t forget to put the roll of toilet paper way back up on the top shelf of the bathroom cabinet (I can’t keep it on the roll holder anymore…nor can I keep my hand towels on the towel bar…Ella cannot deal with the temptation).
This has already happened once before with the paper towels. And you wouldn’t buy it then that she was just practicing for an audition for a Cottonelle commercial…and I’m guessing you still won’t buy it now. And once again, I can't blame you.
And just to add insult to injury, I just gargled and that salt water didn’t help one bit. Can't momma catch a break? Sheesh...
Walks in Central Park are always an adventure, but this morning we managed to get in a photo shoot AND a little chat session with a celebrity! Not bad for a Sunday morning! First, the celeb sighting...
So, Ella and I were on the West Side by the 79th Street Yard just across from the Swedish Cottage. She had her eye on a squirrel and was poised to...well, let's be honest, poised to sit there forever and stare at it, aware that she's curiously drawn to it yet having no idea what it is...when we were distracted by the chatter of a father and his kids. I was just ready to give her a tug and move on when I looked up and saw him - Cameron Mathison, from All my Children and Dancing With the Stars fame! And let me tell you - he is STUNNING and I am quite sure that my face showed it. I was paralyzed in my tracks, deaf and mute, and I waited to see what would happen. Well, he brought his kids over - an adorable boy (i'm guessing around 6 or so) named Lucas (Luke) and a lovely little girl who was probably about 3 and timidly stood in the background and watched while Ella licked Luke's hand. They stayed for a few minutes to pet Ella (apparently Luke has a cousin named Ella as well - just in case you wanted to know), and as I was walking away, Luke carried on his conversation with me from afar, pointing behind me and saying "Hey! See that big building behind you?"..."Yes", I said..."Well my friend had his birthday party there!"..."Oh, well did you have fun?!"..."Yeah"...and meanwhile Cameron chuckled in the background. It was all just too cute. Anyway, Cameron was super nice and very friendly and open, and his children were adorable and so good around Ella, and although I'm sure he must have known I recognized him, I never commented on his celebrity. I never quite know how to handle those situations...I think he was waiting for me to ask for his autograph or something...but that's not really my style. Plus, truth be told, I could not remember his name!! I knew him from Dancing with the Stars but I don't watch soap operas so I didn't know too much about him. And what am I to say..."Um, so, I know you're SOMEBODY..."...uggh, how awful. Anyway, this was definitely one of the cooler celeb sightings I've had since living in NYC. And with the crowds Ella draws, I suspect there may be more of these in my future.
Anyway, in addition to hobnobbing with the rich and famous, Ella and I also took a little time out for a photo shoot which basically involves me bribing her with treats to sit and stay long enough so that I can get a good shot of her. As you can see, I'm rarely quick enough, but I did manage to get a couple good shots. The first shot below is my favorite - we're just on the north side of The Reservoir and you can see the skyline in the background...not a bad backdrop if I do say so myself...
I love Ella’s plush toys because they are safe and soft and perfect for a game of catch – in theory. But Ella has not yet learned (in other words, I have not yet effectively taught) the command “let go”, so often what starts as an intended game of catch turns into a tug of war. And since I try to avoid playing tug of war so as to discourage aggression, usually it means me sticking my fingers in her mouth to pry open her jaws of death to free the poor innocent furry toy. LOADS of fun.
This clip is a perfect example of a game of catch gone completely awry. After one reasonably successful catch, Ella was plum out of energy…then I proceeded to stack toys on her nose purely to entertain myself…then she manages to squeeze out one or two more decent catches before resuming her regular routine of biting the hell out of my arm…then I walk away in a huff.
Clearly we both need far more than just training…somehow I think puppy kindergarten may not adequately address all of our “issues”…
I've decided to entitle this weekend's Saturday Slideshow "An Ode to Sleep". I think most puppy parents would agree that, although we love our little ones all the time, we especially love them when they are sleeping. After all, if it weren't for their naps, when would we ever get a break? Plus, they look so sweet and innocent while they're sleeping (and we forget that sometimes looks can be deceiving!).
I affectionately call Ella the Energizer Puppy because she just keeps going and going and going and going...but here are some rare shots of my calm and sleeping bundle of joy.
I must admit that as I write this, I naively hope that one day I can post another Saturday Slideshow "Ode to Sleep" comprised of images of ME sleeping peacefully...see, I told you, totally naive and silly. Anyway, back to reality...
Enjoy the slideshow...and please keep your "awwws" to a low level...Ella's a light sleeper :)
...poor Ella is imprisoned in my apartment and stares longingly out of the cracked window, dreaming of a better life...
"I'm only 13 weeks old...in the prime of my puppyhood...there's got to be more out there for me..."
"And YOU...YOU momma...all you ever say is "NO BITE", and you wipe me down with those cloths that smell like green tea after walkies, and you refuse to give me any of your ice cream...and you tell me it's all tough love and I'll appreciate it one day. Well I live in the NOW momma!" "Still...those ear and belly rubs you give are nice...and I do love the kisses and free meals...but then again the sunshine and fresh air are calling my name! Man I wish my lil puppy brain were more developed because this is getting complicated..."
OK folks, it's official. Ella has been given the go-ahead to walk outside! She had her 12-week shots earlier this week, weighed in at 17 pounds(!!), and the vet said it is now ok to take her out for walkies!!
Ok, so, maybe momma cheated and took her on a few walks in advance of this marker (rules schmules), but now I can do it without feeling guilty! Of course, while the walks may be guilt-free, they're not worry-free. Between the scum on the street (I'm referring to the dirt, crud, and feces - not to Eliot Spitzer and his working girl) and the questionably-balanced dogs ALL OVER the city, I'm a nervous wreck that Ella's going to take a paw in the eye or choke on a cigarette filter. But every furmother has to loosen the leash a little at some point (Don't be fooled though - I sweep my finger inside of Ella's mouth more times during the course of a walk than a CPR instructor demonstrating how to remove blockages). AND, not only do her paws get cleansed the second we walk in the door...her entire furry little body gets put straight in the tub EVERY time to make sure I scrub off whatever crap she's picked up along the way...
Anyway, we honestly have a hard time going more than 10 feet without someone - dog, human, or both - stopping us to coo at her cuteness or sniff her bum (usually the humans do the former, the dogs do the latter. Usually.) It's my goal to try to find a somewhat secluded place to take her so she can just focus on getting out some energy and enjoying the magic that is Central Park.
Here's a clip that was actually taken a couple of weeks ago (yes, yes, BEFORE she was "allowed" to go out) that I'm finally getting around to posting. We made our way to the Woodlands just west of Cedar Hill where we could wander along peacefully down toward The Ramble. Finally some time away from everything, off the beaten path...
Well, I made it back from my trip to PR in one piece…but not one healthy piece. Ella and Grandpa also survived, although Grandpa’s hands and Ella’s behavior were both a little worse for wear.
I’m now far sicker than I was when I left, laid up with a virus and sinus infection, the severity of which I still can’t quite convey to Ella who has been a holy terror since my arrival home. After my second sick day from work spent constantly correcting her biting, chewing, and barking (Sleep? Why would I need sleep? I’m sure my doctor said that rest was optional as long as I kept pounding my meds) , she is finally starting to show some mild signs of remembering that she does not rule this roost. But I fear it will take another week or two to get her fully back on track.
She was, however, nice enough to help me unpack my luggage upon my return. As you can see below, she was totally on top of things.
The shot below requires a little explanation...I store all my old athletic shoes in my suitcase in my closet (sadly they don't get much use anymore, I don't have much closet space, and I rarely travel, so the luggage gets used for storage more than anything). Anyway, here she is in shoe heaven...
And below is a shot of Ella playing with her Wubba, her toy of choice while I was away. It was a pretty good choice for Grandpa too because he could hold onto one end, keeping his hands safely away from the other end that Ella was tugging on with her deadly puppy teeth.
And, as for my trip, I did manage to have some fun – albeit medicated fun – while I was there. And in case anyone was wondering what the answer is to the question I posed in my last post, thera-flu goes JUST FINE with pina coladas on the beach…
One thing for you fellow animal lovers to take note of...apparently they aren't so strict about the animal fighting in Puerto Rico. Here's a shot of a HUGE arena just up the street from our hotel. Anyone else find this odd and upsetting???
Anyway, on to less controversial sights and entertainment that I encountered in PR... Here I am with my sister-in-law Carma who went on the trip with me, enjoying our firm's cocktail party and end-of-trip dinner on the beach...
Here I am on the left, preparing to go jet skiing..which, by the way, was the highlight of my trip. Forgive the closed eyes...I had to take off the shades so i wouldn't lose them when I caught air on the waves. And there I am on the right, a mere blur at my personal record speed of 42 MPH (I was mad I didn't reach the max speed of 45, but in hindsight, that was probably for the best...)
Here I am as a high-roller, playing the nickel slots in the hotel casino. I spent a whopping $6 and left with no winnings and an empty drink. My only consolation was that at least I knew I had a full bottle of thera-flu back in the room...
Here are some pictures of El Castillo de San Cristobal, a Spanish fort in Old San Juan. As you can see, the castle was cool, but the view of the ocean from the top was even more amazing. The best part of the tour in my opinion was this lizard who poked his head out of one of the windows...I'm not sure how he got in there, but I'm pretty sure he didn't have to pay the entry fee like we did...
And here's a short video that Carma took on the top of the fort...the most obvious thing you'll notice is the wind!! (As if my out-of-control locks in the picture above didn't already give that away...)
Here are a few shots of Fort San Felipe Del Morro (a.k.a. El Morro), a fort that overlooks the entrance to San Juan Bay. If you look really closely at the sky in the second row of pictures, you will see kites...there must have been HUNDREDS of kites in the air at El Morro. I don't know what was more amazing - the strength of the wind there, or the fact that so many people could keep their kites flying without a tangling of mass proportions.
And here I am...lighting the canon. God I'm funny. And original.
And finally, here are Carma and I, looking sweet, sunburned and tired, sitting in a swing outside of our hotel.
I hope you've enjoyed my brief holiday in San Juan, Puerto Rico...Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go take my next dose of decongestants and stop Ella from eating her wicker toy basket.
In a couple of hours, I'll be off to JFK to catch a flight to Puerto Rico. Sorry for the lack of posts and non-exist forewarning of my mini-break, but momma is sick as a dog and totally fritzed. It's 3:30am and I've just finally showered today after running myself ragged trying to prepare. The trip is a work-related bonus, so a group of folks from my firm are heading over to PR. And I'm very grateful of course, but simultaneously overwhelmed as this is not the best time to be leaving my little pup.
Ella's grandpa has been kind enough to come up to NYC from Maryland to watch over his grand-fur-kid for a few days in my absence. I'm not sure who has it worse - poor Grandpa, for having to protect his delicate skin from Ella's puppy fangs (not to mention having to maneuver around in my tiny apartment without knocking everything over), or poor Ella, who has to deal with Grandpa's loud snoring! (As I write this, I've already suffered some hearing loss as a result of the racket).
Anyway, I'm already experiencing separation anxiety, but trying to rationalize this as a good opportunity for Ella to socialize with someone other than myself. But it doesn't help that I'm on the verge of fever, can barely swallow, and my head is pounding. Should make for a fun flight. How do you think Thera-flu will mix with a few pool-side pina coladas?
Well, I have to go finish writing out emergency vet numbers and "feeding instructions" (read: "Grandpa - GO EASY ON THE TREATS PLEASE!!)...but I'll be back Sunday night and hopefully my apartment, Grandpa, and Ella will all be in one safe, happy piece...
(Sure, it's Puerto Rico, but wouldn't you miss this face too if you were me?)
In many ways, I think that the dog psyche is not so different from that of humans. Furkids thrive on the same things that the human kind do - namely love and discipline.
So when Ella starts incessantly getting into things she shouldn’t – toilet papering the apartment, staring at me defiantly as she pees next to the wee-wee pad rather than on it, stealing my socks out of the drawer – I know her acting out is much like that of a little child misbehaving at school. All of this is clearly just Ella’s way of saying “PAY ATTENTION TO ME MOMMA!”
Well, I am quickly finding that nothing cures her ills like good old-fashioned love and cuddles…well, cuddles, and the opportunity to chew endlessly on my hands. But then I suppose the scars on my arms are a small price to pay relative to financial cost of buying all new socks and an endless supply of toilet paper…
I accumulate quite a few pictures of Ella over the course of a week, and not all of them make it into my regular blog posts. So I'm going to *try* to make the "Saturday Slideshow" a weekly feature so that I can highlight some of the cutest pics from the week along with some "never before seen" photos.
