Some Things We Looked Up While On Our Trip

SUMMARY: We both have curious minds.

So, this happened:  Seester and I headed north to western Washington to investigate possible future retirement locations. Driving is the best! Lots of time for conversation and asking questions about--anything! [yeah, will probably get around to talking about the trip at some point.]

• Can we reasonably make it to our first area of exploration (Silverdale, WA) in one day? Answer: Yes, if we're willing to drive for 14 hours. Not including rest stops, food stops, gas stops....  Final answer: No.

• Where should we stop our first night? (Checking distances from our starting location to Portland, Crescent City, Eureka, Ukiah, and some other places.) Decided on Crescent City but I insisted on not making reservations until we were well on our way, and glad about that because we made it only to Eureka for dinner with a friend.

• How to pronounce Puyallup?

• How does tolling work for non-Washington residents crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge? (Apparently they'll get our address from CA DMV via our license plate and send a bill.)

  

  When we headed home, that was really the only day with dark foreboding clouds.
  Which pretty much cleared up by noon.

  
  

• Did L. Ron Hubbard *really* have more published works of fiction than Stephen King? (Guiness World Records says yes.)
  
  
• If I wanted to pick up Zorro the day after I got home instead of Friday night, and he was in Sonora, how long would it take? (Gulp--4 hours round trip. Answer: No. Fortunately arranged a pickup in Tracy, only 2 hours round trip.)
  
  
• Which rest areas (er, "safety roadside rest areas") are currently open on I-5? On US 101?  (Didn't have much luck finding those answers.)
  
  
• Where exactly is Trees of Mystery and what are their hours?
  
  
• What's interesting about Port Angeles?
  
  
• Rainfall averages for various places in Washington?
  
  
• Lots and lots and lots and lots of queries in Google Maps for how to get somewhere or how long it would take or where it was.
  
  
• Where's the nearest AAA office?
  
  
• Tsunami Hazard Zone Maps for WA.
  
  
• Exclusion zones for Mount Rainier eruption dangers
  
  
• Iceland isn't on the Ring Of Fire, so why does it have volcanoes?
  
  
• How did prehistoric irrigation work in the Americas without the wheel? Was it all gravity-based? (Apparently, yes.)
  
  
• Calories in a Wendy's small chocolate Smoothie?
  
  
• Common name for Humuhumunukunukuapua'a? [Yes, I could remember the Hawaiian name, but not the common  English name.]
  
  
• What is all the white stuff growing next to  101 around Eugene? [Answer: Meadowfoam. OK, what is Meadowfoam?]  

  

  Meadowfoam, by phone from a moving car.

  
  
  
• Is there an airport near Labanon OR? (Yes, the Labanon airport.)
  
  
• Are wild pigs just domestic pigs gone feral?  (Maybe in some cases, but actual different species. They are a likely ancestor of domestic pigs.)
  
  
• Are wild turkeys just etc etc. (Domestic turkeys are descended from them.)

• ARE there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side? (Interesting and funny blog post about this.)
  
  
• List of fictional characters with stars on the Hollywood walk of fame?
  
  
• Does EVERYWHERE WE GO have a Safeway?  [It sure seemed like it. I think we saw more safeways than anything other than trees.]
  
  
• Can that photo of our hotel on [something] Bay [which appears to be mostly mudflats] in the far background of an orca leaping into the air be real? For that matter, do orcas really breach often? [I said, yes, they're basically just big dolphins.] 
  
  
• What's the best Incorrect Quote we can generate for our favorite fictional characters?
  
  
• If someone says their dog is a Service Dog (and the person is disabled after overseas service), but the dog is badly behaved, can it really be a Service Dog? And how is that defined?
  
  
• Where is the wooden ship Tally-Ho being rebuilt in Sequim? (All that info has apparently now been hidden and we couldn't find it.)
  
  
• Rules about capital gains on primary residences.
  
  
• Dimensions of a king-sized mattress?
  
  
• Actual name of the Klamath River bridge that washed away, and is it the same name as its replacement?

  

  Site of the old bridge. Seester taking a photo.

  
  
  
• Earthquake and liquefaction hazard maps in and around seattle?
  
  
• Did our favorite hotel Candy Cane Inn in Anaheim survive the pandemic? [says it's currently "under renovation"... whatever that really means]
  
  
• Kaiser locations in Washington and Oregon?
  
  
• Nearest Wendy's?
  
  
• We're alongside the Salmon River -- want more info.
  
  
• What causes nighttime leg and foot cramps?
  
  
• Where did the city name Cotati come from? (Coast Miwok)
  
  
• So much more--but I didn't save everything... and sorry I didn't include all the links (sometimes searched a lot for an answer). 

Do I Want Another Dog? Should I Get Another Dog? Are There Dogs Who Might Appeal To Me?

SUMMARY: Those are not the same question.

From Facebook again--some editing and additional links, etc.

A friend (Carol S, parent of many pets both feline and canine) emailed on Dec 24:

Merry Christmas to you all.  My sister-in-law sent me this wonderful 2020 take on the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas", (from Chewy.com, "'Twas the Year Our Pets Saved Us") and I thought it would bring you all a smile.  Consider it your present from our Irving Menagerie - I wouldn't let the dogs and cats out to shop during the pandemic, so this is all there is!

May we all have a better 2021! - Carol

That (poem) could serve as a blog post all on its own. Charming illustrations, too.

BUT I can't stay silent of course.

Sad/mixed feelings addendum:  So, read or not. Short version is: I think I might want to get a dog to fill the void left by Chip in June. But maybe I don’t. But maybe it doesn’t matter because there are no dogs available.

Two days before Christmas, last week, I was trying to explain to a friend why I’d want to get a second dog now. 

Chip leaving in June was bad timing because of COVID's effects on my life in general. OK, seriously, no  time is good timing for a barely 9-year-old dog suddenly dying. I vowed not to immediately fall in love with another dog’s face like I did with Chip as Tika's heart was getting bad, or right after Tika and Boost died in 2015 and I was left with only Chip and then saw that big-eared mixed-breed's face. I think I shortchanged Chip, myself, and the new dog (Luke, aka Zorro) by not having reasonably dealt with my grief. (Here’s at least one of my blog posts on this topic-- Do Not Get Another Dog Right Now.)

So it’s been 6 months. I find that this thing drives me: I don’t want to suddenly find myself with no dog in the house.  

Dogs die unexpectedly. Or vanish (have at least 4 friends that has happened to). That’s also a down side to knowing so very very many people with so very VERY many dogs— seeing all the ways that the dogs leave us.  But that’s not what hits me—it’s wanting to have that happy tail, the dangling exercised tongue, the sparkling eyes, the fun and the mischief always. That unconditional love. That companionship as I do the laundry or take a nap or work in the yard or go for a hike. (Spouses or partners are fine, sometimes, but sometimes not.) 

I went through this after Amber died in 1992, which was lonnnnng before I knew many Dog People. We still had Sheba and for two years I couldn’t face the idea of trying to *replace* Amber because no dog possibly ever could and I didn’t want my heart to break so badly ever again. But, as Sheba turned 14ish, I realized that I did not want to wake up one morning to a dog-empty house, and my stomach clenched but my heart opened to new possibilities and that’s when Remington appeared.   

I've had 2 or 3 (briefly) dogs ever since. (If you’re not tired of reading, here’s one of my blog posts on that topic: Maybe I Should Try Not Having A Dog.   Oh.  Erm.  And another one: One Dog, Two Dog, No Dog, Three Dog )

Now I’ve had only one dog for 6 months. And am thinking about... do I want another dog? I know that Zorro misses having a yard buddy, but I always tell people, don't get a dog for your dog. But he and Chip enjoyed each other much more often than not.  —but again curse COVID, there are no dogs available! [this is not technically true: nearby shelter has maybe 10, but they’re all bigger than I want these days (I’m hoping for 25-40 lbs) or special needs that I’m not prepared to deal with emotionally right now.  Rescue groups I’ve checked (and I have a ton of friends who foster and do rescue) say that their cupboards are bare.]

Soooooo I don’t have piles and piles and miles and miles of dogs to choose from! This is great for the animals. Probably great for me, really, seriously, because when I’m feeling as down as I do too often in the last couple of months, probably not a good time to get another pup anyway.

All of my dogs except maybe Sheba have been pure luck and falling in love with a pretty face. (Blog post—which clearly needs updating, and doesn’t really look at things from this perspective, but close. Choosing A Dog)

My first views of some of my dogs (which were photos, not the actual dogs); who could resist?

What I want is to be hanging out at a dog event and someone walks by with a gorgeous friendly dog and I admire her and the person says, I’m fostering her and she’s looking for a home.  Or someone posts a dog’s face on Facebook and I fall almost in love almost immediately.  But: No one is posting photos these days of available dogs because there aren’t any!

So maybe I’ll go back to making the house puppy-proof (aka new-dog-proof) again and then try again in a while.

Oh, BTW, while struggling with the emotions over all of this-- I turned to Facebook and of course my dog peeps are Total Enablers:

Ellen Levy Finch

December 22 , 2020

Shared with Your friends

Is this a bad time of year to make off-the-cuff decisions about adopting another dog?

I'd say the answer is yes.

But suddenly all day today I can't stop thinking about it.

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with xmas being postponed for another year or 2. 🙁

But the local shelter is slashing adoption fees for adult dogs until the end of the year.

I wouldn't get a puppy anyway.

And Zorro is lonely for a dog yard-buddy; I know that to be true.

Talk me out of it please. 🥺

[and so it begins… 80 comments!!]

• Narae Kim Ellis
Go for it!!

2

• Adina Pierce
I say yes!

1

• Elayne Fletcher
Talk you into it? Yes, absolutely.

1

• Kerry M. Forni
Absolutely!!

1

• Marla Cooper
You seriously expect your dog loving friends to talk you out of it? Lolol. Get the dog!

10

• Lloyda French
Go for it....

1

• Vickey Meyer
Yes!

1

• Karen Marcroft
I wouldn't know how to begin. Clearly the things that deter me have no effect on you. 

2

• Sharon Williams
Do you really want to risk another severe illness when this new dog is diagnosed? Fingers crossed that either way it will be the right decision.

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
I think they're self-selecting out--Zorro is and Chip was about 35 lbs and that's good for me; their lightest dog at the moment is 44, a Sibe, and I don't want another; already did that.

2

• Gwen Jones
Ellen - you’ll know, and Chip will confirm 

2

• Ellen Levy Finch
Well, Zorro might. I don’t get messages from Chip. A lovely thought, though.

1

View 2 more replies

• Ann Levy Burns
My only question would be whether you can handle two dogs, since you said that it was much easier with one dog going for walks and stuff

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
Ann Levy Burns Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. Maybe.

4

• Ellen Levy Finch
The thing is, it was typically very easy going for walks with Tika and Boost. It was not easy going for walks with Zorro and chip. So, it depends. I am trying to ignore the fact that it took lots of training and experience to be able to do that with Ti… See More

• Tina Scott Jeffrey
Is it EVER a bad time for a new dog?

2

• Tanya Lee
We are all enablers....you should know this by now...

7

• Cynthia Heyman
Tanya Lee right? Lol and when we take our puppies to trials everyone is so bad and let's puppies jump all over them. 

2

• Ellen Levy Finch
Cynthia Heyman That’s the worst for sure!

1

• Aostara Kaye
I would never talk someone who gives dogs such a great home out of adopting another, unless you can't afford it either financially or emotionally

1

• Susan Fallon Paulsen
Do what your heart says

• Dorothy Diehl
Think of poor Zorro.
Go for it and please post a picture!

1

• Leslie Halliday
Actually, the comment about easier to walk one dog than two is valid. I think it depends on your energy level. Because we know yard dog buddy won’t be the end of it.

1

• Marla Cooper
Leslie Halliday True. I have 6. Yes. Crazy dog lady. I walk one at a time.

2

• Ellen Levy Finch
Marla Cooper Walking six dogs one at a time is what’s crazy!

View 3 more replies

• Deborah Lage
Play GIF
GIPHY

1

• Penny Larson
Why not!! Zorro would probably like a pal too. There’s somebody out there waiting for you!

1

• Nancy Gyes
What about another special puppy that you plan for. Your last one turned out very wonderful . 

2

• Joni Grace
Good luck! I won’t talk you out of it because I think it would be good for you and Zorro. You’re a great pet parent!

1

• Christine Louise Armstrong
https://petharbor.com
PETHARBOR.COM
PetHarbor.com: Animal Shelter adopt a pet; dogs, cats, puppies, kittens! Humane Society, SPCA. Lost & Found.
PetHarbor.com: Animal Shelter adopt a pet; dogs, cats, puppies, kittens! Humane Society, SPCA. Lost & Found.

1

• Bruce Garlinger

[posted several animated gifs of happy dogs]

• Millicent Conover
Go for it!!

• Julie Rice
Don’t expect me to talk you out of it. Raising Winnie was a great thing to do while i waited for my grief over Zodi to subside. Getting Trissy has made me smile and laugh again and it’s been a long time since my heart has felt so light.

1

• Gailanne Molver
yes

• Dawn King
Remember how easy it is to take a hike with one dog v.s. two? Remember how you can keep the vet bills/food bills/toy bills cut in half with one dog? Half the wear and tear on the yard. Probably easier to get renters if you only have one. Oh heck. … See More

4

• Ellen Levy Finch
Dawn King Thank you, Dawn!

• Janelle Stroschein
My only worry is a Siberian too much dog to take on as you are still healing?

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
Janelle Stroschein Never again a Siberian. No worries on that count.

1

• Janelle Stroschein
They are awesome dogs but I weighed the possibilities that come with certain dog types. I like a nice older dog. Just because I’m getting older too. Not old yet!!!

1

• Cat Springer
Oh, golly, *another* dog? I just don't knooooow. (Heck, yeah!)

• Cat Springer
Buster shakes his head "no". (But then, he shakes his head *everywhere*.)

• Cat Springer
Play GIF
GIPHY

• Fiona Gillies
In Australia it’s apparently quite difficult to get a rescue dog as so many people have adopted in the pandemic. If you are able to adopt where you are, maybe that’s a siiiiign

2

• Ellen Levy Finch
Fiona Gillies It looks like all of the smaller dogs are have been adopted. In my previous life, I’d have gladly taken something the size of a German Shepherd, But I’m not there now.

• Ellen Levy Finch
Fiona Gillies (And it’s unusual not to see a ton of small dogs, particularly Chihuahua mixes, available from every pound and every rescue group. Now, not so much.)

• Julie Stokes
I say go for it. One will be available when the time is right. But go small

1

• Billy Vitro
I’ve been looking at getting another little dog. It’s always good to have a spare. 

3

• Ellen Levy Finch
Billy Vitro Dave Barry would call it an emergency back up dog.

2

• Billy Vitro
Ellen Levy Finch you got the reference! Damn, we’re old...

1

View 1 more reply

• Kathleen Carlsen
What’s one more? Keep looking for the right one. I think you will have plenty of enabling friends to help you

• Cathy Barber
I have the same desire. I want a dog for Sparkle. Doodle Bug is mostly cat in a dog’s body and doesn’t play with Sparkle.

• Brenna Fender
It's the best time! Do it!

• Cheri Scannell
It’s been a good year for rescues. There must be a reason for that. 

• Lisa Williams
The responses crack me up. Your friends are enablers! I would wait for the right dog that may not be available right now due to the high adoption rate during the pandemic.

7

• Ellen Levy Finch
Lisa Williams I know that I should’ve expected it. But I thought that maybe my sad face was compelling. 

• Mary Schultz
Wrong audience to ask.

3

• Mary Schultz
How about a kitten, or a robot? Or me?

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
Mary Schultz Can you sleep curled up in one corner of my bed? On top of the covers? Without bumping into me during the night? I have high standards.

1

• Mary Schultz
Ellen Levy Finch while I don’t look forward to my dogs’ demises, I do look forward to a one dog home

1

• Sue Dowell
Definitely yes

• Ronald Horii
Do you feel comfortable going to the animal shelter and vet during the pandemic?

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
Ronald Horii I’d have to make an appointment with the animal shelter if I see a dog that I’m interested in. I cannot roam the adoption areas. They will bring out just the dog of interest. I have been to my vet during these times, and they seem very goo… See More

• Wendy Gurney Bruce
if you feel a heart connection to a particular dog, then the timing/cost is irrelevant. Trust your heart and your gut to connect you!

• Linda Levy
Want the link to the group we got Abby from?

• Ellen Levy Finch
Linda Levy ok.
The rescue through whom I got Jake (indirectly) and Remington has no dogs available for adoption at this time. The nearby animal shelter doesn’t have any medium size dogs really. If I could see them in person (In canine), it might have c… See More

• Linda Levy
Ellen Levy Finch https://www.coppersdream.org

COPPERSDREAM.ORG
Copper's Dream Rescue Home
Copper's Dream Rescue Home

1

• Charlotte Dodie Duncan
Nope. Not talking you out of a great, and well-timed decision. Why would I do that?!?

• Sara McAulay
So... how are things progressing, decision-wise? I’m having serious puppy envy— not that I’d get a puppy under any circumstances!

• Ray Fischer
Here in B.C. there's been a shortage of available dogs
https://www.cbc.ca/.../bri.../high-demand-for-pets-1.5637516

CBC.CA
Shelters struggle to keep up with skyrocketing demand for pet adoption during COVID-19 | CBC News
Shelters struggle to keep up with skyrocketing demand for pet adoption during COVID-19 | CBC News

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
Ray Fischer Here, too. Everyone I know who does fostering and rescue and works at shelters has been talking about that for months. And yet there are still plenty of dogs who are larger, or who have special needs, or who are older. I just haven’t so far… See More

2

• Mandy Book
Talk you out of it? What kind of friends do you think we are? Lol

2

• Libby Myers-Buhite
Merry Christmas!

1

• Ellen Levy Finch
Libby Myers-Buhite awww!

• Nancy Shanken Damarodas
A friend knows someone in bc rescue fostering some border collie/ springier spaniel pups- if interested I can get you more info

DO THIS WITHOUT FIBBING

SUMMARY: That was the tagline for this on Facebook.

Another one of those "all about you" things that goes around. Because apparently I like talking about myself. And hoping that this doesn't give away so much of me that scammers can get into all my accounts.

I played this serious rather than funny.

▪︎1. What was the last thing you drank.
Diet Feisty Cherry Coke
▪︎2. Where was your profile picture taken?
My living room on Xmas day. Selfie.
▪︎3. Worst pain?
Physical: When my spine shifted and pinched a nerve; on narcotics for weeks and could still feel it. OR the backpacking trip where I got talked into doing the 2nd day even though I was already in pain and they had to eventually carry all my stuff and find someone with a vehicle to come up into the mountains to take me off. I literally could barely walk for 3 or 4 days w/out crying. Emotional: Losing people and dogs I love. That includes death and divorce.
▪︎4. Favorite place you've traveled to?
Wherever I am is my favorite place at the moment. Never found a place I didn't want to come back to someday.
▪︎5. How late did you stay up last night? 10:30.
▪︎6. If you could move, where would it be?
I wish I knew! That's my hardest decision facing retirement and *wanting* to move!
▪︎7. What do you collect?
Too much! Things I collect that just sit there and I'll get back to putting into albums "someday": Stamps, postcards, pin-on buttons (like smiley faces, campaigns, funny stuff, etc.). Others: Dragons. Xmas tree ornaments. Books.
▪︎8. Favorite day of the week?
Any day I'm not working.
▪︎9. Amusement park or concert?
Disney!!! No thanks on concerts.
▪︎10. When was the last time you cried?
About 2 weeks ago.
▪︎11. Who took your cover photo?
Me
▪︎12. Who's the last person you took a picture with?
Do dogs count? My dogs Xmas Eve. Actual humans: Friends at the latest Star Wars movie Dec 22.
▪︎13. What's your favorite season? Not Snow.
▪︎14. If you could have any other career, what would it be?
If I really knew, I might have actually done it. Have considered gardening, writing (oh--I do write for a living: Technical stuff for companies but I mean on spec writing), photography, hiking travel guide, dog trainer, house flipping...
▪︎16. If you could talk with anyone right now who would it be?
Mom and Dad
▪︎17. Are you a good influence?
Sometimes.
▪︎18. Does pineapple belong on pizza? Yep.
▪︎19. You have the remote, what are you watching?
IMDB to decide which theater to go to next.
▪︎20. Who do you think will play?
Anyone who is procrastinating like me.

Toys With Names

SUMMARY: Around here, you're not just "toy". You are, perhaps, "Mr. Toy".

(Ported from my recent Facebook post.)

I name the toys that my dogs and I play with the most. I use the names constantly while playing. My hope is that, just from that, they'll be able to fetch various toys by name. Turns out that, except for the winners of the Miss Popularity contest, it takes more work than that. But, for fun, anyway, here is the current set of Toys With Names.

Clockwise from top left and spiraling inward: Flying Minkey, Flying Fox, The Incredible Hulk, CAP-tain America, Spidey, Puffin, Squeaky Snake, Rope, Ropebone, Monkeyface, Ballflower, Liddle Toy, Liddle Ball, Bear, Binkie, Bikini Chicken (aka Playchicken), Flatball, Lattice, Bee (sometimes Buzz... no wonder they're confused), Rabbit (sans ears so closely resembles Bear the last year or so), Ladybug.

"Monkeyface iz MY's!" -Chip ^^^

[Since I lined up the family for the photo, I noticed that SOMEhow Purple Hippo made an escape sometime between when i lined them all up for photos and when I actually took the photo. And Jolly[Ball] is out in the yard. Oh, drat, I didn't think about MilkerToy or Riot Tug! Or Frisbee! Or, jeez, Cthulhu-Face! Hmmm--and Mr. Duck is completely MIA. Wonder where he's gone to that he didn't show up in a sweep of the house?]

Human Mom Responds to Your Questions About Toys With Names

Q: Omg...so many toys so little time. If my dogs see this, I am in serious trouble.  -Lloyda
A:  This is not #allTheThings. Just the #thingsWithNames. -Human Mom
Q: Even more reason dogs are not allowed access to Facebook!  -Lloyda

Q:  Turbo approves of the collection.  -Diane B.
A:  Thank goodness! -Human Mom

Q:  We do that too. Katie only brings us the correct named toy if it's obviously available and alone. -Dawn K.
A: We have a lot of that going on, too. Zorro can always bring Flatball no matter how many distractions, and usually Squeakysnake if Flatball isn't around. -Human Mom

Q:  Gem dismembers most toys. Yours look great. - Kathy C.
A:  We have deep dark secrets--FlyingMinkey is missing a leg. CAP-tain America and Spidey and Monkeyface have holes in the back through which they are regularly restuffed. Puffin barely has any part of his head without a hole in it, and when there's no longer enough head to hold in the restuffing, he'll go, too. And I picked up and tossed 5 other toys whose time had come while evaluating who needed to be in this photo. -Human Mom
Q:  Gem's favorite toys are Turbo Blackman's ABC toys. She likes to steal the toys of others... -Kathy C.

Q: How do you remember the names? -Debbie
A:  Most of them are pretty obvious. Flatball. Flying Minkey. The Incredible Hulk. Puffin. Monkeyface. Like that. :-)  -Human Mom
A2: And I repeat the names over and over, intending for the dogs to learn them, but probably mostly me that learns them.  -Human Mom
A3: AND of course I didn't name them all at once; they acquired names when they first came into play. Plus, just, practice; I've been naming toys for many years, so it's habit.  -Human Mom
A4: If you have names for anything for your dog to get-- "Get your Leashie!" "Get your Dish!"--you've already started naming your toys. ;-)  -Human Mom
A5: P.S. "Dish" is "Dish" because, it turns out, "Bowl" sounds a lot like "Ball", so there was some confusion in the early days.  -Human Mom

Sidney T. Shares His Wisdom with Human Mom

Human Mom has very recently met Sidney T. on Facebook. Sidney has a charming and ever-expanding family of his own (including the assorted Mr Fox no.1; also 2, 3, 4, and so on to 9, who travel the world and send photos back). Sidney interprets for them all. Sidney's humans transcribe for Sidney. Human Mom had too much fun reading about said family and seeing their family portrait, which inspired this post. Sidney responded.

Sidney Thompson: Sidney says his photo also has absentees due to hangovers (Skype Bunny and Mr Hippomoomin if he recalls). It's so difficult to gather them all in the same place at one time. He says your eclectic collection is truly remarkable, and he likes the way that no matter how battered, they still stick around. He is fascinated by Mr Monkey Face, Bikini Chicken and Lattice. He has about thirty tennis balls, all of them called Mr Ball (no.1 to no.30), he says.

Human Mom: Thanks, Sidney. Human Mom attempts to winnow the truly battered ones, but some are crowd favorites and so stick around for a long time. Monkeyface has a hole in his head through which his brains are regularly removed, but it's easy enough to put them back so they can be removed again. Puffin, same thing. Bikini Chicken, however, went on to a better place after examination for this photo.
P.S. There are actually Flatball Thing 1, Flatball Thing 2, and Flatball Thing 3. Because Zorro loves them the best. And I dunno 4 or 5 Ladybugs. Sidney is a very lucky dog to have so many Mr Ball! Bet he has a good time with every one of them.

Sidney Thompson: Sidney says Bikini Chicken should be retrieved from her resting place if at all possible. The Mr Balls live at home or in various gardens of his customers. Sidney seems to find them easily when he visits every couple of weeks, he says.

Human Mom: Sadly, Bikini Chicken in all her rubberness was accidentally left in front of a sunny window for the better part of a year. Probably wasn't the dogs' doing. Human Mom is admitting nothing. So with every touch, bikini chicken was literally disintegrating. Barely could get her lined up for this photo. She crumbled away as I took her into The Other Room. :-( Like Mr. Alien, at one time her twins were readily available, but now it's just photos of them on the Interwebs.

Sidney Thompson: https://www.amazon.com/Charming-79888L.../dp/B000OWI254
Charming Large Henrietta Chicken
Henrietta Squawker is one of the colorful family members of the Charming Pet Toy Oinkers &…
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Human Mom: She's not the version of Henrietta in the Playboy Chicken outfit, but she might want to come home with us anyway. Thanks, Sidney.

Sidney Thompson: Sidney says no it's not the same one but still a Bikini Chicken to keep the lineage going, he says.

Human Mom: Who am I to question Sidney's wisdom?

Sidney Thompson: Sidney says he is very fond of his Mr Foxes, which is why there are nine of them, although two have emigrated so it's time to spawn some replacements, he says.

Why Discouraged?

SUMMARY: Thinking about Tika's weekends and gnawing on statistics.

I keep thinking, well, Tika did Q 40% (4 of 10 Qable runs) this last weekend, and really, that's nothing terrible. But why does it feel so terrible? I mean, other than all the stupid things that kept us from Qing?

It's because it's feeling like a trend, and I don't like the way the trend is going.

For the 13 months from Sept 2010 to Sept 2011, covering 14 USDAA trials and 170 Qable runs, Tika's average Q rate was 71%. That includes two Regionals, a year apart. And she always brought home multiple placement ribbons. Not always first, but, f'rinstance, at this most recent Labor Day Regional, out of 16 runs against 14 to 18 other dogs, we came home with four 2nds, four 3rds, and four 4ths.

Since then, things seem to be going downhill.

The late-september trial, 55% Qs.
The October trial, 40% Qs.
The November trial, 27% Qs.
December, 44%.
January, 40%. And no placements. Not one. Against half a dozen dogs.

Her Top-Ten point average per day for that 13-month period was 7.3. (Or--oh, wait--it might be higher than that because I didn't count Team top 10s. Huh.) Our average in the 5 trials since that period has dropped to 4.7 per day. Then, this last weekend--nothing. Zilch.

I've known that I've been lucky with Tika. I've known that she's getting older. But has she really gone past her peak and is plummeting that rapidly? Or am I just slacking off?

I think it's good that we've got a bunch of CPE trials coming up--they'll give me another benchmark for how she's doing compared to her average rate in that venue.

Tomorrow, on to more cheery stuff--training with Boost.

Questions

SUMMARY: Random ponderings.

1. I just mowed the lawn on Sunday; how can it be over the tops of my shoes again on Thursday morning? Isn't this still, like, winter?
2. I just swept and washed the kitchen floor on Saturday; how can there possibly be piles of dirt and dog hair and, for crying out loud, a cartload of pieces of grass under everything already by Wednesday? Why don't the dogs have the courtesy to wipe their feet and blow their coats outside? On the lawn?
3. After two weeks, I finally picked up that broken fraction of an old plastic pot and hauled it over to the back door to be thrown away; why today does Boost decide that it's the greatest playtoy ever invented and ecstatically run off with it to drop it eventually somewhere? On the lawn? Especially when there are already three--count them, three!--Jolly Balls already waiting neglected on the lawn?
4. Why is Tika sore?
5. Why does she like to take her empty Leo food dispenser outside and leave it on the lawn? The dining room carpet isn't good enough?
6. Why, when I'm out in the yard watching, does she poop in the far out-of-the-way mulched corners of the yard, but when I'm not watching, she leaves it for me to step in--on the lawn of course?
7. Will it please not rain this weekend, when two agility friends and I are planning on taking our SLRs and agility beasts into the off-leash hills for hours of hiking and dog and photo fun? And no lawns in sight? Will Tika please feel better by then?
8. Why is the rum gone?
9. Will Mr. Frog find a mate and raise a family and so my pond will be filled with algae forevermore? Will they take care of any possible evil mosquito larvae?
10. Where's Waldo?
11. I'm guessing out on the lawn with everything else.
12. How can I possibly gain 5 lbs in a week? Stupid easter candy. Stupid potlucks.
13. Can I possibly get back into the swing of getting lots of exercise every day? Working longer hours sucks. Wouldn't it be great if every day I had time to go for a long hike? AND then mow the lawn? If I could get at it with all the stuff lying on it.