“Oh the ignominy of it all” July 9, 2008

Bath Day

It is with some reluctance that Frasier takes a bath.  After corralling him into the bathroom and lifting him into the tub I start to run the water.  As it begins to pool about his feet Frasier politely lifts one, then another for a delicate shake and looks at me as if to say “You seem to have a bit of a water problem here.”  After I’ve soaked him down and gotten out the shampoo he knows he’s in for it and won’t even look at me.  He turns his head to the wall, “I can’t believe I let this happen again.”  Wash. Rinse. Shake.  As soon as I’ve toweled him down he flies out of the bathroom.  He once tried to get out so fast I didn’t have the door all the way open yet and he got his head stuck. After the bath is done he comes racing back and wants to play *bullfight* which mainly consists of me holding a towel and him running into the towel and growling.  And now I have a clean dog who might even get to lie on my bed (provided I can keep him out of the compost bin).

thank goodness i bought that digital camera after all May 16, 2008

My camera is well traveled. I take it all over the place…but then forget to take pictures…and basically end up using it to take pictures of my dog. Do I have pictures from my recent trips to Florida and Illinois? No. Do I have more than a handful of pictures from my engagement party? No. Do I have pictures of Frasier wrapped in a towel? Ah yes, that i have. oh well.

Joanna and the happiest dog in the world

Amy, Colette and James

Lola

Flower Girls Unite!  Liviya and Valerie

gentlemanly little fellow May 8, 2007

Here are some details on Frasier:

I adopted him from Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue

He’s 7, weighs 28 lbs, and only had one previous owner

He’s liked every man, woman, and child to walk through our door and seems content just to be where the people are…doesn’t really jump or bark….no accidents in the house…hasn’t chewed anything.

I’m quickly getting attached to him.

I went to Muskegon last week to visit my peeps. Aunt Dorothy just about gave Aunt Marilyn a heart attack when I overheard her say, “Have you heard about the newest addition to Elisse’s household?” during breakfast. Aunt Marilyn relaxed visibly when I told her that I wasn’t pregnant, just getting a dog.

ps. school is done. amen. hallelujah.

frasier May 4, 2007

oh happy day December 26, 2006

Rebecca has agreed to let me get a dog.

I want a Boston Terrier.

“Batter my heart” December 20, 2006

Since most of my days started between 5 and 6 am this semester it feels particularly decadent to be lying in bed at 10:30 enjoying the winter sunshine and doing nothing. exams…are…done.

Studying, praying and generally being quiet at the monestary was really good for me. I would not say that it was easy or comfortable though. Somewhere around noon on Saturday I realized that I had no escape from my thoughts and that I was weary of them. At home I would listen to music or clean or call friends…any number of things. So it was a little intense in that regard, but I’d recommend it. Ben, the black lab, was happy to walk me after Terce and None each day. I say that he walked me because he picked the trail and how long we stayed out for. I took my camera one day and spent some time fiddling around with bittersweet wrapped around a tree. When I got back up to the trail Ben was sitting there with an expression that said, “I don’t know what you were messing around in the bushes for because the trail is right here and I’ve been waiting for you.” He’s got personality, that one.

I was introduced to the music of Imogen Heap at the Royal Oak Music Theater the other night and it was a really good show. She’s got a website (imogenheap.com) and a my space page if you want to take a listen, but I have to say that seeing her live was incomparable.

And finally, I’ve been reading and praying some bits and scraps of John Donne. I’d like to make it to John King Books over break and find a better collection of his poetry. Here’s one of my favorites from The Holy Sonnets- 1633.

Batter my heart, three-personed God: for You

As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;

That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, ‘and bend

Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

I, like an usurped town to’another due,

Labor to’admit You, but O, to no end;

Reason, Your viceroy’in me, me should defend,

But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.

Yet dearly’I love You, ‘and would be loved fain,

But am betrothed unto your enemy.

Divorce me,’untie or break that knot again;

Take me to You, imprison me, for I,

Except You’enthrall me, never shall be free,

Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

~

living vicariously November 2, 2006

Walking dogs is on my top five list of favorite things. People who own pets are less likely to be depressed. There’ve been studies. Sadly, despite scientific evidence that this could be good for the collective health of our household, Rebecca remains immovable on the topic of getting a dog. But I digress. My friends’ son, G., turns six this week and they got him the greatest black lab. Ruby is 6 months old and still has that floppy, uncoordinated, puppyish way of loping around and I can’t wait to dog-sit.

I’ve been half-heartedly working my way through Three Soldiers by John Dos Passos but longing for something better, something else, so I went looking for Palace Walk by Naguib Mafouz at Wayne’s library today. It was last checked out in 2002 and is “awaiting return.” That sounds so optimistic, “awaiting return”…when the truth is that some disgruntled Lit. student is getting back at The Man for charging hundreds of dollars a credit hour and I’m probably going to cave and buy it online tonight.

And finally, Life and Media meet. I sat through a 2 hour inservice at work today on how to manage and manually operate an LVAD (left ventricular assitive device). Now if I fall tragically in love with a dying heart transplant candidate I’ll have the option of pulling an Izzy.