The both of us are sitting at Soma Coffeehouse right now killing time and the guy on the speakers sounds like a wounded coyote. Gosh, It's awful. Adria is on her second cup of java already this morning and it's only 11:45, but she's almost fallen asleep at the keyboard. I may have to get up and lick her.
Anyway, please excuse the digression. Dogs like to do that, you know. One minute we are walking along and the next minute we spot a rabbit and it's all over, or it is for most of us anyway. I have, regrettebly, learned to control my canine instincts.
What I really intended to do was tell you about our first road trip. Adria and Grandpa Ben and Grandma Cynthia and I went someplace called Wisconsin for three days. I went for the longest car ride of my LIFE! (nine hours). Periodically, we would stop at these places called "rest areas" and Adria and the gang would all shuffle out of the big red car and go use the people potty. When we would enter the building, even though I knew better, I would inhale deeply with my black nose to the floor.
"Leave It, Lu." she'd say firmly and I'd feel a slight ping on my neck.
Gosh, How could she not understand?! I smelled dirt and cleaning solution and crumbs and grass and asphalt and sticks and goodness knows what else! Could she not forgo ettiqutte for once?
to be continued... (Duty Calls!)
Love,
Lu
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Lucy On: Reading
This afternoon I lay on the back deck enjoying my break watching the neighbors across from us huddle in the corner of their balcony like the world was going to end as the husband puffed morosely on a cigarette and gazed at the concrete.
Adria didn't like him much. He only came out of his house to smoke and he wasn't very clean. His beard was all scruffy and never shaved and he wasn't very warm. He never said "hi" when Adria did. He would just stand there inhaling toxins and shuffle his feet a little and go straight back inside. I didn't like him much either.
Adria sat above me on the porch swing reading her new novel, The Weird Sisters by Elanor Brown. She told me she used to read a lot more when she was younger, but now she more often reads the newspaper or a news magazine or something. She doesn't have the patience to sit through a book and just read to read so much anymore, she said.
She still likes books, don't get me wrong, but she will skip around. It's like she collects them. "You should just have folks like Tolkien and Margret Mitchell and Joseph Heller and Harper Lee and all them in your house someplace, I don't really care where, but they should be there. Even if they are on the back of the toilet on top of a pile of Playboys or Field and Stream, but you know Lu?" she said, one day.
"Yes, dear, I do," I said silently.
.......
She hadn't even finished the first page when I heard, "Damn, this chick is good!" I stirred. my ears flopped in the breeze.
"How old is she?" I heard a siren blare somewhere in the distance and sat up and looked at her.
"Yes, I'm aware." she said idly. "Somebody's in trouble, but it ain't us. I know how old you are. Go back to sleep."
I could hear her flip over to the back cover judging by the paper scraping her lap. "Forties. At least. Damn. I was picturing younger by the writing style."
And she ambled inside to heat up lunch muttering about Brent Tarelton and The War and Tara.
Inside my head I thought of the only use for the word "war" I knew: "War is over/ If you want it/ War is over now, and so was break. Back to work!
Love,
Lu
Adria didn't like him much. He only came out of his house to smoke and he wasn't very clean. His beard was all scruffy and never shaved and he wasn't very warm. He never said "hi" when Adria did. He would just stand there inhaling toxins and shuffle his feet a little and go straight back inside. I didn't like him much either.
Adria sat above me on the porch swing reading her new novel, The Weird Sisters by Elanor Brown. She told me she used to read a lot more when she was younger, but now she more often reads the newspaper or a news magazine or something. She doesn't have the patience to sit through a book and just read to read so much anymore, she said.
She still likes books, don't get me wrong, but she will skip around. It's like she collects them. "You should just have folks like Tolkien and Margret Mitchell and Joseph Heller and Harper Lee and all them in your house someplace, I don't really care where, but they should be there. Even if they are on the back of the toilet on top of a pile of Playboys or Field and Stream, but you know Lu?" she said, one day.
"Yes, dear, I do," I said silently.
.......
She hadn't even finished the first page when I heard, "Damn, this chick is good!" I stirred. my ears flopped in the breeze.
"How old is she?" I heard a siren blare somewhere in the distance and sat up and looked at her.
"Yes, I'm aware." she said idly. "Somebody's in trouble, but it ain't us. I know how old you are. Go back to sleep."
I could hear her flip over to the back cover judging by the paper scraping her lap. "Forties. At least. Damn. I was picturing younger by the writing style."
And she ambled inside to heat up lunch muttering about Brent Tarelton and The War and Tara.
Inside my head I thought of the only use for the word "war" I knew: "War is over/ If you want it/ War is over now, and so was break. Back to work!
Love,
Lu
Saturday, April 21, 2012
"Somethin' 'Bout a Truck" by Kip Moore Parody
*Note: Original Lyrics by Kip Moore
There's somethin' bout a dog
In a service vest
a DON'T PET ME badge
and squirrels to kill
Now, let's go to work
Yeah, it's a big deal
There's somethin' 'bout a dog
In a service vest
There's somethin' bout a ball and cubes of ice
After a long hard day,
I crunch 'em up just right
On that cool tile floor
On a summer night
There's somethin' 'bout a ball and cubes of ice
There's somethin' bout a girl
In a red sundress
With a Beatles cup
Pressed against her lips
and hearing her say, "COME!"
Will make a dog a mess
There's somethin' 'bout a girl
In a red sundress
And there's somethin' bout a kiss
That's gonna lead to more,
Singing "Lucy in the Sky"
Every night with her,
The most natural thing I've ever felt before
There's somethin' 'bout a kiss
That's gonna lead to more
And there's somethin' bout a dog in a vest
And a girl in a red sundress with a Beatles cup to her lips
Begging for another kiss
And there's somethin' 'bout her and me
And Target and Wendy's
and Lord have mercy, it's a beautiful thing
Aint nothin' 'bout it luck
There's somethin' 'bout a dog
There's somethin' bout a creek
Around 2 am
After a few of those cubes
You wanna dive on in
You don't need no leash
So just hang it on a limb
There's somethin' 'bout a creek
Around 2 am
There's somethin' bout a dog
In a service vest
a DON'T PET ME badge
and squirrels to kill
Now, let's go to work
Yeah, it's a big deal
There's somethin' 'bout a dog
In a service vest
There's somethin' bout a ball and cubes of ice
After a long hard day,
I crunch 'em up just right
On that cool tile floor
On a summer night
There's somethin' 'bout a ball and cubes of ice
There's somethin' bout a girl
In a red sundress
With a Beatles cup
Pressed against her lips
and hearing her say, "COME!"
Will make a dog a mess
There's somethin' 'bout a girl
In a red sundress
And there's somethin' bout a kiss
That's gonna lead to more,
Singing "Lucy in the Sky"
Every night with her,
The most natural thing I've ever felt before
There's somethin' 'bout a kiss
That's gonna lead to more
And there's somethin' bout a dog in a vest
And a girl in a red sundress with a Beatles cup to her lips
Begging for another kiss
And there's somethin' 'bout her and me
And Target and Wendy's
and Lord have mercy, it's a beautiful thing
Aint nothin' 'bout it luck
There's somethin' 'bout a dog
There's somethin' bout a creek
Around 2 am
After a few of those cubes
You wanna dive on in
You don't need no leash
So just hang it on a limb
There's somethin' 'bout a creek
Around 2 am
And there's somethin' bout a dog in a vest
And a girl in a red sundress with a Beatles cup to her lips
Begging for another kiss
And there's somethin' 'bout her and me
And Target and Wendy's
and Lord have mercy, it's a beautiful thing
Aint nothin' 'bout it luck
There's somethin' 'bout a dog
Aint nothin' 'bout it luck
There's somethin' 'bout a dog
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Off to Church with Auntie Lori, Uncle Jason, Cousin Adrian, and "The Help"
Today I had to wake up extra early to get ready for church with Auntie Lori, Uncle Jason, and Cousin Adrian. (They really aren't, Adria just calls them that.) Adrian is little. Not yet fully grown like Adria and me. In the car, he always sits in this little special crate-like contraption with straps across his chest. (And I thought being squished on the floor was bad!)
When Adrian is in his crate in the back with us, he is very yappy. He is always saying the same things like "Caker," and "DaDa."I figure Adrian must not know many commands yet, so he just says the ones he knows. I remember those days as a pup too. The first few weeks of training all we did was "Sit!" and "Heel!" for days! I suppose everyone has to start somewhere.
I learned today that Cackers taste very good. They are small cheese flavored treats shaped like fish. My kibble tastes like fish. I stole a caker off the floor before Adria could catch me. That's how I know. At home I am not allowed any people food.
He could use some private instruction on bark control though, Good gosh, for being such a pup he can yap!
He reminds me of my younger brother Perry who was at Dixie Run with me before I met Adria. He looks like him, too: Blonde hair and a light coat and strong, dark eyes, Perry was always wanting to throw in his two bits of kibble, you know. Had to make sure the world knew where he stood on things, except he never said "Cacker?" he just barked. A LOT!
On the way to church, Adria and Uncle Jason talked about "The Help." That is Adria's favorite movie and Uncle Jason an Auntie Laurie sat in front of the talking box and watched it last night for the first time, or so they said. For all I know, they could have been in the park playing Frisbee.
Adria was elated at their having seen the movie. "Either put that part in or pull my parts out all together! Y'all pick! Y'all givin' me heart palipatations!" she quoted in a heavy southern accent.
Auntie Lori and Uncle Jason laughed.
"Cacker!" Adrian said.
I sighed. And thus ended our ride to church.
*Please keep all paws inside the ride at all times and DO NOT break the sit or down position until the ride has come to a complete stop. Upon hearing the "FREE!" command, please deposit all potty bags in the proper recepticles.
Love,
Lu
When Adrian is in his crate in the back with us, he is very yappy. He is always saying the same things like "Caker," and "DaDa."I figure Adrian must not know many commands yet, so he just says the ones he knows. I remember those days as a pup too. The first few weeks of training all we did was "Sit!" and "Heel!" for days! I suppose everyone has to start somewhere.
I learned today that Cackers taste very good. They are small cheese flavored treats shaped like fish. My kibble tastes like fish. I stole a caker off the floor before Adria could catch me. That's how I know. At home I am not allowed any people food.
He could use some private instruction on bark control though, Good gosh, for being such a pup he can yap!
He reminds me of my younger brother Perry who was at Dixie Run with me before I met Adria. He looks like him, too: Blonde hair and a light coat and strong, dark eyes, Perry was always wanting to throw in his two bits of kibble, you know. Had to make sure the world knew where he stood on things, except he never said "Cacker?" he just barked. A LOT!
On the way to church, Adria and Uncle Jason talked about "The Help." That is Adria's favorite movie and Uncle Jason an Auntie Laurie sat in front of the talking box and watched it last night for the first time, or so they said. For all I know, they could have been in the park playing Frisbee.
Adria was elated at their having seen the movie. "Either put that part in or pull my parts out all together! Y'all pick! Y'all givin' me heart palipatations!" she quoted in a heavy southern accent.
Auntie Lori and Uncle Jason laughed.
"Cacker!" Adrian said.
I sighed. And thus ended our ride to church.
*Please keep all paws inside the ride at all times and DO NOT break the sit or down position until the ride has come to a complete stop. Upon hearing the "FREE!" command, please deposit all potty bags in the proper recepticles.
Love,
Lu
Thursday, March 29, 2012
On Being the "WonderLab"
Today is our day to volunteer at Wonder Lab, the local children's science museum next door. There, they call me "Lucy the Wonder Lab!" I don't know that this is necessary though. I don't even know if I like it. I mean, I love it when Adria calls me a "Good dog!" or her "Sweet Lu," or something like that, but I don't know that a title is necessary. Just to know that I have done my job and that she approves and loves me at the end of the day is enough. It's nice to be recoginzed because I am so well trained and sweet, but really , all I care about is Adria. She is my Wonder Human, and I am her Wonder Lab, and we are perfect together. "WOOF!"
Love,
Lu
Love,
Lu
Sunday, March 25, 2012
At the Art Museum
Yesterday, Adria and I went to the JB Speed Art Museum and out to lunch at Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville with CIP. Louisville is very close to where Adria's parents, Grandma Cynthia and Grandpa Ben live. On the way home, which was a 2 hour car trip, she looked out the window as we were driving over the Ohio River bridge and told me to say hi to them but I didn't. I was half asleep.
The art museum wasn't all that entertaining. I just walked around on the hardwood floor while Adria pretended to be interested in pictures painted by a bunch of old dead guys. The pictures looked really fuzzy to me and I couldn't quite make out any of the colors except black and white. Sometimes she would put me in a down and look at the pictures and I would let out a long sigh. I do not care for hardwood floors. they make my joints achy.
I may as well come out and say it now: Shortly before my second birthday, a few months back, I went to the orthopedic specialist and he formally diagnosed me with mild arthritis in my left front elbow. He says I can still work though (Thank God!) Something to do with myself! I so pity those members of the species who stay locked in a crate all day long! We were bred to work, you know! We want something to do with ourselves!
Our tour guide Doris was an old wrinkly lady who smelled like shoe polish and she kept going on about how she had guests coming over at 4:00 to watch "the game." I wondered which game it was? Fetch? Tug o' War? Frisbee, maybe?
I began to think: Why are humans so fascinated with art? You just walk around a room and look at pictures. Big deal. It's like smelling another dog's scent I suppose. It's interesting for a while but then you realize there are still walks to take and birds to chase and grass to roll in and balls to fetch and lakes to swim in ALL before the sun goes down!
When we got to Lynn's it was crowded and LOUD! Adria and I sat at the end of the table so I could get out if I needed to. There were fifteen of us, and across from our table sat this young couple with a baby. The baby would NOT shut up! She kept squawking like a parrot, pointing and laughing at me saying, "Dog!" Dog!"
After about twenty minutes, Adria bowed her head and whispered "Would you please Shut it, honey child?! I know it's a dog!"
She reached down and stroked my ears. "Good Girl, Lu!" she said. I wagged my tail and let my tounge hang out. I was happy just to be with her, despite the fact that there were food scraps all over the floor in front of me, which I resisted.
Halfway into the meal Adria excused herself and walked me outside to go potty. I ended up going on the very edge of some Good Samaritan's lawn, because there was pavement as far as the eye could see. Despite incredulous looks from neighbors, desperate times call for desperate measures. I felt much better afterward, though.
Love,
Lu
The art museum wasn't all that entertaining. I just walked around on the hardwood floor while Adria pretended to be interested in pictures painted by a bunch of old dead guys. The pictures looked really fuzzy to me and I couldn't quite make out any of the colors except black and white. Sometimes she would put me in a down and look at the pictures and I would let out a long sigh. I do not care for hardwood floors. they make my joints achy.
I may as well come out and say it now: Shortly before my second birthday, a few months back, I went to the orthopedic specialist and he formally diagnosed me with mild arthritis in my left front elbow. He says I can still work though (Thank God!) Something to do with myself! I so pity those members of the species who stay locked in a crate all day long! We were bred to work, you know! We want something to do with ourselves!
Our tour guide Doris was an old wrinkly lady who smelled like shoe polish and she kept going on about how she had guests coming over at 4:00 to watch "the game." I wondered which game it was? Fetch? Tug o' War? Frisbee, maybe?
I began to think: Why are humans so fascinated with art? You just walk around a room and look at pictures. Big deal. It's like smelling another dog's scent I suppose. It's interesting for a while but then you realize there are still walks to take and birds to chase and grass to roll in and balls to fetch and lakes to swim in ALL before the sun goes down!
When we got to Lynn's it was crowded and LOUD! Adria and I sat at the end of the table so I could get out if I needed to. There were fifteen of us, and across from our table sat this young couple with a baby. The baby would NOT shut up! She kept squawking like a parrot, pointing and laughing at me saying, "Dog!" Dog!"
After about twenty minutes, Adria bowed her head and whispered "Would you please Shut it, honey child?! I know it's a dog!"
She reached down and stroked my ears. "Good Girl, Lu!" she said. I wagged my tail and let my tounge hang out. I was happy just to be with her, despite the fact that there were food scraps all over the floor in front of me, which I resisted.
Halfway into the meal Adria excused herself and walked me outside to go potty. I ended up going on the very edge of some Good Samaritan's lawn, because there was pavement as far as the eye could see. Despite incredulous looks from neighbors, desperate times call for desperate measures. I felt much better afterward, though.
Love,
Lu
Friday, March 23, 2012
"My Name is Lu:" An Introduction
Hello, World!
I suppose since this is my first blog post I should introduce myself. My name is Lucy aka "Lu" after The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds". I am a two-year old yellow Lab in training as a service dog for Asperger's Syndrome and mild cerebral palsy.
My human's name is Adria Nassim. She helps me write this blog and she is a huge Beatles' fan. It's all thanks to her I know how to write. She got a degree in English, you know. Adria and I have been together for almost two years now. We were paired up at a kennel called Dixie Run Labs. Adria held me in her lap and stroked me and sung songs to me asking me questions like "Would you believe in a love at first sight?" and "What do you see when you turn out the light?" She never gave me a chance to answer though. She just held me and kept stroking my neck and telling me how she gets by with a little help from her friends. I loved her immediately. and Gosh, does she love me. We go everywhere together and almost every day she tells somebody,
"This is Lucy. She is my best friend!" and boy, is it worth it.
This blog is set up to tell my side of our story because people never ask me how I like going for a coffee break at Starbucks, or what I think of trips to The Gap to buy new spring clothes, or how I liked the Taylor Swift concert last weekend they only tend to ask Adria that stuff. I never really have understood why either. I do belong to one of the smartest breeds out there, you know and I have an opinion too, for goodness sake! Who made the stupid rule that the Declaration of Independence only applies to those of us on two legs? "WOOF!"
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."
Do the dogs count too, Mr. Jefferson? What happened to evolution?!
As of four months old, I have been privately trained to become Adria's special helper. I LOVE my job! I am trained to find home on command when we are out walking someplace and get lost and am learning how to pick up and retrieve dropped objects and bring them to her.
Today Adria taught me a new game at playtime called "Find It!" I really like this game. Adria went and got my Kong out of my toy box she keeps high on the shelf in her closet, brought it in the living room and placed it on the floor in plain sight.
"Find It, Lu!" she said.
Find What? I thought. staring blankly at her. It would help if I knew what to be looking for.
Dismissively, I put my nose to the floor, suddenly picking up the scent of BACON FLAVORED TRAINING TREATS!
Must. Find. Bacon.
I kept circling the room trying to hone in on the scent of my beloved bacon but I couldn't find it! Finally, I flopped to the floor in a dejected heap brooding on my insufficiency as a working dog. I can't even find something for her. Geez. What would Jag think?
Jag is my trainer John's German Shepherd. He is quite the stud and I want to be like him when I grow up. So well behaved and handsome. I pant just thinking about him! =)
Anyway, after sulking a while I decided to give "Find It!" one more shot. I could hear Adria still encouraging me across the room: "Find it, Find it, Lu!"
I ambled over to the corner where my Kong was and thought I'd lie down and have a nice chew, but as soon as my jaws locked around it, I heard Adria shout: "Good Find It! Come, Lu!"
If there's one rule I learned as a pup it's that you always come when called. If not, the consequences can be rather unpleasant. I sprinted back toward her and dropped the Kong at her feet, and out came BACON TRAINING TREATS from her hoodie pocket!
I understood now. Go find the Kong. bring it back when she calls and get BACON!
We played "Find "It!" for a long time and then I curled up for a nap. I really do love this job.
Love,
Lu
I suppose since this is my first blog post I should introduce myself. My name is Lucy aka "Lu" after The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds". I am a two-year old yellow Lab in training as a service dog for Asperger's Syndrome and mild cerebral palsy.
My human's name is Adria Nassim. She helps me write this blog and she is a huge Beatles' fan. It's all thanks to her I know how to write. She got a degree in English, you know. Adria and I have been together for almost two years now. We were paired up at a kennel called Dixie Run Labs. Adria held me in her lap and stroked me and sung songs to me asking me questions like "Would you believe in a love at first sight?" and "What do you see when you turn out the light?" She never gave me a chance to answer though. She just held me and kept stroking my neck and telling me how she gets by with a little help from her friends. I loved her immediately. and Gosh, does she love me. We go everywhere together and almost every day she tells somebody,
"This is Lucy. She is my best friend!" and boy, is it worth it.
This blog is set up to tell my side of our story because people never ask me how I like going for a coffee break at Starbucks, or what I think of trips to The Gap to buy new spring clothes, or how I liked the Taylor Swift concert last weekend they only tend to ask Adria that stuff. I never really have understood why either. I do belong to one of the smartest breeds out there, you know and I have an opinion too, for goodness sake! Who made the stupid rule that the Declaration of Independence only applies to those of us on two legs? "WOOF!"
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."
Do the dogs count too, Mr. Jefferson? What happened to evolution?!
As of four months old, I have been privately trained to become Adria's special helper. I LOVE my job! I am trained to find home on command when we are out walking someplace and get lost and am learning how to pick up and retrieve dropped objects and bring them to her.
Today Adria taught me a new game at playtime called "Find It!" I really like this game. Adria went and got my Kong out of my toy box she keeps high on the shelf in her closet, brought it in the living room and placed it on the floor in plain sight.
"Find It, Lu!" she said.
Find What? I thought. staring blankly at her. It would help if I knew what to be looking for.
Dismissively, I put my nose to the floor, suddenly picking up the scent of BACON FLAVORED TRAINING TREATS!
Must. Find. Bacon.
I kept circling the room trying to hone in on the scent of my beloved bacon but I couldn't find it! Finally, I flopped to the floor in a dejected heap brooding on my insufficiency as a working dog. I can't even find something for her. Geez. What would Jag think?
Jag is my trainer John's German Shepherd. He is quite the stud and I want to be like him when I grow up. So well behaved and handsome. I pant just thinking about him! =)
Anyway, after sulking a while I decided to give "Find It!" one more shot. I could hear Adria still encouraging me across the room: "Find it, Find it, Lu!"
I ambled over to the corner where my Kong was and thought I'd lie down and have a nice chew, but as soon as my jaws locked around it, I heard Adria shout: "Good Find It! Come, Lu!"
If there's one rule I learned as a pup it's that you always come when called. If not, the consequences can be rather unpleasant. I sprinted back toward her and dropped the Kong at her feet, and out came BACON TRAINING TREATS from her hoodie pocket!
I understood now. Go find the Kong. bring it back when she calls and get BACON!
We played "Find "It!" for a long time and then I curled up for a nap. I really do love this job.
Love,
Lu
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