All The World's A Stage

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Would I look like a bigger geek if I used this as a quote from Shakespeare's As You Like It Act II, Scene VII or would I look cooler if I used this as a quote from the rock group Rush's song, Limelight. Whether I am quoting William Shakespeare or Getty Lee they both left out a major player on the world's stage and that is the dog. In Shakespeare's version a man plays seven parts. I would have to say that I am stage six whereas Molly is in the seventh stage of her life but I do love my dog even more. She took care of me all of those years when I was depressed and suicidal and now it is my turn to take care of her.

Squirrel on Mushrooms

The title of this song sounds like the title of a bad punk rock song but when Molly and I were taking our afternoon walk yesterday, we encountered a squirrel furiously nibbling on something. We had a cookout the night before so I figured it had grabbed up a piece of hotdog bun or something someone had left behind and was having a snack. Molly and I walked over to take a look and I discovered that the squirrel had been eating a mushroom. I was surprised because I had never known a squirrel to eat mushrooms before.

The White Squirrel Festival was in Brevard this weekend and I suppose you could make the comparison that the White Squirrel Festival is Brevard's version of Woodstock and maybe the squirrel was in a celebratory mood and was indulging in some hallucinogenics to get the party started. Then again, that is the last thing me and Molly need is a squirrel running around here hopped up on mushrooms.

Molly And Cell Phones

Molly loves it when I get a phone call in the middle of one of our walks. She knows I am easily distracted and I will concentrate more on talking rather than where we are going. That means she gets away with going wherever she wants to. She explores every nook and cranny that may get her in trouble and get us snake bit. That is why I am so against texting and driving. It seems that I should be able to multitask better than this especially after 14 years of me and Molly being together.

Out Of Treats

I committed the ultimate sin last night as far as Molly is concerned- I ran out of dog treats. I did not realize I was at the critical level until I reached into the bag full of dog treats and it was empty. Molly does not understand empty unless it is her dog food bowl and she believes that the dog treat bag is bottomless. When I told Molly it was empty she gave me that raised eyebrow look that said "What do you mean were are out of dog treats?" I had a friend of mine's 50th birthday party to attend last night so I could not go get the dog treat's until after church this morning. Molly had to make do with a white cheddar cheese cracker. It is not the same but she accepted my substitution.

Adapting

As Molly and I grow older, we have had to adapt to our circumstances. Molly is just about deaf now and her eyesight is going fast and I have always said that a dog can adapt much faster than his owner can. I have to make sure that I am in front of her now when I say something to her so she can see me and she has to be so close to m e now that she is touching me when she lays down on the bed or sits beside my chair. She is more prone to lay in the doorway of a room so she can see me coming and going and she needs to know where I am at most of the time.

Summer May Finally Be Here

Molly, unlike most living creatures, prefers the cold of the winter to the heat of the summer. She has a thick fur coat, the heat really makes her lethargic, and our walks are more of a struggle for both of us. It looks like our last chilly spell is officially over and the heat is here. Luckily for us, we have a big patch of woods that we can walk around in and there is plenty of shade. There is also a creek but Molly has no interest at all in going for a swim.

Back On Her Feet

Molly was back on her feet today for the first time in a couple of days and it was good to see her almost back to normal. She was prowling around the grounds of the Old Homeplace, keeping all of the other animals in line, and remarking her territory. She hasn't quite got her strength back yet so she had to take more naps than normal and she even talked me into taking about a two hour nap this afternoon. Molly made a convincing argument.

Sick Day

Molly and I had to take a sick day yesterday. She was up all night Sunday night with a stomach ailment and when Molly is sick, I take care of her. Sunday and on into Monday afternoon, my care of Molly consisted of taking her outside every thirty minutes or so because her stomach was upset. She had a couple of "accidents" in the house on those occasions when I dozed off but that was hardly her fault. She is much better now and I can get some rest.

The Secret To Life

I was a big fan of the television show Married With Children and Molly was a big fan of the dog on the show, Buck. I remember one episode in particular where Al was discussing the meaning of life. Buck's philosophy was that the meaning of life "was knowing how to sniff good butt." I have been thinking about that statement in regards to how Molly deals with people. She likes very few people and she will know people for years and not like them and she will meet a complete stranger and be trying to crawl up in their lap and try to be instant friends. Molly has a nose like a bloodhound so maybe there might be something to the whole sniffing thing.

I'm Walkin'

"I'm walkin', yes indeed, I'm talkin'"..." were the lyrics to a Fats Domino song (One of my Mom's favorite artists when she was growing up) that came to mind when my girlfriend had to walk Molly after church today because of my lingering foot pain. Molly always gets a charge out of someone else walking her because she gets to do whatever she wants to do and go wherever she wants to go. When she realized my girlfriend had the leash and I was limping back towards the house, Molly headed off down the trail with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. Sure enough, I had to go outside after about 20 minutes and herd Molly back into the house because she wasn't going to volunteer to come in on her own.

The Rain Is Gone

The rain has finally left the area (at least for the time being) and that gave me and Molly a reprieve. The most rain I had to walk in was a heavy drizzle so it wasn't so bad and I did not have to hold the umbrella over Molly like I normally do. She was good with that. When there is a heavy mist like that, I feel like I am walking in my own personal rain forest because the leaves are so heavy and wet. The leaves also provide a great cover from the rain as long as you can avoid the big drips.

Rainy Day Inspiration

It is chilly and rainy here today and I love taking walks with Molly in the rain. It is during these walks that I draw a lot of my inspiration. Some of my best thinking is done when I have on my Outback hat and my raincoat and Molly is pulling on the leash wanting to smell something in the woods or in the grass beside the driveway. Watching Molly still living her life to the fullest that she can in spite of her advanced age provides me with inspiration. She can't hear, her eyesight is failing her, but all I have to do is pat her on the head and show her the leash and she heads for the door.

Random Thoughts

I have so many videos of dog's chasing their tails on social media. They are usually funny and some dogs can chase it for a while and they never seem to tire out. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. A dog chasing his tail and Einstein's definition are very closely related. I guess when I look at the past couple of years of my life, I have been insanely chasing my tail. I finally get the ship righted and then I run into the iceberg. My results are going to be the same as the Titanic's but with much less fan fare. I doubt I will even get a movie out of this.

Bed Hog

Mine and Molly's fights over bed space are becoming legendary. Last night's could be labeled "the brawl for it all." It was chilly and I just wanted to squeeze under the covers. Molly was having none of that and she refused to move. She had burrowed herself out a comfortable niche in the bed and she was not moving. I had to try to squeeze underneath Molly and she rolled over me like a wave in the ocean. All I got was a dirty look. She still did not budge. At some point and time during the night, Molly did get tired of me tossing and turning and after a few growls thrown in my direction, she begrudgingly moved.

Towel Dry

Molly believes that the best part of walking in the rain is when I towel her off and try to dry her out. It wasn't raining too hard this morning but it was still raining enough to get her good and damp. She always goes through a routine. She insists on being toweled off first before she get her treats. She always follows me around the house as her way of reminding me that she does need to be toweled off and she always backs up to me. She loves the feel of the nice dry towel (she prefers it to be warm) thrown over her and she wants the full massage treatment. This is Molly's World.

Spiders And Snakes

I am just one of a very large percentage of Americans that do not like spiders and snakes. A spider will stop me in my tracks and the sight of a snake will send me screaming into the day like a school girl (no offense to school girls anywhere because I have seen my share of guys scream including myself). Yesterday I went hiking (without Molly) and I saw three or four rattlesnakes and a black snake. Rattlesnakes I am staying away from. Period. Black snakes I just keep my distance from. I keep Molly away from snakes. I am afraid of what her reaction would be. I am really not looking forward to seeing what my reaction would be, either.

The Shedding Season

Even though the temperature was down in the low 40's last night, Molly made it very clear this afternoon that the shedding season is officially here. I was petting her out by the picnic tables and the fur was just flying off her. I do not understand how the dog is not completely bald by now. Molly has a very thick coat but luckily she is a short hair dog or it could be much worse. The white hair of hers stands out against everything so everyone knows I have a dog (like they didn't already.) If cloning becomes immediately available, I can create my own Molly army.

A Great Day To Walk The Dog

When I started out with Molly about lunchtime today, the first thought I had was "It's a great day to walk the dog." The temperature was perfect, the skies were crystal blue, there was a slight breeze at our back, and everything is so green. Then it occurred to me that any day is a great day to walk your dog. That means that Molly and I woke, we were able to get out of bed, and we are able to walk. As simple as all of that sounds, over the course of the past six months, it has not been that easy for either one of us. Getting up was a struggle and walking was the biggest struggle of them all. Never take the simplest of things for granted.

Country Roads

I was out walking Molly this morning and the old song "Country Roads" by John Denver popped into my head. I reference a lot of music in my blogs but I am not an expert on music. Every once in a while, especially when Molly and I are on one of our walks, I get inspired. This is a great time of year. The sun is out, it is not too hot, there is a breeze blowing, and the colors of the green of the grass and trees and the blue of the sky is so vibrant. That is what made me think of country roads. I do not think you would get this kind of a view in the city. This is the perfect place for me to be right now. Molly and I walking down a country road, smelling the fresh air, and searching for the meaning of life. I could not have a better place to look for it.

The Luna Moth

Molly and I encounter several animals, birds, and other assorted wild life in our daily walks and at times we come across things that I have never seen before. Last night we came across what I found out to be a Luna Moth. I had never seen one before and Molly gave it the sniff test and evidently it either passed or didn't pass because Molly elected to leave it alone. I grabbed my camera, posted the pic on Twitter and Facebook and researched it on google. I have some very learned friends who immediately recognized. Molly was rightly impressed with their knowledge.

Have Belly Rubs- Will Deliver

All of my fiends that have met Molly pretty much agree that she is spoiled rotten. In fact, that is usually the first words out of their mouth. Those same people are pretty much the one's that Molly likes the least. This morning Molly is laying on the other side of the living room and she is growling and woofing and carrying on and doing her best Shemp of the Three Stooges impersonation. The one where Shemps spins around on the floor. I have to get up from my desk and walk across the living room just to give Molly a belly rub. I then had to get up and walk across the living room to hand feed her some homemade sausage biscuits that I had made for breakfast. Spoiled rotten? Molly disagrees.

A Sea Of Clover

Molly and I pretty well follow the same path during our morning walk. The crew that does the landscaping here only mows the grass about once a month and there is one section of the yard that is like walking through a sea of clover. It is a good thing Molly is a fairly big dog or she might get lost. The clover is so soft and so beautifully green. It almost looks like it should be in a Lucky Charms commercial. This sea of clover is Molly's favorite part of our walk. Molly just stands in the middle of it, takes a deep breath, and then she starts munching on a few clover petals like Bessie the cow. Clover must be a delicacy in the animal kingdom but I am not ready to take that plunge yet, not even with salad dressing.

The Running Of The Cats

Pamplona, Spains has the Running of the Bulls and evidently Flat Rock has the running of the cats. When I pulled into my driveway after church this morning three or four cats darted across the driveway in front of my car. There was an orange tabby, a gray and white, a solid gray, and the obligatory black cat. There always seems to be a black cat crossing in front of me. He might as well be carrying a wagon full of mirrors for me to break. I believe the cats are planning an organized attack on Molly because they are tired of her chasing them off. I live on a mouse and mole habitat that is a very fertile hunting ground. The cats cannot do their thing if Molly is chasing them around. Getting mugged by the neighborhood gang of cats is not my idea of a good time.

Don't Doubt The Dog

I should have learned years ago not to doubt Molly when she is trying to tell me something. This morning Molly and I had an animated discussion as to why she needed to go out again, only an hour after she had been out the first time of the morning. I rarely, if ever, win an argument with Molly so I decided it was in my best interests to take her out when she told me she had to go. I got up, threw some clothes on, and out into the chilly morning we went. It did not take Molly long to convince me that she really did need out, I should learn to listen to her without giving her any lip, and more importantly, be happy about it.

Molly The Nurse

Molly has worn many hats over the years and she get to play nurse whenever I am not feeling well. My allergies have gone haywire over the course of the past couple of weeks and Molly has been right there every night monitoring the situation. I will be the first to admit that when my nose gets stopped up, I snore, just a little. It must have been pretty bad last night because Molly woke me up about 4:30 and then she followed me around the house while I went to the bathroom and checked my messages. She then made sure I got back in the bed and I could feel her up around my face to make sure I was breathing over the next couple of hours. I will not be checking out of this world on Molly's watch.

Cinco De Mayo

Someone of Hispanic descent told me that Cinco de Mayo was an American invention created so Americans would have an excuse to drink. Like we need another excuse to drink. We could celebrate National Potato Day by drinking vodka. I can't see Molly donning the sombrero and drinking tequila shots with the Chihuahua up the street (Molly could do some Taco Bell and she can say "Yo quiero Taco Bell just as well as the chihuahua) but we will celebrate the "holiday" quietly and at home. Molly may invite the Chihuahua over but I am kind of doubting it.

Period Of Adjustment

Molly and I have entered a period of adjustment regarding my new schedule and she is begrudgingly accepting it. That is if you call acceptance turning a lamp over and chewing on my laundry. Molly really does not have a choice in the matter. She is much more clingy now that I have gone back to work but I have spent the last six months with her, basically 24/7. I am sure there is a sense of loss there. There is for me. I miss Molly. When I do come home she hogs the bed even more and steals all of the covers so I will give her that one. With Sammy the Bear roaming the property again, I am really not found of walking her in the dark and that flashlight is not that much help. We have survived this long without a boy scout merit badge, I guess we can survive another summer.

A Mole Playing Possum

I got to play Dan & Molly: CSI again and I think the potential is there for a reality show. I have seen the shows Alaskan Bush People and Mountain Monsters on television and they will put any idiot in front of a camera and call it a reality show. Molly and I (me being the idiot) would love to have that opportunity. Molly is also very photogenic. Just check out my Facebook page. Molly caught a mole the other morning and as soon as she captured it in her mouth, the mole goes limp. I thought it was dead. I made Molly spit it out because I did not want her to have mole breath all day. We went out a little bit later and the mole was still alive. I touched it with a stick and it immediately goes limp. I walk off and it starts digging again. The mole was faking being dead or playing possum, so its predators would move on to something else. A job well done but Molly finished it off later. I learn something new every day.

A New Schedule

I had to make my return to work yesterday and I am working second shift for the time being. Any time my schedule changes, Molly's schedule has to change as well. Molly must have had a rough afternoon because when I opened the door to the bedroom when I got home, she had knocked a lamp off of my nightstand, knocked my laundry into the floor, and a few other things were thrown around the room. Molly may not be happy about it but she does understand to keep her supplied in dog biscuits and the occasional pizza crust, I do have to work.

Mayday

Mine and Molly's goal with this blog is to educate as well as entertain and since it is May 1st, I did a little bit of research on the word mayday and how it became the international distress signal. A senior radio officer, Frederick Stanley Mockford, at the Croydon Airport in London was asked to think of a word that would be understood by all pilots and ground crew in the event of an emergency. Since most of his communication was with Le Bourget Airport in Paris, he came up with "mayday" from the French word "m'aider", a shortened version of the phrase "venez m'aider" which translated is "come and help me." The word mayday as a distress call was adopted internationally in 1927.

The only mayday that Molly and I need is help getting off the couch and if you come over, how about stopping somewhere and picking us up a pizza. It would save us a trip. Molly has a preference for Domino's crust if that helps any.