Hot Dog, Cool Pad

LIAM ON COOL PAD ON HIS WINDOW PERCH

It is a New York summer day and we are sitting in the living room. I am just back from morning activities. Liam is hot. No barking. Circle walk and a plop down. His way on a steamy day. I am sipping a steaming latte and thinking bad choice. It is my daily Starbucks drink and how I am known. My phone nearby is talking with its different sounds. Glancing over I see a tweet about our friend Doob and his cool pad. Doob lives in Maryland and his pet parents run a force free dog training/sitting/supply business.  Here is their link  http://www.dogkingdompetsupply.com/xcart/About-us.html
and below is their email ad. See lower left for pic of the cool pet pad with Doob on it. Not modeling for the ad, using it for real!

That this tweet came up at this moment seems to be a sign that now is the time to secure an energy conserving product to cool off the hot Liam dog. Liam does not like water, will run from the hose, would not consider a swim, or dip a paw in a blowup kiddie pool. Liam has an aversion to being wet. He likes an air conditioned house and has claimed a place on the floor. A spot beneath the A/C where he soaks up the cool air shooting over him.
I love the water. I should have a kiddie pool...and I do not like air conditioning. I often sit wrapped in a shawl while the A/C rumbles and blows its fake frigid wind at us; Liam at my feet content with the noise and the temp. We need a compromise.

Within minutes I am on the Dog Kingdom website, registered, and have placed the magical blue pad in my online cart. How in the world does it work? The heat of the body causes it to chill. It does truly sound like magic. We buy. We wait. Quick efficient sale and delivery. The cool pet pad arrives within the week. I lean on it while I read the instructions and feel my elbows getting cold. What! Is it that simple?  Have I caused the cool pad to come to life? Yes!!!!

COOL PET PAD

There is no refrigeration, no filling with water or freezing it, no plugging in...the gel within offers a dry cooling effect. It is activated by weight or pressure. Then it will stay cool for a few hours. To get it going again you just shift position. Or put it aside.
...billed as a revolutionary self-cooling cushion...safe and non-toxic, wipes cleans...ah, heavenly

A COOL HOT DOG

SLIPPED UNDER A SLEEPING LIAM

COOL PAD WAITING

I slip it under Liam while he is resting. 
He will not choose it.
I let him rest on it. No air conditioning.  A cool dog. Happy dog mom.
Later
I lay it on his favorite spot and think what a good parent I am to have added this amenity to Liam's life.

Later I return to find him up on the couch with his pillow and Kong bone. 
The dormant cool pad waits below. Wanting to join in and come alive.



I sprinkle some kibble on it thinking the smells of duck, turkey and salmon will entice Liam to the pad. It does briefly but he only sees it as a tray for food and
backs off once the kibble is gone.
Thinking...

Okay...with a little give and take

we have a routine now that works for us.


Liam uses cool pad when it is placed under or near him. I use it while sitting on the couch. No A/C for me!  We share it.

MAYBE MOM WANTS THE COOL PAD

It is now the cool pet and cool parent pad...no "pet only" designation here...human, canine; if you need it, take it. A bargain for the entire family. Totally "green" environmentally correct...yay
I love this product

Woof, Woof

Wiener or Winter

LIAM IS LISTENING

I have read her book twice. And she is at the Hillside library. An author visit; the announcement states.

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR KATHERINE'S PROGRAM

Nice way of phrasing... As it is a talk. Exchange of info, not a lecture or a class... I don't know if you are able to read the blurb on the announcement, if not, you may click to make it larger.  Here is a link to give you some more info. Katherine writes a blog. the first entry speaks of her visit to our library. http://www.katherinebouton.com/
Unlike Katherine I did not know I had a hearing loss. I misheard. Answered what I thought was said. And my mishears were famously funny. Here is one
"Carol, come over and see my wiener display" is what I hear from the cubicle to my right. My coworker is saying this and I try to process this unusual invite. I answer "I am not looking at any wieners and if I do I will have to write us all up"  "Aw come on Carol, be a sport" cajoling from our cubical circle. I decide to give it a view and announce "Okay, but we are all in trouble"  I travel the 5 feet next door and see a very quaint sweet winter wonderland display has been created. A decorated tabletop illustrating a winter lake with ice skaters snow, music and seasonally appropriate miniatures.  Oh wow! Winter display, not wiener. Yikes. Maybe there was a wiener dog in it.

WEDGED WIENER DOG

In April 2013 I wrote about another mishear; you may remember the Dog is Dead blog story. What Paul had said was "the dog is fed" I heard "the dog is dead"

NOT DEAD, RESTING ON HILLARY'S HEAD

Here is the link for a quick refresher. I refer to Katherine, her book and my ENT visit.  http://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/hearing%20not
I have since received new hearing aids. These are state of the art. I admit to people that I wear hearing aids. I show them upon request. Hearing aids now come in many colors. They can be like a fashion accessory. If my ears were visible I would have picked lime green. The audiologist suggests a two tone color to match my hair. Guess that would be the brown lowlights and blond highlights. They are not visible when worn.  See pic

MY BLOND AND BROWN HEARING AIDS

The two tone color piece goes over the ear and the rubber inserts go in...red for right...blue left. The plastic loop goes in front of the ear, anchoring both parts.. They speak to me when they are in...so cool..."right ready" and "left ready" I am grateful for whatever technology can do. No hiding this problem. My best pair yet in the ten years of wear. No hiding from the world.

Not going to be Ruth. My mother had to quit her job. In retirement, people ignored her. Turned their backs at lunch, at dinner...Why? In conversation folks want a flow, they want to keep it going. It takes work to communicate and involve a person with hearing difficulties. However, those of us with hearing loss need your face. We use your expressions and your lips and your body language and context of your words to figure out what is being said. Don't whisper in my ear. Don't shout...I sound Ruthless. Have to be persistent. Helen Keller famously shared that her loss of hearing was the sense she missed most. Silence. As the world moves on in pantomime.


My known enthusiasm and serendipitously timed arrival at the talk snag me an interview pre-talk and after. I tell the reporter the reason for my hearing loss-it is hereditary; I add in its unexpected diagnosis at an ENT appt for a sore throat. I tell of the mishears, the missed stories. The lost conversations.

Katherine signs her book and hands it to me and now I have my own copy.

LIAM, ZOEY THE ZEBRA AND MY BOOK

The reporter/interviewer tells me that my interview will be in the newspaper. Pictures are taken. That was one month ago. I thought I heard "You will be in the newspaper" Wonder what else might have been said.  Or maybe I am being saved for a magazine, or a book. Has anyone seen me?
Anyway. Please be kind to those who say "what" we really want to hear. And if we seem to have misheard don't give up...remember the wiener/winter. Liam does not give up. He keeps on barking.

DO YOU HEAR ME?

Woof. Woof
What, What?

Reiki Ready

READY FOR REIKI

Liam has adapted to our yoga poses and places...all over the house and outside. Many of the poses are from animals and Liam knows his downward and upward dogs.

He knows rest. And he knows emptying the mind...Except for those pesky squirrel/rabbit dreams.

RESTING LIAM

I attended a session of Reiki (Ray, key) included that in case you may want to say it out loud. See link for explanations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki

Reiki is a practice where life force energy from the universe is transferred to the person by a Reiki practitioner. For healing mind and body.


It is not exercise, not movement so Liam had to accept that. It seems it must be done by a master. Most do not Reiki alone.You do it by being trained or have it done to you. Hand positions to administer the Reiki energy to you. Sound wild? Well I am open to trying it. And that is the point I guess. I walk in with anxiety, a usual state for me, and leave calm.

WORKING TOGETHER TO TRANSMIT ENERGY

It is not yoga.  

It is not tai chi
It is not a religion.
It is not a medical procedure.

The one free session took place at our library. Our Reiki masters circled the room starting from a central point and spent time with hovered hands over each of us. No touching permitted in our library session. They continued around until they met and repeated. The energy in the room began to heat up and in the end my angst went up in smoke. For that day.

At home, Liam is in the mode to allow energy to flow through him. Adaptable dog. Trusting and open. I share my Reiki with him.

LIAM IN REIKI MODE

Liam is Reiki ready.

Woof, Woof

DogGone

NO MORE SITTING AROUND

We have always sat together outside. First Liam facing me in the single person chair then next to me on the couch...

now this outdoor season, a change!

No chair-mate at least not a consistently sitting one... 

Liam sits briefly for a bird listen and to scope out their activities. The bird concert/cacophony is music for this bird dog and a new auditory sensation for me with my upgraded hearing aids...I might have dog level hearing now...And understand Liam's ear twitches...mine are twitching also

See You Tube for a look and listen

A couple of sits here and there this spring

MOM, I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU NOW

LIAM IS GONE

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doggone
Gone Dog

BYE MOM, I'M GOIN' IN

Woof, Woof 

Sabbatical in the Seventh

A SABBATICAL IN THE SEVENTH YEAR

A new schedule. Time to explore other opportunities. A sabbatical of sorts... and what does that mean?  Different meanings over the ages see wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbatical
Modern times often working on projects to enhance portfolios. To try a lifelong dream...The word sabbatical has some meanings that possibly Liam interpreted in a unique way or a way suited to his life style. Home dog.

LATTE LICKS AND KONG BONE

Teachers often make the most of this time off...they write, travel, they read, they paint, they play music...they achieve a goal.

Liam has had his blogging time halved. And he got into the sabbatical with a passion. Exploring new positions, as well as directions. New perspectives. He feels his blogging will be enhanced.

Back in the biblical days it meant cease working the fields in the seventh year...a time of rest...of non-pursuit.
Liam may be embodying that commandment.

We are in our seventh year of writing LiamLicks

seventh year of retirement for me 

seventh year of Liam living in New Hyde Park.

SEVENTH YEAR

and in the seventh year Liam is enjoying a dream, sniffing the air...resting, watching the outdoor life. 

SABBATICAL BIRD DOG

 Woof, Woof

Revlon Run/Walk For Women

THIS YEAR'S HAT

We did it.
http://do.eifoundation.org/site/PageNavigator/2014_runwalk_splash.html
They close Times Square for this walk...only one other time does this happen...New Year's Eve.

                                                          And our team is almost 50 strong

AT THE START

We're Half Way There... Thanks Bon Jovi for that line and to Lori Phair, our Captain, for choosing it

The day before the race I received our shirts from our Captain tissued in a perfect pink bag, and a mail in donation from a dear artist friend enclosed in a card of her own design. The violets in rear represent another supporter.

A REVLON RUN/WALK STILL LIFE

OUR GEAR AND MEDAL

LIAM WEARING EIFRRW MEDAL

Thanks all for your help. See Lori's page http://do.eifoundation.org/site/TR/RevlonRunWalk/NYRRW?px=1053822&pg=personal&fr_id=1150

on Twitter that's a screenshot below thanks to my BFF for teaching me this trick, read bottom up

TWEETS ABOVE

CROSSING THE FINISH
the bibs, ribbons, shirts and all say

WALK

TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF THE

 WOMEN

WHO HAVE CHANGED YOURS

LIAM AGREES

Woof, Woof