Broken

IT'S HOT AND EVERYTHING IS BREAKING

This was the summer of breaking. Here is a Timeline of the items in chronological order.
Broken:

The PC- May 27-August 13
Cause-Malware-self-inflicted. A slow painful death. First my credit card, then my hard drive. Yes. I did it. Me, who does not click on forwards, is hyper sensitive about links, never has fallen for a scam, doesn't re-post, does not forward those little icon people who are running for causes, does not sign online petitions- you get the idea.  I was an untouchable. A virtual virus/malware snob. Well I was knocked off my pedestal, actually leaped off- a fake security shield got me-see link-as mortified as I am I do not want anyone to go through this, so I am admitting it
http://blogs.norman.com/2012/for-consumption/norman-declares-war-on-security-shield-a-fake-antivirus-software

LIAM WEARING THUNDERSHIRT TO RELIEVE MY ANXIETY

Tooth- July 7
Cause-aggressive flossing- laminate pops off exposing my real tooth, now just a filed down spike- yes, like a vampire, really attractive.

Fix-dentist re-glues
August 6- half of laminate comes off same tooth.
Cause- yogurt. Really. Okay, there were a few almonds in the mix.

Fix- Dentist puts on a temp, orders a new laminate.
August 13- temp comes off
Cause -the everything bagel, about 10 hours old, beyond chewy. A masochistic hedonist act.

Fix-I fashion a piece of beige trident gum over the spike tooth so as not to offend onlookers and to protect my tongue from getting impaled on it.
August 16- new laminate glued on 

I CAN SEE FINE AND HAVE PERFECT TEETH

Toe-July 8
Causes- dark room, roller on bottom of bed, sandals, Liam, wine. I had a glass of wine (or two) ran after Liam (we were playing) he jumped on the bed, I smashed foot into roller on bed frame while attempting to leap onto bed (sort of like a vault in gymnastics)  my score-0.0000

Fix- taping broken toe to buddy toe and waiting six weeks-which is right now

NO PLAYING UPSTAIRS FOR NOW

Eyes-July 28
Cause-left contact fell into sink, temporarily lost, found the next morning -sort of dry. I re-hydrate it, clean and disinfect it overnight. Next day I insert it. After an uncomfortable day of scratchy eye, the white part turns bloody red. The right  joins in sympathy and swells up.

Fix-no contact lens wearing, eye drops, new contacts

THUNDERSHIRT NEEDED FOR THIS EPISODE

Some of the hours and days of Paul's two week stay-vacay were taken up with fixing and restoring my broken parts. I consider the PC mine since I am its only user most times. So that was a broken part of me also. These repairs and injuries impacted adversely on Paul's time off.  Everything coalesced into resolution and restoration during the last days of his vacation thanks to doctors and an expert PC consultant (referral available)  I was whole again.

Paul returned to work to recuperate.
I went to The Spa in the Woods to recuperate-our 5th annual gathering-SSA workers and retirees. The Spa is our name for the Northport home of one of our group.  Next photo is the pool out back. Tranquility.

 

 Liam attended the first 3 years.

ILLUSTRATION OF LIAM'S CAR RIDE POSITION

Due to his refusal to submit to seat belt restraints during the car ride he now has to remain home. The only position he will take is between the two front seats. This has proven to be dangerous as he slips off, usually head first,into the control panel.  However we have a Liam substitute

 who attends and at various times has fooled every
one of us into thinking he is real.   

Which is the real Liam?

Woof. Woof

Happy Birthday Liam at Five

BIRTHDAY BOY

Liam enjoys being outside. That is the theme for this birthday, Liam outside- year by year.  Liam attained five years old on Wednesday August 1, 2012.  In the rescue dog world, this date has been termed DOGust 1. The idea being a deemed birthday for all shelter dogs.  Here is the link for the blog story from last year to further explain it. http://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2011_07_24_archive.html
Ironically August 1 really is Liam's birthday.  Today's blog is self guided.

LIAM 2008

LIAM 2009

LIAM 2010

HAD TO GET IN HERE-ANOTHER 2010

LIAM 2011-a little grey showing up on chin

LIAM 2012

We will be back in three weeks-Thursday August 23, 2012.  Catch up on your LiamLicks and share.

  If we have a story that will not keep of course we will bark it out. 

Thanks for reading.

Woof, Woof

Red Eye Correction

DO I NEED BLUE EYE CORRECTION?

If you take pictures, you  know of red eye correction.  Cameras now have it as an option in settings. Used to be just hit or miss, with light eyed-folks getting gifted by the red eye look more often (less pigment)  Anyway now that I have Liam I have become aware of the canine version of red eye which is blue eye.  There is a scientific reason for it.  Humans have "red eye" because of a retina reflection. Liam and other animals have "blue eye" because of a special reflective layer termed tapetum, which gives them better night vision. However, it also causes a different color light reflection in the photo, often blue but also may vary with some pets showing green, some exhibiting yellow. If my simplified explanations do not satisfy. Here are some links
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080910185826AAYlD94

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-do-dogs-get-blue-not

and a fellow blogger who has found a fix for it
http://leonaruth.blogspot.com/2009/12/photoshop-removing-blue-eye.html

My fixes are:
1-At night and low light-no headshots

NIGHT SHOT WITH BLUE EYES

2-try again and delete the blue eyed pic

BLUE EYES

SECOND TRY -NO BLUE EYE

3-Black and white setting. This color change setting on my camera is entitled possessively "my colors"  some of its offerings: green, sepia, blue, red, black and white.

The B/W setting has an advantage in-that it fixes the rust effect on our lawn furniture, as well as the paver water stains as well as evoking that old time feeling  see next

BLUE EYES, RUST ON TABLE

NO BLUE EYES AND NO RUST

BLOCKING EYES WITH CHAIR LEG IS ANOTHER FIX

I take many pix of Liam; I will try to keep his brown eyes from turning blue

Woof, Woof

Turkey Necktie Training

I PERFORM FOR TURKEY

No, not training a turkey, and not about Thanksgiving.  No "Fifty Shades of Grey" necktie involved.  It is Liam and my attempts to train him to sit/stay and bark appropriately. Paul is puzzled that I have been unable to teach Liam to do the basics. He cites my management background and extra time in retirement as reasons why I should have been able to do it. Why does a loving licking blogging Liam need training?

I AM A GOOD DOG

He barks (too much) and greets by jumping. These are the two behaviors that we need to work
on.  I have been reinvigorated to try training by the just completed series "Dogs in the City" with Justin Silver see link
http://www.cbs.com/shows/dogs_in_the_city/
and Cesar Millan's final group of "Dog Whisperer" shows

http://www.cesarsway.com/dogwhisperer/about-the-show/
I have found techniques to try from both
.
Turkey-
that is from Justin. He rewards with turkey. We always have deli lite turkey in the fridge. I take out a piece (only 10 calories) break it into pieces, say sit/stay with a hand command.  Liam does as many sit/stays as I have turkey pieces. Paul points out that sometimes I say sit and other times I say stay. I counter that it is the hand motion that does it. However, most times when I do the hand motion without the turkey, Liam just stares at me and then heads to the fridge. A serendipitous by-product of turkey training is that Liam goes into some sort of turkey coma.

TURKEY COMA

That takes care of sitting/staying and barking.

Necktie-

NECKTIE STOPS BARKING FOR A BIT

This idea is from Cesar's episode last week with a barking British dog. This terrier mix has barked for 6 years, nonstop. Cesar even prayed over this one. Really. I have never seen him do that. He rubbed some scented oil on his hands and tied a dishtowel around the dog's neck. Both techniques were aimed at calming the dog. They worked. No barking. I try a variation- I spray Avon "Skin So Soft" bath oil on my hands and tie a necktie (scarf) around Liam's neck.

LIKE THAT OIL SMELL

Works for about a half hour.

Then come the violent, end of world storms of Wednesday, July 18, 2012.

BRING ON THAT THUNDER

On goes the thundershirt. Barking ceases. Liam does a lay not a sit/stay

THUNDERSHIRT DURING THUNDERSTORM

.Hear the thunder that Liam heard in this You Tube

What if Liam wears the thundershirt and bath oil soaked necktie during turkey training and I play recorded thunder sounds?

Maybe I have to pray.

READY FOR THE NEXT STORM

Woof, Woof

Vacation from Retirement

LIAM RETIRING TO HIS SANDY BEACH

Yes, people who are retired do take vacations just as they did while they worked.  However, this story is about vacationing from retirement. Why would one need to do that?  Over-scheduled?  Me? 

 SOAKING UP THE RAYS

Did not think so.  I want to keep trying new activities, attending events, learning-all that I have written in my retirement mission statement. I chose well and when asked to join other activities, did so.

 KONG BONE, BIRDS, AND MORE

This past school year was very scheduled. I liked it all. I still go by school year. However, some changes happened. I graduated from my 3 1/2 year writing program at NCC. I should explain, I self-graduated. I had no more to say in the classroom venue. I was done. It was perfect for what I needed after retirement, until it was not. So I stopped.March 2012. 
Then in May 2012, our Yoga instructor changed her life and prepared to move to Northport. This eliminated three more activities from my schedule.

Yoga will continue with a different teacher and Meditation and Body Prayer (yes, that is really the name) will be offered again though not as often.  However, in the break from my schedule I now am thinking a bit differently. I like being less scheduled. Having a "free" day. I always have several activities-so I am not laying out like Liam. Some days this year I had four clothing changes in one day- my events and activities were so different. Those runway models have nothing on me- (in terms of a quick change, that is all we are talking about here)

I like Liam's idea. Observe. Be present. Leap (at birds, I would do something of a human equivalent)

LIAM OBSERVING

IN THE MOMENT-RUTH'S ROSE GARDEN

Finding pleasure in the moment.  For Liam, everything is new all the time. For some reason now that my scheduled activities have decreased my reading (book clubs stay on the schedule) and writing have increased.  I have also gained 50 Twitter followers, going near 150.  Am I tweeting more?  Or tweeting better? I started the same month as Oprah. She has nearly 13 million followers.
Paul thinks all my followers are computer generated and tweets are from a machine.  I know Anderson Cooper, Barack Obama and E..L. James (Fifty Shades) and Kristen Johnston are real.
Is it just summer time and the living is...no, it isn't really easy...just changing

New mission statement-I am on vacation from retirement.
We will see where this goes...

JUST BEING

Woof. Woof

4th of July, New Hyde Park (Carol and Liam)

JULY 3RD- IN THUNDERSHIRT

It is done. I got through it fine. What was it? America's birthday, July 4th, a very celebrated holiday.  Its beginning, the reasons for its existence all are part of our culture. That period in history is my favorite.  When did we first celebrate and how?  Here is a link that tells you everything about the Holiday- www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence-Day.shtml
and then we have Wiki, more fun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_%28United_States%29

For me though, July 4th is not a holiday that is on top of my list. We are expected to make noise. I see the day as a lot of noise. Fireworks are beautiful, but the sounds remind me of war and violence.

First and worst, my health club is closed. I wanted so much to walk, row, lift and ride with my fellow gymsters on America's birthday while watching 8 TVs at once. I do this every day. Closed?  Really?  Not even open a half day? Liam and I will have to go for a very long walk.

COMING OUT? LET'S WALK

Pets get scared and run away. More pets are lost on July 4th than any other holiday. I think they are afraid of the music, booming sounds, multiple neighborhood parties and the garishness of the July 4th activities.   

I WON'T RUN AWAY

We don't have a barbecue- we fear gas outside.  Actually, I fear the thought of cooking more.  If there is no grill, then no cooking.  I do like to eat barbecue. Problem with no grill.

I battled back.  I had to reclaim July 4th as fun. Watched Wimbledon, then baseball, the Hot Dog eating contest.  I sprayed myself with bug off and  brought my stuff outside, listened to the parties going on, sniffed their smells. 

HOT DOG

Did a lot of posting on Social Networks as well as texting-love doing that.  Liam played with birds inside and outside.

LIAM'S SIBLINGS

Then came time for the Macy's fireworks. I have come to dread this NYC extravaganza as it has turned into a bad musical with out of work actors reading pieces of the Declaration of Independence.to the accompaniment of badly chosen patriotic songs. I live in fear of John Philip Sousa. His compositions were played at the end of lunch at my grammar school. The idea was to march us out like little soldiers. I am through with marching after eating.

But it was fine, more than fine, it was uplifting and fun. Regis was the host. What a great gig for him!  The music was perfect. Not too hokey and often beautiful, an eclectic selection that worked, except for "Yankee Doodle Dandy" which I cannot stand.  What do you expect?  I am one of the few who love the "Star Spangled Banner" and dread the day when the "America the Beautiful" folks finally get it taken away as our national anthem. And the venues were all over Manhattan.  The fireworks just stunning. Wow! 

LISTENING TO MACY'S FIREWORKS IN THUNDERSHIRT

A marvelous 4th of July. It is now coming back as a favorite holiday. I admit to wearing red, white and blue and sticking flags all over the yard front and back. Guess I am as hokey and garish as anyone.is.

One song I had to hear-this is 4th of July always...

4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

Bruce Springsteen

Woof, Woof

Riding out the Storm

LIAM IN THUNDERSHIRT DURING STORM

Liam's thundershirt (mentioned before in previous stories) has been here for several weeks.  People have commented that its presence seems to be keeping away the storms. That changes on Friday June 22. We are hit with 3 separate storm systems, so three separate stories

Timeline

Friday June 22, 2012...some times approximate and some exact- to the best of my recollection

2PM
Storm #1

Becomes very dark, rain starts. I am leaving Twin Parks Health Club, running to car. I make it to my car, not too wet, the drops are very big but few and none are absorbed. Once in the car, I call Paul to tell him to shut the skylight in the upstairs bathroom.  I had opened it two days earlier in an attempt to move around some air. You might think that rain in a bathroom is not as worrisome as other places-I mean, aren't we supposed to be wet in there? However, I had done this once before and instead of pouring down vertically, the water traveled horizontally across the slanted ceiling (of course it would) before descending to the floor. The entire area around the skylight had to be repainted (by me, I caused it, marriage rule)  Paul says he will shut the skylight (no recriminations as to why it is open, whew!) and then adds that he has strapped Liam in his thundershirt. Wow, guess the open skylight took a back seat! By the time I arrive home, a 7 minute trip-a lot changes-  lightning, darkness, thunder and heavier rain. Liam makes two trips into his sanctuary- the back room with its table.

NEAR THE TABLE IN BACK ROOM

A nice roof for a little dog. Then he joins us on the couch to ride out the storm.  Liam between us-shaking and panting, opening and closing his mouth (I really am so proud of his white teeth)  The terror and frequency of symptoms are much lower with the thundershirt. Then it is over and Liam rests.

Okay! Yay thundershirt.

7PM
Storm #2

This was promised to arrive around dinnertime. We go to Crabtree's https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crabtrees-Restaurant/123761394359663 for dinner EVERY Friday. Will this system include thunder and lightning?  We decide to leave Liam shirtless. The idea of him strapped in for a few hours seems confining to both of us. We might be projecting our claustrophobia on Liam. Paul is imagining himself in a straightjacket..and me-I have not yet been able to step into the snuggie (a blanket with arms) Paul gifted me with for Valentine's Day. www.mysnuggiestore.com/
After briefly considering staying till the storm passes, we decide to go. We arrive and as we try to park, the storm becomes ferocious.  How is Liam?  We assume fine as this system has little noise. We arrive home a few hours later to an okay Liam. 


12AM-6AM   or some time between midnight and dawn
Storm #3

Early morning Saturday or middle of the night-is that the same?  It is dark with crackling lightning and booming thunder. We are in bed.  Liam is sitting between us shaking, panting. We did not dress him in his thundershirt for bedtime. I think the idea that we would not be awake to monitor him in his thundershirt (what if he strangled?) is a deterrent to using it at bedtime. Mistake. Loud multiple lightning strikes create repeated fake daylight.  Dark. Then thunder, then light- Liam in bad shape. No thundershirt. We keep thinking it is too late, almost over, all that. Bad parents. It ends.

Weekend-sunny- practice thundershirt session held. Another thundershirt effect-barking is diminished significantly.

Monday, June 25, 2012.  more storms as forecasted by
http://nycweatherguy.blogspot.com/

8:30 AM
Storm #1

Liam is dressed and ready.  He hears rumblings before I do.

Here we go.  More thunderstorms. We are ready - thundershirt on
Little bit of panting, breathing deeply, yawning for air, mouth open to do all these things All symptoms reduced.

5PM
Storm #2

next round late afternoon thundershirt back on. Much improvement. 

From now on, we will ride out the storms with the thundershirt. I might even get in my snuggie.
This song was often played during a storm back in the day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riders_on_the_Storm

enjoy a good You Tube attempt They say it was performed live only once

July 4th fireworks next test for thundershirt. Seeing Liam's next pic-another song comes to mind "and don't it make my brown eyes blue?"

THERE IS MORE NOISE COMING? LIAM FEELING BLUE

Woof, Woof