A Party Animal?

LIAM RESTING ON HIS PILLOW-NOTE INSCRIPTION

Billed as the third annual Customer Appreciation Day, Best in Show Pet Resort, held a sort of doggy play date, indoor street fair, and adoption event on Saturday September 24, 2011.  And as it happens with such events there are raffles, and prizes and pawing and licking.
I feel it is my duty as a parent to bring my only child, Liam Joseph McNiff-Nikol. You may not have known his full name. I put in Joseph as his middle name to honor his  Daddy Paul whose middle name is Joseph. Of course, it is one of those fake Confirmation names, not a legal one. Catholics without middle names do this, having felt deprived of a middle name, they use this religious event to stick one in between their first and last names. That is another story, for another blog post.

Liam Joseph does not like doggy gatherings.  He prefers the company of humans. When dogs and humans are together he will always go to the human and leave the dog. So why did I think that he would love this party? Or even like it?
On his report card after a boarding stay he always receives high marks in the "Lounging with Staff"  category.

We arrive.  Liam only shows  interest in licking and kissing  the staff, trainers and other doggy parents.  When he is brought into the play room, he expresses his disdain for this doggy party by trying to escape through every door. Failing to achieve that; he jumps and kisses the party monitor. 
He then climbs on top of the highest elevation and stays put until we rescue him from his party misery.

A DOGGY PARTY-ER ATTEMPTS TO BE FRIENDS

LIAM IS WHERE HE WANTS TO BE

WELL THIS WAS FUN

There will probably be a Halloween gathering.  Liam will not wear a costume. He is the only dog that will not pose with Santa or even enter the room where the Holiday photos are shot.
I am bringing him to all events though.  I worry that he will really forget he is a dog. I want him to have doggy friends. I want to compare notes with the other parents. I want to support  Best in Show Pet Resort.

Once home on his couch, Liam sits with the IPAD.  He much prefers this kind of Social Network. This excursion has been exhausting.

LIAM LIKES THE ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORK

Woof, Woof

The Heat Is On

LIAM TRYING TO WARM UP

It happened last Friday. We turned the thermostat up to 70 degrees. This meant the heat would zoom on within minutes. The house had a definite chill.  It felt warmer outside. I am sure we are one of the first to turn on the heat. Liam had been looking at the hot air vents for the last few days.

WAITING BY THE VENT

It was not cold, no nip at night,  not even "bring a sweater with you" weather.  What then? How did Liam know that very soon he would be basking in indoor heat.  Perhaps the slant of the sun or the kids walking by from school. He knew that soon his beloved heat would be shooting from the vents; his little fireplace would again come alive. A new season.

HEAT COMES OUT HERE, BUT WHEN?

The forecast said that Thursday, September 15, 2011 would start out humid, muggy, a summer day and then we would have that nip and sharpness of a fall breeze later in the day.  What they call a front in the weather world.  And it happened just that way.  The weather folks also thrill to that first fall chill. Great sleeping weather, they say.  Open the windows!  Let that bite in.
Our home is bizarro world.  The first few hours of a drop in temperature, the house draws in the cold, holds it and acts like a mini fridge. No window needs to be opened to let in cool air, we open it to let in warm air.

A SHAWL FOR WARMTH AND FLYING KONG TOY

Opening the windows on this first chilly day is for the sole purpose of letting in some warm air so that we will not have to put on the heat so soon. This attempt did not work out. The house held fast.  The temp dipped to 60 degrees indoors. Liam hid behind a pillow to get cozy. I wrapped him in my shawl while he played with his toy.  He went outside to soak up some sun.

SOAKING UP SOME THE WARMTH

I then said "How about we take the chill off, just turn on the heat and warm the house a bit. We can always turn it off." We did it.  Put it on 70.  Liam was outside;  I opened the side door and encouraged him to return "Liam, the heat is on!"  

LIAM HEARS THE CALL

He came running. Both Paul and I pointed him to the hot air vent; he looked at each of us, back and forth and I rooted for the air to come on. Then a blast!  Liam went down immediately, claiming his spot in front of the hot air vent.  

THE HEAT IS ON

Ah, pumpkin spice latte season is here.

Addendum-as Liam prepares to pawblish his blog, the heat is off, summer is back on this eve of fall -expect the unexpected this weather year.

Woof  Woof

Incredible, a credible threat for 9/11

A SOMBER LIAM CONTEMPLATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY

They said it was a credible threat from an unconfirmed source.  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-09/-credible-terrorist-threats-received-new-york-mayor-bloomberg-says.html
There would be lot of security and checkpoints and searches.  The places were NYC, Wash D.C.- maybe more. I had intended to go into Manhattan on Saturday 9/10/11, the day before the 10th anniversary of the attacks. This news would not stop me. Mayor Bloomberg was shown taking the subway, which he does every day.  This TV news spot was meant to reassure us.
I was determined to go in to NYC, walk around, go on the High Line.  Look towards the WTC site, imagining I could see the two footprints of the Twin Towers,  now memorials entitled, Reflecting Absence.  And so I went. on 12:37 PM LIRR train to Penn.

My mantra for the day 

Connect 

Show no Fear

At Penn Station, there is a presence of National Guard,  Police, FDNY and more officials mingling with  many people. What crowds! Good. No one is avoiding NYC. Stopped at Starbucks, my goodness is there a unity vibe here!  People are taking pix of each other, interacting. A sign says "on 9/11 let's all join in and be together free coffee 8-11!"   Cool. 
I start my walk.coming out the 8th avenue side. This begins a five hour trek down and up the west side of Manhattan. You will see the journey in the pix following.  My idea was to be in NYC on this very important weekend, to be present, visible, make connections with others, be fearless, all that.   I also hoped to see the WTC site from some point on the High-Line.  I think the High Line is capable of anything.
http://www.thehighline.org/

ARRIVED AT CHELSEA MARKET 16TH AND 9TH

http://www.chelseamarket.com/

A CHANGING FOUNTAIN, BLUE

NOW RED, MISSED THE GREEN

NOT LIAM

THOUGHT I SAW TOM COLICCHIO
I walk through the Chelsea market and come out on the other side which is 10th Avenue

YEP, I WAS AT 12TH

at 12th I am sort of under the High Line, I walk back to 9th ave and climb on at Gansevoort, the start of the southern end, and a little further up, see the view I want, next pic

HERE IS WHERE I SEE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY and WTC?

If you click on this photo, it will maximize and if you focus, you will see the Statue of Liberty.  I dream/wish that the shadowy grey building on the right is one of the new WTC buildings. Anyone think so?  My desire in being here is to connect to them in some psychic or real way.  So I deem it to be so in my mind.

AREA ON HIGH LINE WHERE WATER FLOWS 
Like walking through a river

PLANTS ARE SEASONAL AND VERY PUNGENT

EMPIRE STATE FROM HIGH LINE, 
I take this shot every time

 I have such a feeling of community while walking the High Line. A feeling of safety, the park in the sky now extends to 30th street, where I disembark to have a beer.  

Connect

Show No Fear

I end up at Lot on Tap http://www.thehighline.org/the-lot
among a boisterous, lively, diverse crowd, some security but unobtrusive. I buy the summery wheat Brooklyn brew, sit at a long table with strangers and feel cocooned enough to get deep into my book with only occasional pats to my belongings.
Eventually I make my why back to Penn walking along 30th with groups of people.  I see many police vans and checkpoints.  I re-enter Penn and am passed by a big shepherd search dog who barely gives me a sniff. I must admit to being a bit disappointed that I have not been stopped and asked to open my bags. Not even one dog has made eye contact or tried to give me a Liam lick.  The National Guard persons walk in twos.  Guess three is a crowd. No one asks me to join.
I am early for my train and stop at Tracks.  This is the type of friendly fun place that causes you to miss train after train
http://www.tracksbargrill.com/about.html
I am  wearing my straw Fedora to ward off  burnt scalp. I glance around noticing many men have not removed their caps, so I will keep mine on.   I order a Margarita with salt. Yum. I only take a few sips when I am asked  "Can I buy you a drink?"  A muscled tanned smiley Iron-worker from the WTC!  I know this since he is wearing a shirt that says so. "No thanks" I reply, "I am good."   Then another comment "Hi, I like your drink."  From me, another "Thanks."  Now the Iron-worker group members introduce themselves by handshakes.  I am glad I lift weights, I need every ounce of strength to match their grips. It must have been the hat's karma.  I tell them that I am from the suburbs and came in to show I am not afraid of being here on the 10th anniversary weekend.  This goes over very well.  I get toasted. I mean they raise their glasses to  me.  Pictures of Liam are shown. All iron-workers are dog lovers. Then it is time for my train.  I slide off my chair as they are doing another toasting and leave unnoticed.

MY HAT

Though I might not have actually seen the new WTC towers, I did in fact connect with those working on them.  That is good. I showed no fear.

Connect

Show No Fear

Thanks for sharing my journey, Liam waited

Woof Woof

No Fear of Fireworks this Year

LIAM WEARING HEADLAMP AROUND HIS NECK

The last week in August brings a bazaar/feast/fair to New Hyde Park. It is held on the town park grounds across the street and has the creaky rides, mixed grill smells, and awful stuffed animal prizes.  People love it.  The weekend fireworks are a highlight for many. The fireworks have been the source of increasing terror for Liam and a fear for us that his shaking body will one year cause severe damage to his heart. 

Hurricane Irene stopped the festivities and closed the party down.  No fireworks. Though Irene did not hit NY as a hurricane, I will never downgrade her to a tropical storm, as the damage will put her up in the top  storms of all time.

CAUSE OF OUR POWER LOSS

The winds came early in the morning Sunday, August 28.   That is when the trees started falling. Long Island's sandy soil so saturated with rain from recent storms can no longer hold onto its trees.  They fell steadily all over New Hyde Park as well as other Long Island towns  Two on our block fell together at 9:20AM Sunday -looking like a mirror image of each other as they landed in the exact same position 10 feet apart.  The trees fell all day, smashing houses. cutting wires, pulling up foundations, crushing cars.  
That began a week of no power. Routines were upended.  

BOOK DOES NOT NEED A CHARGE, BOOK LIGHT ABOVE

I  fully charged  all my devices on Saturday.  Nevertheless, power ebbs   I made my first trip to the car to charge my blackberry on Sunday afternoon, risking my life under an oak. I brought a flashlight and a book.  IPAD was at 90%, so no fear there yet.

Monday I knew the libraries would be packed with folks charging so I looked for alternative locations.  Starbucks had more devices charging than lattes being drunk;  no outlets available on Monday. I did use the North Shore LIJ waiting room, unplugging a lamp.  IPAD at 75%.

We were able to use a restaurant gift card for dinner Monday night.  Refugees from the storm made it a packed house with sort of disaster camaraderie all around.

WINE AND HEAD LAMP

On Monday night, I wine texted a group of friends to call me at 7AM to get us up for Paul's appt.  Four called.  Nice. We made it. Thanks folks. As a result, I figured how to set the alarm on my blackberry.   Something learned from Irene.

Tuesday dinner we have our first whole pizza since 1986.  The uneaten slices go in the cooler.  Yuck. The congealed cheese on ice is so appealing the next day.

IPAD down to an alarming 32%.   I am using it when I am out.

 IPAD at 10% by Wednesday afternoon, I charge it at the gym while rowing, get it back up to 57%.  I would have had to exercise for 2 more hours to reach 100%.    

Wednesday dinner we have our first Chinese takeout since 1991.

STORM EQUIPMENT

STORM CENTRAL

By this time I have purchased headlamps, book lights, and better flashlights.  Eating while wearing my head lamp proves very efficient.

In every place I frequent, I know where every outlet is.  I feel a buzz, a charge, whenever I see an unused, unguarded one. I wonder if this new found excitement will last when/if the power returns.

LIAM LOOKING AT WHAT REMAINS IN FRIDGE-4 SAM ADAMS

Our food is thrown out and the fridge cleaned. Wow,  It looks good.  Only survivors are some Sam Adams.

By Wednesday, August 31 we are into day 4.  This date is the anniversary of Hurricane Carol, 8/31/54.  http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/hurricane/hurricaneCarol.shtml 
I remember it, I was recently four years old, as tall as the window ledge, and was tasked with the job of mopping up the gushing water streaming through the windows of our apartment. My mother somehow put the idea in my head that I was responsible for Carol's ruthless fury.  It was so fierce a storm that the name "Carol" was retired from hurricane names forever. 

At 8:11PM,  the lights come on.  I feel such joy.  I also feel sad for those who have had so much to deal with and will continue to struggle in the coming weeks and months.

NIGHT OF AUGUST 28, IRENE MOVING ON

MONDAY AUGUST 29, SAME SCENE

LIAM RESTING ON NEWLY DRY LAWN LAST WEEK

What is next?  rain, rain, and more rain, water where it should not be. The wettest August in history.
Woof, Woof

Quacked while Tweeting during the Quake

RIDING OUT THE EARTHQUAKE

Yes, we had an earthquake on the east coast.  No, I did not feel a thing. In case you were on vacay, read about it-
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/24/us/24quake.html?pagewanted=all
I was driving.  Seems if you were in a car, the motion of the car prevents quake motion.  At least that is what is being said. I tweeted at the first red light "earthquake here in NY" so I became part of the group of thousands of tweeters. I arrived at Starbucks late for my meeting with my friend but armed with a good excuse-earthquake. As I entered Starbucks, there was a crowd in the doorway. The quake had caused everyone to gather.  I  walked to where my friend was sitting.   She was engaged in a conversation with young woman who lived in Washington D.C. The woman was very concerned and upset.  We noticed a man nearby very immersed in his laptop.   I was told that he never looked up during the tremor. Odd.   Apparently it was quite noticeable in Starbucks. That was my first twinge of tremor envy, a term that NBC news anchor Shiba Russell coined later in the afternoon.http://twitter.com/#!/Shiba4NY
I pulled out my IPAD and accessed Twitter to see what was happening. There were tweets from all the major news organizations and many individuals as well.   I left my IPAD open so we could update ourselves periodically.

It was not until much later that night that I noticed a strange message from one of the Twitter accounts I follow.  I ignored it.   Then about half past six on Wednesday all my followers got a few messages that I did not send.  I had been hacked. It had to have happened during the quake tweeting at Starbucks.  Like Shiba,  I also have coined an earthquake expression "I was quacked " (quake hacked)
I fixed it easily,thanks to a friend who alerted me early. The two following tweets are the work of my hacker.   I think the second is particularly hack witty. I deleted the links-they are bogus.  I am CBIZ on Twitter.

cbiz Carol McNiff

Serious about losing weight? then i suggest you visit this link asap!

1 hour ago

cbiz Carol McNiff

Twitter has a way to keep your account safe and secure ;) visit their tweet link

2 hours ago

I know most of you did not get these, as you are not Tweeters.  Maybe you now have tweet envy.
I have decided my hacker is the Starbucks guy who was very disinterested in the quake.  I like to put a face on my hacker.  I do have 3G and will make sure I am not WIFI vulnerable again.

LIAM BARKING AT THE QUAKE

Dogs apparently sensed the quake before humans. Liam barked. How do I know?  He told me when I came home.  These dogs in Virginia barked also.

We know that the East coast has been made fun of for being so hyped up about the quake. Thing is-NYC and Wash DC are always thinking 9/11, especially in this month near the 10th anniversary. I know that is why hundreds of people ran out of their buildings downtown.
Conversely it is also why hundreds stayed put and did not get upset-

Next, Hurricane Irene.  Liam is on alert and I have to buy some wine and duct (duck) tape. Quack.

WAITING FOR IRENE

Woof, Woof

Eye and the Storm

SMILING FOUR YEAR OLD

Eye Story-I have a black eye. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-black-eye/HQ00016
Although termed "a black eye" this injury often involves other colors and mine does. Mostly shades of Zinfandel, Merlot, Beaujolais and a little Cabernet-see the ring under my eye in the next photo.

THE BLACK EYE 2011

I first noticed it after an early morning trip to the bathroom. A glance in the mirror is part of the visit.  I had been in the den on the couch. Alone. No one nearby. Did I sleep on the remote? Did my blackberry bang me? Was I smacked by my Kindle?  Did I leave my glasses on my face and incur frame dent? I keep a row of treasures on the ledge of the couch so I will have access to an array of devices, books, and remotes when on the den couch.   Perhaps one or more fell on me.
Since I have restless leg, sleep apnea and disturbing dreams, I thought it unlikely I would not have known, as I never, ever reach the state of REM sleep.  Verified by the sleep clinic I have attended.

DID ONE OF THESE TREASURES TURN ON ME?

Or was it a direct hit from the monster hail balls that pummeled us on Monday, August 1?  That story follows.  Click on the previous  photo if you need a closer look for book titles (and readers, some are library and one is borrowed from a rocker friend- (I will return it-no worries)
This is my third "black" eye of retirement-the first two caused by Liam. Not this one. All three have been the same eye, the right.  Guess I lean that way.  Now I must bring out the photo of my favorite eye injury-the one from when puppy Liam body slammed my face into concrete leaping for a squirrel.

MOST COLORFUL EYE INJURY FEB 29 2008

I keep the framed photo on the wall of the kitchen above Liam's food and water bowls.  After all, it is his creation. A few sentences ago, I offered the idea that I might have been hit by hail while filming the August 1  storm. I was hit, but the eye injury was already present.

Here is the storm story.  Mostly visual and one with sound from You Tube.  That is my next project, my own videos for the blog.

Storm Story-on August 1 (DOGust 1 in the canine world) we here In New Hyde Park (the storm epicenter) experienced a fierce violent lightning laced thunder booming late afternoon storm.

HAIL FALLING-ON THE GROUND

What made it so unique was the hail.  The size, the weight, the damage.  Hail not the size of golf balls, an iconic comparison.   Bigger.  Since hail has to be compared to balls, I was at a disadvantage, having no golf,  tennis, or baseballs in the house. I used my blackberry (the one that probably beat me in the eye) to show the size of the hail pieces I captured.

BLACKBERRY WITH HAIL

The street flooded, the tide came up to the front porch

FLOODED BAXTER AVENUE, IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE

Two people had to be rescued from their sinking car

RESCUE

and many cars had their windshields broken by the beating of the giant hail balls. As I drove down the block later that day I counted 8 cars with broken windows bandaged with comforters, wrapped with hefty bags, holes stuffed with blankets. Glass in the street and in driveways.  Usually lightning strikes trees and they fall and hit cars. Not this time. In an ironic twist of  nature, my oak tree protected my car windows. The hail beat upon the tree, forcing its leaves onto my car, which formed a protective cushion on my windshield.

CAR WITH LEAF PROTECTION-36 DENTS ANYWAY BUT NO BROKEN WINDSHIELDS

Still, I counted 36 hail dents in the roof, trunk and hood.  I did have to use a snow scraper to remove the leaves, as they were sodden and embedded on the car windows.

You Tube of the hail balls bouncing-worth a listen

Liam spent several hours of his fourth birthday shaking with terror from the pelting noises outside.  I would liken the noise to making popcorn in the microwave ramped up a thousand decibels.
Then the sun came out, while the rain continued. The firefighters came for support.

FIREFIGHTERS TO THE RESCUE

Many cars in New Hyde Park are pinged with dents.  I found out that the word "ping" has now been borrowed by residents to describe the sounds of the falling hail, as well as the resulting hail dent.  So the hail was pinging and the dents are pings. A popular question around town, "how many pings do you have?"  I am pinged all over. Mine are so numerous and evenly spaced that I accept them as the new look to Sawyer (my Focus)  Hey, my windows are intact.  The economy is booming for collision shops in New Hyde Park.  I hope Congress addresses the dent ceiling, now that they are done with the debt ceiling.
There are few flowers remaining in New Hyde Park, just stumps where impatiens once were. I no longer do annuals, but feel for the folks who meticulously planted them in May.
Most lawn ornaments are broken. 
All my solar dragonflies have lost their wings and some their ability to light up.
Good news. Things can be fixed.
And my storm pix were published in the New Hyde Park Patch
.http://newhydepark.patch.com/blog_posts/the-hail-storm
Flowers will grow (maybe) People pulled together. I have 6 hail balls (the size of plums) in the freezer in case anyone needs ice with a little gravel.

We are now in August 

and we usually have a break at this time

 from LiamLicks publishing

 And we will again. 

Liam wants to enjoy some dog days 

and already is in position all over the house as well as outside. hard to keep the four year old motivated when he sees all the other kids off from school.

Enjoy your vacations, catch up on LiamLicks. Share with friends.  We cherish our loyal readers and hope to attract more. We will be making new stories.
No trips this year, we will be at home, but stories occur anywhere and at anytime.

See you Thursday August 25, 2011. Of course if a story must be blogged, it will be.

AAH, DOG DAYS AGAIN

Woof, woof

Posted by Carol at 4:42 PM