Windows 14

JANUARY SNOW

If you have a PC you probably have a version of Windows...Windows Vista or Windows 7 or 8. In our house we have a second Windows operating system. During the January 2014 storms Liam has been posted at the window watching the happenings outside. From his window perch he can see all the dogs walking along the boulevard; though not many regulars are out and those he sees are sweatered in wool. Some wear booties. Liam insists on being bare on any outdoor trips. Likes his buddies, his walk schedule has been impacted by the weather. More time inside and more time to watch life from the window. Following is a photo montage of the latest version of Windows 14 at our house. Snow 2014...Enjoy the journey through Liam's eyes

I THINK IT IS SNOWING AGAIN

BETTER GET COMFORTABLE 

SETTLING IN

THIS IS TIRING, SIGH

And Liam closes out January with a walk right into February. See following YouTube. He is the smallish moving figure in the back by the fence. Watch as he exits the scene with the accompaniment of a jaunty Grammy worthy score...you may catch his momentary paws as he gives this snowy month its last mental lick.

Woof, Woof

Bounty of Boas

LIAM RESTING BENEATH BOUNTIFUL BOAS

We have a lot of boas. It started with New Orleans in 1998  feathers...then a few more for parties and holidays. Fabric followed. Made by friends... for fashion accessory decoration and for warmth in winter. And for Revlon Walk/Run for Women's cancer. Liam agrees to model them. He likes the feathers as they are both a promise and a memory of the birds he loves to chase. He willingly wraps up in these in his lion king posture. The others are a quick pic and for a cause so he participates.

We have three Boa Categories

1-The Feather Group made from birds, most likely turkeys or ostrich.

THE FIRST BOA NEW ORLEANS, 1998

COSTUME PARTY 2003

HALLOWEEN BOA MID 2000s

The Cause Group  worn for team unity and to promote awareness during walks for cancer. See some samples on top of Liam's chair. The two pix with Liam in pink are from the last two years of the Revlon Walk/Run for women's cancers. See link for info http://do.eifoundation.org/site/TR?fr_id=1150&pg=entry that's our team captain, Lori Phair,  in second place!
Team "We're Halfway There"  The team wears pink boas.

The Artisan Group designed and handmade by friends. Most of the collection are gifts from a Southwestern designer living and creating in Arizona. The navy and purple boas are the most recent acquisitions and were made by a Georgia craftsperson.

BOAS AND A NAP GO WELL

We have some red events coming up. Go Red for Women Day, February 7... think hearts... about women's heart health see link for info https://www.goredforwomen.org/
and then following the next week is the holiday that has a heart as its symbol, Valentine's Day, February 14.
Liam is ready to help advertise with a red artisan boa. He understands the importance of these events so he will sit for a shot.
Thanks for taking the boa tour. Not ignoring the weather, living it.
I know there is snow and I know it is cold...arctic invasion, bitter blast, polar vortex (old already) all often repeated phrases this week. Now you have boa bounty. That is our phrase this week.

LIAM BOA DRAPED FOR VALENTINE'S DAY 
and
GO RED FOR WOMEN MONTH (FEB)
Woof, Woof

Storm Sounds

THUNDERSHIRT AGAINST THE SOUNDS

It is Saturday, January 11. It is here. The big storm. We have been warned of it for days now. The polar vortex is gone and in its place we will have floods, wind, rain, icebergs floating by in newly formed street rivers.

We are upstairs. Liam is under my chair and I am in the chair. He hears the storm before we do and goes into scared dog mode. Lightning brightens the sky briefly and within seconds we jump to a boom of thunder. Liam tumbles down the stairs and I follow. I pull his thundershirt out of the closet. Liam wedges himself between the couch and table and wrapping him is a struggle. I have no wiggle room and Liam is dead weight. I get it done and he settles in position to weather the storm.

WRAPPED WIENER

He seeks to further lessen his anxiety with a visit to Daddy Paul. 

PAUL GIVES SOOTHING ADVICE

     And a few latte licks are always comforting.

LATTE LICKS WILL ALWAYS HELP

 
    Liam checks the rain.

No more lightning or thunder. The thundershirt does its work. Liam is lulled to calmness.

A switch to the loveseat, near his pet wolfie brings a deeper comfort and sleep.
For us the storm continues as rain lashes and wind builds. I go off to the health club which is packed with January joiners and college students on winter break. Liam is home safe and dry with his dreams of chasing squirrels.

DREAMING OF THE CHASE

Woof, Woof

Winter Selvies and Selfies

LIAM LOOKING AT SNOW 2014

Since we last met the winter solstice arrived as did a new year.
We have experiences and commemorations to share about ourselves. We'll call them selvies
We will talk about selfies later in the blog

Here we go...

Copy of Liam's adoption anniversary Tweet. Picked up and retweeted and favorited by North Shore Animal League, Twitter friends and supporters.
Thank you all.

	Carol McNiff @cbiz Happy Adoption Day 1/1/08 to my #dog Liam thanks @AnimalLeague and #Starbucks pic.twitter.com/aREYb4rDPf 07:12 PM - 01 Jan 14 LIAM CONTEMPLATING THE NEW YEAR, HIS ADOPTION DAY
	Happy New Year cup inscription from Starbucks Staff in New Hyde Park

LIAM LEADS OFF

and then the last Holiday cup licks, first begging and barking for his latte licks

                                                                   then a last licking

PETVALU CHRISTMAS WITH SANTA

Liam visited with staff and Santa at Pet Valu 

We tried some selfies
Selfie was the new word of the 2013. Here is a definition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfie  tried some hoping the Rockefeller tree would be bigger than my face...nope

After shooting a few I did some research. I learned they must be done from an angle overhead and should have something of interest in the background...okay did that intuitively, including the tree, but did not observe the overhead angle rule. Next is a full head-on selfie. Shows my inexperience. Not recommended, unless you have a bigger boa and a bigger tree.
Liam tried his own selfie with my help, sorry I know the tree was a better background                                                                              LIAM'S SELFIE
                                                  Okay got that out of our system...maybe

                                                   and it snowed and then got very cold

HELP, THE POLAR VORTEX IS HERE

MAYBE I NEED A SWEATER

                                                        best to wrap up on the couch

LIAM IN HIS UGA BLANKET, GO DAWGS

LET IT SNOW

Liam is a couch cuddler, loving his books, toys, electronic devices, pillows and blankets 

No playing in the snow photos from this dog

New Years resos...yes we do them

Carol-Walk Liam more often

Liam-Bark less often

Woof, Woof

Guiding Eyes

LIAM PROTECTS HIS ZEBRA, ZOEY

When I entered the dog world in 2008 I also entered the world of dog donations. I am in the network of donations for many people causes. Don't know how the animal societies found me so quickly. Of course North Shore is one of my monthly donation recipients. Hey! They rescued Liam and his brother from Tennessee...a bad situation there. This past year the amount of requests has ballooned...seems I give to one and it doubles amount of requests. Last week I looked at all my calendars, labels, cards, blankets, totes and decided I have to limit my groups. I picked one organization-Guiding Eyes for the Blind. We use their calendar and I like their cards and labels also. And their approach at solicitation is gentle yet compelling. No written threats or maimed animal photos to guilt one into giving.
They train guide dogs for blind folks. This week I made an online donation and liked their FB page.
Here is their link
https://www.guidingeyes.org/

A few days after I choose them a story explodes. A blind man has fallen to the subway tracks with his dog. First details are sketchy. Then more news.They are both alive! Really? Run over by a train! I look at the guide dog's photo (he is in a You Tube below) and I see a Liam look alike. Liam is not a lab like this dog but Liam is black (legs a tad brownish in the sun) and he has grey hairs on his chin.

LOOKING LIKE A GUIDE DOG?

The man is Cecil Williams and his dog is Orlando. The dog jumped on the tracks after him. Would Liam?

JUMP ON THE TRACKS?

Social media comes alive and together to help. Orlando is 11 and about to retire. Mr.Williams needs another dog and he also needs Orlando. Watch this short clip

I read further and find that Orlando was trained by and provided for Mr.Williams by Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Yay!  
Here is their story about Orlando and Mr. Williams.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/19/donations-to-allow-blind-ny-man-who-fell-on-subway-tracks-to-keep-guide-dog/I

I'M NOT GOING UNDER A TRAIN, NOT TRAINED FOR THAT

I asked Paul did he think Liam would jump on the tracks after me since Liam follows me all around the house. "Yes, providing there is no snow or water on the tracks."  Then again, Liam will not venture down the basement stairs, would the subway drop be too steep? Yes, probably. Liam would bark and jump on the first responders. He will not be applying for Orlando's job.

LIAM AS WATCHING DOG, NOT A GUIDING DOG

His place at home watching, perching and barking and enjoying Christmas treats from his Aunt

We are honored to have this opportunity to promote Guiding Eyes for the Blind on LL.
Here is their FB link
https://www.facebook.com/guidingeyes 
traffic jams, wintry precipand car crash pileups have dominated our news this week

And then we have this life affirming story to end our stories for this year, 2013

Peace, love and comfort to all our readers

We will see you next year...we thank you for reading and being involved with our stories and letting us share them with you. Liam sends his licks

Will return Thursday January 9th

Happy 2014

Woof, Woof

A Few of Liam's Unfavorite Things

AN UNFAVORITE THING?

Lots of talk about the Sound of Music play last week. Performed live here on Long Island, NY.  Haven't heard about it?  Here is a NY Times review. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/07/arts/television/carrie-underwood-stars-in-nbcs-live-sound-of-music.html?_r=0
I don't think it was one of the reviewer's favorite things. SNL spoofed the new version of the play and social media has been as alive as the hills with opinions.
This week Liam has had his share of unfavorite things. There are holiday changes inside. There is a tree, pillows, a blanket, the snowman squeaker toy, and Charlotte, the Christmas doll.

THEY'RE BACK

Liam's Unfavorite Things
A few...
numbered below

1-Snow
Liam has been through snow before. This week our first measurable snow fell and Liam gave it a swift perimeter run and then headed to the side gate indicating that he was over it. In honor of the Sound of Music we have prepared a video accompanied by sounds of holiday music.

Liam is not a snow dog. He takes it or leaves it. His run over, Liam is ready to come back in. No rolling, leaping, digging. No extra play.

2-Holiday Decorations
Cards, stockings. A lot more mail each day, which means a lot more opportunity for barking. Fed Ex, UPS, Mail Carrier come and go and all at different times of the day. Unfavorite things. Liam has been through Holiday season before. He knows the drill. It disrupts the daily routine. Liam perches looking for his doggie friends Wrigley, Twinkie and Piper. It seems this snowman follows him everywhere














                                  Even when resting in front of his fireplace, snowman is there

 3-Missing his playmates

I SEE WRIGLEY WILBUR

Wednesday he saw his friend Wrigs on the corner and went crazy barking. I think I saw him. I told Liam "get dressed"
I throw on my cold weather gear which is a lot and harness Liam up, (no, he did not dress himself) and we run down the block, zigzagging by, over and through the icy patches. No Wrigley in sight...we were not quick enough or it was not him.
Back to an unfavorite thing, waiting and hoping and looking.

MAYBE HE'LL COME OUT LATER

What to do?  Liam moves on from his unfavorite things by forgetting them. Dogs do that. Snowman joins him. He's got his friend. He rests his head on his "Liam" photo pillow and snuggles into a "dreaming" dog decorated blanket. Not so bad. Simply forgetting his unfavorite things...


He has a few latte licks, see video...There is always another latte to be licked, a dog to play with, the snow will melt...

We like the new version of the Sound of Music. It is fun, the flaws enhance the entertainment and there are some fine moments. If you have read this far. you might  have the "My favorite things" song in your head. Here it is, the Long Island version, Carrie and Audra


there are mentions of a dog bite and snow flakes...appropriate for the season and for the dog

Photo of Liam enjoying the sun shining in on the holiday tableau

SIMPLY FORGET THE UNFAVORITE THINGS, EVERYTHING SEEMS NOT SO BAD

Woof, Woof