Dream Log: Long Island, Dad, Yoga

Last night's short dream. I was inside an older house that was (apparently) recently purchased by my parents; it was kind of empty in that "not yet moved in" kind of way. It was located on Long Island, right off the Whitestone Bridge entrance, and I recalled thinking "Dad's moving home" (Dad passed away in 1979). Neither of my parents was in the dream though or in the house, just me and Elo, my dog. I walked around the house, the doors and windows were mostly open. I think the kitchen door had been left open overnight.

I took Elo out on a leash; he chased a squirrel who seemed a little too unafraid, not used to a dog in its yard. A couple of neighborhood dogs came around to check out the new arrival, and I was concerned about Elo getting into a fight with one of them.

Then, I ran into a young yoga teacher who was talking about her iPad; think she was teaching classes online or something, and I did not have much to say to her. And then an older yoga teacher came by who commented "I see you're addicted to sugar" and I replied "I see you're not very yogic" and she smiled and I got the feeling we were going to be friends. 

Thankful

I'll admit it, I've been in a bit of a funk this year.

There's a lot in there - loneliness that make weekends and holidays difficult, injuries that have kept me out of the hot and power yoga practices that have kept me going the past many years, an awareness of time moving past, less than healthy eating, and all of it wrapped around a core of struggle that has made me a bit of a curmudgeon, a bit of a misanthrope.

And yet, there is much to be grateful for.

I'm grateful for my home - so many of my friends struggle to find housing, have roommates that are not always nurturing, or are unrooted. I bought my condo four years ago and it's become a little nest - space to work, space to practice, space for my dog, space to relax and unwind. It's not always rarely clean throughout, but I keep at least 1-2 spaces presentable.

I'm grateful for Elo, my little dog. When I moved into this place I was not expecting to bring him with me - thinking he'd not do well alone, in a condo, without a back yard to run in. But he's done well - not too barky, not too neurotic, and a good excuse to get me out for a long walk every day. So often when I've felt down and alone, his warm body and brown eyes keep me going.

I'm grateful for my band. Who would have guessed that 30+ years from high school and college, when music was such a big part of my life, that I'd still have the opportunity to pick up a guitar, pick up a bass, and make some music. We play and rehearse enough to keep the music tight and enjoyable, but not so much as to overwhelm and burn out.

I'm grateful for my teacher, and my practice. While yoga has become a place of struggle for me over the past year, and is no longer my daily addiction. I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to practice, and the opportunity to teach. And I am grateful for a community that is tolerant of my recent thrashing around and lashing out, and does not seem interested in letting me disappear.

I am grateful for my work and my clients - it has been 15 years since I unfurled my business banner and launched my engineering practice. I am admittedly spoiled for a regular 40 hour a week, 9-5 job now, but I am grateful for enough work to pay my bills and live my life, yet gives me plenty of space for yoga, for music, for folk fests and weeks at camp.

I am grateful for my friends. I am not particularly gregarious - and struggle to find people and communities in which I feel at home. So my friends who have been there and hung on, who have space in their lives for an occasional call, a text message, or a Facebook message, are precious to me. 

I am grateful for folk music, and the Falcon Ridge Folk Fest. Who could have predicted that when I rolled into the fest back in '98 (or was it '97?), parked my little Mazda along the creek line at Long Hill Farm, that I'd be meeting people and joining a community that would be with me for 25+ years.

Along those lines, I am grateful for social media. As much as Falcon Ridge has been a regular part of my life, it took Facebook to turn that precious week in July into a 52 week a year community. I'm a bit of a Facebook crank (not really accepting friend requests from folks I have not met in person) and yet I've ended up with 550+ friends, reaching across the country. Part of that is diversity (yoga, Falcon Ridge, Camp Camp, music, history) yet the connection (however tenuous or virtual) to a circle of others is precious.

I am grateful for my family. So many folks who have taken my journey have lost family. While I miss having a huge extended family nearby, and my nuclear family is somewhat distant, they are always there for me. I'm heading up for a visit later this morning.

I'm sure I am forgetting many things - communities, people, opportunities, comforts. But even so, there is much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day.

Last Night's Dream

A long and fairly exhausting weekend left me with a vivid dream last night. In the dream, I was in a new apartment in a big city (presumably NYC). It was a 1 bedroom, but was spacious - with a rather large and ornately furnished living room, a semi hidden dining area and big kitchen, there was a big bathtub (more of a small pool) in the living room.

Seemed like an artist lived there previously, I kept finding small pieces, postcards, signs in the place. I recall thinking that it was amazing that it was so affordable ($700) for just Elo and I, that I ought to have friends come stay over, that Elo would have to get used to going out in the city.

And the odd part, when I found the kitchen, there was a meal all cooked - as if the previous tenants had left in a rush.

One of those dreams that will sit with me all day....

Blogger App for iPad

This could be trouble. Just saying.

I have not blogged from bed in many years.....

New Britain Gets It Right - Dog Registration

Let me start off by saying that I have lived in, and owned a dog, in several of Connecticut's larger cities - Waterbury, Hartford, and now New Britain. And invariably, registering my dogs has been a hassle. They only register the dogs during one month a year (typically June) and it often requires a trip to town hall. No notice, no reminders, and if you miss the registration windows there are either penalties or late fees. So I'd say my dog registration percentage was about 50% over the course of the last two decades, and never without a trip downtown.

But here in New Britain, they make it easy. You can go to the website to get the dog license application - when I filled this out last year I got the tag / license within a few days. Everything is very clear. And yesterday, June 1, I received a postcard reminding me to register my dog before June 30 - talk about prompt. It had the rabies expiration date (handy), little Elo's status (neutered male), as well as a form in case the dog has moved on, or changed status. Took me two minutes to write a check, enclose a SASE, and put it back in the mail. Done.

Nice to see government working efficiently and well. I do not feel bad at all about the $8 it costs to register the little guy.

Dog Dreams

I've been dreaming a lot recently. Unusual; I usually sleep like a rock, and if I dream, I'm not conscious of them. But lately, my subconscious seems to be trying to push to the surface.

Night before last, I was on a hospital gurney, heading into some sort of procedure (like an MRI or angiogram or something). Notable was the fact that my dog, Elo, was curled up under my arm on the gurney, and was going into the procedure room. Also that night, I dreamed I was riding my bike, and Elo was sitting on the bike rack at the back of the bike (completely unreal) - and I recall riding up and over a small hump / curb, getting some air, and checking to see if Elo was still seated securely. I woke up distinctly unsettled.

Last night, I dreamed I was at my old house in Waterbury, but Elo was with me. At one point, my neighbor Joyce (from my Hartford home) was trying to take Elo for a walk (I stopped her, afraid Elo would get loose) and as I was taking Elo into the house, she came up with a small thumb tack or dart - was somebody shooting at my dog? I noticed the woman (whose name was Mrs. Martinez, completely fictional) across the street quickly closing her blind. Turns out she had been shooting darts at Elo, because of his barking. She came over and gave me a little baggie with the darts in them (to show me they were harmless, I guess) and I got angry at her; called 9-1-1 to get the police to come out, but the phone was never answered.

Later, same dream, same locale, Elo's back leg fell off. Right below the bony "heel" on his leg; he was limping but not in a lot of pain. I called up a 24 Hour emergency vet - and while I was talking to the vet, I noticed he had lost the other back leg, but that he seemed to be growing new paws.

Finally, same dream, a guy shows up from a mortgage company - thought he was looking for me, but he was looking for the folks next door (when I lived in Waterbury, an old guy named Carl and his nephew). He and some colleagues were hanging around outside, and other colleagues showed up and they had a pie fight with large flat trays of what looked like meringue or shaving cream.

I've been feeling kind of crappy of late; perhaps the dreams are part of my body's healing or fighting off some infection. But....weird.

Leash Your Dog II

A) Newington has a leash law. More specifically, the community gardens at Deming Young Farm also has a leash law. Your dog was not on a leash.

B) "He's not friendly" means keep your (unleashed) dog away, please.

C) If you call your dog and he does not come, he is not under control. No how, no way.

D) If my (leashed) dog snaps at your (unleashed) dog who is not paying attention to you, it's not my fault, it's your fault.

E) Deming-Young Farm is *not* a dog park. People walk their dogs there. Dogs (presumably dogs under control) are occasionally unleashed. But it's not a free for all; if your dog does not come when called, you really need to leash him/her. So stick the "He should not be at the park" up your stupid ass. He's FINE at the park if other dogs are properly leashed.

Pterodactyl

Walking Elo at Deming-Young Farm this afternoon, a winged creature swooped across the field. I though canadian goose at first, but the profile was wrong - seemed almost prehistoric with a long thin tail. Turns out it was a Great Blue Heron. Beautiful and awesome.

Haying the Field

Elo and I headed over to Deming-Young farm this afternoon for a walk, only to find three vehicles moving through the fields. Two mowers, and a hay baler, were making short work of the season's growth of grass.

It felt kind of sad - a visceral transition from the hopeful new growth of spring to the inevitable harvest. The long grass which had all season sheltered nesting bobolinks and red-winged blackbirds was now close shorn. Two opportunistic hawks circled the field, perhaps looking for unfledged chicks or small mammals left vulnerable in the hay piles, as barn and tree swallows swooped across the fields, perhaps feasting on insects shaken into the air.

The place seemed suddenly different, more civilized and less wild. AS the summer wore on, it was easy to get lost in a corner of the field, hidden from other dog walkers by waist high grass, the dogs restricted to a narrow pathway. Now, suddenly, the entire field seems accessible.

Still, some beauty and color in the midst of human endeavor.

Territorial

The farm where I walk Elo is patrolled by red-winged blackbirds, who are apparently nesting at the moment. As we walk by a nesting are, hidden in the tall grass, the male flies up to an overlooking tree, and quacks disapprovingly. And fairly often, they swoop down behind Elo or myself, at the last minute flaring the wings to brake and squawking loudly, driving off the potential threats. Per Wikipedia:

The Red-Winged Blackbird can be very aggressive while defending its territory from other animals and birds. It will attack much larger birds, such as crows, ravens, magpies, birds of prey and herons if they enter.[12] Only on a very few documented occasions have they been known to attack humans who encroach upon their territories during mating.[13]

Even when I am on the lookout for them, one of them will scare the heck out of me on a typical walk. Never seen them strike Elo or myself, and they tend to swoop in from the rear as we depart their territory, so it seems to be more of a show than anything. However, I did see one chasing, harassing, and driving off a hawk a week or so ago.

Fauna

Critters spotted at Deming-Young farm in Newington, over and above the omnipresent birds.

Rabbit: Elo is particularly interested and gives chase, the rabbits are descendants of El-ahrairah and soon lose the doltish dog. But he does so love to give chase. It's the beagle in him. We've seen them on the paths in early morning and late afternoon....feeding time no doubt.

Turtle: Think it was a painted turtle (the shell was a bit shallow for a box turtle) sunning itself in the short cut path. Elo tore up the path and sniffed a bit but did not bother it otherwise. Nice to see a turtle....it feels lucky.

Groundhog: Today, up by the barn. Elo was on a leash at the time, and did not see it, fortunately, I think he might have caught this critter given a chance. The ground-hog knew it was at risk and scampered into the underbrush. The ground hog must have some escape skills, given the number of unleashed dogs that walk at the farm.

Into the Woods

Spent the day up in MA, visiting my brother's workplace. Can't say too much but it was interesting, thought-provoking and more than a little sad. He was excited for my sister and I to see the place though, and it was nice to see where he works, etc.

Got back in time for some power yoga - but Elo the dog was so whiny and needy, and truthfully has bene neglected (due to yesterdays rain) so I opted out of yoga and we hit the farm for a hike. Felt good in my body and Elo needed the chance to run.

Labels

I am happy to report that the much anticipated (and endangered) Bobolinks have arrived - their plumage is quite distinctive (kind of a backwards tuxedo) as is their call (a particularly tuneful trill, almost carnival like). They keep the field uncut to permit nesting, so I expect they will be a frequent site in teh coming months.

Also, saw two rabbits on the mown lawn. I wondered how Elo would react (he ignores the birds, robins poking around all over the place) - and true to his beagle heritage, he took off after the rabbit who quickly shook him (must have been Hazel-rah, smart bunny). So it was an exciting day.

In other news, I got a package from Amazon.com today - "Teaching Yoga: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationship" by Donna Farhi. There have been some issues bouncing around the studio of late (not directly involving me, but I am caught in some of the fallout) that warrant a closer look at teacher ethics - one of my friends had a copy of this amazing book, so I picked up my own copy.

For the Birds

Elo and I have been hitting the fields and woods of Deming-Young Farm in Newington pretty regularly. On quiet days (weekdays, off hours), I let Elo off the leash - he trucks ahead on the mown path until I call him back, at which point he backtracks and then trots ahead. We walk to the end of the field, take a short hike up the hill and into the woods, emerging at a soccer / lacrosse field of a nearby middle school. If the field is empty, we play a few rounds of fetch the tennis ball (which I can really toss with the Chuck-it) and then back through the woods and into the fields, circling the field back to the car.

Other than dogs and their owners (the place is a real dog walking magnet) the fauna most evident are the birds. The field is reportedly kept long to abet the nesting of the endangered Bobolink, although I have yet to catch glimpse of one of these. But I have seen many common robins, a surprising number of beautiful red-winged blackbirds, an occasional cardinal, and swarming tree swallows, which make me think of the embattled bat as they hunt insects in the late afternoon.

I have yet to start working to identify the bird calls, but it's only a matter of time. It's quite peaceful and wonderful walking in the mornings and evenings as the birds are most active, but there are calls and flashes of wings pretty much all the time.

This afternoon, on our walk, I pondered the concept of birds as the survivors from the age of dinosaurs, and imagined this world in the next era - we homo sapiens having burned ourselves out and those patient birds, waiting in the wings, and perhaps returning to their past dominance.

Deming-Young Farm

So, Elo the dog and your faithful blogger have discovered the Deming-Young Farm, on Church Street, in Newington. Two miles from the house, 5 minutes by car. And although this 1784 farmhouse is an historic structure, it's primary purpose these days seems to be a de facto dog park and town garden.

The town mows a path through and around the field (left long to abet the nesting of birds) and a loop around the main field is a bit over a mile. Add a jaunt through the woods that end up at John Wallace Middle School, and it's a nice little walk. We end up there 3-4 times a week, depending on weather, other adventures, etc.

Depending on the day and time, I can let Elo off the leash and work on training....although the field is well used by other dog owners and Elo is way too interested in other dogs (and not quite predictable as a friendly dog, his alpha nature makes him a bit of a jerk). I picked up a 30' training leash (a nice compromise between letting him run and keeping him on a short leash, he does not pull on the longer leash the way he does on a shorter one) and also one of these plastic Chuck-It handles that allow me to toss the tennis ball without aggravating my shoulder crankiness.

We've had some lovely times...met some nice people and nice dogs (and some that just let their dogs run up to us, Elo predictably gets aggressive when he is on the leash....). People mostly pick up the poop (not all, though.....). Last night, as I walked in the late afternoon, the bird population active in an adjacent swamp, the trees budding and flowering, the sun dropping to the west and making the clouds pop....it was just amazing. I had an awareness of being blessed for having been born into this life, into this creation.

A lovely little find in my new neighborhood....

How Judy Got Her Groove Back

It has been, so far, a pretty great weekend.

Friday saw me doing a bit of work, and then teaching my 12:15 gentle class. A bit more work, then back to the studio for some training. Back home to feed and water Elo. And then off to Hartford to pick up Zippy and trek over to Univ of Hartford for Meg Hutchinson & Cheryl Wheeler, in town for the Music for a Change series.

Cheryl was Cheryl. Which is to say her opening number (Quarter Moon) had me sniffling and then sobbing, with its poignant and brave face towards aging and mortality. And she was at the same time hilarious and irreverent, confessing at one point that she had the ashes of three cats and one dog "on the shelf" and that when she came to the "...buried their own dog in their backyard..." part she pretty much always starts thinking how she ought to bury the pets one of these days.

Zippy and I both agree we'd love to hear a bit more of her serious ballads but when you have the chance to laugh your ass off listening to a wonderful artist, no real complaints.

Meg Hutchinson opened - heard her on Bob Edwards Weekend last weekend and she was wonderful (and oh so young, sigh) there as well as last night. Bought her newest CD and listened a bit last evening though I really want to give it a good listen before it goes into the regular rotation.

Afterwards, I stopped by the yoga studio to facilitate the switchover of front desk computers - today was the official launch of the studio going 100% to a new online software system, and the old desktop (kept running on life support because the old software would only run on the old O/S) needed to be retired. Turned into a two hour project - the receipt printer needed to be reinstalled and I ended up downloading (2) 475M divers before it took, and there were a lot of peripherals that needed to be tested (credit card swipe, bar code reader, cash drawer, several printers) as well as the typical new computer automatic upgrades (windows / java / flash / virus protection) - so I was there until past midnight. But....mission accomplished.

After my yoga hiatus, I made it to one of NP's patented Saturday morning celebrations of the spirit - in a room nearly packed I found space for my mat in my favorite corner. And though there were many things coming up today, and an awareness of one serious shoulder issue that drove me to bring my knees down for chaturanga and avoid up dog, I had a quite delicious and bright practice.

After practice, I hung out to help set up for the Open Studio event. Which involved Starbucks run, setting up the snacks, and assisting with two classes. I was not on tap to assist, but scheduling assistants slipped off the back burner as the studio prepared for the changeover to the new software (and class card system) so I stepped in. Completely wonderful to work with two of my fave teachers, and challenging to move through a very full room (60-70) of diverse students (from studio veterans, to new to the studio yogis, to newcomers). Very nurturing to my spirit in a lot of ways.

Snuck home around 4:30, and after a shower and a dog feeding, piled Elo in the car to head back to the studio (I left a fleece, with $$$ in the pocket) and then we wandered in search of a place for a walk (between the rain and my schedule, he's been somewhat neglected of late). Found the Deming Young Farm in Newington (very close to my place) which I have been meaning to check out - turns out to be a lovely loop around the fields - a little muddy today but I suspect it will become a regular stop. Some "leash your dog" warnings regarding the nest of the endangered Bobolink, but these seem to not nest until mid-May at the earliest, so a good spot to let Elo run during non-prime hours.

Happily, Elo was well behaved, and a good chance for a little bit of training - with a dozen or so rewarded rounds of fetch (he brought the tennis ball right back and dropped it at my feet once he figured out the treat angle), some come and sit practice, and even a sit / stay (with a bit of control) as another dog walked by. My furry little friend is totally sacked out right now, so let's call this one a win. And the field was filled with foraging robins - a wonderful springtime sight.

Tomorrow, up to MA to see my niece in the chorus of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Nashoba Regional High School.

While I am not foolish enough to write off the malaise and concerns of the past few weeks following one good weekend, nevertheless it seems that winds have shifted, and life is much brighter. Several of my yoga friends commented on my absense the past few weeks, so I guess I was missed. It's nice to be back....

Mixed Media Messages - Canine Edition

Study shows Aussie dingo may be world's oldest dog

and

Dogs domesticated in Middle East, not Asia

I'm so confused.

Elo in the House

Elo the dog has come home. When I moved into my new place, Zippy and I mutually decided to keep our shared dogs together. Made sense - the dogs were bonded, Zippy's place has a fenced in yard, and my new place (condo, no yard to run, etc.) was not particularly dog friendly.

But this past week, Zippy called up to vent - Elo is a handful under the best of circumstances, and I suspect I was the pack Alpha back in the day. So Zippy has not had a lot of luck working with him, Elo's strength and pulling do not work well with Zippy's physical limitations (some arm and wrist stuff). The straw that broke the camel's back was a trip to the vet - both dogs were too much for Zippy to handle.

So....tonight on the way back from the airport, I picked up a new roomie.

The ride to the house, he was pretty stressed (whining, panting) and he spent a while running around the condo similarly nervous. But he seems to have settled in...finally. I'm sure it will take some time. I took hom out for a couple of walks already - just to get him used to going out on the leash (as opposed to letting him out back to run) and I am sure I will need as much training as he does as we work out the new rhythms and restrictions.

I stopped by Ocean State and picked up a couple of low cost dog beds (one for the basement, one for the living room) as well as some treats and chews....I figure in a new place and without his buddy Callie, he'll be a bit bored and mischievous without some additional distrations.

Little concerned that he will bother the next door neighbor. We'll see how things play out. With any luck, her daughter will become Elo's buddy....

But it's nice to have my little buddy back in my life, and I think I'll feel a little safer with him here (both when I am here and when I leave the place alone).

Reunited

Zippy called this evening, off the hook. He took our two dogs, Elo and Callie, to the vet. (A huge tactical mistake on his part, and completely not needed, he could have left Elo home) but had a horrible experience trying to control them both. His message "I'm giving Elo away...."

Uhm, no, you are not. I called him up and talked him off the proverbial ledge - and the upshot is, I'm going to bring Elo to live with me over at the condo, starting Sunday.

Not 100% sure this will work out - the condo is not a huge place, and there is no fenced in backyard to let the dog out and run. I can possibly put a leash out back, but mostly, I'll be walking him. And I'm a little concerned about barking and the neighbors and stuff; he's not really much of a barker. We'll see....

But it will be nice to have the little f*cker around, give me an excuse to get out and get more exercise. We'll see if I can get him in a little better place, training wise, with me being around more (working out of the house) and him being the only dog.

So, once more, I'm gonna be a dog owner.