Northport via Northern Parkway

Send in The Clowns-Stephen Sondheim

Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me at last on the ground
You in mid-air.
Send in the Clowns

Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around
one who can't move.


Our third annual Ladies lunch at the Northport Spa-like home of a friend took place this Tuesday. September means cooler weather, no swimming (thank goodness) and traveling in a new car, Ford Focus Sawyer. Liam always part of the group, the only male member. I packed as if we were going on a long trip but in a sense we were- any trip on Long Island can be as short or long as the conditions are on that day-traffic, accidents, road work, storms, tornadoes-anything goes now. Liam waits for trip to begin
There are 3 of us in the front seat, Me-the driver, Liam, balancing on the console, front feet on the lid, back legs on the back seat and my friend in the front passenger seat. I soon realized this might not be pleasant for my friend as Liam's licks and kisses are unpredictable. Could be just a brief tongue flurry at the outset or an intermittent display of deference and respect throughout the drive. I have never had a passenger with Liam so I had no history to guide me. I had what I though to be quite the clever idea, I put up the lid to the console, thereby blocking Liam's paw rest and forcing him to be a backseat passenger. see next two pix front view-my view and from back seat-Liam's view Was working fine for a bit until Liam took a leap of faith. Well Leaping Liam decided he had had enough in the back seat and leaped over the console lid, ending up sort of in mid air, his head and nose on the controls and back hanging off the console top. The position could not be held, so he completed his maneuver with a final squirm into my lap while I freed his legs from their midair position. Yes, a 35 pound dog in my lap on the Northern Parkway at 60 miles a hour. My dear friend was very calm. And I stated a little obviously "this will not work" Liam is no lap dog, even at home on the couch at zero miles per hour. I have often seen cars on the shoulders of the road and now I was to become one of them. I pulled onto the shoulder-actually Sawyer took a little leap of his own to get up there, pulled the console lid down, got Liam back in his shotgun position, glanced back at the road, found an opening, hit the gas heavily, popped off the shoulder and roared back on the highway. Liam did not lick either of us again.
We arrived in Northport in great time.

The next 6 hours, we had an Oprah-like outdoor luncheon, by the poolvividly colored salads, luscious fruit and veggies, presented and plated like paintings, cheeses, breads, roast beef and my favorite condiment mayo- and a drink popularized by the barefoot Contessa on Food network- California tea-iced tea and lemonade served on an artsy mosaic tray Our host also made sure our table was directly in line with her autumn blooming bush with its sweet, powerful perfumy fragrance gusting to us on the occasional breeze

next pic- bush on the left and Liam strolling by.

Liam chased rabbits
Leaped joyfully, performed his famous triple leap. 3 in a row on one foot-would get a 9.9 at any Olympics.
Spent a lot of time in mid-air, and I have none of those pix.
Only have the Liam lounging after leaping
sitting with us
carefully exploring the pool perimeter
and waiting patiently with his bag while we wrapped it up for a good 45 minutes I'm ready
Will they ever stop saying goodbye?

Going home.

We start out humming along the uncrowded north shore roads, exit to the highway, then to the parkway. And then it all changes within a heartbeat into a New York rush hour drive. Setting sun just peeking below the sun visor for most drivers, forcing eyes shut, impeding progress and slowing traffic to a halt many times. Folks stopping too suddenly and others not getting on the parkway properly add to the adventure.

What my friend and I never mention is "the elephant in the room." Our version though is "the dog in the car."
What we have is Liam panting heavily, right between us, mouth open, short shallow breaths like a woman in labor (at least in the films I've seen) Neither of us mention it. We keep talking.
I know Liam is very upset. But what can we do? We are traffic embedded.

One hour, another half hour, another 15 minutes. Liam is huffing and puffing all the way. We reach the exit, I drop my friend off, the delightful day not affected by the rides either way.

Liam and I arrive home.

What happened?
Does he not like Sawyer?
Was the traffic too upsetting?
Last year we drove home in a semi- tornadic rain storm with huge hail balls, a blackout sky and Liam hid on the floor, as the lightening struck all around us and cars careened in all directions.

The year before he was just puppy and slept in the back.

Now he is a big boy and will not be shut out of anything. But growing up opens up scary things.

My solution- More rabbit chasing and mid-air leaping at our gathering to tire him out.
Some more rides in Sawyer to reduce the newness and accelerate the acclimation process to my new car.
Maybe some music while we ride.

Any ideas readers?

Liam is listening

woof, woof