The Ring

LIAM WEARS MY LEGACY AS AN EAR-RING

I had some surprising news. My friend, Barb, who passed away unexpectedly Dec 1st, left me her birthstone ring in her will. 
I was notified August 1 
Start of our birthday month!. 
And serendipity! Just in time for my birthday.

Received a document from her estate to be notarized 

If you look under "a"

You will see birthstone ring

We shared the same August birthstone- the green semiprecious peridot 


know anything about The peridot?
A friend sent this along
surely enhanced its preciousness for me
Traces of peridot are found in volcanic ash and Hawaiians believe they are the tears of the volcano goddess, Pele...
tears of a goddess!
see rest of story in the photo following

PERIDOT HAWAIIAN LEGEND

Despite such whimsical stories
Barb still hated the peridot.
In fact it may have brought her to volcanic
tears.

I love it

Was a running joke for years that had her mother waited another half hour she could have had the precious sapphire 

Her bday is 8/31...she was born 11:30 pm
So close

On Thursday  August 2, the day after receiving the notification, I sent off the notarized document. By doing what was legally required I trusted I had to set the ring on its journey to me. 
Would it have a chance to reach me before my birthday on Thursday August 9th?
YES
My inheritance arrived August 7th 
My dear friend Barb made it happen
This birthday would have been my first birthday without Barb. 
But it is not

I have her birthstone ring
she is here
we celebrated our birthdays jointly each year.
This year I will again and wear her ring and toast to an unforgettable friendship

Below see the ring in three views.

I am astounded. It is from Cartier.
Rubies on the side.
Very Large
Cannot be sized
Will wear on a chain.

It is kinda a chameleon
Changes colors
I am pleased and touched she left me her ring. 
I have something personal.

PAW RING

Liam wanted to pose.

It is his blog

Liam models the ring

look close 

you will see 
the peridot popping 
up on his
right foot

He tried to display it on his paw
as a bracelet




Woof, Woof

Fine Wine Art

I love wine
I love art
I love social media
these interests dovetailed to bring me to Leanne
and then follow her
on Twitter
on IG
on FB
Leanne paints pictures of wine for clients
and will put you in it with your wine. Or only your wine.
or several wines with women
her link
http://leannelainefineart.com/


I am on the left toasting my first
Leanne Wine Art Painting

And Liam enjoying sitting beneath it

Liam permitted me to have my photo first this one time. Usually his photo opens the LiamLicks blog story. A birthday allowance for his Mom.

Continue below his photo for the story

here is Leanne's Twitter page
there you can see all her URLs

and I might say we are now friends...and that she and I retweet each other. In the Social media world this is a sign of support and mutual respect. I have friends from Social Media. It is possible

I bought my first LeanneLaineWineArt for my birthday.
it is entitled Rich Summer Plum
and its story follows

and here it is on our wall...no frame...that is our cranberry wall color

RICH SUMMER PLUM

Liam had been advocating for a wine art painting. One of his fave relaxing places is the love seat. The unadorned wall above had a haunting emptiness. Here is Liam sitting and wishing for a wine art painting.

SPACE ABOVE LIAM NEEDS A PAINTING

and now we have it filled.
see below

Paul and Liam switch seats at times. Liam likes looking from a different vantage point.

the family loves it
Thank You Leanne
Woof, Woof

Let them Sniff

THE SNIFFER

I thought I was a too lenient dog parent on the walk. I had read that sniffing is a reward and should not be given too often. The pet walker must be in control... so the yanking from the trees, the poles, the hydrants was a constant. A struggle. For 10 years.
In addition, Liam often directed which route we would walk. And I would attempt to change it to the way I wanted to go. He is exceptionally strong and willful. My arms often felt as if they would pop out of my shoulder sockets...at times I was all twisted up in the leash.
And then a few weeks ago my dog walking life changed as a result of an article posted on FB by a friend.
Sniffing on the dog walk is to be not only tolerated but welcomed.
SNIFFING IS GOOD
Here is the link
https://iheartdogs.com/why-its-important-to-let-your-dog-sniff-during-walks/


An excerpt
Bolded

A long walk or run seems like the only way to deplete a young dog’s abundance of energy, but physical exercise isn’t the only way to satisfy their needs. If you really want to tire out your dog, you need to enrich both their body and mind at the same time. 

LIAM TREE SNIFFING

Sniffing a particular scent and then interpreting the accompanying information is the canine version of a mental work out. They won’t be running miles or building up muscles, but being mentally engaged is equally important.
Continental Kennel Club says,

“The effort it takes to sort and identify individual elements of an odor requires a lot of work. It’s a little like us trying to solve a tough logic problem—the required mental energy is tiring.”

Getting your dog to exercise their brain will stave off cognitive decline once they reach old age and keep them from chewing up your shoes when they’re young and eager for entertainment. A walk where they’re allowed to sniff until they’re mentally content is the perfect opportunity to address both your dog’s physical and mental needs.

Since I have read this article we are doing the sniffing walk.  There is no pulling by Liam or yanking by me. Liam walks at a reasonable pace. When he turns I turn. I never know what walk he will do. Will he turn into the park? Up Corwin?
Skip Baxter and take Ashland home?  Makes it new for me too. A daily adventure.
When he stops to sniff I do steps in place for my Fitbit. I'm doing my body, he is doing his brain.

ANOTHER SNIFF

We have met new neighbors and new dogs.
Liam and I have bonded.
We are in sync.
An improvement in the quality of my life. Liam is calmer on the walk. I can see his brain working. I am letting him be a dog
As my mother always said
"Liam is his own person."
Liam will be 11 on August 1.
Perhaps, the sniffing walk will make him smarter and delay dementia. Maybe me too.

And an anecdote
When I was a child I suffered consecutive drippy long-lasting colds. I was often at the ENT clinic in NYC. The doctors nicknamed me Carol McSniff. I was not amused. My parents were. I had no defense since all the adults loved it.
I suffered sniffling and McSniffing.
I am now reconciled to the synchronicity in my young life with my old life
Liam is now Liam McSniff-Nikol.

ARE WE GOING OUT SNIFFING MOM?

Woof, Woof

Pets and Vets

I like John Adams. I think of him on July 4th. He died on July 4th.
He and Jefferson died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826
But I have a bit of a grudge against him about July 4th.
and it is not his dying on it or his outliving his frenemy by several hours.
Fireworks
we have them because of him
He wrote about what he would like included in an Independence Day celebration.
See link

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2015/07/02/why-fireworks-on-the-fourth-of-july-john-adams-thats-why
Cannons were mentioned.
Actually I would prefer a cannon because it takes longer to load and the ball is sort of heavy. And not many people are talented cannon loaders.

Why do pets and vets suffer?
Not sure about pets...some primal fear in their DNA. Vets PTSD. Booms are evocative of war.
Here is the story link
http://www.hartfordcitynewstimes.com/news/july-fourth-festivities-may-not-be-so-fun-for-vets/article_8ee2240a-7ec0-11e8-b7db-170160ea864c.html

the fireworks start in New Hyde Park on

July 3rd

on streets south of us

It is done well

Grucci level

if they could make it silent

and only visual

not auditory

all would be fine

and notify us

as to planned time
and place
and duration
we can take anything as long as we know it will end
and please not 2 or 3 in the morning


these are not approved
they are illegal
neighborhood fun
not Macy's

we get out Liam's thundershirt

see it  https://www.caninejournal.com/thunder-jacket-for-dogs/

our weapon to combat the booms

we wrap Liam up and he hides in his paw blanket and my turquoise comfort blanket

And more July 4th.

And July 6th and 7th. They missed the 5th.

We have the thundershirt.

windows shut

AC blasting (which I loathe)  

and we take turns cuddling our shaking boy

With the support of veterans groups the regulation of illegal incessant indiscriminate fireworking is gaining traction. With a higher rate of survival from serious combat injuries, veterans are coming home and living in our neighborhoods and vocalizing their suffering.

Too bad it takes war to try to keep peace with the revelers.

at the end Liam stays down on the floor by Daddy Paul's foot

a safe place

Thanks a lot John Adams

Woof, Woof

Hear, Hear

Liam talking
My Mom has a hearing loss. Her audiologist says it is a unique hearing loss. Mom hears extreme highs and lowest lows. Not the human range of voices. Kinda like me. Often we will hear a noise and both look up. Daddy Paul will ask us what is wrong. Did you hear that?
Only us
Here is the link to our story about Mom's hearing
we enjoyed the refresher, perhaps you will as well

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/hearing%20not

This ENT visit shows the unique loss is stable. This is good.
Mom has been offered the opportunity to upgrade her hearing aids.
This is the new company
Link

https://www.oticon.com/ and more.
but
uh oh
she will hear better
I am the most hearing-est person here.
Will Mom be looking out the doors and windows before me?

Liam's Mom
I am excited

Hearing App

These have an app. I am able to adjust.
Find them.
Listen to TV.
ring doorbells
Have a person talk to me from another room
Turn on the lights.
Get texts in my ears
Tweet

CRAFTING CONNECTIONS

In the first weeks of June...
We have been in the adjustment phase

I have now committed to the next level
And Thursday they will be mine.
My iPhone will join in
kinda like my Fitbit 

I want these to be an improvement.

I always hear if something is said. But do not always get it right. I answer to what I have heard
See the infamous The Dog is Dead.
story
worth a reread
here it is
https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Hearing%20loss

LIAM HEARS DOGS AND PEOPLE COMING UP THE STREET

Will I be joining him at the window?
Or outside?
will I hear too much?
sometimes I do
Liam does

Woof Woof

Beemo, Bye Baby girl

MOM, THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE NEWS

A few months back we did a story about dog meat farms in South Korea which surfaced in public awareness during this year's Winter Olympics held in Pyeongchang. One of our Olympic heroes, Gus Kenworthy and his partner Matt, adopted a dog from a dog meat farm and as a result of their efforts all ninety dogs at the farm were rescued.
Gus had previously rescued some pups from Sochi, the venue of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

A refresher
Here is our blog story from the Winter Olympics 2014
https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Sochi%20strays%20find%20homes

and the most recent story February 2018
https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2018_02_25_archive.html

Matt, Gus and puppy Beemo in South Korea In February.

Beemo arrived in the U.S. in March 2018. She had her own Instagram account and expressed her opinions. Her views and comments were hilarious and she often poked fun at her two dads. Thousands of Instagrammers replied back and offered their support and advice. Beemo had many offers for play dates and romantic dates from interested suitors.
See some IG photos of Beemo and her dads.

BEEMO HAD HER OWN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

We followed Beemopup and her dads Gus and Matt on Instagram. 

A family.

Two weeks ago a post came up. 

RIP Beemo.
 on all their accounts

I kept switching among the three to make sure it was real. It was

My eyes filled with tears.

Beemo was in the US since March....

Beemo died May 24

astonishingly 

unexpectedly

WHERE IS BABY BEEMO?

https://www.today.com/pets/gus-kenworthy-mourns-death-dog-he-rescued-olympics-t129854

'Kenworthy and his boyfriend, Matt Wilkas, were stunned by Beemo's deteriorating condition after taking the dog to a veterinarian when she was not eating her food. The veterinarian discovered that the dog's "heart was too big for her body" due to a birth defect."

Here is what Gus has to say
"It all happened so fast that it's still hard to believe it,'' the skier wrote. "The ER doc told us that even if we'd somehow spotted the issue earlier it wouldn't have made a difference in the end. He said that she'd been living on 'borrowed time' from the get go."

"Beemo was truly the best thing that ever happened to me and I feel so fortunate for our borrowed time together,'' Kenworthy wrote. "I've never loved anything or anyone in the way that I loved that dog and she is and will always be deeply missed."

Instagram Collage

BEEMO'S ACCOUNT, HSIGLOBAL'S POST

Mourning

Liam does not have an IG account. He does show up on mine.

Liam blogs. He has a presence on Social Media and felt a connection to this Internet pup and wanted to watch her grow and bring joy.

No worries Liam

Beemo did bring joy

Bye Beemopup

Woof, Woof

Less of Liam

I KNOW THERE IS A CARAMEL MACCHIATO IN BACK OF ME

In March we wrote a story about Liam and his Lard (er)
a refresher link
https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Larder%20leads%20to%20Lard
Our little fourdogsinone was growing. A friend advised putting him on a diet of fat dog food. We did. We also put away his boneys. And stopped the treats. And latte licks. And pieces of cheese.

At last week's vet visit he was weighed...38 pounds!
Success. A loss of 4 pounds.

MY PARENTS ARE STARVING ME

I do wonder if he is suffering.
Does he grieve for his boney?
His deli turkey slices?
The occasional nibble of Monterrey Jack?
Cheerios?
The collage below illustrates his sustained interest in his own food and in ours.

TRYING TO GET SOME HUMAN FOOD AND EATING MY OWN

He has managed to scarf cake crumbs.
and
Bagel remains I had out for the outdoor birds
and
Butter from Paul's mustache
and
Foam from my Starbucks casara cold brew

Liam is proactive in pursuit of food. He does sniff around the yard more than I remember...however could be the newly revealed smells of spring and may not be hunger but instinct

THERE HAS TO BE A FALLEN PORK CHOP

Searching for something edible involves approaching previously ignored yard statues

DOES LAUGHING BUDDHA HAVE A SECRET STASH?

Liam confronts laughing Buddha ...curious as to how Buddha maintains his girth... are there treats out here

in the yard? 

THE DOG WHO HATES WATER IS BEACH BODY READY

We have to keep at it.
When walking by the high school the other day some students yelled out "Hey, puppy, you are cute" Must be the new svelte look. 

Woof, woof