You Can Never Have Enough Dog

Yes it's true - I love my dog.  He's my best friend.  I could spend the whole day with him beside me, watching my every move, wagging his tail when I speak to him.  I love to take him with me everywhere I go - in the car, to the park, for walks around the neighborhood, to his favorite store: PetSmart. (He loves to browse the squeaky toy aisle)  I'm slowly, happily, turning into one of those people who really, really love their pets. I wish I had 2 or 3 more dogs -- a little pack all my own. But for  now, Arlo's the man -- er -- dog.

Milestones

Two important ones this past February: my oldest, Zachary, turned 21.  Wasn't it only yesterday I was putting him on the bus to kindergarten?











And then, perhaps even more frightening, my daughter Zoe turned 13!!  I see the future, and it scares me silly!!  Seriously, I love them both dearly - they are everything to me.  If only they'd clean their rooms!

Playing Catch-Up

Fall flew, winter wobbles, and is almost done.  No posts for months - oh well.  I'm forgetful, what can I say?

Was hoping for serious snow all winter, and we finally got some!  First, a little.  Then, a week or two later a lot!  Joy!  I love snow.  It makes everyday business grind to a halt, and forces  you to relax and enjoy!  Of course, you have to shovel, but for a while that's okay.  It's something different.  Days off from school for the kids, snowmen, digging a run for the dog, feeding the birds and critters. Just admiring the pure whiteness.  Snuggling under the extra-soft blankets, watching the flakes fly -- this is what makes winter worthwhile!!

Morning Meditation

Evening Meditation

 The sea...it calls to me!
          
 (Even the sand and rocks and seaweed won't shut up!)

Salty Dog

Arlo on vacation. He made some friends and actually took a swim in the bay. He was truly one fishy, smelly, salty dog.

How I Spent Some of My Summer Vacation

Cape Cod - What a great change of pace. The air smells great, the sky is huge, and there's water everywhere.

The local beach by our cottage -- calm, quiet, peaceful. When the tide went out, you could walk forever out into the water up to your ankles. Lots of critters and fish, too.

Provincetown is such a cool, funky place. Lots of color, colorful characters, and a beautiful harbor. It's a very dog-friendly town too, so Arlo got to go with us on our harbor cruise. He's now a "salty" dog.

There's nothing more fun than cruising Martha's Vineyard in an open air Jeep. We covered the whole island and were totally windblown by the time we were finished.

Sadly, the sun had to set on our time on the cape. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Full Bloom

One of the best perks of summer: flowers blooming everywhere!

Stop and smell a few...

A daisy perhaps?

Butterflies love this one...

Ahoy, Summer!

At last - summer has officially begun! A colorful ship on the Hudson River signals the beginning of the season's possibilities. This was an unusual sight off the Piermont Pier -- but a welcome one.

Great Show for Dog Lovers

If you love dogs (and who - really - doesn't?), there's a show on the National Geographic Channel that you should definitely check out: DogTown.

Part of an immense animal rescue compound in southern Utah, the professionals and volunteers of DogTown give dogs of all makes and models a second chance at life. Each week follows 2 to 3 cases that will literally have you tearing up at both the circumstances in which these animals are found, and the remarkable efforts to heal and rehabilitate them for adoption to loving homes. It's one cool place.

It airs Friday evenings at 10pm (here in the East, anyway). Check it out.

Rain, Rain...

GO AWAY! I've lost count of how many consecutive days it's been raining here in the great Northeast, but it's too damn many!! Tomorrow is supposedly the first day of summer, but you wouldn't know it from the constant hammering on the roof of raindrops. Sun -- what sun? It briefly appeared yesterday, only to be quickly overpowered by more great grey clouds.

Ironically, Seattle has had a run of wonderfully sunny weather.

The Crazies Are in Bloom

Two days ago, an irate parent walked into my daughter's middle school with a gun (it wasn't loaded, but nobody knew that until the situation was resolved), and proceeded to lock himself and the school superintendent in the super's office. He threatened the man, who calmly talked to him until he had a chance to knock the gun away and wrestle the man to the floor. Police outside the office then shot the hinges off the door and entered. No one was hurt.

What the hell? From news reports, the man was upset over a standard letter sent home regarding the "swine" flu in the school. He had spoken to the superintendent earlier that morning over the phone, and apparently felt he had to convey his displeasure personally. He was a former New York City police officer who had a son in the middle school who was home sick. Whether it was the H1N1 flu, or whatever, is still unknown.

The school went into lockdown. Police were all over. The SWAT team was called in. My daughter said they were in the computer lab when the school siren went off, lights began to flash and the PA system announced they were in a "code red lockdown". The teacher locked the doors, turned out the lights, and everyone had to go to the section of the room away from the door. Many hid under their desks for several hours. No one really knew what was going on. They could see police outside, and at one point the ambulance carried somebody away on a stretcher. After three hours and a thorough search of the school, an "all clear" was issued.

What the hell? What are people thinking? This is a small town outside of New York. It could be a small town

anywhere. To go into a school with 6th, 7th and 8th graders - with a gun - to threaten a school official over a matter not handled to your satisfaction --- What did he think he was going to accomplish? I don't know the man. I don't know his family. I feel sorry for his son who will have to go back to school and face everyone.

Thank God no one was hurt. Just a lot of scared kids. (And parents) Our community owes a debt of gratitude to our brave and quick-thinking superintendent, Dr. Ken Mitchell.

Summer's in the Air

At last - spring is beginning to give way to summer. Flowers galore, everywhere you look. Green grass, green trees, happy birds, busy bees. Perfect.

This is the best part of summer to me: warm days, cool nights. Before the high humidity and sweltering, oven-like days take over - when you gasp at the furnace blast as you first step out of your house in the morning. Right now, everything's mellow. Everything's cool. Nothing has been scorched yet.

The beginning of summer always seems so full of possibilities. Wonderful adventures to be had.

Does summer make everyone feel at least a little like they did when they were kids?

Spring Resolutions

As of about a week ago, Spring has been officially declared, and while there are still those cold, frosty mornings at the bus stop, the signs are there.  The days are, of course, getting longer.  The mild breezes blowing through are getting stronger.  The skies seem bluer and clearer, the clouds lighter and purer.    Birds are louder.  Kids are crazier.   The dog is preparing to shed copious amounts of hair in all corners of the house.  The crocus are up, and the early green beginnings of flowers-to-come are poking out of the earth in unexpected places.  Soon, with a little more rain and some sunny days, the forsythia will suddenly burst out in color and then Spring will be officially on.

As every year at this time I always make a list of things I want to accomplish this spring.  My motivating factor is the fact that everything outside seems to be renewing, regrowing, freshening up, starting over.  I need to do some of this in my life.  Sometimes I get things done.  Sometimes I don't.   

 I love this transformational time of year.  

Winter Blahs

That dreaded time of year.  Holidays are long gone.  Nothing exciting to look forward to.  Days are cold, gray and far too short.   

I'm wishing for a good old-fashioned blizzard to sweep in from the north and pile up some good, clean snow!   (Snow makes everything  better.)   Maybe this year it will happen...

Winter Wish

Because last year was such a dud, PLEASE let this winter bring lots and lots of SNOW!!

Yes!

He won!!   I will treasure my now threadbare Obama t-shirts forever...

Go Ahead, Pick Some Apples

 New York in the Fall produces some of the best apples you'll get all year.  Sure, the ones in the grocery are good, but there's nothing like a fresh-picked Macoun, or Red Delicious, or Macintosh, or any of the seemingly endless variations of the doctor-defying fruit that are ripening as I write.

It's fun to raid the orchards, and gather your own produce.  We usually pick way too much, and end up with a refrigerator full of fruit.  Oh well - sauce, pie, out-of-hand - whatever.

Oh, and while you're busy choosing which apples to pick, don't forget to choose your presidential candidate!  Time's running out!  

It's That Time of Year

Fall is perhaps my favorite season.  Things slow down, cool off -- everyone prepares to hunker down for the winter.  It's like preparing to hibernate, in a way.  Get out those down comforters and warm socks.  

Yes, it's fun to toss those leaves, but the most important thing we all have to do this fall is VOTE!   Don't toss away your chance to make a difference!!

The Old Ballpark

           It's the final season for old Yankee Stadium,  a place that's filled with a sense of baseball history, and populated by fans of all makes and models.  Many New Yorkers seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Yankees.  And who can blame them?  I can't believe they're going to tear it down -- I guess nothing is sacred.

  The new stadium has that look of yesteryear on the outside, but will it have "heart" on the inside?

Turning the Corner

Yes, we're turning the corner on summer -- August is underway and there's that feeling that all too soon, these gloriously long, lazy days will gradually  come to an end.  In the same way we notice the lengthening of daylight in spring with happy anticipation, now we realize that nightfall is creeping up ever earlier with sad resignation.   Oh summer, please don't go yet!

It's Happening Again

I was never a particularly political person until the 2000 election.  That year, because Clinton was out and two new candidates were running, I started to read and pay attention to their experience and qualifications. Neither Bush nor Gore really thrilled me,  but Gore's experience and knowledge tipped me in his favor.  It really seemed like a  no-brainer. 

Surprise - the 2000 election gave us George Bush.  Those days and weeks of counting chads were unbearable.  What the hell was going on?  But in the end, Bush won.   It was devastating to me.  Who voted for this guy?  How could you possibly?  Cut to 2004.  Here's John Kerry, war hero, senator, experience. Looking at Bush's 4 years, to me the choice was obvious.   Alas, no - Bush again!  Was there something about politics I was missing?  

Now it's 2008 - two more fresh candidates, each with his own unique background.  Which to choose?  In 2000 I remember considering McCain - he seemed to be OK.  Not today.  No  more Republicans, thank you.  I'm not thrilled with how they've governed the last 8 years...not happy with the way things are now in this country...and I hate the way they campaign.  To me - yet again - it seems like a total no-brainer: Obama.  I like him.  I like his positions.  He's smart, a hard worker, not afraid to reach out to others.  He can actually string words together to form coherent thoughts and ideas (a trait which is currently being used against him).  He has a position paper on developing support systems for people with autism, a cause  very near and dear to my heart.  I think he'd do a good job.  So he'll get my vote.  And if this country again falls for another character assassination campaign, and votes for the guy they'd like to BBQ with, then we'll have to deal with more of what we've already been served.  No thanks.  I'll take the BLUE plate special, please! 

Random Shots from Tallman State Park

Looking across the Hudson River

Think Cool Thoughts

Ah - the joy of air-conditioning.  You never really appreciate it until you don't have it.  We did not have it this weekend when temps were 90 and above, and the humidity was swimmable.  It was pretty bad.  Fortunately the basement was comfortable, and we threw in a small window unit in a bedroom, so we were able to sleep.  But the rest of the house was a blast furnace.  I think I lost about 3 pounds in sweat, however, so there was an upside to the situation.

  How people used to live without this wonderful modern convenience is beyond me.  It was figuratively and literally hell!

Dog Days of Summer

What's a dog to do in the sweltering heat of July?

Shed, baby, shed!!

Water as Art

As part of an unusual art exhibit around Manhattan, there are (I think) four waterfalls set up that take you by surprise when you stumble upon them, as this one did.    

This is the Brooklyn Bridge, with a twist, I guess.  Just snapped it going by in the car.  The water cascades into a special sunken trough of some kind and is recycled up into the water tower, to prevent disruption of aquatic life (!) in the East River.  

The exhibits are set to run through the summer.  

Now Don't Take This Seriously

When I started this blog I had all sorts of ideas for things I wanted to talk about:  Autism, and how it's affected my life and my family; how I came lately to politics, and that whole unfathomable scene - I'm still trying to figure it all out, and it's a losing battle, my friends; my wonderful turn with breast cancer and how THAT'S changed things right around in many ways.  Serious stuff.  But I find I'm not feeling too serious right now.  It's the time of year, I think.  Who wants to be serious in summer?  

Relax.  Enjoy.  Breathe In.  Breathe Out.  Let the Machine Get It.  

We Gave Our Regards To Broadway

For the big finale on our week-long family "staycation", we went to see  Young Frankenstein on Broadway.  It was a fantastic show -- two thumbs up all around.  The original stars were still in it, which is always a plus, and because it was the July 4th weekend,  Jeff was able to score some most excellent seats - balcony box seats!!   We felt so cool.  We also cruised Times Square, which is Zac's most favorite place on the planet, I think.  All those bright lights, giant video screens and miles of neon.  And don't forget the thousands upon thousands of people!!

No pictures...just wanted to enjoy the evening without snapping away.  

More Coney

You can't leave Coney Island without stopping for a dog at Nathan's Famous.  The best hot dogs around.  

Coney Island

                                                                                                          
The next stop on our week-long "stay-cation" was Coney Island.  It kind of feels like The Land That Time Forgot:   a real honest-to-goodness boardwalk,  vintage, old-fashioned stalls and signs,  rides that look alarmingly antique, and all the great smells of a seaside amusement park.  

Our first stop: the infamous Cyclone!  One of the oldest, scariest, and most famous wooden roller coasters around.  (Strangely enough, and for whatever lost reason, my better half and myself rode this coaster the day after we were married.  Symbolic?  Prophetic?  We're not sure.)  It took Zoe a couple of hours to work up the courage to take a ride.  She was terrified and thrilled at the same time.

A beautiful view of the beach from the very tippy-top of the Wonder Wheel!  Yikes!!

Oddly enough, as we were getting on, we noticed one car go by that had a dog sleeping on it, all by himself.  Only in New York.  

The boardwalk is very pretty, right there beside the ocean.  There's a definite old-fashioned feeling.  It must have been great at the height of its popularity.  Although it has gone downhill some, it's been cleaned up quite a bit from earlier treks we've taken.  As we went during the week,  there were no crowds, which was wonderful.

                                                                                                             

No Photos, Please!

A few photos from the museum, before we were told photography wasn't allowed.

 Remember transistor radios?  I used to have one!  

  Yeah, a lot of artifacts here. 

 Concert ticket stubs, posters, old letters, anti-war buttons,  album covers.

Leftover scraps of hippy-dippy heaven.  

Peace!

Woodstock

The road trip ended in Bethel, NY - site of the Woodstock Festival.  This is country up here.  Max Yasgur's field is still there, along with a monument that commemorates the festivities that took place on these most hallowed of rock and roll grounds.

There is also a beautiful music venue and museum.  The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts  is a wonderful open-air setting for all kinds of musical performers, as well as having a funky museum that takes you back to the good old days.  It was great.  There are interactive exhibits, all sorts of video presentations, memorabilia,  everything to kind of "wash" you in the way of life in 1969.  You could spend a lot of time there.  The best was a psychedelic bus that had footage projected on the windshield as you sat inside the bus, showing how everyone traveled to the concert.  

Zac is a big fan of sixties music, so he was loving it. He was into all the old album covers.   And I can proudly report that Zoe was totally blown away by Jimi Hendrix' rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.  That's my girl!