Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Good morning all!  In case you were wondering where I've been, we had a Hurricane here that shut down most of the city ;)  (I know you know that). 

Brian and I were pretty lucky that we're located in one of the only neighborhoods that didn't flood and didn't lose power.  On the UES, we dealt with mainly downed tree limbs.  When we walked around yesterday morning, it seemed like every tree we past had lost branches or entire tops.  Central Park isn't allowing anyone in - there are big barricades and from observations made outside said barricades, it looks bad.  Tree limbs are everywhere.  I'm not sure when it will be cleaned up enough that it's safe for us to return.  Hopefully soon!!!

After 2 days off work, I finally have work today.  Brian has another day off, though.  I'm about to head back in and get things going again.  Hopefully we'll have pics of our little dogs in the big park again, soon. 

Have a great one!

Friday, October 26th, 2012
Central Park East - 6:55am

Good morning! 

So yesterday after we exited the Park, I wrote my blog, and got into the shower.  Whilst in said shower, I heard a yelp.  When I stuck my head out to see what was going on, Sofie had a terrible limp.  i.e. she was not putting any weight on it.  Last night when I got home from work, it had not improved.  In fact, it looked worse.  I waffled around about what to do.  Should I take her to the upper east side vet emergency (i.e. at least a 500$ visit) - NO.  I called my parents.  I may be getting my PhD in immunology, but I still need to be told what to do in situations like this.  A side note, I'm embarrassed by how much I still ask my dad & mom.  It ranges from "how to boil eggs," to "how long X thing lasts in the fridge."  The other day I thought about calling but I too embarrassed about this one.  It was "how do you boil potatoes?"  I ended up googling it.  I didn't know whether you put them in before the water was boiling or after (like noodles). 

I digress

So I called my Mom & Dad.  Now my Mom recommended that I soak Sofie's foot in epsom salts at around 1pm that day.  Did I listen?  No I did not.  That and, I mean, I was at work.  Who has time to go home and soak their dogs foot?  She recommended it again when I got home from work, but did I listen?  No.  My Dad got on the line (I had heard him grumbling around in the background and assumed I was on speakerphone) - and said "YOU NEED TO SOAK THAT DAMN DOG'S FOOT IN SALINE."  And I did.  And she was better.  And she enjoyed it. 

This morning, I let Brian take her on a shorter walk while I took Bear to the Park alone.  When I got back home, Sofie was barely limping anymore.  I think that she'll be back to normal by this evening after work. 

Problem solved. 

My parents know everything.  

Have a wonderful day!

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

Good morning!  There's no picture today - I'm glad you noticed.  I have an absolutely ridiculous reason for not having one.  Here goes...

In the process of cleaning up after my dog in a half-asleep stupor/dark street, I got poo on my hand.  And I didn't notice until after I had transferred it accidentally to my other hand.  Due to this debacle, I decided not to remove my phone from my pocket and have to disinfect it later.  Sorry (mostly to myself).  I ended up having to wipe it on my jeans (and Sarah wonders why I don't buy nice stuff!!) 

Besides that, last night was great.  Brian and I planned a little mid-week, Halloween, scary movie date night so we ordered pizza, got some beers, and I had 2 ears of popping corn that we successfully popped on the stove.  We didn't end up watching a scary movie - instead - Eastern Promises.  Well, I guess you could argue that that is a little scary - what with all the throat-cutting.  Yesterday was insanely busy for me and today promises to be the same.  I'm so looking forward to this weekend, though!  Lab Rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders, crashing the bosses kids' birthday party (Bosses kid's b-day party is at Brooklyn Boulders), our friend's Halloween Party in Hoboken.  Some trashy club night following said party that I actually spent 10 dollars buying because everyone else is going, Mom & Dad.  Can't.  Wait. 

Have a wonderful day!

Wednesday, October 24th, 2012
View from my lab yesterday morning upon arrival - not bad - better if that stupid building wasn't blocking it. 

Good morning!  The Park was nice this morning but the pictures were dismal - it was just a bit overcast but now that we are transitioning into winter, that means that it was really dark the entire time.  I tried to take a picture, but it ended up looking pretty bad so I thought I'd share this one from my adventures in lab yesterday morning. 

We had an exciting thing happen yesterday!  Bear's breeder contacted us about the possibility of breeding Bear when he gets bigger!  We don't know for sure whether it will all pan out, but that would be pretty exciting!  It also wouldn't be for awhile yet, as he'd need to be at least 2 years old.  I already told Sarah I expect her to take one of the pups :)

Well I took a video of Bear and Sofie playing in the dog park yesterday - here's the link:

http://youtu.be/G5GLeHqKJro

Have a great day!

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012
6:42am

Good morning!  You'll get no regular post today from me - sorry!  As I sit here and eat my oatmeal & have my coffee, Brian is out with the ruppies in Central Park on their usual walk.  I have to be in lab by 7 this morning for an experiment so Brian's taking on little dogs in the big park today, sans post.  

I'll be back at-cha tomorrow. 

Have a great one!

Monday, October 22nd, 2012
Mohonk Mountain House (Thursday & Friday Oct. 18th-19th, 2012)  Sunset-ish

Good morning!  Sorry I missed you all last week on Thurs. and Fri.  I was away at Mohonk Mountain House for the second time this year at the Immunology Retreat.  It was a great success - lots of fun.  We invited an external speaker from Harvard to give the Keynote address on Thursday evening and his talk was absolutely fascinating.  We also had time for some hiking (pictures shown above), dancing, drinking, eating, and enjoying the place.  I absolutely love Mohonk - I don't think it could ever get old. 

All of that fun was eliminated this weekend when I spent literally 15 hours in lab over Sat. and Sun.  I have to give lab meeting this morning, and I had a ton of data to organize, process, and think of how I would present it.  It's weird how time just slips away when you're in lab on a weekend.  You walk in at 11:30am, and when you leave it's dark and 6pm and you've just been sitting at your computer the entire time.  I've practiced a few times now and give it at 9:30am this morning.  I'm a little nervous, but mostly just excited to get a chance to share my data. 

Well - time to practice and make a few little updates to my slides before meeting! 

Have a great day!

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
Central Park East - 6:50am

Good morning,

Interesting things happen at sunrise and dusk.  The sky often does things that are beautiful while it makes way for the morning sun or nighttime sky.  Since I live on the East side, I often don't get to see the spectacular West side sunsets over the Hudson.  Honestly, I'm also usually still at work when the sun is setting for most of the year.  Because of all of this, I savor my morning sunrises in the Park.  I've learned that some of the most beautiful skies are produced mornings after thunderstorms in the summer and on the coldest of cold days in the winter.  That's just anecdotal - but it's something I've noticed.  Sometimes you're just surprised and there's no reason apparent for the lovely sky. 

This was one of those mornings I was so thankful to be up to see it.  When I opened my door to go outside, it was cold - not uncomfortably cold - cold enough to jolt your senses.  It was quiet in the Park when I arrived - and still dark.  Dark enough to make me feel mildly more aware of my surroundings.  I was alone - except for the long-time Parks Conservancy worker (John) cleaning up around the benches.  The cold air against my face and in my lungs, and my hands warm in my pockets I started whistling and waved good morning to John.  I didn't see many folks until I broke on to the Great Lawn.  This is when I was greeted with this stunning sky.  It only lasted about 10 minutes before it transitioned to bright blue with high, streaky white clouds.  I stopped for a few moments and leaned against the fence to survey the pink, cold sky against the backdrop of changing leaf colors - it's not hard to love Fall.  I feel this way every year. 

There's some magic in the early mornings.

Carpe diem!

 

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Central Park East - 7:05am

Good morning!  A beautiful, cool, very blustery day in the Park made for giddy pups.  They were extra - rambunctious this morning and I was smiling the whole time watching them.  Mornings like these always remind me why I do this every. single. day.   My morning walk in the Park is something good for me and for them. Even when they pull and make my life difficult getting out the door and actually to the Park, once I let them off leash and see them joyously bounding around in the grass in the early morning darkness - it always makes me smile.  

Have a great one!

ps.  Dad you remember how you would never let us get cereal for breakfast that had more than a certain amount of calories from fat, or too much sugar, or not enough fiber?  Well I'm eating Grape Nuts today.  Old habits die hard. 

Monday, October 15th, 2012
Central Park East - 7:25am

Good morning!  A nice warm yet refreshingly breezy morning in the Park.  Georgeous sky, as well.  The interesting part that I'm not showing you in these pictures, is that on the other side of the bottom shot, the sky is entirely dark and cloudy & looks like rain.  In doggie-land my little Bear has officially ripped up (meaning destroyed), 4 pairs of my underwear and a pair of shorts.  Sorry - I know this is gross but most of you are dog-owners so you know how they are (disgusting).

In human land, Brian and I ran a half marathon yesterday in honor of the late, great, Grete Waitz.  Grete died of cancer last year at the age of 68 after winning the NYC marathon a record 9 times (more than any man or woman ever), the London Marathon twice, and a handful of World Championships, an Olympic silver medal, and various other big deal things.  She was an incredibly prolific runner (one of the best to ever live) and also championed running for women at a time when the sport was not really a "woman's game."  Her own parents thought it was insane for her to pursue professional running.  She promoted and founded various organizations for running and health and truly made the world a better place during the time that she was here and after her death.  After she died, her husband founded the AKTIV foundation - to raise money for cancer research.  I'm proud to say Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center now has a partnership with this organization.

It was great to go out and run to remember the legacy of this incredible person.  I had trained for this race since I was out in Oregon in August, so it was pretty happy for it to finally come to pass.  I finished in 1:49:44 (a few minutes ahead of Brian ;).  It was a tough race - felt very hilly and at mile 8 I really wanted to be done.  By mile 11 I knew I could do it and mile 12 to 13 I just toughed it out.

I think the best part about running long distances is being able to eat whatever you want so I finished an enormo bagel with cream cheese after I finished and then a gigantic choc. chip cookie that Brian got me after I got home from work (yes, I had to work yesterday after I finished my run - believe me - I did NOT want to).  I'm shocked that I'm not even a bit sore today - feel great as a matter of fact.  I think it's the carbs that refueled me (wink wink DAD).

When Brian and I returned home from the race, we found that our runkies had chewed up 2 highlighters and a chapstick.  Thanks for the support, pups.

Anyway, I'm off to work.  Have a great day!!

FRIDAY, October 12th, 2012
Central Park East - 7:15am

Good morning!  As I just typed in "October 12th" it hit me.  October is halfway over.  What the HELL!  This is one of my favorite months!  October, November, and December are my favorite months of the year.  Can we talk about something?  I LOVE HALLOWEEN.  I FREAKING LOVE IT.  There is something about dressing up in a costume that I find to be so much fun - much alcohol is consumed - inhibitions are gone - and before you know it you're sliding through your sticky, beer coated living room truly believing you are Tom Cruise from Risky Business (see below).  I have fought the urge to dress my dogs in costume.  Mainly because they will hate it - try to pull it off - and those costumes are expensive.  My dog can't understand that it's a celebration of witches, broomsticks, hauntings, skeletons, candy, and generalized spookiness.  Last year was a sad year for the Halloween world.  I did NOTHING.  I had a huge experiment that day and I remember at the end of it, I just wanted to go home.  I didn't want to do anything but go to sleep.  That was the first year I've EVER not celebrated Halloween (again, see below).  This year will NOT be a repeat.  I have not 1, not 2, but 3 Halloween parties to attend.  I will not tell what I will be dressed as - you'll see later. I'm also plotting with my neighbor on the 6th floor about how we can get trick-or-treating going in our building, so that we can see the little kids all dressed up and finally be grown up and hand out candy. 

I love the concept of holidays that are a little magical.  Like Christmas - I'm not going to lie - a part of me still believes that Saint Nick somehow magically makes Christmas miracles happen every year.  He might not be the one handing out the presents - but maybe he's off living in some snowy Scandinavian forest with a herd of flying reindeer making old fashioned wooden toys?  I don't know.  That's what I like about Halloween.  That maybe while you're drinking some kind of orange alcohol-laden punch from a skeleton chalice, there's actually some black magic about. 

Here's a little playback of some of my Halloween costumes of the past 5-7 years.

 Ok - maybe this one is from longer ago than 5-7 years - but that is a bomb clown suit.  And - bonus - someone gave me a disembodied head on a stick!

Halloween of '06.  I was GI Jane and those are some of my basketball teammates.  Left top is Krista - she was a gangster, then below is Amy - she was 80's workout barbie, and Right is Timisha - she was Stewie Griffin from Family Guy.  

Now I believe this was Halloween of '07.  I was an Eagles player.  And I call this my "Busch Light" period. 

 

Oh boy, folks, this year was a doozy.  This was '08 - the year I graduated.  We hosted the party of the century this Halloween.  Me and my 3 roomies put together a horrifyingly awesome party complete with keg (which remained in our backyard until SPRING the following year), coated all of the walls with black garbage bags, put up skeletons everywhere, had a playlist of only Halloween-ish music (think MJ's Thriller, the theme from the Adam's family, the theme from Psycho, the theme from The Amityville Horror, Britney Spears Toxic....you get the idea).  I was Tom Cruise from Risky Business (ok - I don't even like Tom Cruise - I just wanted an excuse to wear nothing but boys underwear, an oversized pink button down and tube socks). 

 This was '09.  See that tattoo?  Drew it on with Sharpie - yea - I'm that devoted.  Brian and I were Micky and Mallory Knox from the movie - Natural Born Killers.

Another doozy of a year - '10.  That is blue latex paint.  Yes, Blue.  Latex.  Paint.  I'm a Naví from the movie Avatar.  That guy is Mike Fath - one of my dearest Philly friends.  I have to say - this was commitment.  I cried when I took that paint off - it was a full body wax experience.  It took hours for us to be completely painted.  And we constructed our other clothes out of a brown curtain.

Do you need some help getting into the Halloween spirit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA 

Have a great one! 

Thursday, October 11th, 2012
Central Park East - 7:30am

Good morning, folks!  I'd like to take a step back from my recent ranting and raving post and say "sorry."  Why?  Well....to be frank, little dogs big park is a happy blog.  Not a whiny, ranty one.  I promise, I won't do it again.  I've been a bit sleep-deprived lately, and it's been affecting my mood.  I got a good night's sleep last night and so am feeling much more bouncy today.  It was also a beautiful morning - nice and cool.  This a picture of my little runkies rolling in the grass under the tree on dog hill.  Looks like nice grass to roll in, right? 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012
Central Park East - 7:05am

Good morning!  Another rainy one today.  I only saw between 5-10 people with their dogs out this morning.  You know what amazes me?  How I can go on walks in Central Park every morning, and while most days I see lots of people, for the most part they are complete regulars.  I see them almost every day.  Some are more die-hard than others.  In the past year, the regulars between the hours of 6 and 8 are probably in the realm of 35-60 people.  35-60!  Granted this is just one little 3 mile slice of the Park during one little 2 hour slice of time, but don't you find that a bit surprising?  The population of Manhattan is just over a million and a half people.  We'll cut out the tops and bottoms of the city, because they aren't going to come to the Park - too far.  Even if you took the people just in my immediate vicinity, we'll say 60's-80's on the East and West side, that's THOUSANDS of dogs. 

I just find it surprising that the Park isn't overrun by dogs every morning.  It is on the weekends, but not during the week.  I'm glad it's not overrun with dogs - because I would probably enjoy it less - but I'm surprised.  I think this reflects the typical NY'ers view about dogs.  Typical NY'ers view their dog as a sort of human-cat-like thing.  It definitely needs booties and maybe some sweaters or overalls.  DEFINITELY raincoats.  It may need to be pushed in a stroller.  It probably needs doggie daycare - whatever that is.  It most likely needs grooming and blueberry facials (I'm not kidding - someone handed me a flyer in the Park once advertising a posh upper east side dog spa that offered blueberry facials).  Despite all of this lavished attention, it also seems to only need a walk down the block - literally not even around the block - down the same street as the building is on. 

I think that all of this reflects a sort of attitude of wealth and privilege and laziness here.  What your dog really wants, no matter how little and dainty it's been bred to be (my own dogs being a perfect example), is for you to take that raincoat off it so it can roll in the mud.  It wants to run off leash and chase squirrels and birds into bushes.  It wants to eat horrifying things it finds around trash cans.  It wants to crunch up rotten acorns.  It wants to bark and smell other dog's butts (get over it - it's how they investigate one another!!!!).  They want to roll in dead things and swim in mucky ponds.  It wants to be a dog.  The only thing that makes a difference are the toys I think - Nan - they really like the toys :)

NY'ers - especially upper east siders - need to stop pretending that buying things is what will fix everything.  Buy your children posh educations - go ahead!  They'll just learn how to blow Adderall in the bathroom while at their SAT prep courses.  Then the NYTimes will run an article about how the "pressures of school have driven kids to drugs."  WRONG.  They're on drugs because:  1.  They're too accessible because you give them too much money and 2.  You taught them that if something doesn't work they should just buy something to fix it.  And buy your dogs doggie daycare memberships - they'll just sleep there - when they could have been comfy sleeping on their couch at home.  These people are literally buying an opportunity for their dog to be at the equivalent of the pound - loud - crowded - not much oversight or attention.  So stupid.  Just give your dogs some more attention!  

Woah.  I got all worked up there.  Let me settle down.  It's the upper east siders - they're getting to me.

It probably sounds like I'm up on my high horse - "I do everything right - you should do stuff like me."  No, I don't actually think that.  I don't think that I do things right.  I work all day - I probably should have never bought dogs to begin with because I'm not home enough.  I probably don't give them as much exercise as they need.  I don't do enough obedience training with Bear so he's not as well behaved as Sofie.  They both jump up on people with muddy little paws and beg shamelessly for food.  Bear still has accidents in the house because sometimes at the end of the day - I'm beat and I don't want to take him out as much as I should.  Sometimes I sit on my computer all evening instead of interacting with the little living beings romping around in my living room.   So please - don't think that little rant was about me thinking what I do is great - because I have a lot things I'm working on.

I guess what I'm saying is this:  (and I saw this on one of those church signs that says stuff like "Ephesians 1:100 Looketh to the Lord for guidance - and come to morning service on Sunday 11am!")
"How do children (or dogs, or your spouse, or your friends) spell LOVE?  T. I. M. E." 

Have a wonderful, wonderful day! 

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012
Central Park East - 6:55am

Good morning!  Well folks, my bed was impossibly cozy this morning.  I was sleeping a deep, coma-like sleep, nestled into the sheet & fleece blanket.  I had both sweatshirt, shorts, and wooly socks on.  It was pitch black - as it has been lately - not a bad thing - just makes it tougher to get out of bed when that alarm goes off.  I had told Brian to open one of the windows a crack last night because our room gets stuffy during the night, so the air had a nip in it.  We were bad and let the dogs sleep in the bed with us.  We try not to, but they're just so persuasive.  I was snuggled up with Bear & Sofie. 

When my alarm went off, they didn't even stir.  Sofie lazed her head up off my leg and kind of blinked at me in the darkness.  Bear didn't move.  I lie there for a minute - feeling so comfy and cozy.  I thought of what type of magical spell I could cast in order to go back to sleep yet still make it in to lab early enough to read what I needed to read before the day started officially.  I fought the semi-painful urge to shut my eyes and checked the weather on my iPhone. 

52 degrees and raining.  I got up and looked out the window.  Nope, not hard enough to warrant not going.  I pulled on my jeans as Sofie and Bear just re-cozied with Brian.  Got a harsher wake up when I took my sweatshirt off to put another layer underneath - well - I'm awake now.  Pulled my shoes on.  *Sidenote, can someone tell me why it hurts both feet & hands to pull your shoes on first thing in the morning?  Does anyone know what I'm talking about?  So weird.  Anyway, I went into the kitchen and cut up shopping bags to use for the doggies.  Got some treats for my pocket.  Grabbed the leashes and walked back into the bedroom. 

I reached for Sofie, who was snuggled between Brian's legs with her chin on his calf.  She turned on her back and waited for me to scratch her belly.  I had to pick her up to get her harness on.  Even my dogs were snoozy! 

When I walked out the door there was no one out.  It was more than drizzling and less than hard raining.  There were a few runners, a few people walking dogs, and some construction workers and maintenance guys hosing down sidewalks and having their morning coffee & donut.

Tell me something now:  Does waking up ever get any easier?  

Monday, October 8th, 2012
photo is from yesterday evening circa 7pm. 

Good morning!  Now this is the weather I'm TALKING about. 

46 degrees.  This is sweatshirt weather...soup weather...coffee weather....boot weather.  We had a great weekend here in the big apple.  Brian's mom, Edna came on Friday evening and we enjoyed several great walks in the Park with the pups and went out for a great brunch.  Dinner the night before was....questionable due to a lady that sat next to us and coughed and sneezed the whole time.  Brunch was lovely, though.  It always is at Fulton pub.

Sunday was rainy and I went into work to finish an experiment and subsequently be disappointed by said experiment's results.  To counteract the disappointment I made another round of muffins.  Much better this time.  I used a different recipe and added chocolate chips - per Brian's request.  I'm having them toasted this morning with coffee.

Have a great one!

FRIDAY, October 5th, 2012
Central Park East - 7:15am

Good morning!  This is what usually happens when I try and take a picture of something that is accessible to my dogs.  They immediately go over to it and sniff around like - "What the Hell is so great about this leaf?  Is there food on it?  Is it actually food?"  You also must be thinking...."Uh oh - we're back to the Fall leaf color pictures."  Yes, we are back to the Fall leaf pictures.  You must have been tiring of the late summer/early fall sunrise pictures.  One of the many reasons that I love Fall more than any of the other seasons is the changing colors of the leaves.  They make incredibly beautiful  vibrant colors in sort of psychedelic combinations that I never get tired of looking at. 

It was finally a lovely morning - none of the disgusting, sticky, moist weather we've been having lately.  I decided to do something that I haven't done since moving to NYC.  I had breakfast in the Park.  I went to Knish Knosh on Conservatory Pond and had a coffee and bagel while my doggies scrounged around on the ground for bits of this and that that people had dropped.  It was a wonderful atmosphere.  People all with their dogs, enjoying breakfast in the nice cool weather & overlooking the Conservatory Pond.  It was only $3.50, too.  It probably won't become a frequent event - because I don't have the time for it - but I figured hey, it's Friday, you have to sac mice when you get in to lab, have some breakfast in the Park. 

Have a wonderful day! 

*See you this evening, Edna! 

Thursday, October 4th, 2012
Central Park East - 7:10am

Good morning!  Sun peeking through all the clouds over the Met this morning.  Had the pleasure of seeing the day start very overcast and drizzly, and in a matter of 40 minutes clear up to beautiful.  Just one of the perks of being up early. 

Have a great day! 

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012
Central Park East - (below) - 7:00am

Good morning!  Twas a dark and foggy morning.  I always love these particular trees (bottom photo) at this time of year.  They're huge ovals of green leaves that, when the season starts to turn, begin to turn bring yellow in specific little patches.  The middle photo is a maple, which is already entirely orange. 

I'm loving the vegetables I'm getting in my CSA shares lately.  While I can't get enough zucchini,  eggplant, basil, and tomatoes in mid-summer, I LOVE the types of greens and root vegetables that come in to season around this time of year.  We've been getting beautiful kale (Blue and Siberian - blue is my favorite so far).  We've also been getting tons of winter squash, which I'm learning how to make.  Butternut is my favorite variety so far but I have some Delicata to try something with this week.  There have also been potatoes and lots of beets.  Here's the thing....I like beets.  I like them peeled and sliced very, very thin and then made into a salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and balsamic.  When you roast them, something odd happens.  They just taste weird to me - kind of too sweet for a roasted vegetable - which I expect to taste savory.  I have about 2 lbs left sitting in my fridge waiting for me to figure out what to do with them - which I will do something with them - they're so damn healthy.  I welcome your suggestions.  Finally, we just got back Bright Lights Swiss Chard.  MY FAVORITE vegetable.  SO beautiful and such a great green - like Kale it stands up to some abuse.  You can let it sit in the fridge and it doesn't wilt or turn brown, it's hearty, it's tough, and it fares well just marinating it in some garlic & olive oil and sauteeing it down, it can be thrown into soup, too.  

This is what it looks like.

Pretty, huh? 

Ok, well I've nerded out about vegetables enough for one morning.  I can't help myself I love them.  When I went to pick up my share yesterday, Sofie and Bear were with me and they were straining and pulling to crunch up any spare leaves or pieces of cauliflower that had fallen to the ground - they like veggies, too ;) 

Have a great day!!
 

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012
Central Park East - 7:00am

Good morning!  I am literally sitting here - eating my shitty muffins, drinking coffee, and trying to think of what to write.  (That's not good, it means I have nothing interesting to tell you because I've done nothing interesting).  Rather than bore you by talking about the weather or vegetables or something of the like, I'll just leave it short for today. 

Have a great one!

 Bear: back, Delroy: front

 L to R:  Delroy, Sofie, Bear

Top 3: Saturday, September 29th, 2012
Bottom: Monday, October 1st, 2012
Central Park East - 7:05am

Good morning!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  It seemed to be the first weekend that it started to really feel like Fall.  As you can see from the above pictures, Bear met his brother Delroy in the Park.  The lady who bought Bear's brother lives on the lower east side, and got my email from Liz (the breeder).  We decided to meet up and see if the brother's recognized each other & to play. 

I don't think they recognized each other - at least not in a way that was perceptible to me.  It was funny the ways that they were different.  Delroy (formerly Lynx), was much skinnier and lanky.  He was very fast - bounded around like a rabbit.  I think he was a little taller, too.  Their personalities towards humans were similar.  Lots of kisses - very sweet.  Delroy was much more dominant towards dogs.  He was mounting both Sofie and Bear like crazy!  Bear has never mounted anything - ever! 

It was fun, but Bear doesn't really want to play much with other dogs.  He wants to play with Sofie only.  Sofie, by contrast, will play with any dogs.  So it went a little something like - Sofie chased Delroy - Bear  chased Sofie.  They all 3 ran in circles for the time we visited. 

In other news, I was beginning to search for the first hints of Fall.  I was looking for fallen leaves & changing colors.  Once it all gets started, it goes fast.  This morning there were lots of fallen leaves and the early color-changing trees are all turning orange, red, and yellow.  In celebration of all of this, I made terrible pumpkin muffins.  It was the first recipe I made from the smitten kitchen that was not fantastic.  I did substitute baking powder for soda (I don't know if that would have done this).  I'm still eating them with coffee in the morning because I don't want to waste them and I also enjoy anything that's pumpkin and cinnamon - flavored.  They're so DENSE!  They're not like bread or cake at all.  They're really chewy.  I have no idea.  I suppose I'll try again next week because I like to have things like this with my coffee in the morning.  All summer long I indulged in zucchini muffins and they were always good!  

Happy first day of October (I think it's safe to say it's my favorite month of the year).