hiking – Me and the Doods.com

It’s My Birthday and I’ll Hike If I Want To

ELBEE Why does that title make me want to sing?

Several years ago, I began the tradition of doing a challenging birthday hike. The first one was up a really steep local trail nicknamed the “butt burner.” After a few years, I realized that July was not the best month for that.

ELBEE Her daughters put it a little differently. “Mom, are you insane?”

I thought about changing my birthday to November but then came up with a much simpler plan. I’d hike from the San Fernando Valley to the sea, going from the heat to the ocean breezes. It’s worked out pretty well so far but this month there has basically been a national heat wave. I briefly reconsidered, then, decided to go for it.

ELBEE Guess what her daughters had to say about that.

I’m happy to report that I’m home safe and sound, except for a few cuts and bruises, and did not have to be rescued by helicopter. That will never happen because the first thing they do is give your age on the news. Then people comment, “What was that old lady doing up there in this weather?”

For some reason, that reminds me of an annoying commercial. A gray haired woman of a certain age, whatever that means, says, “Age is just a number and mine is unlisted.” I should try out for that. I can be annoying. By the way, thank you to my granddaughter Bella who finds me “entertaining” rather than annoying.

Back to the hike. It was wonderful, tiring, but wonderful. The views, as always, were a gift. There was such a feeling of freedom. Being in the mountains for my birthday gives me time to reflect.

ELBEE Once again she asked a total stranger to take her picture.

There is a sense of challenge when I start out in Reseda and a sense of accomplishment when I arrive at Temescal Gateway Park. For the moment, aging is on the back burner.

As he did last year, my husband Doug picked me up at the “finish line,” with Henry along for the ride. It’s like a birthday present. It’s also a sweet part of the tradition. He even brought the silly sunglasses.

GUS & STANLEY Sorry to break the mood but we feel very left out. Why didn’t Doug bring us? We’re extremely festive.

The Post That Almost Wasn’t

I was about to write a post about why I wasn’t going to write a post this week.

ELBEE That makes no sense whatsoever.

Then the universe sent me a sign. I picked up two packets of Truvia. One read, “Share Your Voice.” The other read, “Challenge yourself.”

ELBEE I don’t think that her idol, the late writer Erma Bombeck, got her inspiration from artificial sweetener.

I also heard someone say that gratitude was the right attitude, so I decided to share a totally random list of positivity, most of it inspired by the Doods.

June gloom has become joyous. It’s the perfect weather for walking the dogs any time of day. Plus, despite the gray skies, the mountains, my happy place, are more beautiful than ever with bursts of color from the flowers.

2. In another added touch, people have been building cairns, stone markers, all along the trails. I have no idea how they do it, but they’re like art installations.

3. The racing bike riders may be my nemeses at times, but thanks to Stanley I had a sweet encounter. Someone heard Stanley’s name and wondered how I’d chosen it. After I shared about my late, wonderful brother Stan, he told me that was his middle name. His buddy was named Larry, just like Stan’s treasured dog.

4. Dressing up the dogs is one of my favorite pastimes. Thanks to the UCLA calendar photo shoot, I had a legitimate reason to put them in costume. Sending photos to my daughters, who think I’m crazy for doing it, makes it that much better. They’ve threatened to report me to PETA but I think they’re kidding.

ELBEE They’re not.

5. A man saw me walking Henry by his house and asked if I took my dogs to the hospital. When I said “yes” he called for his wife to join us. Elbee and Charley had visited her at Tarzana Hospital twelve years ago and she felt they had helped save her life.

6. Last week Gus and three of his canine co-workers were stress busters for UCLA students taking finals. Over a hundred grateful kids stopped by the library to take a break.

7. Talk about random, thanks to the Doods I have become casual friends with several mail carriers in our neighborhood, the nicest group of people. The other day I suggested to one, who parks his truck and walks his route, that he could start a fitness class and let people follow him around.

ELBEE Sadly, she’s not kidding.

8. I was saving the best for last. My grandson Ryan graduated from high school and his sister Samantha graduated from middle school.

Try writing your own list of random positivity. It’ll make your day!

A Cautionary “Foxtale”

This spring, following all of the unusual rain, the Santa Monica mountains are spectacular. The bush sunflowers, the caterpillar phacelia, the sage and the mustard are carpeting the hills in vibrant colors.

ELBEE Is the mustard taller this year or is she getting shorter?

The mountains are truly my happy place, especially in bloom, but lately I have refrained from taking the dogs up there. Along with the flowers have come rattlesnakes, poison oak and foxtails, a seemingly innocuous plant that can cause so many problems.

Despite an abundance of caution and sticking to local streets, Stanley had a recent run in with a foxtail. It started with him licking his paw non-stop and ended with a visit to the vet.

After two hours of waiting with Stanley as a walk in, I had to leave him there so they could resolve the problem. After some probing and a light sedative to ease the pain, they found the offending foxtail.

I had a real pang of dog mom guilt when they handed it to me in a small bottle. I don’t know how I missed it, especially since Stanley is very dramatic and throws himself on the sidewalk when something is bothering him.

STANLEY How else am I going to tell her.

Even worse, he came home wearing one of those huge E-collars that look so uncomfortable and have them bumping into everything. Gus was very sympathetic. Henry, on the other hand, took one look at it, bolted across the room, and stared at Stanley from a safe distance.

Fortunately, in the closet where I keep all things dog-related, I had a Zen collar for Stanley. It’s cloth, much softer and more wearable than those hard plastic versions. As a matter of fact, Stanley looked so relaxed that I decided to join him.

ELBEE Oy!

Seriously, keep an eye out when you’re walking your dogs. Those foxtails are a menace hiding in plain sight.

New Year’s Resolutions Made Easy

**Discussing my resolutions** **with Stanley & Henry. They don’t judge!**

So many people stress over their New Year’s resolutions then feel like total failures when they blow them a week later. I’ve figured out the secret to success. Just make your resolutions easier. I’ll share some of mine, in no particular order, to show you how it’s done.

1. Cook less.

ELBEE I don’t think that’s possible.

2. Stop eating chocolate. I’m kidding.

3. Now that I’m back to regular gym workouts, go for Guiness Book of Records “Strongest Granny.”

ELBEE There is no such thing.

4.Bench press Henry before he can bench press me. It’s a long shot but I need some challenges.

5. Get Henry certified as a therapy dog so that he can share the love like Gus and Stanley.

6. Teach each dog a new trick.

7. Do a headstand once a week and touch my toes once a day. Notice, as in resolution 6, I’m keeping the numbers low.

8. Sing more.

ELBEE Hopefully not karaoke!

9. When struggling up a really steep trail, don’t take it as an age crack when someone says, “good job,” or “keep it up.”

10. Speaking of age, follow the advice of my late Grandma Lil who said, “Stand up straight and walk fast so no one will know your age.” She wore high heels at 80!

11. Be nicer to bikers who come barreling down single track trails with no bells, or at least don’t swear at them.

ELBEE She will never get past that issue no matter how many resolutions she makes.

12. Climb Stunt Ridge. I haven’t done it in years and the challenge would do me good..

13. Figure out football.

14. And here’s a suggestion. Resolve not to make any New Year’s resolutions!

I am grateful to say that 2023 started on a positive note. My friend Donna and I took Gus and his buddies Tommy and Finley into UCLA to visit. Their wagging tails and loving demeanor brought a happy new year to everyone they met.

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy, healthy new year!

Another Gentle Giant?

This week I took Henry down to the wound care center where my husband Doug works. The staff was so helpful in training Stanley for the hospital and now they’re doing the same for Henry. It’s a great way for the dogs to get used to a medical setting.

Henry loves everyone there and they love him. It’s been several months since his last visit so they were very surprised to see how much he’d grown. To my delight they could also see a real improvement in his socialization. In the past he’d been a bit shy, but on Friday he was calm and sweet with everyone.

Sometimes I forget how little he used to be. Doug and I were looking at some of his baby pictures and found it hard to believe that tiny puppy was the same dog.

Recently, a friend remarked that Henry is almost as tall as I am. As you can see, she was correct. Apparently as he’s been getting taller, I’ve been getting shorter. It’s an age thing.

ELBEE Hey, she said it. I didn’t.

I’ve even started on a monthly medication to help these old bones. For the sake of convenience, I’ve decided to take it on the same day that I do flea and heartworm prevention for the dogs. It’s a win/win.

ELBEE That is way too much information.

Continuing with Henry’s socialization, I took him hiking with my friend Mary. She has always been incredibly supportive of my work with the dogs and loves when people stop to visit. She brags about them almost as much as I do.

It was a beautiful morning with lots of people enjoying the cool weather. Henry wanted to meet everyone. The moment he spotted another hiker, he’d stop and stare in their direction. I’d ask if it was okay for him say hello and all I heard was “of course.”

His interactions were very gentle and sweet. He even did a bit of the “lean,” like Charley, my very first gift of a therapy dog, used to do. Charley taught me so much about healing and unconditional love.

Toward the end of our walk, we were chatting with a woman while she was petting Henry. As he sat quietly by her side, looking up at her with his soulful eyes, she said softly, “He’s a gentle giant.” That was music to my ears because that’s how people used to refer to Charley.

Less Conversation, More Communication

I have often expressed gratitude for the privilege of working with the Doods, but just hanging out with them is also a positive. There is something very comforting about having dogs by your side. They’re great company. They relieve stress. They never disagree. They don’t have strong political opinions.

Walking with them this week, it suddenly struck me that, although we don’t have actual conversations, we are always communicating.

ELBEE She talks to them constantly.

They let me know exactly what they need. When they refuse to move, it’s water. If they slow down and stare at me, they’re usually hoping for a treat. If Stanley gets something stuck in his paw, he throws himself down on the sidewalk.

ELBEE He’s such a drama king.

And if I need real conversation, there is always someone stopping to visit. The other day, a woman pulled her car over and rolled down the window just to ask if Stanley and Henry were Great Pyrenees. A man inquired which one I wanted to sell. I’m not sure if he was kidding.

On a cool, cloudy morning this week, I was with Stanley and Henry heading up a street that leads into the mountains. A middle aged couple saw the dogs, broke into huge smiles and made a beeline for us. It was love at first sight. The man was completely taken with Henry while she fell for Stanley. They were making offers but we settled for simply taking photos.

Awhile later, I had a moving encounter with a woman coming down from the trails. While we casually chatted, she kept petting and hugging the dogs. When I told her about their work in the hospital, particularly at Resnick, she really opened up.

She has two severely autistic young sons and was curious as to how the kids reacted to Gus and Stanley since she had considered getting therapy dogs for her boys. When I told her about some recent breakthroughs they’d had, especially with autistic patients, she was so appreciative and said it gave her the incentive to really pursue the idea.

At home, my husband Doug and I have very deep non-conversations with the dogs. They will follow us from room to room and seem most content when we’re all hanging out together. They sense when one of us needs a little extra TLC and, without saying a word, will offer love and understanding.

Hiking & “Healing” with Henry

In the past, I’ve shared that Yom Kippur is a biggie in the Jewish religion.

ELBEE And I’ve shared that I don’t think “biggie” is the appropriate term for the holiest day of the year.

It’s a day of atonement, reflection and remembrance. Traditionally observant people fast and spend most of the day in temple. Over the years, I have failed miserably at the traditional part. I guess I’m kind of a Yom Kippur rebel.

ELBEE Oy! So much for atonement.

The signs were there when I was a kid growing up in Syracuse. My closest friend, who shall remain nameless, and I went to Sabbath school, Judaism’s answer to Sunday school. On more than one occasion we tried to ditch services and were led back to the rabbi’s study by Eddie Rifkin one of his student spies.

ELBEE She remembers his name but not what she had for lunch yesterday?

In my defense, I’ve tried services at different temples, and even on Zoom, but nothing makes me feel as spiritual as being in the mountains. And isn’t that what religion is about…connecting with something larger than ourselves?

This year I headed up a trail with Henry by my side. He is the most at ease in the mountains since Charley, my very first therapy dog, so there was comfort in having him with me. One woman we met said, “He’s got such good energy.” That was music to my ears since I’m hoping one day to bring him into the hospital.

We came to the Nike site, a park on Dirt Mulholland that was actually a lookout post during the Cold War. There is a tower with beautiful panoramic views.

As I sat up there with Henry, gazing at the ocean in the distance, memories washed over me. I could feel the spirits of my parents, my brother Stan and my wonderful friend Eileen, all precious to me and all gone too soon. I thought of so many others who are physically gone but who are still a part of my life. As always, there was incredible sadness but also a sense of healing and love.

On another morning I had a random encounter that also speaks to the power of the universe. I was walking into Tarzana Hospital with Gus when a woman called out, “That’s the cutest dog I’ve ever seen.” She was absolutely delighted when I told her he was a therapy dog. She had worked in hospice care and truly understood the benefits of animal therapy.

She shared that she had been drawn to hospice care because her brother had died of colon cancer at 45. Totally taken aback, I quietly said, “My brother died of colon cancer at 47.” We just stared into each others’ eyes. The universe had brought two strangers together for a special moment of connection in this disconnected world.

The Heat Goes On

ELBEE The “Heat” Goes On? Seriously? With her propensity for ripping off song titles, it’s a shame she can’t sing.

This past week, the heat wave seemed endless. The dogs were still hanging out in the bathroom.

Finding the right time to walk them was a challenge. I took Stanley and Henry out early in the morning but kept feeling the sidewalk for fear of them burning their feet.

Gus absolutely refused to go. My husband drove him down to a very shady street for a walk but he wouldn’t even get out of the back seat.

ELBEE If you want to know how we feel in the summer, wear a fur coat and walk us barefoot. You’re welcome.

On Thursday, I was grateful there was a slight cloud cover because I really needed to go into the mountains. Hiking is my therapy and the heat kept canceling my appointments. Using an abundance of caution, I avoided the steep “butt burners,” and went up an easier trail.

ELBEE It wasn’t caution. It was her usual fear that if she had to be rescued, it would be on the news and they’d give her age.

For quite awhile, there was no one else around. It was as if it was my private domain. I felt like queen of the mountains.

ELBEE I think the heat has affected her brain.

After about half an hour, I ran into another hiker and a biker. We were all so happy to be up there, we greeted each other like old friends. The clouds, the gentle breeze and the birds chirping were like gifts from nature. When it began to drizzle we were all so excited you would have thought it was Christmas.

ELBEE I am not even going to comment.

Coming back down and dealing with the afternoon heat was challenging. I was ready to curl up in the shower with the dogs. When it finally cooled off, I went out on our deck to enjoy the evening. As I stood there watching the moonset with the three of them next to me, I felt a sense of peace. Maybe it wouldn’t be 110 degrees forever.

I Made It!

The title of this post was prematurely optimistic. I wrote it the night before I set off on my annual birthday trek to the beach. To be honest, the day didn’t start off all that well.

First, hoping for a pep talk to get me going, I asked my husband Doug how I was going to do it. His response was, “I don’t know.” Then I accidentally sprayed 70 sunblock in my mouth.

ELBEE She doesn’t realize that at her age, the sun-damage ship has sailed.

Walking from my car up to the trail, it was already so warm that I asked myself, as I always do, if it would be possible to change my birthday to January.

ELBEE Or maybe start a normal tradition like going out to dinner.

At the beginning of the Temescal Ridge Trail, I shared with a random stranger that I was about to start my birthday hike and asked him if he’d mind taking my picture.

ELBEE Aren’t all strangers random?

Coincidentally, a few months ago when I was up in the mountains, a man running by called out, “Aren’t you the lady I saw walking to the beach on her birthday last summer?” He had been one of my photographers! I don’t know if I should have been flattered or concerned that he remembered me.

I have to rely on the kindness of strangers because I am not the queen of the selfie. The best one I took on Saturday, unfortunately, proves my point.

Despite the heat, I was comforted by being in the mountains. The views are picturesque. There is a sense of peace and tranquility. Most of the people I ran into seemed to feel the same way. There was a true sense of camaraderie.

The Hub Junction is kind of a landmark in the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s a little wooden pavilion that provides shade and a place to rest. Of course when I got there I had to ask another stranger for a photo but I also took one of my own, three bikers with dogs in their baskets.

GUS, STANLEY & HENRY Why doesn’t she take us?

ELBEE Hello? Aside from the obvious, she can’t even ride a bike.

The last half hour of the hike is a welcome downhill into the Palisades. The only problem is that it’s narrow and a little rocky so requires a bit of concentration. By the time I navigated my way into Temescal Gateway Park I was delighted to see Doug waiting for me by the car. What made it even better was big sweet Henry with his head out the window ready to offer some comfort and love.

Adventure Awaits but Hazards Exist (Are the Mountains Yellow Tagged?)

ELBEE OMG she stole that title off an article in the newspaper.

Elbee’s right for once.

ELBEE For once? Please.

The recent front page article, “Adventure Awaits but Hazards Exist,” warned about the dangers of hiking as the weather heats up. My first thought was, “I hope none of my daughters sees this.” They’re not thrilled when I hike alone or with the dogs even under ideal conditions.

The writer touched on some things like bears and sickened birds and dead rabbits that I’ve never encountered as far as I know. Others struck closer to home.

Rattlesnakes, for instance, were featured as a major hot weather hazard. After being dormant in the winter, they’re out hunting and enjoying the sun. In my defense, it’s been years since that sneaky rattlesnake bit me on the ankle. Not to mention that a neighbor had a rattlesnake in her kitchen.

In an interesting aside, I found out that there’s a rattlesnake aversion class. Unfortunately, after familiarizing the dogs with an enclosed snake, they give them an electric shock so they’ll have a negative association. I was shocked when I heard that!

ELBEE Me too!

Then there are the ticks. I treat the dogs every month to keep them away but I found one on my side recently. I admit I was grossed out even though I pulled it off before it had done any damage.

ELBEE I have an idea. Frontline for humans!

The poison oak is very lush and pretty right now. I know some areas where it’s flourishing and try to be helpful by pointing it out to fellow hikers so they can avoid it.

ELBEE Strange that she had a terrible rash a few weeks ago that she claimed was an “allergy.”

Even though I’ve been taking Henry hiking with me since he was four months old, I don’t take a chance in the heat. I’m more cautious with the dogs than with myself.

Friday morning was a gift. It was cool and overcast, a break from the heat. I snapped on Henry’s leash and headed for the hills. I had to leave Gus and Stanley at home because their long hair attracts every foxtail and burr.

GUS & STANLEY The price of being fabulous.

Henry and I had a great hike. All of the regulars were so happy to be up there. We greeted each other like old friends. Some were meeting Henry for the first time.

As so often happens, as we were walking, I had a strange thought. It’s as if the mountains are temporarily yellow-tagged. You enter at your own risk and have to watch out for potential hazards. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a small price to pay for being in my happy place.

ELBEE Where does she come up with this stuff?