Sunday, February 27, 2011

Truth in Advertising / Post Pawty Owie

Alternate Title: Work Hurts / My Dog is a Dork!

Since Miss Mabel has been throwing me under the parental bus, I thought I should show up and defend myself.

I got a job...not a real one... a gig. In commercials. I desperately need the money. Doing my taxes, I realized I've been living below poverty level....something I suspected but it's hard seeing it in black and white (or red). I've needed a job for so long.

I had a decent paying part time position fall in my lap the first of the year. I was assisting a successful business owner. But he needed me at very specific times and it did more to screw up my work day for my unsuccessful business than it did for my bottom line. But it was money and I was determined to stick it out. And then allergy season hit. I showed up for work with a stuffy nose and a cough (and lots of cough drops, tissues, NO fever and NOTHING green and mucus-like coming from my body). You would have thought I attempted a coup! I was asked not to return to the office in that condition ever.

As luck would have it, my producer from Carol Duvall called. She had a three day gig for me on an infomercial. I made almost as much moolah in three days as I did in a whole month with the other job. But, I had to spend the night on location away from the girl.

And then just as quickly, a dear old friend from my special effects days called. His assistant was booked and he had a job with a new (to him) company. He was very kind...would I feel it was beneath me to assist him (even though I've held his job and our boss' job before)? I'm living in poverty... there is no beneath! The job was lots of computer work and organizing a kajillion details - stuff I can do in my sleep but I couldn't do it from home. And it was in Santa Monica, off the 405 freeway. I often call that freeway the "4 Fing 05" for a reason. It doesn't move. My commute ended up being around 2 hours to get in to work and usually an hour home...no matter what time I got off! Without traffic (a dream!), it would take 25 minutes max! But there is always traffic.

I started out with the fantasy of walking Mabel at the creek for a quickie and being on the road by 6:40... instead of just getting up and getting into the office. But leaving anywhere after 6:10 adds a minimum one hour to the journey. Before 6:10 - I can make it in an hour. By the end of that gig, I had given up any semblance of a real life and was just getting through it. Driving hopefully no more than an hour into the office, working til 7 or 8, another hour home, walk the girl, cuddle a bit and sleep. No housework, no business, no beadmaking.

It was eleven days of work and now the company is booking another job with the same clients and I'm looking at nine more. And in twenty days time, I will have earned 1/3 of all the money I made last year.

It's sad to me that I'm so good at this kind of work. I don't really have the personality to thrive in the business of advertising - to move up to a level where I could have a life or the power to bring my dog to work with me. (I tell people the truth and I don't kiss a$$. I treat everyone the same.) I always seemed to either have a bounty of work and no life or plenty of time for a life and no money to do anything. It was the constant dilemma of the first twenty years of my work life.

When I moved here to our mountain community, my one fear was that I would find myself working in Santa Monica. The BFF said, "But you won't. You will never work there again."

It's been over ten years. I guess I have to let her off the hook for that one. In the past ten years every freaking commercial house that I worked for in Hollywood up and moved west to Santa Monica. There is tremendous pressure to appear hip and cool...just like everyone else.

And so I find myself being a bad dog mommy. It kills me to leave her. My other dogs all came along when I was working and they both quickly adapted to my erratic schedule. They also were leash dogs that never knew the joys of roaming. With Mabel, (and for the last year of Maggie's life) I got to be a work at home dog mommy. I prayed for that for years! And it's been heavenly until the money dried up. But because Mabel is so used to me being home with her and her daily treks to the creek, I don't feel she's adapting well. I worry and fret constantly.

I do feed her and leave her treats and I walk her at night. One of her auntie's stops by for playtime and dinner. She has a big yard and a big house to guard. But she seems so sad.

And now...she has an owie. I told you she was a dork and a drama queen! She got really sore after her birthday pawty romp. I knew she was over doing it... but she was having so much fun! Yesterday the soreness hit the old gal. Every time she goes to curl up on a bed, it hurts...something (arms? chest?)! And she blames the BED! Seriously! She thinks the beds are trying to kill her!  ROFL!!! So she follows me around and has to be THISCLOSE to me. Mabel will back her heiny up to whatever chair I'm in and try to sit in it with me! (You try working on your taxes like that!) She prefers the carpet to the beds... because they are trying to kill her you know! I think she feels the bed shift under her weight and thinks that's the causing the pain.

I was hoping to drive up in the mountains and let her play in the snow. I can see it out the window! But I don't think a romp would be good. And the cold wouldn't help.  The good news is... I convinced her to use her steps getting out of bed this morning. I know she does this when I'm not looking. I can tell they move. But this morning, I told her to use them and ducked out of the bedroom and turned around and went right back in. I could tell she was pissed I caught her using them. She stepped so gingerly down them...it broke my heart!

So today I baby her a bit before I have to leave her in the morning.

She did get a trip out for breakfast yesterday. These pictures are of that. She got pancakes, lots of scrambled eggs, bacon and a little toast. Quite a post birthday feast!

Please know that I'm still visiting blogs during stolen moments at work but I can't always comment. I miss all my blog friends and my real ones. But most of all, I miss my dog!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Post Birthday Pawty at the Creek!!!

Mabel Lou here. Yeah, my actual birthday sucked! My mom got home later than EVER! It was 9 at night before I saw her and she still had to eat! So my neighborhood walkie was even later! But when we got back, my mom was down the hall and I heard her yell, "What is THIS?" That used to mean something bad when I was a pup but these days, it usually means she's discovered a cookie I forgot to eat!

I ran to her and there was one of my favorite treats on my bed in the guest room! We went in the bedroom and there was another! It seems my mom hid cookies on all my favorite beds for my birthday! But, I've been so down about not seeing her much, I stayed in the living room all day. I didn't even get up to greet my auntie when she came to see me on my birthday!

The next day, Mom didn't get up before daylight and rush off. She turned off her alarm (that went off in the day light...much later than usual) and we went back to sleep. She sat up and hour later, all freaked out and started rushing around. I ate my breakie expecting her to be gone when I was done... but she was telling me to hurry up and get in the car! The car!!! I get to go! Yay!

Only, we went to the vet! I got to go to the VET for my birthday! I actually like my vet...really nice people there. But I can hear the other dogs in the kennel there and I can smell the adrenaline and I started shaking. I kept pawing my mom's knee to keep her petting me.

They weighed me and I've gained 10 lbs in a year! Oh dear! They said the "D" word which my mom hates. Then the vet pinched me and gave me my shots! I hate that part except Mom scritches my ear and the tech lady give me lots of noms.

I had to get THREE shots: rattlesnake - yeah, I started to play with one last week before I knew it wasn't a lizard. Scared my mom to bits! #2 is lypto...something. It means I can drink the creek water without getting sick. And #3 was rabies. The funny part about that one is my doc went to give it to me in my booty and...there was no fat to pinch. So which is it lady? Am I overweight or am I so svelte you can't find an inch to pinch????

Everyone complimented me on how good I look! My mom just about cried she was so proud.

Mom and I spent the day working in the shop. She was so happy that she didn't get any orders while she was working on that commercial but had a bunch the minute it ended! And that afternoon, we met up with my Auntie B and Bart at the creek and had a hike about. And at the very end of the hike, we ran into Chloe the Dobie and our buddy Atilla (the Aussie) and a new pup on her very first off leash venture to the creek! Her name is Sandy and you'll be able to spot her.



So in the end, I had a GREAT birthday pawty - just a day late! Did you see me giving that pup Sandy a run for her money??? Mom couldn't believe this old gal was keeping up with the pupsters!

The best pressie of all was getting my mom back. She's telling me we will have four days together before she has to do another commercial! I'm loving every minute of it!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

It's My Birthday - Not That Anyone Cares...

Mabel Lou here. Merry Freaking Birthday to me. Not that anyone cares. My mom got up extra early and raced to work. I did get kisses and cuddles... I always do. But Mom is so stressified over traffic getting to her job, she's stopped walking me until late at night. ICK! And NO CREEK!!! Stupid neighborhood walkies!

And today she left extra early because it's her friend's birthday! HER FRIENDS???? Doesn't she remember that when I was in jail and they told her my birthday was in the last week of February, she picked this day as MY official day BECAUSE she has SO many friends (6 to be exact) that were born on this day!???! And now, nine years later, she dashes out the door without so much as a new tennis ball or an extra cookie. What a stinker!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day


Mom made me put on this stupid bandanna and sit with the sun in my eyes just so I would wish everyone a 
Happy Valentines' Day!

There. You happy now? I'm going inside...


Mom wanted me to remind you regular readers that you are more than welcome to enter her One World One Heart contest. Just comment on those posts on either this blog or her beady blog. Drawing Thursday! 





Thursday, February 10, 2011

Her Moment in the Sun

I was down the hall, in my office yesterday morning when I heard the most mournful cry. I dashed to the living room to see what was the matter with my girl. Mabel was standing at the back door, clearly looking at something... crying for it. But it was not her "critter cry." It was her "I want that" cry.

I looked out the door and realized what was up. She had noticed her softie rug was finally getting sun - something that hasn't happened in a few months on our Northern exposure back porch. I unfurled the crumpled rug which had been curled by the winds and Miss Mabel positioned herself just so.

It was a happy morning of sunbathing! Don't you love her "No paparazzi while I'm sunbathing face???"

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Vote for ME Peoples & Pups!!!

The time has come... I need some VOTES if I am to win my category in MangoMinster's amazing dog show. I am entered in the Good Ol' Gal category and would really appreciate your votes! My entry post is HERE.

See??? I'm even making sweet eyes at you! Now, go vote!!! Mabel Lou is the name and being a Good Ol' Gal is my game!

Thank you from the heart of my bottom!

Oh, Momma's still sickified... coughing, snorting and sputtering about. And she's talking about some job in Santa Monica which from the sound of things may as well be China! She's telling me I may not see the creek for a few weeks! A few weeks! OMD!!!  If I can't see my creek for that long, my only consolation will be making a name for myself in Mango's contest! Did you vote yet???