Gettin' Older ....

December 31, 2016.

I see her getting older, she's plunks up and down the stairs in the cold weather and the tiny gray hairs are squirreling out of her head like wiry white antennae.  She doesn't always come when called.  Is she losing her hearing or just being stubborn?  Perhaps she can't hear me.  And she's always searching for her glasses and misplacing things. 

We have a very special relationship, she and I; we finish each other's sentences, one look can say a whole lot to the other.  We're basically glued at the hip; we live in this small space and then we travel into huge places, together, with The Man Person.    

We cuddle at night, sharing our king sized bed, snuggling up to each other's back, spooning.  It's a precious time for both/all of us.

Today is her birthday so we're gonna have a celebration. 
Don't worry, I'll take care of the old girl.  We're buddies.

Dawg Bless You and Happy New Year to You All!!!!   

~ Zuma and My People.  XOXO

                                

    This hat has got to go!

Happy Holidays From All of Us!

December 22, 2016.

Just wanna wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
And a Happy and Healthy New Year to you ALL!

(But I'm still not wearing this stupid hat).  

Thanks for following our blog!

Big Hugs,

Zuma and "The Pack".  XOXO

                

                    

In Louisiana, Music is Religion.

December, 2016.

Even in the early-mid mornings, there is music. 

It's fun to follow the heart-throbbing beats of drums, the brass spurts, the mooning hmmm of the smoky jazz/soul/blues that float casually throughout the downtown side streets of the city.  Then we stumble upon a pop-up band .... 4 - 10 people just doin' their thing, jammin', taking up the whole street. 

Nobody gets wound up about it ....  

it's New Orleans, man.  Chill out.

This ensemble was mind-blowingly fantastic.

As they say in the tv commercials here,

'In Louisiana, Music is Religion'.

We see some fabulous musicians and performers, they really are world-class.  This is The Real Deal.  One morning after our a.m. plod around town, we plopped down here for a coffee. Beautiful bronze statues celebrating musicians welcome visitors into the courtyard.  

I don't know what was up with my camera that day.  Everything has a mossy haze on it, sorry.  I'll send you a pair of anti-sludge glasses, faithful readers.  Here we are in the magnetic centre of the city, Jackson Square.  It's very laid back.

                                           

Bands waiting to start performing.  People stretching to do some Houdini thing, it's a blast.  In Jackson Square, there are rows of tables of Tarot Card Readers and (self-proclaimed) psychics and palm-readers.  In this city, there is Voodoo.  I find it all fascinating.   

We were casually plodding through there when suddenly a woman approached me advised me, in all seriousness, "You HAVE to get your cards read before you leave the city", then, poof, she was gone. So I'm gonna.

                

Put on anti-sludge glasses, ya'll.  

Zuma was all like, apologetic, the lead singer stopped playing 

and invited her over ....

Yes, there is crime in the city.  And prostitution.  And gunfire.  And other crazy s***.  I'm not gonna make it all fluffy here!  Believe me, it's a TRIP for my brain, me, The Hermit On The Hill, to be in the deep south here in New Orleans.  

The other day, we were seated in a fantastic restaurant and whoa! I witnessed a robber running with a stolen wallet!  I gave Doug a play-by-play because he didn't have a good view  But I did.  The NOPD was right on the case.  For me, it all happened so quickly, the running robber, the tourist in his touristy outfit racing after him, several others assisting at high speed, then the police, then, it was all over.  Handcuffed robber dude taken away. It was kinda like being a voyeur in a crime tv show.  Adrenalin rush.  Perp grabs tourist's wallet, I watch as Perp flees up street, several other people (passers-by) pursue, thief is snagged by Police.  Gotcha!  

I'm so glad Zuma wasn't with us, she picks up on every emotion. Quite possibly, she may have even barked.

All this aside, the music is the heart and soul of the city.  You can get your city on and accept everything else.  All's well that ends well. 

And the band plays on ....

#inlouisianamusicisreligion, #louisianamusic, #bourbonstreetneworleans, #musicnola

Sleeping Arrangements

December 20, 2016.

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say.

With Doug back in Maine for a short stint, my little friend has the privilege of sleeping in the bed with me.  She likes to snuggle.  She loves to spoon.  She's warm, affectionate and oh so very appreciative of being able to sprawl out those giraffe x giant spider legs. But she takes up almost a whole king-sized bed and she's all about subtle territorial real estate take-over.





And when Doug's here:



We love our little dog.



#greatdanedoglovers, #sleepingwithagreatdane, #insanedoglovers

The Polar Punch and The Christmas Crunch.

December 19, 2016.

Brrrr!

With Winter officially 2 days away, Christmas is less than a mere week over the frosty horizon.  The Crunch is on!  And so many of us you are experiencing The Big Chill as we wrap up the preparations for The Big Day.  Sorry, but it's warm here so I won't go on about wearing a t-shirt when I walk the dog as that would just be so wrong because I feel for ya'll who are clad in many layers and manning snow shovels.  If it's any comfort to you, it's pouring rain today on the ole Spam Can and my shoes resemble a comfortable pair of well-fitted sponges.  It's basically mud season here and the river is risin'.  

Zu is less than impressed with the weather.  She's more like a snarky cat trapped inside the body of a dog when any form of precipitation is involved. She ain't goin' out thar if she ain't desperate.  Not even with her illuminated nightwear winter coat, Nuh uh.  Not gettin these toes wet.  Not fer nuthin'.

No amount of bribery or pathetic pleading works.  And so we shove back and forth at the door in (literally) the downward dog position until she finally gives in and flomps pissed off reluctantly down the RV stairs because, I plead, hey, let's goooo, it's gonna rain heavier than this in an hour! And so it did.  

But it is beautiful and I don't have to shovel it.




  

Poo Happens

December, 2016.

                             

Yup.  Twice a day.  7 a.m. and 7 p.m., you can set your watch by it. The increasingly rapid tail wagging, the downward dog stretching, the ayyyaaaah sounds, incessant staring at the door at 7 minutes before 7 a.m., must I continue?  I've got it down to a science. Finally, after 30 seemingly unending seconds, Doug stumbles into his slippers, rises, wags, stretches and make ayyyaaaah sounds, stares at the door and snaps on the leash.

All admirably completed pre-coffee.

Doug's really good at the morning walks when he's here. 
I do admit, I take advantage of his kindness when his s*** scooping abilities are available.  We're out for a walk:  "Ya gotta bag, Hon?, Okay (me, backing away), it's your deal".  

"It's all about the wrist action", I coach him on our long evening walks, usually when he's bent over scooping with a bag laffing 'til he's nearly drooling.  There ain't nuthin' glamorous about this doggie detail.  

It's a s****y job, but hey, someone's gotta do it.  
  

#poohappens, #greatdanedogs, #pickingupgreatdanedog poo, #waytogoDoug

Cock-a-Doodle-Schnoodle-Doo.

December 15, 2016.

                                

The President-elect has proudly annouced that the new White House canine-elect will be a Labradoodle.  Which is not even a recognized breed.  Just sayin'.  Shrug, both eyebrows raised.  But then, is that a recognized President-elect?  I'll shaddup now.  Great Dogs!  But not a recognized breed.

I'm not tryin' to be a dog expert/snob/know-it-all, ya'll, but the National Dog Show recently poo-pooed the made-up titles 'backyard breeders' are using to make good old mutt puppies appear ultra adorable and extra expensive. "There is no such thing as a 'Teacup Poodle'!, he scorned:  No respectable breeder would say that!".  Oh, the scandal.

I found this on the internet 

and a few friends made some suggestions:

Collie x Lhasa Apso = Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport.

Pointer x Setter = Pointsetter, a traditional Christmas pet.

Great Pyrenes x Dachshund = Pyradachs, a puzzling breed.

Pekinese x Lhasa Apso = Peekasso, an abstract dog.

Newfoundland x Basset Hound = Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors.

Terrier x Bulldog = Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes.

Bloodhound x Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly.

Malamute x Pointer - Moot Point, owned by .... oh, well, it doesnt matter anyway.

Collie x Malamute = Commute, a dog that travels to work.

Deerhound x Terrier - Derriere, a dog that's true to the end.

Bull Terrier x Shih Tzu = Oh, never mind ....

What more is there to say?

We love all dogs, mutts or otherwise.

#cockerdoodle, #schnickerdoodle, #terri-poo, #goldendoodle, # dachsidoodle, #puggle, #doberdoodle

Luv Luv Luvvin' Lunch in Nawlins.

December, 2016.

You can't think about New Orleans without thinking about food. The subtle scents of sweet pecan treats and savory seafood dishes waft through the air on every street.  Doug found this fabulous restaurant in The French Quarter, we've had lunch there twice. Kinduv dressy, but reasonable, friendly, excellent service. $4.00 Bloody Mary's, ya'll!  Need I say more?  This is Muriel's:

                                       

Jumbo lump crab cake to die for:

                                                  

REAL delicately-prepared French crepes with goat cheese and local shrimp, graced with a warming spicy sauce, etouffee, Cajun style.  OMG.  Seriously:

                                

                                                    

New Orleans is famous for fantastic food.  A quick walk around some side streets filled with Cajun and Creole aromas was a drooling mouth-watering experience.  Antoine's is the oldest family-run restaurant in the country (c.1840) and the unabashedly shy creators of Oysters Rockefeller.  My personal favorite when it comes to oysters.
                           

Since it was mid-morning, Doug and I had the streets to ourselves, (other than late-night revellers heading home and early-risers seeking gumbo and Bloody Mary's).  Here's a voyeur shot of cook making a Muffuletta (pronounced M00-foo-let-uh or Muff-uh-LOT-uh).  Basically, it's one big honkin' sandwich that would feed approximately four people!  They do it big here in the Bayou!

                                           

Beignets and cafe au lait are standard breakfast fare here so, when in Rome .... 

                    

We are so fortunate, we receive fabulous service everywhere we go!  New Orleans is such a friendly city!


Doug admits he notoriously orders "the wrong thing" and frequently confesses he should allow me to order (because I dissect menus) so I convinced him to sample a 10" Shrimp Po' Boy sandwich at Muriel's:  

                    

Po' Boys.  Another NOLA tradition (this city is ALL about traditions), but so huge we couldn't eat it all!

We still have to sample gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish!  I've dared Doug to order alligator.  He's already tried it, he says.  Ugh.  Tastes like chicken, he says.

  

#murielsneworleans, #antoinesneworleans, #lunchneworleans, #alligatortasteslikechicken, #greatdanedogtravels, #bestfoodneworleans







                                             

                             

                                                 



                                         

                    

Tornado Nearby!

December 13, 2016.

Phew!  It was a pretty intense hour here just now.  Zu and I were about to head out for a long walk and the skies suddenly 
got really dark.  Go back inside.  Turn on tv.  Find Weather Channel.  It just felt 'wierd' outside. Which makes sense, because it was all over the news that there was a tornado warning nearby. Like, really close.  The atmosphere was spinning.

Then, the rain blasted out of the sky, the RV shuddered with the thunder claps.  Rain on a tin roof (which I love but this was times a thousand).  Turn up tv.  Scrunch up eyes and attempt to lip-read the weatherman's words with face glued to screen. Make a plan.  Put together water and food and stuff for us both and bolt to the office/laundromat. Climb into dryer. Whatever. Calm, methodical, controlled panic.

Tornado touched down twice north of here, some property damage but no lives lost, thankfully.  Weather dude says rain will continue.  

The worst seems to have passed now.  The rain is severe and steady, the thunder is threatening nearby, but we're high and dry and very very grateful.  Hold on, Hula Girl. 

Sorry, no pics.  I'm not going out there right now!
  
#tornadowarningslouisiana

Unwanted Hitchhikers

December 12, 2016.

When we arrived in Alabama we realized we suddenly had a problem with unwanted hitchhikers.  And they stink.  They latched onto us in Asheville, NC.  They crept up on us without us realizing it. We were suddenly surrounded and we couldn't get rid of them.    

STINK BUGS.




Thank you, Wikipedia, for this photo. My first encounter with Stink Bugs was in August; Zuma and I were having a nap and one of us must've rolled over and squished one of these despicable insects. The offensive odor was enough to wake us both up and run the hell outside.  It took over an hour for us to go back inside, both holding our noses. 

Originating from Asia, Stink Bugs are prehistoric-looking bugs that creep around on low speed UNTIL you get a cup to catch them and put them outside and immediately they take off like Olympic sprinters .... oh no, I was told, do NOT release them! chuck 'em down the toilet, you don't want them anywhere near you! Yeh, I got that!  Whatever you do, do not squish them as that is what makes their scent glands excrete that unbearable smell.

The only thing I can compare the odor to is skunk-ferret-other-musky-nasty-smelly critter's anal excretion. My nose hairs are still recovering.  Doug and I freak about them.  Zuma munched on one last night and, much to her dismay, got the message.  She was drooling and feeling kinda gnarly for an hour, even though I gave her extra smelly dog cookies, a long walk to gag out the stink and a pep talk.  

We researched and learned that Stink Bugs come to life with heat and vibration (don't we all, haha!).  So, by the time we got to Mississippi we were scooping up 10 - 20 a day .  It's even warmer here (77 F today, sorry to ya'll in Maine who are freezing) and I feel like I'm living in an Alfred Hitchcock movie during the hottest hour of the day.  Seriously, with all the woes in the world, I shouldn't be bellyaching about Stink Bugs but ... there's two more!  Everybody in the pool!  Sorry, fellow animal lovers, but this is the only solution.  Flush.  Doug has accused me of waterboarding.  I don't care.    
They gotta go.





#stinkbugs, #louisiana, #greatdanedogs, #RVcamping

Magic carpets made of steel ....

December 12, 2016.

'Good Morning, America, How are ya?'

                  

I was doing the dishes this morning and suddenly I started feeling all sappy about the city. There's just something about New Orleans that gets under your skin.  Or not. 

I don't think Doug's feelin' it like I am.  Yes, there are definitely "sketchy" parts of the city (the trolley tour guide even said so on our tour of the city).  It's a big city.  It's a fun town. It's vibrant, creative, inspiring, flashy, surprising, busy, touristy, professional, classy. And, yeh, in some places, it's kinda sketchy.   That's what makes it fascinating.  We like to go off the beaten tourist path.  I like to see 'the real'.

 

So, anyway, in my a.m. dish-washing sappiness, I looked up songs about New Orleans and I found this on youtube!  So let's get all interactive here, ya'll, come on, just drop everything, grab a cuppa, get your hippie on, click and paste this link and chill for three minutes of your whole life. I GUARANTEE this will make your day.  You will thank me.  And you'll play it twice. And sing it in your head for three days. And share it with your friends.  And maybe even get all into it and look up the lyrics on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMS_ykiLiQ

You're welcome!  Didn't that make your day?!

Thank you, Thank you, Arlo Guthrie, for singing this.  Thank you, thank you, Steve Goodman for writing this song.  One of the greatest poets of our time.  You got it right.

                      
  
                                                             
People watchers would burn their eyeballs out here.  It's warm.  It's ever-changing.  Homeless people flock here, hopeful for a handout from empathetic passers-by.  There are swarms of tourists at certain times of the day, night, season. Best of all, New Orleans is genuine, non-judgmental and so unique, so totally original. It all gets under your skin.

                

It's unlike any other city.  For me, it has a magnetic kinduv feeling. The streetcars, The Mississippi River, the southern hospitality, the subtle French influence, the mouth-tingling Cajun and Creole aromas, the excellent live music resonating every few blocks, street bands playing jazz, blues and the real soul, the friendly people, the go-for-it attitude, the hustle-bustle-craziness, street artists and performers .... but that's another blog .... the music .... ohhh ....

                

It's difficult not to feel a plethora of emotions when you're in the heart of New Orleans, it's an honor and a thrill to be here. All around there throbs the bustle of commerce and tourism, businessmen and women racing to their offices in smoothly-tailored suits avec java to go, the daily grind of the heads-down homeless ousted from the shelter at 5 a.m., the resilience of the city's people who are still recovering from the remaining signs of the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.  To really get to know a place is to see it in the mornings when it's 'real'.  I like real.          
                               
We learned a lot on our trolley tour:  New Orleans didn't take the worst of it when Hurricane Katrina hit in the early morning hours of August 29, 2005, but it got hammered.  When the levees broke, the city flooded ankle-deep to knee-deep in places.  There was water damage a-plenty, but not like the areas outside the city. Within the city, the water wreaked havoc on the plumbing in the city and there were areas with severe water damage.  New Orleans is still rebuilding, restoring.  Old Man River races along beside the city, 'rollin' down to the sea':

I've learned from the locals that the outer areas took the worst of Katrina's rage.  Here at the RV Park, a swift 25 minute drive from downtown New Orleans, they received the storm surge and it was hell.  The owner showed me the high water mark in the office.  The painted line towered over me. Seven feet, 6 inches.  Think about that in your home.  OMG. This RV Park was completely flooded and destroyed.  It took them more than two years to rebuild.  They didn't even get the worst of it here.

There is a fierce pride in these people.  As a visitor, I could label it resilience, but it's more than that.  They will not be beaten.  They're tough.  They love this land.  I get it.  Totally.

                                              

New Orleans was built on sand and silt and let me tell you, they have olympic-sized potholes here.  In multiple parts of the city huge excavations are constantly taking place to repair the water and sewage pipes. The plumbing in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) went for a ***t, as they say.  

As an example of the resilience of the people here, the local tv news channel hosts a segment on the nightly show called 'Pothole of The Day'!  I learned from a local gal:  Simply send in a pic of a big pothole and there's a committee that will work to get it repaired by the city.  It's not uncommon to witness people tripping on the sidewalks where heavily-traveled stone slabs have popped from their bases.  I'm thinkin' "Pothole of The Day" is proving to have a huge impact:

It's one small step toward

the continuous rebuilding of New Orleans.

As they say here, "God Bless Louisiana".

Goodnight, America, how are ya?  

                             

  

Zuma does New Orleans.

December 5, 2016.

On our fourth day of exploring New Orleans, we decided to heck with it, we're taking Zuma in the car.  Yes, it was my idea.  Yes, I am a rule-breaker.  Yes, I'm a criminal.  We didn't bring Zu to leave her home.  She was elated to be invited, hopped right into the back seat and flopped quietly on her huge comforter. She was visibly pleased to be traveling after a few days laying low; she didn't make a peep, (didn't leave any forensic evidence).  Zuma definitely enjoyed all the people we met and plodded around the city like she does it every day.

                 

  Zu's totally a gypsy dog at heart (where'd she get that?!); 
she was pretty chuffed to get her gypsy on and check it all out.

                       She insisted on a touristy pic 

(then she got all cool about it like, it's no big deal 

to be hangin' out on a corner on Bourbon Street):

                         

It's refreshing going into the city in the mornings, right after rush hour.  There are very few people walking around: the cogs that turn the wheels of the city are turning, the strolling curious (like us), we

travelers-but-not tourists taking it all in, the huffing city work crews (repairing the potholes), the marching delivery people.  

A city waking up.

It's pretty nice to have the center of this amazing place 

all to ourselves, if only for a few silent moments at a time.

There's so much history at every corner. 

Dog-friendly tourists stopped for a chat and a pet.

Zuma got her wiggle on.

                                               

It was really nice to have our pack together

 for a day in the city.

And the rental car company didn't have me arrested.

(more pics in other blogs).

Now there's something you don't see every day!

December 3, 2016.

Saturday .... in the park ....

                               

Welcome To The Big Easy! 

                                            



               

Street Psychic's Bike:

   

                                                                                             

Street statue dude:

                                                             

Saturday .... in the park ....

                        

#neworleansfunstuff, #nola, #greatdanedogs,