Day One - A Walk on the Beach

Arrived late last night (1 am NY time) cranky and exhausted. Woke up this morning to a magnificent day – sun shining, not a cloud in the sky, 65 - 70 degrees. Birds were singing and flowers blooming – just beautiful!! Went for a walk on the beach - low tide – miles of beach – surfers surfing, kayakers kayaking, divers diving. Not much in the way of wildlife today – no pelicans, porpoises or seals – just humans playing in the sun enjoying life………no thoughts of politics, war or the economy……LIFE IS GOOD!

Popular Dog Magazine

Hi everyone...just thought I'd let you know that I did speak to a freelance writer regarding Mini-Schnauzers and dog therapy. I also sent her a bunch of pictures of Kinsey in action. The article will be in a magazine called Popular Dog. They also publish Dog Fancy. I believe the issue is dedicated to schnauzers and the therapy part is just one item. I also know that this won't be about Kinsey only. There were many other mini-schnauzers nationwide who are therapy dogs too..so hopefully Kinsey will be mentioned and there will be a picture. It sounded like we will be included because she's going to have a copy sent to us. The magazine will be out in May. The editors will decided which pictures to use...so we'll see!

Kinsey is shinning her paws in anticipation of having to "sign" copies of the article.

On a different note, you week dayers will see me more often in the next couple of months. I have vacation time from 2007 that I need to use up.
And I can't wait to use them...this week we had a fight outside the clinic, complete with a knife and police! See you on Saturday.......(2/9/08 - which is Eagle watch day)

Guns & Ammo!

When I saw the image on this page it reminded me of this mural painted on the wall of the former U.S. embassy in Teheran.

Perhaps the Iranians have a point, and we actually are gun-toting homicidal maniacs...

Josh

Sunday 1.20.08

The temperature this AM was 20 degrees or pretty near it, with wind, though it wasn't quite a wind storm. Judy had on her new, warmest coat ever, parka on....and for the first time, in this type of weather, Judy actually said she was sweating!

And speaking of Judy....she also let me know that at the bottom of each post is a comment link, where we can just comment on that particular subject.....

For some of you who only saw Josh's "wildlife" photos, please take a look at the photos of our pups in action. They are GREAT shots and he added a few more. Just go to his post, look at the first sentence and there's a link right in there for the dam photos!

I'm thrilled to have a three day weekend, so I'll see you all tomorrow. And Welcome to Gilly who is now a registered member of our blog!

Josh's photos

Josh's photos are great. He's really doing well with that new camera. Hope all of you take a look at his photos.
Linda

The non snow day

Imagine my surprise when I woke up this morning, not setting my alarm, thinking I'd have the day off, to a dusting of snow on the grass only! And I saved my laundry to do for today! And worse, I told the "girls" that I'd be off today! But here I am, at work.

I would have taken today off if I wasn't going to be at a three day training in Middleton NY on Tuesday, Wed. and Thursday. As one of my counselors suggested..why don't I take Friday off and then have a nice long weekend (Monday is Martin Luther Kings Day)...which I am seriously thinking about doing...which means you may see us on Friday.....even though they are predicting messy weather....by so much for their validity!!!!!!!

Sunday before the snow

Hi everyone...first, I'd like to say, if you haven't looked at Josh's photos, please do so...they are simply fantastic! I'm also impressed that Josh could set up a link on the blog......You'll have to teach us that Josh.

Actually, I know I said, first, I'd like to say...but I don't think there is a second! Since we were all together today. Linda is going over to Ethel's now to do that warping thing at her house as we speak......

Depending on the snow tomorrow, I might see you all, but probably not! Not with my short legged pups......
be safe out there tomorrow.....JATC at Thompson. OK, what do you think that stands for??
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Jill and the crew

Photos!

Check out the photos I took this morning at the dam.  Lesson learned: Use a faster shutter speed!  They're moving faster that I thought!

Also, after breakfast I headed up to Georges Island, where Emily/Memphis and I passed like ships in the night.   I managed some nice bird shots...

Update: Added more photos to the photos at the dam section...

Josh

Judy's Return

Well Judy has returned to the dogwalk after ten days in San Diego. She brought the sun and rain back with her. She has decided to let all the dogwalkers blog while she is in the Croton area and she will blog when she is in the San Diego area. There are a couple reasons for this decision. First, she speaks enough in person on the dogwalk and in the deli. Second, she will leave the descriptions of the day up to the better reporters (and spellers) in the group and third, she lives a very boring real estate life and never gets to see wildlife except the human kind - buyers and sellers.

Hudson

staff caucus

Just a follow up...the staff member who fell down the stairs broke her radial head on her elbow. I went to the ER and staid with her through the orthopedic work, and got home at 4:30 PM! Couldn't see her having to be by herself through it all......but now onto the staff caucus....

We, the staff at the Mt. Vernon Clinic, believe that Kinsey is smarter then GW Bush! I know you all are not too surprised at that!

Hey Judy, how come we haven't heard from you?????

Wildlife in Mt. Vernon

What a glorious day! Gee, this feels like Judy must feel in San Diego...and this is where the sameness ends..................

* Yesterday one of my sightings was a transgendered person who came to the clinic after being stabbed in the wrist. She was staying at a couples' house and the wife came home and found her husband in bed without his boxer shorts on!!!??? So she suspected fowl play and stabbed our patient.

* Yesterday, one block from the clinic, a man was stabbed in the throat and he bled to death. He was taken to Mt. Vernon Hospital. We all thought that perhaps there was a link to the two incidents, but alas there was none.

* Today a staff member, while going down the stairs for a fire drill, fell down a whole flight of stairs...she is still in the emergency room, and luckily, not seriously hurt!

Our girls are watching the happenings with the elections too. Especially the democratic ones. We all went on a walk yesterday afternoon to the trail that leads to Silver Lake. We saw a lovely golden retreiver. Kira would walk and stop, walk and stop. She has trained us to offer a treat when she stops, so she'll continue. We do believe that she does this on purpose to get extra treats! Kins and Shelbs has not yet caught on to this scam. The girls are undecided about the elections at this point...Kira also going for the more experienced Hillary...the other two still impressionable enough to go for hope, change, and busting the corrupt system! They were thinking Obama President, Clinton vice president. But then, what would Bill do?????

Dog Caucus

Lucy dog of "experience" and Panda dog of "Change" have concluded their caucus. It should be said that this K-9 meeting was not without moments of tention and dispute. Lucy, senior citizen and an exponent of expereince and a history of front line feminism wants to see Hillary Clinton as the Democrat candidate for 2008 president. Panda, representing the youth opinion and the independent voter and a solid supporter of change from the one party sytem we've had now through administrations from Reagon on goes with Obama.

So, on the dog walk this afternoon, while warming to the near 70 degree weather, Lucy and Panda agreed to the following compromise.

Hillary for Pres. and Obama for the vice. Settled.

AC

dog walk sightings

Today, remarkably warm for early January brought out the following wildlife at Georges Island in Montrose.
Lucy, sporting her yellow coat and Panda his black and white coat sighted one older human man going through the garbage for cans and bottles. They saw a group of human teenagers hudling around their car and another group throwing a frizzbee. Lucy glanced at a human man who seemed to be walknig in repeat circles around the parkng lot and then Panda ran up to a human woman looking out to the south Hudson with her binoculars. Andrew saw some Common Mergansers, one Bald Eagle and a cluster of Buffleheads. 1.7.08

First week of 2008 Wildlife Sightings by Croton dog walkers
- immature eagle flying overhead as Ruth arrives at dam
- mergansers (common or otherwise?) in reservoir
- dead opossum for rolling in (according to Memphis)
- buffleheads (spelling?)
- Croton Point coyote (best-in-show coat)
- deer, which even Lucy thought were worth chasing, and which made Panda tear the leash out of its holder

Planet Earth

I have to say, that Linda and I started watching the BCC's Planet earth series. We just finished the first disk which had 3 segments on it. The photography is quite magnificent on it. It certainly would look amazing on a larger.LCD, HD TV....well, someday!! I believe there are 5 disks to the set.
If you haven't seen it, we highly suggest that you do. The most difficult parts to watch are the hunts for food and survival. I do keep saying that I really do need to be a vegetarian.

Hey, this time the photo worked. This was taken at Croton Point Park by Linda.

Dog blog

Well, here I am in my first blog -- ever. This is Linda (AKA Superboo).
Today, Sunday, we all gathered at the dam (except California Gal - Judy). There was ice on the road and Nancy tested it out by bringing her car to a sliding halt -- good job!! Kira walked to the bottom today (yesterday she wouldn't even get out of the car).
On the way back from the walk Emily and Memphis met up with another walker with his two dogs -- labs. Of cours Emily said that these were real dogs and Memphis liked to play with them.
Right now we're doing laundry - trying to get rid of the Hot Bagels smell in the coats and clothes. I feel like a rancid piece of bacon every time I leave that place.
Ok -- now it's someone else's turn at the blog.
Superboo

Sunday 1/6/08

OK, Just trying this out again. Trying to see how others can post. I know that Judy signed up for this. I believe the new post tab is what you need to post a comment. I had to sign in to get to that option. Just going to the written posts (the green page) didn't seem to do it...then again, I am real new about this and I'm just checking it out. ... I'm going to try and add a photo, just to see how it comes out.........Just tried to upload a photo and it didn't work...will try again at some point.....Jill

Weekend at the dam

Here it is, 2008 another year for the Croton Dog Walkers. I've been involved with the group since 1997...hard to believe. Others have been there at bit longer. The core group has been Ruth, Ethel, Andrew and Judy. Then I came along. After that Isobel, and Emily, Linda, and Josh. More recently Nancy has joined us on Sundays and breakfast. Emily, Jill, Linda, Josh and Nancy are weekenders. The rest every day, when they are in town..OK, so Judy tends to go to CA for a week to 10 days at various times. We have one official dog walker without a dog..that is Judith!
And the doggies are: Bear, Hudson, Memphis, Argos, Panda and Lucy, Abigail and Phoebe, Kira and Kinsey and Shelby, Mia and Charlotte, and the occasional Smokey and Lilo (who is a puppy and has yet to join us).

I'd like to add that this is my very first blog and don't have a clue about this...but will plod on as this goes along.