The Art of Walking the Dog

I recently purchased a book titled Enlightened Dog Training. Now, Kona does not need any dog training, believe me she's had plenty in her service dog training but I had heard a radio interview with the author who spoke about "the secret language of dogs" and how to interpret them, which interested me.

I'm reading this book, realizing I indeed have misinterpreted some of Kona's "language" from time to time. Such as when she stares at me, I used to make eye contact with her: wrong thing to do. One should actually look into her eyes briefly, then look away. This is a calming technique and a reminder that you are the "alpha" not vice versa. Also a dog blinking means they want you to calm down. Hmm... interesting. A yawning dog is trying to communicate the same thing: i.e. "calm down." And you can do these cues to calm a dog down. Blink.Yawn. Stare, then look away. (Worked perfectly at church today when Kona was getting antsy.)

But back to walking. A whole chapter is dedicated to "Mindful Leash Walking". Kona is really good on a leash, but "mindful dog walking" is a whole different thing. It's sort of a meditation while walking, instead of the usual sort of "let's get this over with and on with our day" kind of dog walk. This is a peaceful way to start the day. 

I do walk Kona in the mornings. It's pretty much the first thing I do after feeding Kona and Ripley and washing down a few cups of coffee watching the morning news. These past few weeks, I've been practicing "mindful" walking. Part of which involves holding the leash very lightly, keeping a "u" shape hanging between Kona and me, and deep breathing: 1-2-3-4-5 inhale, 1-2-3-4-5 hold, 1-2-3-4-5 exhale.

And being "mindful" i.e. walking without thinking of all the things I need to do that day. Walking without thinking of anything except this very moment, this tree we are passing, this flower, this flock of birds, these steps. Pushing away any other fleeting thought that doesn't involve this very moment. Walking slowly, imagining the vibration of all the nature surrounding us, flowing from the ground, through my feet, through my body, up the chakras enveloping Kona and I in a bubble of white vibration and being totally in the moment. This street. This rock. This squirrel. This sky. This moment in time which can never be repeated again and will be lost forever.

You can't believe the calming effect this has had on me -- and Kona too. I find we are suddenly synchronized in our steps as if we have become one (dog and woman). I find that squirrels and birds instead of fleeing our paths, stop and regard us calmly. I can't believe the flash of joy a breeze brings. And how beautiful this planet really is. We walk about 2.5 miles every morning. It takes a little longer (mindful walking) than "regular walking" used to, but it's much more relaxing and I feel a tremendous peace when we return home.

I never imagined I could love Kona any more than I always have, but find myself more bonded to her than ever before.... It is truly amazing.

The other day I found this painted rock on our walk and couldn't help but think it was meant for me.

 

What a Difference a Mile Makes

Back in the old neighborhood, if there were sirens, street blockages and people gathering on the street it meant a crime had been committed or a SWAT drug raid was taking place.

It's a different world here, not even a mile away. The activity and sirens and street blockage today was caused by the filming of a television commercial on our block. 

Of course, I had to investigate, taking Kona on a nonchalant espionage stroll...

My co-conspirator (being nonchalant)

The street line with cars and limos

At the corner....

Setting up...

Unfortunately the commercial is for the local gas company. Was hoping to see some movie stars.... oh well.

Certainly isn't our old neighborhood!

Been A Buzzy New Year

And that's not a typo. This post is long over due. Sorry!

The year started out with a broken pool heater. As the pool tech was working on the heater, he leaned over and had the classic "plumbers crack". X-rated. And of course, I didn't want to stare... so I stood far away and as he was working I noticed some insects flying around the roof. On closer inspection (well, as close as I could from the ground) they looked like wasps or bees. I later asked my lawn guy what he thought they were, as he's much taller than me and he said they looked like honey bees to him.

So after the heater was repaired, I called a bee man. Someone who could remove the hive and relocate the bees (if they were honey bees). This was week one of the new year (that I called the bee man) and he showed up in full regalia bee-gear the next week.

Bee Man looking for hive.

After drilling holes and putting a camera on a scope into the roof eave he found the location. It was indeed honey bees and they had quite a comb established. He had to saw off part of roof eave to get to it. All the while I'm a nervous wreck, i.e. can he save the bees? will they swarm? (he warned me to stand back) How am going to fix the roof eave? 

This is what he found!

Bee Hive (Honey Comb)

He then brought a large rubber container and scooped the comb and bees out:

Catching bees!

Once he got the majority of them including the Queen Bee, he had to scoop out any remaining comb and spray a preventative chemical to keep the "straggler" bees from returning. My house was dripping with honey....

Home Sweet Home
Literally, that's honey dripping down the house.

The bees were relocated to "the Green Swamp" a place where the bee man and his father keep their bee hives.... So the honey bees were saved, except for a few stragglers who stung the heck out of the poor guy when he was tidying up! He also was able to replace the boards he sawed off and even repainted them, so alls well that ends well...

Then when I went to download the photos for this post, my camera died. Couldn't retrieve a thing! All 3000 pictures gone! Pictures going back to Bob and Boomer etc. I was heartbroken, though as you can see, I finally retrieved them. Took days... Still working on retrieving the others.

Meanwhile, the ice maker broke down and while waiting for a new ice maker, I went into the guest house to find ice cube trays and opened a cupboard and found A SNAKE!  EEK! I tell you, I was outta there fast!

Thus started the "snake man" saga... an "animal eviction service". So this past week, while retrieving photos and dealing with The Snake Man and The Ice Man... I've barely had time to work on anything....

So today, the ice maker is back in service. The guest house is set with traps and all holes that could allow critters in have been sealed. Pool heater working. Bees gone to a new home. And I will be retrieving more photos today (and probably tomorrow and the next day etc...) 

That's all, folks!

Happy Birthday, Bob!

January 16, 1959 - May 28, 2015

                                       Loved so much
                                       Gone too soon

Christmas Eve at The Pink House

 First time I've decorated for Christmas since Bob's death....

Why does my mom do this to me?

I believe someone is following me... how humiliating

And the neighborhood goes bonkers as usual... 
View from the front porch

Across the Street

Luminaries lining the sidewalks

Guard Dog on Duty

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM DIANE, KONA & RIPLEY

Love Letters

 I was looking for Christmas wrapping paper as our church is taking up a collection of toys to distribute to homeless families and wanted gifts wrapped... I bought a couple of toys and for the life of me could not find any wrapping paper -- knew I had some! But after exhausting every closet, box, drawer and coming up empty handed, I thought, maybe there's some in that old steamer trunk.

I have an 1880's steamer trunk in the hallway which has the name of my great-great grandfather stenciled on the side which was brought over from Germany. It's a big trunk and full of stuff, so I open it up and start digging through it looking for wrapping paper.

There I am, sitting on the floor in the hallway, surrounded by piles of doilies and embroidered pillow cases, antique paisley shawls (from the 1860's) and other assorted sundry stuff and I keep digging through until I come near the bottom and there is a stack of folded papers...

Love letters. From Bob. 

They are not dated, but I can tell were written in 1994 before we were married... and I had totally forgotten about them.

So there I am, sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading old love letters for nearly an hour. My foot falls asleep and my legs are getting cramped, but I can't move. Crying and laughing, feeling like the luckiest and unluckiest woman in the world... reading things like:

I feel so much love for you that it's so hard to put into words. I've never felt this way before and have nothing to compare it to...

We're so lucky that we found each other. It's taken a lifetime of pain for the both of us to get to this point in life and we have to make sure that we stay together. I can't wait for the day when we are married...

After you left for work today, I sat and looked at your photograph for half an hour. You are so beautiful. In my eyes I have never seen someone as beautiful as you. Everyday I feel so fortunate to be with you and hope that you will always love me as much as I love you...

When you asked me to marry you I was very surprised. I Accept! Yes, You Bet! Uh-huh, Oh Boy! Golly Whiz Gee, Yah Sure You Betcha, Forever Love! I feel you will be the most beautiful bride and I can't wait to see the look in our eyes when we say we do and commit forever...

And this:

I do promise you this:

    1. Saturday's are sacred.

    2. I will always love only you.

    3. I will always be totally faithful.

    4. I will never hurt you.

    5. I will never leave you.

    6. I'll be just crazy enough to hold your interest.

    7. I'll take a bath at least once a year whether I need it or not.

    8. I won't become a religious, conservative republican, animal hater, anti-choice chauvinist male pig, abusive jerk, modern furniture lover, anti-feminist Bambi killer that likes to tear down historic buildings to put up parking lots.

He can still make me laugh even after all these years and from beyond the grave. Best Christmas gift ever.

I love you too, forever my darling, Bob.

Still not sure if I'm the luckiest or unluckiest...

Never did find that damn wrapping paper!