April 2020 – Me and the Doods.com

Another Sweet Coincidence

My post this week is not about me or the Doods…well not totally..

ELBEE That is shocking and to be honest a little disturbing.

Recently, I ran into a woman whom I’d met briefly in the past. From a socially responsible distance, we began chatting and commiserating. I think that is often the case these days when we’re feeling so isolated by COVID-19.

The conversation, not surprisingly, turned to dogs. When I mentioned the comfort I was getting from Gus and Stanley, she suddenly remembered from our prior, very brief meeting, that I was involved with therapy dogs.

ELBEE Is there anyone who doesn’t know?

Her voice got emotional as she began to tell me about a therapy dog visit that held special meaning for her. It was 2007 and her mother, whom I believe was near the end, was a patient at UCLA Medical Center. During that difficult time, someone brought in a “big beautiful, white dog” to see her.

Then the woman held up a photo that she had saved in her phone for all these years. To my amazement, it was my friend Laura from the People Animal Connection and her beautiful Poodle Apollo. They joined the program around the same time that Charley and I did.

Apollo and Charley were truly the old guard. Both large, striking white dogs, their memories still light up people’s faces. Their accomplishments are legendary. Apollo helped bring a little girl out of a coma. Charley got a catatonic woman to smile and pet him.

Several months ago, Laura’s newest Poodles, Jackie and Kennedy, did a pet visit station at UCLA with Stanley. I couldn’t help but think how fortunate we were to still be holding the leashes of our special dogs (you too Gus) and enabling them to create memories for patients, friends, grateful family members and staff.

The woman I met that day, happened to tell me a story of coincidence, something that is always a gift when you work with therapy dogs. The dogs leave a legacy of special memories that we may never know about. Thanks to my encounter with a near stranger, I learned about one of those moments and was able to share it with Laura.

As she told me the story and showed me the photo, the woman and I went from being virtual strangers to being almost friends. She even shared that if she was ever to get a dog, she’d name it Apollo. I swear if not for social distancing, we would have hugged.

ELBEE Did you really think I’d let her completely leave me out? Please!

Masks…an Inadvertent Legacy?

Both of my grandmothers were gifted seamstresses. Lillian, my paternal grandmother did it professionally. Living in Syracuse, she even sewed for the wife of the chancellor of the university. That may not sound like a big deal but in “Orange Country” that’s like sewing for the First Lady.

In my unsuccessful search for a certain photo of her, I was amazed to find this business card with May 1950 scrawled on the side.

I still have an image of her sitting at her sewing machine table in a “proper” dress that she’d crafted herself, and size 4 high heels. Her long gray hair was twisted in a bun held with tortoise shell pins. Her pince nez glasses were perched on the end of her nose. In the side drawer of the table were Silver Mint candies for the grandkids to find.

I inherited no talent from either grandmother. Reattaching a loose button is a challenge for me.

ELBEE I’ve seen it. It’s sad.

In my college days I gave knitting a shot. So many people were doing it and told me it was relaxing. They lied. I tried making one of those two color scarves that people wear to sporting events. It ended up being four stripes wide.

My cousin Janet, on the hand, inherited the sewing and crafting genes from Grandma Lil, who was actually her aunt. She knits, crochets, quilts and sews.

Shortly after sheltering in place began and masks were strongly suggested whenever you couldn’t practice social distancing, I received a package from Janet.

STANLEY I really don’t understand social distancing.

I opened it to find the most perfect gift…protective masks. As far as protective masks go, they’re fabulous. Constructed out of pretty fabrics in bright colors, Janet has even personalized some of them. Mine, of course, have dogs on them…and at the moment dogs in them.

The best part is that they’re simple to use. I admitted in an earlier post that I was having an issue with the strings on the paper surgical masks. Taking one off and then trying to tie it back on again made it impossible to sneak a snack when I was grocery shopping.

With the ones Janet sent me, all I have to do is hook an elastic over each ear. What could be easier?

ELBEE I shouldn’t say this but when has that ever stopped me. I’ve noticed that as people age their ears get larger so this was a no brainer.

Janet told me it was her love of fabrics, something she’d inherited from Grandma Lil, that initially inspired her to make the masks for friends. It had grown from there.

My grandmother wasn’t alway open about sharing her feelings, but I know that somewhere she is looking down and is very proud of what she inspired.

ELBEE She is also wondering why a certain someone is wearing her pince nez glasses.

Accentuate the Positive

ELBEE Something about the title of this post made me want to sing along. Then I realized she’d stolen it from a classic song written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer in 1944.

CHARLEY Where does he come up with this stuff? I was the smart one before we moved up here.

The first positive news is that I haven’t been arrested or fined $1000. The mountains, my sacred place, have been closed due to the pandemic. I have tried to do my part by respecting the rules and not sneaking up there.

A few weeks ago I took a photo of the Doods next to a sign that first announced the closure. The new warning is a lot more emphatic, possible six months in jail emphatic, plus there’s police tape blocking the entrance to the trails.

ELBEE The thought of the daughters seeing her in handcuffs is just too much.

To make up for the restrictions, I started exploring different neighborhoods with Gus and Stanley. I was delighted to find so many small positive things that lifted my spirits.

GUS & STANLEY Not to break the mood but she also got us lost when she was exploring some of those neighborhoods.

A few times on quiet residential streets, when families walked by on the other side, small children called out to the dogs. Since I couldn’t bring them over, I had Gus dance and wave and Stanley play peek a boo. One little girl in a stroller clapped and giggled “bow wow.” Older kids laughed and waved back.

I saw a huge Laker sign on a house. How great that fans are still showing their love even those this magical season may be gone.

Someone else had put up this simple message by the mailbox.

A few homes even had Easter decorations. This holiday is very different from from those in the past but it gave me hope to see that people were celebrating.

ELBEE Isn’t the Easter bunny an essential service?

I think what I enjoyed most was the chalk art that has sprung up on so many sidewalks. Games of hop scotch have been replaced by messages of humor, support and appreciation.

I thought this one was perfect for the youngest daughter who’s home with her four year old and six year old. Even though she’s a teacher, it’s different when your students are still there at bedtime.

These two made me laugh out loud and think about my outfit. Yes, I was wearing sweats.

The outpouring of support for doctors and nurses touched my heart, especially since the middle daughter is still on the front lines as an ICU nurse.

It was also very moving to see neighbors supporting neighbors and strangers alike. In this often dark time how beautiful to see these displays of kindness and caring.

Does This Mask Make Me Look Younger?

Masks were never my thing, but today, for the first time, I wore a surgical mask to the market. To give you an idea of what it took for me to put it on, I’ve always thought masks were claustrophobic and scary. I didn’t even wear them on Halloween.

There has been a lot of controversy about using masks but in the last few days the recommendations have been stronger. This message that suddenly appeared on a light pole in the neighborhood is a “sign” of the times.

ELBEE Sorry to be a negative Nellie during this global pandemic but I am groaning from that terrible pun.

My first issue was putting it on the right way. Fortunately, I have a live in surgeon who helped me with that. My next issue was just dealing with it, trying to breathe. I knew that in the best case scenario it would protect me from other people or them from me, but I needed something more.

I started searching for other positives. In the first place, let’s be honest, with half of your face covered, you look younger. Of course, I’m speaking to my fellow seniors. Not to mention, you only have to use eye make-up. That just brought up a disturbing thought. Is there going to be a run on mascara that will be worse than the run on toilet paper.

ELBEE I do see her point.

There is also a comfortable anonymity when you’re wearing a mask. The husband was quick to point out that walking the dogs with my hair sticking out, anonymity wasn’t really a given. Sadly, the hair may not be a giveaway in a few weeks when my real color shows up.

Covering your face also cuts down on stress eating which is happening a lot lately. To be honest, I have been known to grab a snack or two out of my basket at the market, but it’s difficult with the mask. And I really don’t want to be seen on those cameras, that are in every aisle, wrestling with the ties so I can eat chocolate.

With the gym closed, I started taking Gus and Stanley for such long walks, I became concerned that maybe their faces should be covered too. Most experts agree our dogs are safe from COVID-19, but there are so many unknowns. Surgical masks were out of the question so I used a little ingenuity.

CHARLEY That is very sad, thoughtful, but sad.

ELBEE This is the only type of mask they should ever be wearing. I looked fabulous.