Me and the Doods.com

Thank You Brian

Have you ever had one of those weeks when nothing seems to go right? Word of advice, if you’re having one, don’t watch the news. To add insult to injury, I had a bad hair day and took a selfie in my baseball hat that says, “bad hair day” across the front.

ELBEE She is the queen of bad selfies and why did she do that to poor Henry?

Fortunately, I had a hair appointment and things started looking up. I’m sure I get that from my mother. As a little girl growing up in Syracuse, I still remember her weekly ritual. Rain, shine or snow, but maybe not blizzard, she went for her wash and set. It was before blow drying was a “thing.” It always made her happy.

My hairdresser and dear friend Brian, not only makes my hair look fabulous but he’s also very spiritual and uplifting. Sitting in his chair is like a combination haircut/therapy session. He’s caring and kind with a sense of humor, a winning combination.

Recently he did something for an elderly client that speaks to his heart. The woman had taken a cab to the salon but got so confused when it was time to go home. that Brian decided to drive her. When she was safely in the house, her mind cleared and she thanked him.

Brian and his partner Daniel are both dog lovers and have helped me with socializing the Doods. With the people, noise and distractions, the salon is a perfect place to train them for working in the hospital. Stanley even had an early photo shoot.

A few days ago when I stopped in with Henry, I was delighted to see how comfortable and sweet he was with everyone Actually, it wasn’t his first meeting with Brian. That was when he was only about four months old. What a difference a year makes!

There is a sign on a small table in the restroom of the Syndicate, that I have always loved. It is a drawing of Audrey Hepburn with a quote about empathy.

That sign makes me think about how our dogs function with such pure empathy. They offer a lesson of love for all of us.

What a Difference a Cloud Makes

In case you hadn’t noticed, What a Difference a Cloud Makes is my third title in a row that’s a play on a song. I think the weather made me do it.

ELBEE I don’t know if I’m impressed or horrified.

Speaking of songs, this morning my packet of Truvia said “SHARE YOUR VOICE.” Does that mean there’s still hope for my singing even though I’m tone deaf?

ELBEE No!

I complained so much about the heat, I really want to celebrate the break in the weather. I had almost forgotten how much fun it is to go for a walk with the dogs without having to worry about the hot sidewalk and the sun. Plus everyone seems so much friendlier and happier.

ELBEE That’s because they’re not sweating and on the verge of heat stroke.

For the past few days, Doug has been walking Gus and I’ve been taking Stanley and Henry out together. With two dogs that size next to me, I have lots of interesting encounters.

One man said, “Oh you have ponies.” A couple of people looked a little surprised and said “Good for you.”

ELBEE That was an age crack.

A quiet, older Russian man who smiles when we pass each other, made a heart sign with his hands and softly told me, “I’ve seen them five times. They make me very happy.”

My friend Linda, a true dog lover, was driving by when she saw me with the “ponies.” She stopped and came over. I knew that she had been going through a very rough time and hoped that Stanley and Henry could help.

One of her two beloved older dogs passed recently. Then three days later her other dog went missing. Despite her best efforts, she hasn’t been able to locate him. It’s almost as if he has gone in search of his best buddy.

Stanley and Henry immediately sensed her distress. Dogs may not be able to articulate what they’re feeling, but they are so incredibly intuitive. They began leaning on her and nuzzling her, encouraging her to pet them.

At one point they took a break to wrestle, something they do when they’re really trying to get your attention. Then they went right back to comforting her.

They may be big and energetic but they were very gentle. Henry even gave her a soft kiss on the face. They could feel Linda’s pain and were doing their best to make it go away. There is nothing like the unconditional therapy we receive from our wonderful animals.

Linda put it beautifully when she messaged me, “Kisses to Stanley and Henry, my two healers.”

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.

We’re Having a Heat Wave

ELBEE That title makes me feel like singing but it’s too hot.

The recent heat wave almost makes me miss the blizzards we had when I was growing up in Syracuse…almost. It’s tough on the Doods too. They’ll walk to the door when they need to go out and then just stand there when they realize how hot it is.

In the house, they gravitate to the coolest spots. They like to hang out in the shower or wrapped around a toilet.

Stanley and Gus worked last week and I have to say, the perfectly controlled hospital temperature was a treat. At UCLA I drove up to the valet so we walked right into the lobby. Once we were up in our regular neuropsych units, I completely forgot about the heat, caught up in the joy and excitement of Stanley’s arrival.

As we sat on the floor with everyone gathered around us, one boy kept glancing from me to Stanley, and finally asked, “Were you here a few years ago with two other dogs?” Turns out that he remembered meeting Charley and Elbee. Sadly, the kids in neuropsych are frequently in and out of the hospital over time but they all seem to have positive memories of the dogs. Many still have their trading cards.

Since the dogs usually do bring out the best in everyone, I was a little surprised when one of the teens told me he was a bit upset that Stanley was there. Then he laughed and said, “I like to be angry and I can’t be angry when he’s here.”

At Tarzana we had to walk from the garage to the hospital entrance. It wasn’t bad when we got there, but when we were leaving, I was so worried about the hot sidewalk that I carried Gus. One man, seeing me with my arms full, looked at me a little strangely. I nodded to the hot sidewalk and he smiled and said, “You’re a good dog mom.”

STANLEY She never carries me.

In the elevator coming down, Gus had been sniffing a woman’s shoes. Trying to be friendly I had remarked,”Oh, you must have a dog.” I was speechless when she answered, “No. I have a cat and three snakes.”

ELBEE That’s what she gets for being such a yenta!

Who Would Have Thought?

After months of being back to in-person visits with the dogs, I thought that Zoom was safely in our past. That changed last Wednesday when we did a call with the Mattel Youth Ambassadors, a group of high schoolers who give back to others while learning about the medical field.

I was a little nervous when I found out we were going to be Zooming again. My first thought was “uh oh, technical issues,” like the disastrous visit where my audio wouldn’t go on. I immediately contacted my personal Geek Squad in the Silicone Valley for support.

My next concern was hair and makeup.

ELBEE Of course it was.

On the bright side, Henry could join Gus and Stanley on the call.

Once we logged into the meeting, by some miracle, they sat quietly next to me while I introduced them and shared stories about their amazing work. Henry learned very quickly about getting screen time.

ELBEE Two questions. Where is Gus and why is she wearing sunglasses?

When it came to doing a few tricks, it got a little chaotic but was probably more entertaining than watching them do a perfect sit. It was difficult not being able to see the kids, like not having an audience, but as a friend so aptly put it, “it’s like a live reality show.”

Speaking of reality shows, the same day I heard about the zoom call, I also heard that America’s Got Talent was auditioning for next season. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

A few years ago, a “senior” bodybuilder was on the show, looking good but basically doing a non-act. She kept flexing her biceps and yelling “pow.” To the horror of my oldest daughter, who still has vivid and disturbing memories of my bodybuilding days, I kidded, sort of, that I should try out.

Another old lady bodybuilding act wasn’t going to cut it, so I considered adding the dogs. I practiced bench pressing Gus and Stanley for a possible dog/danger act. Then I thought what if I told a joke while I had the dogs in the air.

ELBEE Great idea if she was funny.

Jen, the director of PAC at UCLA, fueled my AGT obsession. During the pandemic, Jen and I did lots of Zoom calls. Before logging in, we’d discuss how we could make the calls more interesting, so interesting that we could audition for the show.

On a challenge from a friend, we did headstands. We tried singing but we’re both tone deaf. Magicians seem to be crowd pleasing but Jen only has one potential trick and I’ve got none.

Last week as we chatted before the Mattel call, I shared a great idea with Jen. From all of my obsessive watching, I’d noticed that ventriloquists have become very popular.

Being a good sport she was willing to give it a shot. For the next few minutes we tried talking to each other without moving our lips. If we can make it look like the dogs are talking, AGT here we come!

I’m wearing sunglasses because I’m so embarrassed for them.

The Doods Love a Picnic

UCLA had a staff picnic last week. Maybe because COVID has prevented such large gatherings, the mood was especially festive. Gus and Stanley, plus their canine co-workers Beau and Pitzel, were in their glory with all of the attention.

Gus was with his special partner “Aunt” Carol.

From the catering staff, to groups from seemingly every department, even to the EMT’s, people were delighted just to see the dogs. Petting and hugging them was a bonus.

When we had the dogs do tricks or model an accessory or two, it was like the icing on the cake.

ELBEE Seriously? Icing on the cake.

As always, even in the midst of so much activity, there were special moments. A man quietly asked me the dogs’ names. When I introduced Stanley, the most soulful look came over the man’s face. He told me that he’d had a very special chihuahua mix named Stanley that he’d rescued when it was older.

He still missed him every day and had never met another dog with that name. I shared that Stanley was named after my wonderful brother who had been gone for years but whom I still missed. We were two strangers comforting each other.

A woman and her teenage daughter came over to take photos of Gus and Stanley in their fancy glasses. Suddenly, the girl began telling me how much therapy dog visits mean to her.

She has a chronic illness that requires frequent infusions that take up to two hours. She said that as soon as they bring in a dog and put it in her lap her whole mood changes. She feels more comfortable and relaxed and has an easier time with the procedure.

A few minutes later, a smiling young man called out, “Nice to see you again.” As I was scrambling to remember who he was, he reminded me that we’d met at another UCLA event a few years ago. Actually, I’m a little directionally challenged and he’d helped me find the event.

ELBEE A little? She used to get us lost in the hospital. It was embarrassing.

I was leaving the parking garage, trying to find the plaza where we were supposed to be meeting. Totally lost, I saw the young man and asked him for directions. Realizing that I was clueless, he took the time to walk us over. He was so sweet about it.

We laughed as we reminisced. Then he told me that he was planning a birthday party for his dog. Seventeen of the dog’s friends were invited. I realized that not only is he genuinely nice, he was also helping out a fellow dog lover!

ELBEE In case you’re wondering how she found the picnic, she stopped at the hospital to pick up Jen, the director of the People Animal Connection, to show her how to get there. She and Carol had to call someone named Siri to get back to the hospital on their own.

A Short Sweet Encounter

Anyone who walks with a dog can tell you that canines will lead to more human interactions than you’ll have when you’re walking alone. Not only do they attract people, but somehow lead to more open conversation. I was out with Stanley and Gus when a man started laughing and asked if I knew that our hair looked alike.

ELBEE Do you think she could possibly resist telling him about “I Love You Man,” her one claim to fame? FYI they made fun of her for looking like Charley.

Another, who sort of recognized me from the neighborhood, stopped to tell me that a few years ago his wife had been in the hospital at UCLA for 59 days. She’d had several dog visits and they’d meant so much that he still had their trading cards.

I especially want to share one really sweet encounter I had when I was walking with Henry. It was a little moment but with the news being so depressing, anxiety provoking and sad, aren’t those positive little moments exactly what we need right now?

ELBEE She better pick things up. I’m getting stressed just reading this.

We passed two men who were detailing a car on the street. They waved as we went by. Then as I walked a bit further past their big, black truck a boy of about twelve jumped out of the passenger seat. With a huge grin on his face he said “I love dogs! I’ve always wanted a dog!”

He was just drawn to Henry. As he petted him, he kept telling me how much he wanted a dog. It was a warm day so I took out Henry’s water. I noticed the boy watching closely and smiling as Henry drank out of his bottle so I asked if he’d like to hold it for him. I got an enthusiastic “yes!”

He told me that his name was Vladimir. He also proudly shared that he had an app on his phone that let him order food for all of them. I was so impressed by his sweetness and his kind demeanor. Henry, who’s a cautious judge of character, was completely taken with him.

We stood in the shade and chatted for around ten minutes. When Henry and I had to leave he was disappointed but totally understood. As I started up the hill, he called out “Have a blessed day.”

It’s Time for Dodger Baseball

When Vin Scully’s passing was announced during Tuesday’s Dodger game, along with millions of others, I felt as if I ‘d lost a family member. Touching tributes have been pouring in from around the world. I just wanted to add my own small note.

Anyone who’s a Dodger fan is a Vin Scully fan. He was the face and the voice of the team. The legendary broadcaster was one of my idols. Hearing him say, “It’s time for Dodger baseball,” always made me smile.

Many years ago, my late brother Stan, a television director in San Francisco, had the joy and privilege of working with Vin at a Giant’s game. What struck Stan was his ease at broadcasting.

Vin Scully was known for his storytelling. My brother said what amazed him was that Vin would be chatting with him during a break, turn around to announce the game, then turn back and pick up right where he’d left off without missing a beat.

I’d always been excited to catch glimpses of him in the announcers’ booth when I paraded around the warning track during the annual pups in the park event at Dodger Stadium. Then, thanks to Charley and Elbee, I had the chance to meet him in person.

**Pups in the Park with Charley & Elbee**

I was walking with the dogs at an upscale mall in Calabasas, when, to my delight, Vin came walking out of a store. As soon as he spotted them, I heard that familiar voice say, “Will you look at that!” For a groupie like me, it was a surreal moment.

ELBEE It’s probably totally inappropriate to comment here, but she really owes me for that one.

While he waited for his family to come out of the store, we talked dogs and Dodgers. He was even nicer than I’d hoped he’d be.

This week, during all of the accolades, I heard so many people refer to his incredible sixty seven years in the broadcast booth, beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers. They shared fond memories of listening to him on the radio in his early days.

It brought me back to when I was a little girl in Syracuse, New York and my dad had baseball games on in the car. We didn’t have our own team, so he could easily have been listening to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

At the time, I was not really a fan so it seemed like background noise with a lot of static. Now to think that I may have heard that familiar voice all of those years ago takes my breath away.

Vin, you touched so many lives without taking credit for it. Your grace, your kindness and your humility are an inspiration. This Dodger fan thanks you.

Grandmas Just Wanna Have Fun

Being a grandma is a great gig. You get all of the rewards without all of the work. As a mom, you have so many responsibilities and need some skills. As a grandma you can just have fun. Throw dogs into the mix and it’s a party.

Danielle, the youngest daughter, her husband Jay and their kids Bella and Ryder were here from San Jose this week. It was an especially wonderful reunion because COVID has made visiting so difficult over the past two years.

There was only one small snag. Our house is very “dog centric,” and six year old Ryder, to put it mildly, is not a fan of dogs, especially large ones. Danielle and Jay were hoping that spending time with the Doods again might be a turning point.

He’d met Gus and Stanley before and almost likes Gus because he’s little and cute. His only encounters with Henry were on Facebook.

Initially there was a lot of yelling and screaming.

ELBEE That was her.

Little by little Ryder made progress. He came out of the bedroom and played where the dogs could see him but couldn’t get to him. He posed for photos. He even petted Henry once or twice.

Eight year old Bella, on the other hand, loves the dogs and they love her. Not only was she petting and hugging them, she wanted to play dress up.

Despite the fact that it was Bella’s idea, Danielle blamed it on me, just because I have drawers full of accessories and never hesitate to use them. I mean who doesn’t love a dog in a tiara and sunglasses?

ELBEE Her daughters want to report her to PETA but I’m on team dress up.

Then we decided it would be fun to dress them up for different holidays. I got so carried away that even the kids were a bit concerned.

ELBEE I heard Danielle telling them “Grandma isn’t weird. She’s just eccentric.”

This photo says it all. What more could I ask for! I actually think it was good for Ryder. He got so into the spirit of what we were doing that he almost forgot about the dogs, although he did stay very close to Gus.

ELBEE Personally I think he had FOMO. For you old people, that’s “fear of missing out.”

When I asked Danielle to send me a few of her photos, I realized just how “dog centric” the visit had been. Except for one, they were literally all of the grandkids with the dogs. I don’t know how Doug managed to sneak into this one.

Negativity & Positivity

Occasionally I take advantage of my blog as a place to vent.

ELBEE Occasionally?

Once it was about the unpleasant man in the gym who added insult to injury by letting his shorts hang down so low his butt crack showed. Another time it was the woman who accused me of not cleaning up after the dogs when I had one full bag and three more empties with me.

This week I have had it with spam calls! I don’t understand how the woman who claims to be from the department of energy can call from four different area codes within twenty minutes. Not to mention the “police officer,” who says in a cheesy tone, “So glad you picked up. I was about to put on my answering machine voice.” Afraid I could be in trouble for what I responded, I checked with my police officer friends who assured me they never solicit by phone.

The other morning my cell rang around 7 a.m. The caller ID said it was from the United Kingdom.

ELBEE She thought it was the queen calling to wish her a belated happy birthday.

I was very annoyed when I heard they were calling to confirm my nonexistent purchase. And yes, I was disappointed that it wasn’t the queen.

Some events are a mix of positive and negative. I was walking in the neighborhood with Gus and Stanley when a car pulled over next to us. I was a little nervous until an older woman, wearing a fabulous baseball hat that read “Bad Hair Day,” got out and walked over.

ELBEE As if?

She politely asked if it was okay to give the dogs some homemade organic treats. Gus seemed to enjoy his but Stanley immediately spit his on the sidewalk.

STANLEY I am not a fan of organic.

Yesterday, I was driving up a busy street in the Valley with Henry in the back seat. As I stopped for a red light, I noticed a very sad looking, seemingly homeless man sitting in the shade of a strip mall with a cart full of his belongings. I was pleasantly surprised when he glanced up, saw Henry’s big head sticking out of the window, and started laughing.

This week my husband Doug had one of those days. You know when everything seems to go wrong.

ELBEE Like when they make old people use new computer programs.

When he walked in the door that evening, Stanley, Henry and even Gus glued themselves to him. It was much more than their normal “welcome home, why did you leave us greeting.” It was an offer of pure comfort.

Doug realized that with one thing happening after another all day, he hadn’t had a moment to relax and unwind. He was still feeling the stress. The dogs were using their pure positivity to fight the negativity. And isn’t that what they. do best!