Feeling the Embarrassments

Mabel Lou here. Feeling embarrassed - and before you ask, no, it has nothing to do with my secret I told you about. No, all my  creek-hiking aunties and my mom are all  laughing at me today. Why? Because they figured out what a big ol' baby I am!

It all started this morning. I wasn't expecting to go to the creek 'cause Momma had loaded up all her teaching stuff into the Jeep. But then, my auntie showed up with Bart! Momma took me outside and tried to get me in Aunties SUV...it's much taller than our Jeep so Momma had to help me. I was so happy we were all going to the creek! Only 'Wait!!!! Auntie!!!! You left my MOOOOOOOoooom!!!!"

My auntie is not usually that rude! But I watched my mom as we drove away and she acted like she didn't even care... she just went in the house!

We got to the creek and suddenly, I felt so scared and FREAKED!  I couldn't catch my breath and my heart was doing the racing pittypats! And my auntie and Bart acted like it was just any other hike! They took off for our friend Bruno's. By the time I got there, I was just too upset to keep going! So... my auntie and Bart LEFT ME!

I took the opportunity to go back to the car - cause surely Momma would be there...but NO ONE was there! And I was really scared! So, thinking auntie and Bart must be all the way to the big river, I took the long way to Dirty Creek cause I thought I could pick up their scent. But I couldn't!!!

They had gotten all worried and went back to the car looking for ME!  I sniffed around hoping to figure out where they went when I finally spied them! By this time, I was so hot! I went and wallowed in the stinky mud in Dirty Creek! This did not make my auntie happy at all!

She put my leash on me and told me, "Mabel, You're GONNA go for a nice long walk! Now com'on!"


No thank you Auntie! I really don't wanna!!! I just want my Mom.

But she didn't hear me! So I did the next thing I could think of. I froze! I just refused to move. To tell you the truth, I just kept thinking my momma would be popping out from somewhere to hike with us! I looked in all directions... even the sky! But no Momma nowhere!

I was still in a panic and breathing all funny and my heart was fluttery. My auntie coaxed me over to the big river hoping that a little swimmy would calm me down but... as soon as she took off my leash, I raced to the car cause surely my momma was there by NOW!!!

But she wasn't...I was so sad and scared!

Auntie and Bart were right behind me and we all got in Auntie's car and they brought me home where my Auntie proceed to tell my mom what a big baby I am! And Mom gave me a bath to get the Dirty Creek stink off me and then... she left me ALL day to go teach her stupid classes!

But while Auntie and Bart were telling on me and they were all laughing, my mom even cried. She says she never knew I loved her that much.

So, yeah, maybe I act like a big bad girl when I'm really just a baby inside... but at least I'm not crazy. That's my mom... she must be crazy not to know how much I love her.

Nuttin' Much

Hello kind bloggers! Mabel Lou here. Mom's been REALLY busy! She's got back to back classes this weekend so I'll be home alone. My auntie is going to take me to the creek though.

Pssst, don't tell mom but I'm kinda glad I'll have to house to myself because I've got a secret! I've discovered a mouse in the house! I'm planning to attack the sofa tomorrow get that sucker! I'll let you know what happens!

Johnny - Before He Got Lost

For those of you that don't read along... he was found at the car. He's fine! This is the BFF's neighbor who comes over to her house and won't leave so...we took him to the creek for the first and last time!

When All Else Fails - Go to the Car!

Boy did this bit of advice ever come in handy today! I made plans to meet the BFF and Bart at the creek for a mid-morning hike. But the BFF had a little problem. Her neighbor has a dog, Johnny, that is an escape artist. Just like Bart before him, Johnny gets out and comes to hang out with her because he's so lonely while his people work.

Normally, this isn't too big of a deal when the BFF works at home but some days, she's out dealing with vendors and she struggles to get him out of her house and she has to drag the poor black lab back home, whining and crying!

But today, we were headed to the creek and labs love water so... all should be fine, right? Wrong!

Johnny brought an interesting dynamic to our pack, making both Bart and Mabel more playful. Since this hike was much later than normal, we headed straight for the big river. The dogs frolicked and played until we got into some thicker shrubbery way downstream.  We always allow Mabel and Bart a little "free time" to roam here. The closest road is well over a mile away or up a mountain.  Our fur-kids roam and then Mabel returns. We clap and call for Bart and head upstream.

Today was no different. Only we got upstream and realized Bart had caught up with us but Johnny was MIA! Great! We've lost the neighbor's dog! OMG!

So off we went back down the river. Barbie took the lower trail and I climbed a ridge, all the while making a loud ruckus and calling Johnny's name. We asked golfers and gardeners on the golf course...no one had seen him. Hot, tired and soaking wet from crossing the river many times, Barbie thought it best to return home and phone reinforcements.

As we hiked back, I reminded her of my many hiking trips with Mabel as a pup. If she lost me, Mabel would always go to the car and track me by scent. A few months ago, I was shocked and amazed when Twinkie pulled a similar stunt. On her second hiking trip to our creek and in a NEW car, the tiny teacup chihuahua got lost about mile into her hike and went to the car. When the pack phoned me for assistance. I drove over, parked my car, got out and stumbled over her! (Boy, did I ever feel like Superwoman!)

As we approached the cars, we were crest fallen not to see Johnny. Bart took off to have his daily argument with the dogs that live on the edge of the trail. Mabel took off to chase him. For a second, it looked like she was coming back but... that dog had a white chest! JOHNNY!

We kissed and petted him, so glad that he too went to the car! Mabel, mother hound that she is, felt she had to put him in his place for messing up the hike! She gave chase and grabbed him by the scruff a few times, fussing at him the whole time!

It all worked out well but, I don't think we'll be adding any more dogs to the pack!

Not a Social Girl

It was one of those shindigs where I should know a handful of people. The point of the shindig was something near and dear to my heart. In theory, that should be enough to get me out of the house on a Saturday night.

But 20 minutes before the party began, I was still in a t-shirt, no makeup, working on my rubber stamps website with a hungry dog at my side.  Hmmm... what's up with that?

My evening went like this:

6:10 - Pull out of driveway
6:11 - 1/2 mile away, I cross the street my BFF lives on. I feel tremendous pangs of longing as I see her and Bart approaching. They are going to the creek. My BFF waves her arm in her ever so graceful way, her fingers signing "I love you" as she passes.
6:12 - Another stop sign. It's all I can do to NOT turn around, go get my girl and head to the creek.
6:35 - Find parking near party.
6:37 - Inspect catering truck outside of party (see previous post).
6:40 - Begin mingling
6:54 - Dash for the car
7:14 - Frantically pull into driveway, car horn blaring.
7:18 - Mabel & I arrive at the almost dark creek. We see 'Tilla and his dad in the distance. They join us for a frolic at the shoreline.
7:50 - Home sweet home. I change into a nightie, take off my war paint and curl up with my pup to watch a movie! 

All in all, it ended way better than it started!

ONLY in L.A. - The Catering Truck

I had a quintessential L.A. moment waiting in line to buy some water from one of those uber-trendy catering trucks that pepper our streets.

Man in Line: Didn't I see you on one of those food network shows?

Catering Truck Guy: Me? No. I won't do one of those.

MIL: Why not? It's great publicity.

CTG: Oh, you know... those shows never give you final cut approval!

I had to put my water down and walk away to keep from laughing. In all my days in Hollyweird, I can count the number of DIRECTORS who get final cut on one hand... and catering truck wants final cut! Oh. My. Gawd!

Where IS Home?

I was reading about Duly Inspired's move into a new home and was reminded of something that happened right after I moved into my (former) home in Tarzana.

Boy was that a stressful time! I flew my mother in to help me move, wrapped a movie of the week a few days later and on my last day of work, Mom and I took a late flight into Boston to drive around and look at fall foliage. We traveled without a plan, stopping where we felt like and moving on when we were ready. The day after our return to California, I moved. Within days, mom had left and I found myself producing TWO commercials for two different directors at the same production company. One was ultra low budget (very stressful) and filmed in Utah. It was a production nightmare thanks to an utterly insane Exec. Producer.

One night, I found myself violently ill and spent the entire night running for the toilet or writhing on the cold tile floor of the bathroom. While trying to deal with the shoot, I managed to find an open clinic on a Sunday. The doc ordered me to bed. My insane producer thought I should trudge to work up a mountain in waist deep snow with extreme diarrhea! I knew for my own health, I had to get out of there. I hopped a plane to L.A. I was so sick, I remember a security guard poking me in baggage claim to tell me I couldn't sleep there. I found my bags and walked outside to catch the shuttle to the valley, sleeping the whole ride home.

I went to my car and prayed for strength to drive home. I somehow found it. As I approached the house, I was perplexed as to where my garage door opener was. I searched the car. I stared at the garage door. I looked up at the address over the door. Then it hit me - I had driven to my OLD house. The townhouse I still own but had rented out. I had a good cry and drove my pathetic self the two and a half miles to my new house.

The kicker? That insane producer felt the need to replace ME with SEVEN people! I had messages waiting from all of them when I got home!

Can You Hear the Angels Singing?

I love hiking in the early morning and from the middle of the valley we most love, there is an excellent backlit view of Mt. Luken's. On a cloudy morn, the rays of sun  stream up from behind the mountain or, if it's later in the day, down from the sky. I stand there in awe, waiting for the choir to begin!

Mabel Lou's Movie Review | Eat Pray Love

For All My Dog Lover Friends

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GoD and DoG by Wendy Francisco

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