Category: Tinker (Page 2 of 15)
Our first schnauzer
It was another welcome routine run this morning, day #4,069 – same distance, same route, same time. It’s always easier when you don’t have to think about it. This opposed to getting up in a strange hotel room, trying to find your running clothes in the dark, and navigating an unfamiliar location. I tend to check my watch more and relax less when I’m traveling. It’s funny how the same distance seems so much longer some days. I enjoy getting it out of the way first thing in the morning, and settling in front of the keyboard. However, there isn’t as much to write about on a routine day, in contrast to new sights and sounds when I’m on an adventure. Boredom is often a welcome luxury.
Today, Falco, my step-daughter’s puppy, is visiting for the day. She dropped her off before I left for my run, giving our schnauzer Tally something to do before my wife got out of bed. Normally, Tally just goes back to sleep out of boredom. She spent last week with Falco and seemed a bit depressed from separation once we brought her back home. She’s also still getting over the loss of her long-time companion, Tinker. It’s fun to watch the much younger Falco and Tally romp through the halls of our apartment building. The energetic twosome breaks up the monotony of our quiet retirement life.
My wife’s foot injury has healed and the weather is starting to cooperate, allowing her to spend more time outside. One of the reasons that we liked this neighborhood is the convenience of nearby retail shops, movie theaters, and restaurants. The other day she even hauled the cart that was partially responsible for her injury to the grocery store, carefully navigating it over the uneven sidewalks. I too have to be aware of these potential hazards when I run, in addition to the downtown traffic. So far, I’ve only tripped once, resulting in only a skinned-up knee. I’m lucky it wasn’t worse!
I’ll continue watching the Washington mini-series on the History Channel in an attempt to prevent my retired mind from going to waste. There’s been too much science fiction and not enough educational balance in my T.V. diet. I miss the Ken Burns’ documentaries that always seem to satisfy my cravings for knowledge. They are also promoting an upcoming series on U.S. Grant that peaked my interest. I do still enjoy Curse of Oak Island, but another season is coming to a close, and they never seem to find much of anything. There’s really nothing at the movies that has captured my attention, but Call of The Wild starts later this week. We also need to see Parasite that received so much acclaim, but I’m not excited about the subtitles. My reading has been limited to bedtime, but I have been chipping away at a history of the American Mafia – Inside Al Capone’s Empire that my wife bought to enhance our recent visit to the Las Vegas Mob Museum. It’s sometimes good to be quiet and bored.
Our schnauzer pup Tally is slowly getting oriented to being an “only child.” She had always had Tinker to keep her company, as well as other siblings before we adopted her just before her first birthday. Her 10th is a week away and we need a plan to celebrate. Since Tinker passed away a month and a half ago, Tally has spent 15 days with pet sitters, 2 days at the dog spa, and a week with her niece Falco as a playmate. We’re trying to keep her from being lonely, but you can tell that she misses Tinker, as do my wife and I. Falco is my wife’s oldest daughter’s new pup that is also a rescue. She’s fattened up a bit since we first met three months ago, after the trauma of a hurricane and giving birth.
Falco and Tally love to run and frolic about the carpeted hallways outside of our apartment. It’s about the only real freedom they get, as our actual living space is restrictive of playful activity. They also get to run up and down the stairs before and after we take them outside. I like to use the back stairway that exits directly to the sidewalk, rather than the main way out into the lobby. With this preferable egress, before they can actually get outside, there are two doors that when closed form a small “airlock” that contains them while I put-on their flashing collars and raincoats. There’s also less chance of running into other dogs and the related commotion that often happens in the marble lobby. The third way out is the elevator to take them up and down, but it too empties into the lobby. We don’t use this option as much anymore without the need for Tinker’s stroller. It’s also more fun to watch the dogs navigate the stairs and better exercise for all of us.
Falco is gradually getting oriented to visiting us regularly and playing with Tally. Soon, Tally will be spending reciprocal time at Falco’s house, and hopefully she’ll be more mature around the two cats that once lived with us. Tally loved to taunt Jimmy and Zelda, and never learned to befriend them like Tinker. We’re hoping that all of them will get along better, so we can take advantage of sharing pet-sitting responsibilities and costs. The first experiment will be in a few weeks when we go to Las Vegas. In the meantime, the trials and tribulation of pet orientation will continue.
After 15 days away from home, I’m finally back in a comfortable routine. Yesterday was spent unpacking, sorting the mail, putting away Holiday decorations, and doing piles of laundry, followed by an evening of Fiddler On The Roof at the Keller Auditorium. Unfortunately, both my wife and I were a bit jet-lagged and still adjusting to the three-hour difference in time zones, so we only made it to intermission of the lengthy production. We had both seen it several times before and it’s still enjoyable, humorous, and thought provoking, even when cut in half. It was our first Portland Broadway Series show where we got there by public transportation. I was about to boast that we didn’t have to pay for parking either, but my wife once worked in the building next door and could use her parking space for concerts, plays, and musicals that we would attend.
We had frugally taken the MAX and Portland Streetcar from the airport upon our return three days ago to avoid paying for for two weeks of parking. Although living downtown is relatively pricey, we are saving bits-and-pieces by walking and commuting rather than using our cars. My car is parked over at my step-daughter’s house that we will need to retrieve today, along with Falco her puppy that we’ll be dog-sitting for the weekend. Tally, our ten-year old schnauzer, will be glad to have a companion, as she still seems to be mourning the loss of big sister Tinker. She’s also been in the hands of a sitter while we were traveling, and hopefully missed us too! We lazily took my wife’s car to get groceries yesterday to give it a little action after sitting underground while we were gone. We could have walked and pulled our cart as we usually do, but once again our aging bodies were dragging from the two-week adventure of Planes, Trains, Automobiles, Shuttles, Boats, and Roller-coasters.
We might go to a movie this afternoon that has recently become a bi-weekly tradition with our annual passes. There will be no traditional “Leadership Meeting” today because we’ll all get together tomorrow for the annual Old Timer’s Baseball Banquet. I also have a baseball card luncheon tomorrow that is now a bi-annual tradition. My wife will take Tally on her traditional daily walk through the neighborhood while I write, a ritualistic morning tradition that has been interrupted as we frequently moved hotel rooms these past two weeks. Finally, I’ve returned to the traditional downtown Portland running route and radio station after fifteen days of different routes and distances that make maintaining “The Streak” of now 4,030 days even more of a challenge. Yes, traditions and routines are important in making life easier.
Fiddler On The Roof was all about tradition, as its popular opening musical/dance number emphasizes. Here’s a family built-on the tradition of the father determining the marital fate of each of his daughters, that is eventually uprooted and split apart because of their religious beliefs. Tradition and routine gives each of us an important sense of order and comfort in dealing with the hassles and uncertainties of life. While they can become predictable and boring, it often takes a break from doing them to restore the sense of appreciation they play in our existence. Two weeks of different cities and beds, coupled with strict schedules and entertaining grandchildren make coming home a welcome treat. I’ve gladly returned to the familiar, but will soon be ready for another travel challenge and less routine tradition:
Tradition, tradition! Tradition!
Tradition, tradition! Tradition!
Who, day and night, must scramble for a living,
Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers?
And who has the right, as master of the house,
To have the final word at home?
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
Who must know the way to make a proper home,
A quiet home, a kosher home?
Who must raise the family and run the home,
So Papa’s free to read the holy book?
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
At three, I started Hebrew school. At ten, I learned a trade.
I hear they’ve picked a bride for me. I hope she’s pretty.
The sons, the sons! Tradition!
The sons, the sons! Tradition!
And who does Mama teach to mend and tend and fix,
Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks?
The daughters, the daughters! Tradition!
The daughters, the daughters! Tradition!
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: SHELDON HARNICK / Jerrold Lewis Bock
Tradition lyrics © Trio Music Company
As I look back over the past 21 New Year’s Eve celebrations with my wife, 2 have been spent in the hospital, 3 with family & friends, 12 in fancy restaurants, and 4 at home with the dogs. Allow me to reflect on just this past year of memories that have been both good and bad, in no particular order of importance. Only two, including tonight, have ended with a relaxing night in a hotel room.
The Year in Review:
My son turned 45
Two of my wife’s daughters wed great young men, so I’m now twice a step-father-in-law, joining my expanded family of a daughter-in-law of now over ten years
The two very different ceremonies were at The Presidio in San Francisco and Powell’s Rare Book Room in Portland.
Both newlywed couples took gift honeymoons from us in Hawaii, while my son and his wife enjoyed our time-share condo in Orlando
We sold our stand-alone Portland condo in twelve days and at a profit.
My oldest grandchild turned 12 and he took up golf
My middle grandchild turned 10 and we help her with dance lessons
My youngest grandchild celebrated her first birthday and I started her college fund
My wife joined me in retirement just a few months ago, while I just enjoyed my third full year
We traveled together to Thailand, Florida, Phoenix, Tucson, San Francisco, Walla-Walla, New York, Indiana, Maui, Vancouver, Chicago, Steamboat, Seattle, and McMinnville.
We saw Elton John, Pink, Goo-Goo Dolls, and Train in concert
I grew my Ancestry family tree to include over 18,000 relatives
We helped free a Jeep stuck up to its front axle in deep Panama City Beach sand
I donated blood on several occasions
I finished with over 15,000 Buffalo Wild Wings points to use for future “Leadership Meetings”
We moved to a downtown apartment and started using public transportation
We lost cat Frankie and schnauzer Tinker to old age
We attended our 7th Outstanding In The Field in Vancouver, BC – our first international dining event
My wife’s mother sadly died at age 97
We saw Beetlejuice, Moulin Rouge, and Tootsie on Broadway
I missed my 50th high school reunion
I lost two college fraternity brothers
We saw the 60th annual Twilight Zone movie presentation on the big screen
I.U. soccer lost to I.U. Santa Barbara and failed to reach the National Championship like last year
We watched I.U. baseball win and lose in Seattle and Oregon State beat I.U. the same weekend. The Beavers were not able to return to the College World Series
I.U. football earned a spot in the Gator Bowl
I.U. basketball failed to make the tournament again
The Chicago Bears failed to make the playoffs
The Cubs did not win the Division or make the playoffs. The White Sox didn’t come close
The Portland Trailblazers enjoyed playoff success but fell short to the eventual champion Warriors.
I saw Oregon basketball beat Memphis at the Moda Center
Oregon earned a spot in the Rose Bowl
I’ve added to my Sherm Lollar baseball collection while drastically downsizing my Cubs memorabilia to accommodate our much smaller living space
I gave-up my once-framed I.U. jersey to its rightful owner Kent Benson #54
We had Portland visits from my wife’s Indy girlfriends, my wife’s youngest daughter, and our Decatur friends
We reconnected with many old friends around the country
We paid off all our credit cards and the balance on our Decatur, Illinois mortgage
We eliminated most of our wine club memberships
We invested in more Marriott Vacation Club points
We planned and paid for many trips next year including Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Spring Training, Alcatraz, the Great Pyramid, and Glacier National Park
We bought the Regal Unlimited movie pass for next year and can easily walk to the theater
My wife’s oldest daughter and husband bought their first house. They also adopted Falco to play with now lonely Tally, our 10-year old schnauzer
My wife’s youngest daughter took a new job with Stanford Hospital and moved with her husband to San Francisco
We’ll end the year and day #7,861 together with dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa and start the New Year with theme park visits with my grand children
We looked at retirement properties along the Gulf Coast of Florida
We celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary at Joel Palmer House in Oregon wine country
We met my cousin in Phuket, Thailand
I finished Game of Thrones
We went to the King Tut exhibit at OMSI in preparation for next year’s trip to Egypt
I completed the 11th consecutive year of my daily running streak
I had just one minor cold this past year
I just now finished my 1,178th blog post
Happy New Year to all!
In a few short weeks, we’ll be off to Florida and perhaps opening a new chapter of our lives. The New Year begins with both my wife and I in full retirement, as we begin the search for a final home along the Gulf. After 32 moves, I’ll be ready to settle down. We still have 15 more months here in Portland, and each day we shed more and more of our worldly possessions. With the loss of both Frankie our cat and Tinker our oldest schnauzer, we also have fewer responsibilities. It’s now just the three of us in a two-bedroom apartment. I’m also thinking about selling one of our cars since public transportation is so easily accessible. We now have to find ways to further reduce expenses as we start to rely heavily on our lifetime savings.
Without my wife’s employment income, our four-legged retirement stool is now down to three – social security, pension, and 401k. I think we have enough savings to last another twenty years, even with an aggressive travel schedule. However, there are so many variables in life. I guess that’s what makes it interesting! Besides, “all you need is love.” All my friends are now in the process of retiring as the Class of 69 approaches age 70. I’m only 20 months away from that monumental birthday. A mere blink of an eye from what I once thought was an ancient milestone.
More and more people address me as “sir,” and want to give up their seat. It’s a good indication that I’m older than I feel and certainly not what I see in the mirror every day. I still get up every day and run, but the deterioration in my stride and balance is clearly evident. I sometimes wonder how long I’ll be able to maintain the daily streak that is nearing 11 years. Today was day #3,995 and I ran 3.1 miles. If I calculate a conservative average of 2.25 miles a day over its duration, I have traveled over 9000 miles, or the equivalent of over 3 coast-to-coast excursions from New York to Los Angeles. “Run, Forrest, Run.”
This morning is quiet, as my wife tries to catch-up on a sleepless night. She’s taken the loss of Tinker very hard. She’s also trying to find her retirement legs in making that abrupt change from a stress-filled job to a leisurely lifestyle. She met a former co-worker for their weekly walk yesterday afternoon, and I’m sure there were some reminders of her abandoned career. It took time for me to settle-in to a constructive retirement routine. Writing this blog was the key transitional piece for me in shifting down from high gear. I’m now content with reflecting about the past. Over the course of time, she will too. Tally, Tinker’s younger sister, is anxious for her to wake up so they can cuddle. Tally is also a bit depressed, mourning the loss of her canine companion. They’ll be off on a walk soon, and I’ll catch-up on the unfolding chapters of my weekly shows like the Curse of Oak Island and Vikings.
It was a normal morning, with the major exception that Tinker is no longer with us. We had an appointment to put her to sleep this morning, but apparently she was in pain last night and could no longer stand. I had gone to watch the I.U. basketball victory with a friend when I got the call to meet my wife and step-daughter at Dove-Lewis Animal Hospital. By 9 p.m. she had become an angel and Tally, our younger schnauzer, an only “child.” My wife did not sleep well last night, while I was still inclined to step-over the spot where Tinker often spent the night. It was in a direct line from my bed to the bathroom, a route that I navigate all too often every night.
When I got up this morning, Tally and I took the familiar route to the park but without Tinker’s “Air Buggy” stroller. We encountered another dog on the stairway down from our apartment, since there’s no longer a need to use the elevator. There was a lot of barking as the two went nose-to-nose. I actually thought we could avoid the other dogs in the complex by taking the stairs because most of the surprise meetings occur when the elevator doors open. There’s a neighbor’s huge St. Bernard that is of particular concern since Tally is always intent in protecting me with her fiercest voice. I’m sure she’ll miss Tinker, but will take every advantage of no longer having to share.
My wife will do the ten o’clock dog outing on a solo basis from now on. She got in the habit of taking feisty Tally on longer walks since her retirement a few months ago. I would take Tinker out with them but then bring her back shortly after “business” was complete. This way she never felt left out after “Schnauzerthons” were no longer possible. She could no longer keep her balance in the stroller, so our combination walk-run routine changed once we moved downtown. Today is a sad day, but there’s relief knowing that Tinker is at rest. Despite the loss of hearing & sight, and some open sores, her appetite was never affected. She died with a full stomach.
It’s been a busy week of traveling and entertaining. We just finished a trip to the airport and returned a rental car. This immediately reduced the number of keys in my sagging pockets. I still have two other sets in my possession that allows access to our apartment and cars. We needed the extra space of an S.U.V. to haul passengers and wine boxes from vineyard to vineyard. It was great fun with good friends who are now on their way back to Tucson. We talked, toasted, and tasted for 6 days, spending two of those nights in a cozy McMinnville boutique hotel. They were with other friends for the prior 3 nights, so I’m sure they’re anxious to get home. However, three days later they are headed to Maui. We envy their travel schedule, and are always happy to hear the stories of their many adventures.
The next time that we’ll see them will be four months from now in Phoenix for Spring Training. We bought tickets for the warm-weather version of the Crosstown Classic, as the Chicago White Sox battle the Cubs. We’ll combine that with a few more games, other friends, shopping, dining, and side-trips, then ride back with them to their Tucson home for a few more days of sunshine. I don’t think they were impressed with our chilly Portland weather, but at least the rain stayed away. By that time of year when we reunite, we’ll be glad to escape from the Portland gloom. We’ll also be in Florida and Las Vegas during this year’s rainy season. I will definitely not need large doses of Vitamin B or my Happy Lamp to get through the winter months next year.
We hope to visit the Grand Canyon during our “too long” Vegas stay. A snafu in Marriott Vacation Club points made it necessary to use a week of lodging, when three days is more than enough in “Sin City.” It was where we were married 19 years ago and haven’t been back for a few years. Most of our travel there centered around business conventions, including the timing of our ceremony at the Bellagio. I wish we were staying in their luxurious accommodations, but instead we’re “slightly” off The Strip. On this stay, we’ll sacrifice convenience and comfort for practicality. It will probably not be the romantic experience that we shared on our wedding weekend. However, we always have a good time.
On a sad note, tonight will be our 15-year old schnauzer’s last meal. Tinker still has an appetite despite losing a lot of her mobility in recent days. (See Post #1145). She’ll be put to rest tomorrow after a long and happy life with our family. It will be a tough day of tears and memories.
Despite our concerns about leaving Tinker at home with failing health, it was still an enjoyable weekend in wine country. As a distraction, I was able to watch bits and pieces of I.U.’s Bucket Game football victory and a basketball win. It was also “Rivalry Week” for most conference opponents with lots of surprises. Unfortunately, I.U. Soccer was the victim of an upset in the Sweet 16, a heartbreaking 1-0 loss in double overtime to U.C.S.B. Tonight, the Hoosiers will play Florida State in basketball, their first real test of the season. It will be an evening version of our weekly “Leadership Meeting” at Buffalo Wild Wings as I get back together with my Portland friends. It also marks the return to my normal, boring retirement routine, after such a busy week of entertaining.
Six days together,
Not one “Five-Peak” day.
Glad we were part of,
Your Portland stay.
Hydraulic parking,
Too many keys.
A lobby filled,
With Cheesy trees.
The cramped quarters,
Of big city living.
But near Urban Farmer,
To celebrate Friendsgiving.
Streetcar stop,
Just next door.
Homeless problem,
Hard to ignore.
We each bought Knives,
And saw Them “Out.”
Learned what McMinnville,
Was all about.
Diet Coke stops,
Along the way.
Visited wineries,
Like Ponzi and Shea.
To welcome us,
They held a parade.
We guzzled Pinot,
Like Kool-Aid.
Atticus weekend,
Twinkly lights.
Red Hills’ breakfasts,
Chilly nights.
They had beds,
With two sides.
And day reminders,
On elevator rides.
Sazerac, Absinthe,
And gourmet grub.
From the Driftwood bar,
To the Country Club.
Thaw-out in Maui,
We’ll see you come Spring.
Once you run out,
More wine we’ll bring.
Wild Turkey,
Spruce Goose.
Make Walla-Walla,
Next year’s excuse.
I’m feeling sad for our oldest Schnauzer, Tinker, that has been part of our lives for over 13 years and presumably 15.5 years old. When we adopted her from the Decatur, Illinois shelter, she had been rescued from the woods, surviving on acorns to keep her digestive system active. She was given an older sister, my wife’s chow Belle, and named for the Disney fairy Tinker Belle. Hence, Tinker and Belle became an inseparable pair.
We had to put Belle to sleep years ago, following an ACL injury that prevented any mobility. Her legs simply gave out. In her absence, Tinker was presented with a younger sister, Roxie, that died very young as the result of an inattentive driver. Our third adopted dog, Tally. has now been with Tinker for about 8 years. Combined, they are known as T&T and have lived together in both Texas and Oregon. They have also traveled through a lot of states as we’ve moved across the country, and love to ride in the car.
Tinker was wild when we first met her, untrained and always hungry. She also ruined her share of carpeting until she eventually learned to take her business outside. It was not because she wasn’t smart. We believe that she is part-poodle, and as a result quite intelligent. Over the years, she has become a wise influence over Tally. However, she has never lost her aggressive nature towards food. She’s always “starving,” and treats every meal as her last. As they say, “input equals output,” so this is why she’s earned the reputation as “The Poopingest Pup on the Planet.”
Tinker is sadly on her “last legs,” just as Belle was years ago. When Belle was struggling, Tinker could run like the wind. Roles are now reversed as Tally watches Tinker stumble helplessly around. We believe she had a stroke that has left her hips twisted and back legs weak. She often can’t get to her feet on our slippery wooden floors. Last night, she cried for help getting-up on our bathroom tiles. Her plea was more like a whimper, as her vocal cords also seem to be impaired, affecting her ability to bark. Just a few weeks ago, she would bark incessantly, hoping to get our attention for scraps of food. I feel bad that I had to yell at her to be quiet because now she can no longer speak. Her long tail has lost hair, she has scabs on her elbows, a massive tumor in her ear, and some open sores that Tally can’t ignore. These mounting physical issues along with loss of sight and hearing are tell-tale that her time with us is growing very short. I wanted to get though the Thanksgiving holiday before making any decisions. It brings tears to my eyes as I realize that she can’t get to her dog bowl any longer, but there should be plenty of treats in doggy heaven.
