tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89535968462692681392024-03-13T22:52:26.593-07:00Travels with Charlie (Browne)I found my current companion through a text message from a third person in a health food store. She was seeking a hiking partner, protector and friend. I was seeking lots of room to run and someone to call my own. We were the perfect match. And now She takes me where ever She goes. I listen to her thoughts, fears, hopes, dreams, joys and questions. She meets my every need. This is our story. The story of unconditional and true love.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-18070971598122936222012-05-30T15:51:00.001-07:002012-05-30T15:51:36.077-07:00Smelly Blue Car People in Oklahoma! - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While She sleeps, I watch and wait. She takes the pieces out
of Her eyes – the parts that help Her to see. She does not trust Her eyes. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie keep us safe big boy”</i> and almost
instantly Her energy changes as She drifts off to sleep .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She is snuggled in a sleeping bag with pillows by Her head
and Her middle and Her legs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She does
not like to be “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">stuck”</b> or “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">trapped</b>” when She is resting. Her
dog-sense is more developed than in most humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The top and back of Her brain stays alert
even<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>while sleeping, like mine. But now
She is tired. Weary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The smelly blue car scared woman is tip-toeing to our car. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ears
up! Sniff … Sniff ! I am watching you. This is our car. Don’t get too close.</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angry man calls the scared woman back to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man is moving too fast …
looking around…shifting his feet .. talking and looking behind him..around
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grabs her arm, shaking it,
staring hard into her eyes, making her more scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scared woman lowers her eyes and bows her
head. I know what this means - The angry man is the alpha-dog. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is scared and subservient, she will do
what she is told.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">grrrrrrrrrr ……<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Charlie shh!”</i> She
is sleeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The necessary-to- survive-part
of Her is aware of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our surroundings. But
She wants us to be invisible to other people so we don’t bother them and they
don’t bother us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I watch and wait. The smelly blue car people get back into
the smelly blue car. Good<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stay!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I watch them from the darkly tinted window. They cannot see
me. They do not know I am here. She sleeps some more and Her awareness is gone.
Her eyes are moving quickly and Her body is completely still. I lay my head
across Her ankles. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh how I love Her!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knock, knock knock</i></b> …. huh? My girl is struggling to come awake,
dreaming<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AGGGGGHHHHHH</b>! She screams<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">! RUUUUUUOOOFFF</b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am at the window- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BARK BARK BARK</b>!!!……. She is frantic. I don’t like this! My Girl is
afraid! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUUUUOOOFF! RUUUOOOFFF</b>! The
smelly blue car scared woman is standing there. Ha! Now she is scared! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BARK BARK BARK</b> ! She did not know I was
in the car!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Girl can’t see .. She
reaches to her left where she left her glasses. Her legs are twisted in the
snuggly blanket. She is more scared now <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">PANIC!</i></b> She is trapped and stuck<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">RRUUOOOFFF! RUOOOOFFFFF!</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Girl frees herself while putting her glasses on her nose …
and not taking her eyes off the scared stranger banging on the window <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“ I need some money”</i> The scared woman is
saying to My Girl <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I am about to run out
of gas and need to make it to Kansas”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now My Girl is mixing angry with panic <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BARK BARK BARK!!!</b> There is movement behind our car – the angry man
is approaching!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Roll down your
window. I can’t hear you”</i> the scared woman is saying to My Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Girl is now mostly mad and focused. She
positions her body so the woman cannot see her hands, reaches between the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>seats and pulls out the black metal. She takes
it with us when we hike. This black hunting metal. Her gun. She thinks to
herself “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The dog is barking an inch from my ear … and YOU can’t hear? You are
NOT going to rob me!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now My Girl is very angry. The man is getting closer. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Go
inside!”</i></b> She yells at the scared woman<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. “Go inside, away from the dog!”</i></b>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman looks around nervously <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BARK BARK BARK !!!!!!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and slowly starts walking away from the car, toward the
building with lights and people bathrooms. The scared woman lowers her head and
her eyes once again … but walks very very slowly. The angry man sees her and
stops!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Girl is scrambling to get into
the front seat… the angry man hears me BARKING <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUUUOFFF!!! RUUUOOOOFFF</b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
quickly backs away from our car <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TOO
LATE!</b> She sees him in the rear view mirror. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She seems to grow taller and stronger right before my eyes.
Her outrage replaces her fear … I become silent. A sense of cool calculation- She
is no longer threatened. She is now the alpha-dog. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now She protects me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-80360030802285298622012-05-29T17:51:00.001-07:002012-05-29T17:51:12.309-07:00Smelly Blue Car People in Oklahoma! - Stay Awake - Part 1<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She is so tired. Sleep – I will stay awake and keep you
safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We stopped at the place with all the big trucks in Oklahoma!
She was singing a silly song and saying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“it’s
a movie Charlie</i>” when we pulled up next to the big truck. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looks around the whole big space for big
trucks before she gets out of the car<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.
R-U-N</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">S-T-R-E-T-C-H</b> and wag,
wag wag!! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">RUUUUUFF!</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A man! Is walking up
behind her…. she doesn’t see him or smell him!</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">RUUUFFF</i></b>! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now, she sees him!</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wait</i></b>!….he is a friend…
and thinking “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A woman out here alone?
Glad this is not my daughter</i>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like
him. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hey
Mister! I will keep her safe!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You have dogs!?</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sniff, sniff</b> …. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HA! a girl-dog! in your crotch? I smell her!”</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I Like Him! I Like Him!</b>... My She is<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> ALERT</b>…. and steps back, She cannot smell that this cross-country
truck driver is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">s-a-f-e.</i></b> “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie DOWN!
COME</i>” She says in her mad voice. But her mad voice is scared ……<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">what! what? wait? scared?! What ?!</b> My
ears are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UP</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and PAYING ATTENTION now</b>… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This
is MY GIRL!</i></b>, wag wag wag wag!…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She says “sorry” to the man driver with a girl dog in his
house far away and walks into the building. She doesn’t see the smelly blue car
with the bad man and scared woman inside … watching her. She just walks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.. “Charlie come!”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why is she afraid?</i>
We are going back to her pack. Her pups, her mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wag, wag, wag!…. the desert is HOT and VERY COLD.
She wants “New York” to make her feel safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a mad woman in Texas that yelled at My Girl<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when She brought me into a building like this.
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You could be poisoning people with that
filthy dog! Cancer patients come in here!”</i> The woman spit those words at My
Girl. The Yeller did not know My Girl had a maybe-cancer on her spine too. “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe
you should think twice before you speak</i></b>” My Girl said to the Yeller “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
need him with me at all times</i></b>” my She said. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get him out of here</i>!” The Yeller yelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was Texas. She was worried about another
Yeller, but willing to risk it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She loves me. I love Her. Look at her, wag wag wag! inside
her head thoughts of “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Good –Boy!</i> “</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqO46cjO648/T8VuXw7hL4I/AAAAAAAAAIg/LTB2THaro7o/s1600/gooddog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqO46cjO648/T8VuXw7hL4I/AAAAAAAAAIg/LTB2THaro7o/s320/gooddog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wait!</i></b> The smelly blue car woman is following My Girl …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUUUUFF!</b>
“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie! Quiet! I don’t want to get
thrown out of here! Shhh! Good-boy .. be quiet. Let’s hurry up!”</i> and just
like that, right past the “No Dogs Allowed” sign, She brings me into a
People-Bathroom. It is 2 AM and there is nobody in Oklahoma! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>except the smelly blue car people watching us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My She hurries out of the building and back to our car. She
doesn’t <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>see the smelly blue car. She doesn’t
smell the bad man and scared woman who want to take something from Her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We jump into our car parked next to the big trucks under the
lights in Oklahoma! She is so tired. She doesn’t smell the need to stay <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AWAKE and ALERT</b>. The smelly blue car
people are watching our car while She sleeps …..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-31395859806237361892012-02-03T18:56:00.000-08:002012-02-03T18:56:36.691-08:00Uh Oh ... the Dog Police ....<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have been traveling for weeks now, miles and miles in the car and miles on our feet. She loves to be outside, although it scares her. We camp in a tent in the desert. During the day it is 55 degrees, hot for Her and for me. At night it gets cold. 10 degrees. She put up the tent by herself. I tried to help. She didn’t want my help. She kept saying in her mad voice “Charlie GET OFF” Jeez! I just wanted to smell it. This is not a good smell!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9sIEpaJUags/Tyyc0T3ji6I/AAAAAAAAAH4/FGqo2L-Ollk/s1600/camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9sIEpaJUags/Tyyc0T3ji6I/AAAAAAAAAH4/FGqo2L-Ollk/s320/camping.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her arm muscles are shaking. It was hard for her paws to bend the poles. She is tired and a little <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">*scared* (nervous) <excited> -determined- *proud*</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to play play play RUN! what’s that smell? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I follow my nose straight to the showers and bath house and there is the POLICE. He has a badge and a gun and he bends down and says “Come here buddy-boy, why aren’t you on a leash?” What a nice man petting me and looking at the tingling metal on my neck. I sit down, like I am supposed to when a person stands in front of me with their hands like that. “Good boy” the policeman says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Whose dog is this?” he thinks and then he sees Her struggling with the stakes for the tent. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her face is red and sweaty and She looks like she does when she is doing a puzzle <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">*focused* (confused) <determined> .purposeful.</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the POLICE man feels sorry for Her but knows he is going to yell at Her anyway. I MUST BE ON A LEASH - It is part of THE RULES, even though there is no one else around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I’m so sorry</i>” She says, slightly annoyed and mildly embarrassed. She looks at me and says inside Her head “Charlie! You are supposed to stay close!!” and then she says in her nice, let’s be friends voice to the POLICE ….. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I am having a little trouble here, I can’t seem to get these stakes in the ground. I want to get set up before dark oh! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see you met Charlie, he really needed to stretch his legs”</i>. Uh Oh Mr. POLICE … I know this trick, talk and talk and talk with words that make you confused about why you were mad to begin with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She learned this trick from working at The New York State Supreme Court. She talks about that sometimes too. Dogs don’t love something and hate something at the same time. She does. She did. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She re-directs the POLICE with Her words and Her smile that says “Thank you for helping me, for understanding.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what She does when She wants me to do something else. Words and smiles and slight of hand. But She didn’t throw a ball for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i> to chase.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amazing, no ball but he walks away from Her, from US, just like She wanted. “Oh, yeah” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he turns around, remembering why he approached Her to begin with “You have to keep your dog on a leash. It’s THE RULE. Stay warm now, ya’ hear?” and he turned around and walked away from us, slightly confused, slightly sad, slightly smiling. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You keep walking ! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll keep her warm. You go away! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">GGGGGRRRRRR – ruff!</i></b></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-50920668428230263052012-01-16T12:21:00.000-08:002012-01-16T12:21:16.545-08:00Bear Mountain - Sedona, Arizona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL1W6RUc16A/TxR719CeuEI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/gimjhieyJ6U/s1600/VID00915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL1W6RUc16A/TxR719CeuEI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/gimjhieyJ6U/s320/VID00915.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At home, in New York, She takes me hiking almost every day. We explore Bear Spring Mountain in Delaware County. She loves adventure and trees and smells and spying flowers where none should be able to grow. She gently touches the different trees, feeling their bark<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. BARK!</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doesn’t like when I bark!</span></div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U06KbTnWOsM/TxSEBYsVKtI/AAAAAAAAAHg/RNEDndRnnSA/s1600/VID01017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U06KbTnWOsM/TxSEBYsVKtI/AAAAAAAAAHg/RNEDndRnnSA/s320/VID01017.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it to the first white level<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SdgGRIeZa2s/TxSEG8x-1pI/AAAAAAAAAHo/odoZZKd-nl0/s1600/VID01016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SdgGRIeZa2s/TxSEG8x-1pI/AAAAAAAAAHo/odoZZKd-nl0/s320/VID01016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She decided today that we will explore three places, Bear Mountain, Doe Mountain and Palatki. Fine with me. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wag, wag, wag!</i> I would stay outside all day with Her. Hiking and walking and smelling. When She sees the marker for Bear Mountain, She misses New York. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7XAv1tdcbag/TxSD7NeeDcI/AAAAAAAAAHY/iKTDuZe6kiI/s1600/VID01015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" kba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7XAv1tdcbag/TxSD7NeeDcI/AAAAAAAAAHY/iKTDuZe6kiI/s200/VID01015.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She has a pack there, Her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shakes Her head and refocuses Her attention. She is not going to think about them. So She thinks. She wants to memorize everything here so when She has grandchildren She can tell them about it. We start out by climbing up and down through empty creeks. It is December in Sedona and everything is very dry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is undecided between exploring the smooth, flat red rocks that make up the creek bed and climbing Bear Mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes Her think of our mountain, at home. I wait, looking over my shoulder at Her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to do everything, and see everything and touch everything all at once. </span></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J8RjzKWTuVY/TxSEMWebNXI/AAAAAAAAAHw/K6BUiYeN9to/s1600/VID01020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" kba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J8RjzKWTuVY/TxSEMWebNXI/AAAAAAAAAHw/K6BUiYeN9to/s200/VID01020.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was very dry. We were very thirsty in the desert sun.<br />
It was harder climbing down, than it was climbing up!<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her joy gets chopped right in half with “reasoning”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humans!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always waiting to have fun til later. She is different though. It makes her pups, and her mate and her pack nervous. She is their leader, the alpha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all look to Her to keep them safe. And She is not in New York now, where they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can feel her pack drawing Her back to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are worried about Her being safe. I will keep Her safe.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We climb up the rocks. Not walking - pulling, jumping and pushing. She takes one of Her shirts off and stuffs inside the bag where She carries my treats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is breathing hard. Her face is red. We climb most of the way to the top, when She sits down. She pulls out water and my bowl. She always lets me drink first. She looks around and leans back, lifting her face to the sun. That goofy smile again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her joy is back, almost full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joy has a smell. It smells like …………</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-5387755576245710102012-01-09T06:25:00.000-08:002012-01-09T06:25:51.555-08:00Lost in the Desert<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e0IxEh5CUts/TwrtBDfhC7I/AAAAAAAAAG4/1mw-T3RzHC4/s1600/VID00886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e0IxEh5CUts/TwrtBDfhC7I/AAAAAAAAAG4/1mw-T3RzHC4/s320/VID00886.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"One wrong turn and you could be out here for days" She said</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I kept trying to get Her to turn around. She was going off trail. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruff!</i> Wag wag! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stop!</i> I circled her feet a few times, ran in front of Her, stopped, ran behind Her, and stopped. I kept looking over my shoulder. But She wasn’t paying attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was looking at me, but She wasn’t seeing me. She didn’t see the signs, or the markers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was looking at other things. Footprints, bicycle tracks, scraggly pine and prickly pear. And holes. She keeps thinking “Snakes<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are not snake holes</i>, I could tell her. It is too cold for snakes. December in Sedona is almost snake free. Snakes don’t like 40 degrees and She doesn’t like snakes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But She is not listening to me or seeing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sees a horse hoof print and now She stops. She misses her horses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took that hoof print to make Her look around. “I didn’t see this on the way out” She says out loud. “Hmmmm, I better pay attention. The trail marker should be right around here” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nope. You passed it a MILE ago!</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We keep walking. She has a silly soft hat on. That’s good. Because she is going to be sunburned. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VXcRs5U-X_0/Twr3aNeqtyI/AAAAAAAAAHA/PvPOIYyWKh0/s1600/VID00912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VXcRs5U-X_0/Twr3aNeqtyI/AAAAAAAAAHA/PvPOIYyWKh0/s320/VID00912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now I stay close, She doesn’t have to tell me. There are no people out here, in the desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if there were, She thinks “They could be hiding in the brush, waiting to grab me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is more alert now and walks faster<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My girl. She is now TALLER and STRONGER and BRIGHTER. Ha! She is angry? Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And FOCUSED. This feels like hunting time or chasing time. Wag, wag, wag, Let’s go!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out in front of Her. I come to a paved road. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let’s Go! </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhKdxFeqb8g/Twr38V99ONI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Xr7XFizzay4/s1600/bellrock1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhKdxFeqb8g/Twr38V99ONI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Xr7XFizzay4/s200/bellrock1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“We are lost Charlie. What the heck? Did a miss a sign?” She asks me and herself. Yes! I tried to tell you! She takes the bag off her back and shoulders. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yippee! My treats are in there! And water bowl!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She uncaps the last water bottle. It is half full. She takes a small drink and pours the rest in my bowl. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No! Don’t! I can go longer than you without water! This is my girl. She thinks of my comfort and needs. She treats me like I am a “people”. I love her. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She pulls out and unfolds a big piece of paper. She’s always reading paper. “Oh no<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">!” Yup. I tried to tell you.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is thinking, thinking, thinking words “Time, water, sunlight, paved road?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She folds her paper and puts it away. Picks up my bowl and starts walking. Walking TALL and STRONG. But now She has a before-fear smell. “No wonder they call it Deadman’s Pass. One wrong turn and you could be out here for days” She says “Thank goodness we brought water” She says. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was a long walk. We walked until the sun started to go down. We walked through the desert for 5 hours. We see the trail head and her car. “We made it Charlie. Just in time”</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-16277953876418648442012-01-07T06:23:00.000-08:002012-01-07T16:38:40.611-08:00Skiing in Purgatory?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIDRy0NoGvg/TwhNXQU8gNI/AAAAAAAAAGw/DCATLGJhcss/s1600/colorado8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIDRy0NoGvg/TwhNXQU8gNI/AAAAAAAAAGw/DCATLGJhcss/s320/colorado8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Polar Express" Steam Engine roles through Hermosa, CO <br />
as we drive to Purgatory</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She studies her book and says “Skiing in Purgatory?, that’s a good one!” She laughs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wag, wag, wag. I like that sound. She is talking to the car again. Who is this car talking? She shakes her head and says “thank you” to the car and “Ok Charlie, this should be fun!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She drives the car in a circle and stops when She sees big CLOUDS coming from a rolling machine. Always taking pictures, She is. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Driving. Her heart is beating faster, with more energy. Smiling. Wag wag wag. Wanna play? Wanna …….. JUMP! “Sit Charlie!” She says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is She getting a JUMPING, FETCHING, RUNNING, HAPPY heartbeat and saying SIT!? </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Her words don’t match Her energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humans!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SNOW!!!! The car is on snow. The snow is on the car. HURRAY! Uh, oh…. She has fear. She goes<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>….. slow ….. with the snow on the ground. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s do this Charlie” She says. OK!!!!!! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those mountains are TALL. They go straight UP! She is sad, now. Not afraid. “No wonder they call it Purgatory” She says. She sighs … out LOUD but </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">SOFT.</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> She doesn’t know She does this whenever she is THINKING all of those things at one time. She thinks “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wow, Big, Steep, Hurt? Lost? How? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fun! Challenge! Write about this …. awww Hurt? Alone …then what?”</i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then She <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">says</span> something She never said before “<em>I don’t dare</em>” OK. She is not sad …. she is thinking “Sensible and Realistic” I don’t know those words. They don’t feel good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are not doing words they are thinking words. They are not dog words. Humans! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She takes those long sticks, those skiis, and puts them where I was laying down. Squished AGAIN. Between Her sticks and Her saddle. At least she didn't bring Paco, Her horse. Those sticks back in the car means something is different. Sad. What is "<em>sensible?"</em> The opposite of fun.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now back in the car, driving, driving, driving, squished by Her sticks.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-54837846556773429942012-01-05T06:57:00.000-08:002012-01-05T06:57:56.138-08:00From Durango to Denver - Hiking The Colorado Trail<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m8UGmEuZViM/TwWws5zbJRI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/4h9kshflAHA/s1600/colorado1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m8UGmEuZViM/TwWws5zbJRI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/4h9kshflAHA/s320/colorado1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hurray! Snow in Durango, CO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>"<em>The Colorado Trail is Colorado’s premier long distance trail. Stretching almost 500 miles from Denver to Durango, it travels through the spectacular Colorado Rocky Mountains amongst peaks with lakes, creeks and diverse ecosystems. Trail users experience six wilderness areas and eight mountain ranges topping out at 13,271 feet, just below Coney Summit at 13,334 feet. The average elevation is over 10,000 feet and it rises and falls dramatically. Users traveling from Denver to Durango will climb 89,354 feet"</em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She loves to walk. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Hike” She calls it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know we are going into the woods. She put those boots on . The strings on them are my favorite thing to chew on. When She puts them on, She always says “I wish you would chew on your toys Charlie and not my boots”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is not sad or mad when She says it. She gets it. I like the smell and taste of Her boots. Those boots mean OUTSIDE!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MMG6gMrpHg4/TwW3CfDYokI/AAAAAAAAAGc/yM9sJOK9U1w/s1600/colorado5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MMG6gMrpHg4/TwW3CfDYokI/AAAAAAAAAGc/yM9sJOK9U1w/s320/colorado5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The smells are not so strong here. But I can run in the SNOW! She is slow. Wait! I smell a friend! Two friends! Are they friends?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wanna play? Let’s RUN! I’m …. gonna……..JUMP and RUN! </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PMOH7TNdzVU/TwW35o_2pLI/AAAAAAAAAGo/eGfDEGuaPAE/s1600/colorado7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PMOH7TNdzVU/TwW35o_2pLI/AAAAAAAAAGo/eGfDEGuaPAE/s320/colorado7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Blue and his brother Bo. Their She is a He. They did not want to play :(<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">After a LONG time on this path, She says “Charlie, let’s go back. It’s getting dark” That means her car again. Darn It! She talks to me all the way back. “Skiing in Purgatory tomorrow Charlie” and she laughs. Then She is quiet. And then She laughs again. What is so funny?</div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-73267226663629919532011-12-26T10:28:00.000-08:002011-12-26T10:28:58.387-08:00Magic on the Mountain<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNvCUESRJh8/Tvi8RzZnVKI/AAAAAAAAAFo/0AyFDHaFQ80/s1600/VID00995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNvCUESRJh8/Tvi8RzZnVKI/AAAAAAAAAFo/0AyFDHaFQ80/s320/VID00995.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>I run so fast, past those slow flakes ….</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>no brakes! snow flakes</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Magic lives here</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>between me and She</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>I become her</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and She becomes me</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6hTJ3sB1AB0/Tvi8tBJ2wLI/AAAAAAAAAF8/5pMmXVcwSYE/s1600/VID00997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6hTJ3sB1AB0/Tvi8tBJ2wLI/AAAAAAAAAF8/5pMmXVcwSYE/s320/VID00997.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-551DJLjTQl4/Tvi8xco8vEI/AAAAAAAAAGE/HAVJsOiZXik/s1600/VID00998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-551DJLjTQl4/Tvi8xco8vEI/AAAAAAAAAGE/HAVJsOiZXik/s320/VID00998.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-28852087199913149252011-12-22T14:12:00.000-08:002011-12-29T19:00:03.075-08:00The Grand Canyon in December<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vY-c_z2FXVs/TvOnUHT9HiI/AAAAAAAAAEw/6rZw1vhFJVc/s1600/VID00868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vY-c_z2FXVs/TvOnUHT9HiI/AAAAAAAAAEw/6rZw1vhFJVc/s320/VID00868.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Colorado Scenic Overlook, Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Charlie you’re scaring me” She keeps saying. All I’m doing is looking OUT. This is DEEP and WIDE and TALL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wag, wag, wag. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is afraid? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I go near the edge. Oh, OK, I’ll come back to you. Let’s play!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said “The Grand Canyon. Finally. This is the southern Rim.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snow! How I love snow! Let’s play! She keeps thinking “Wow!” This is it.” She has no idea what is in store. There is so much more than this! Here. They will not let me see it without a leash. I want to play and NOT BE ON A LEASH!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She feels guilty. “Dark soon” She thinks. “How far to Sedona?” One hour. She thinks it’s more. In the car again? Darn it! Oh Goodie! a PIG EAR! “This will keep you busy” She says. I love her. I love pig ears. The Grand Canyon is OK. I have way more fun on Bear Spring Mountain though. </span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qEVFr4Ebn0o/TvOps0c13CI/AAAAAAAAAFM/iA9PFRkXdNU/s1600/VID00863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qEVFr4Ebn0o/TvOps0c13CI/AAAAAAAAAFM/iA9PFRkXdNU/s1600/VID00863.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDDVs6C_ntg/TvOpmWt0OZI/AAAAAAAAAFE/6SW4X1B0haA/s1600/VID00876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDDVs6C_ntg/TvOpmWt0OZI/AAAAAAAAAFE/6SW4X1B0haA/s1600/VID00876.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iG33pRSBQgY/TvOp053nE0I/AAAAAAAAAFU/DBtWC6PcAvg/s1600/VID00873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iG33pRSBQgY/TvOp053nE0I/AAAAAAAAAFU/DBtWC6PcAvg/s320/VID00873.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFyR12ux0fc/TvOpXkyhuZI/AAAAAAAAAE8/GBrsQymvsoo/s1600/VID00885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="height: 560px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 403px;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFyR12ux0fc/TvOpXkyhuZI/AAAAAAAAAE8/GBrsQymvsoo/s320/VID00885.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-55084862697530024502011-12-21T04:13:00.000-08:002011-12-21T04:13:20.492-08:00Standing in the Sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYFkjRmKvu4/TvHDIzCAfnI/AAAAAAAAAEU/whLE3qgry50/s1600/VID00897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYFkjRmKvu4/TvHDIzCAfnI/AAAAAAAAAEU/whLE3qgry50/s320/VID00897.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In early December we traveled to Sedona, Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so happy to FINALLY run, run, run! I tried to be still for three days in Her car. That was not easy. I pulled her favorite yellow fleece out of Her backpack and used it as a pillow </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> It smells like her. Now it smells like me. Pig Ears! Pig Ears! Yay! This will “keep you <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>busy” She said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stopped at a building that said “tourist information” and came out with a piece of paper. She studies it and pushes the blue button above her head. Her car is talking to Her! Now, She is talking back. Driving, AGAIN. Airport Mesa,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Charlie, we need a leash. We are too close to the road.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of the car and after a quick look around, She lets me RUN. Hurray!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She is looking around in the way that she does when she wonders if someone is looking at her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can’t see with Her eyes, like I can. I use my nose too, to see. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has to feel to see some things, because of Her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She closes Her eyes, so they don’t confuse Her. She doesn’t trust them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on! There is no one here, I say to Her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, She understands. Fear? Do I smell Fear? Not Fear. Sniff, sniff. Happiness. Wonder. Wait! There are treats in Her bag on Her back. Hurray!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I run ahead of Her. “Stay Close Charlie” . Ok. I will not let you out of my sight. Ever. “Good Boy” Wag, wag. Let’s Go! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Red, red, red. Rock. It smells different here. Dry. The air is tighter. Clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Careful. Those green hard plants hurt. Ouch! “Prickly Pear” She says. We climb higher into the tighter, colder air. “Son of a bitch!” She yells. What? What’s wrong? She is rubbing Her left knee. The green plant hurt Her. She cannot see with Her eyes. She will see a bruise later. A piece of the green plant is stuck in Her thigh. Now forgotten. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walk a long, long, long way. She looks down from the edge of the cliff. She smiles. Her eyes are closed. I will stay close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>”This is beautiful” She says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are standing above all of the trees. Above the buildings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above the city. Little birds are flying in front of us. Below us. We are above the birds. We are standing in the sky. Cool!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v760s-C9n7A/TvHMiOXJ59I/AAAAAAAAAEk/VaFbgoxjVjU/s1600/charley6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v760s-C9n7A/TvHMiOXJ59I/AAAAAAAAAEk/VaFbgoxjVjU/s320/charley6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She eats carrots. I took one. Not my favorite.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Sedona, AZ, USA34.8697395 -111.7609896000000234.833911 -111.81331810000002 34.905568 -111.70866110000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953596846269268139.post-50102963976566794032011-12-20T16:12:00.000-08:002011-12-20T16:12:39.308-08:00Why does she stop?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why does she keep stopping? I run ahead 20 feet and have to keep turning around, running back, circling around her and running ahead. Doesn’t she know what that means? Doesn’t she know it means hurry up? Let’s Go! I guess that is the advantage to having four feet instead of two. She’s so slow. And that goofy look on her face. Always smiling and closing her eyes and lifting her chin up to the sky. And always stopping! Let’s go! She seems happy though. Her heart beats like mine today. There is just this moment. Just now. Just peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just her. Just me. Ruff!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Udug_hSHTbk/TvEkVLqOjQI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vukG9ts-BJ0/s1600/charley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Udug_hSHTbk/TvEkVLqOjQI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vukG9ts-BJ0/s320/charley.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hurry Up! </td></tr>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0