Monday, October 29, 2018

Barking, and an Unexpected Evening Outing


Yesterday started out pretty slow. The morning was gray and rainy, and although Olga kept acting like she wanted to go for a walk, the minute I put on my jacket and got her leash and opened the door, she backed away, horrified. So we spent the time on the couch. I finally finished that issue of The New Yorker I'd been slowly plowing through, and no, I still don't understand Bitcoin.

The day seemed weird because the clocks changed, and it's interesting how you really feel a time change of even one hour. It always seemed later than it actually was, with the sun farther along in the sky.

Finally, about 11 a.m., after the weather cleared, Olga and I went to the Heath. She was a maniac, running and running through the underbrush.


This picture may look scary, but she's just in mid-bark. I wanted to show how dirty she was, but lately, whenever I pause to point a camera at her she gets annoyed and starts barking at me.

Here's the live-action version:


And normally, she is not a barky dog.

Dave and I did re-watch the 1976 version of "A Star Is Born" and it's not my imagination -- it's a far better movie than the new one. The characters seem deeper, the relationship more real and some of the pacing is better. I've always thought Kris Kristofferson was a weird casting choice for that movie -- he can't even really sing! But otherwise it definitely takes flight where the new one, for me, did not. I think maybe the new one suffers from too much involvement by Bradley Cooper -- not that he isn't capable, but any time one person is doing everything, they're bound to be stretched. The '76 film had two stars whose only job was to act and sing; a director who helped on the screenplay but was otherwise only a director; two top-notch screenwriters (Joan Didion!); and top-notch music supervision and songwriting (Paul Williams, Alan & Marilyn Bergman). The new one is all Cooper, Cooper, Cooper. Dude was busy.

Also, although I criticized Gaga's voice in yesterday's post, I think in retrospect the issue may be more the songs than her singing, because she does an excellent version of "La Vie en Rose." And as we all know, modern pop music is crap.

Anyway, enough about that.

The unexpected excitement of the day came in late evening, after Dave had put a chicken in the oven and I was relaxing with a glass of wine. He said he wasn't feeling well, and hadn't been feeling well all day -- Crohn's issues, and I won't trouble you with the specific symptoms but there were some. So I had him call the NHS ask-a-nurse hotline and he was advised to go to the A&E (the British equivalent of the ER). He hopped in a cab to the Royal Free Hospital and I followed about half an hour later, when the chicken was adequately baked and I could turn off the oven without it becoming a bacteria farm. They checked him out at the hospital, did a blood test and fortunately let him come home again a few hours later, when we finally ate our still-hot but somewhat overcooked chicken. He's got to follow up with his gastroenterologists, and of course, to make things really interesting, he's supposed to leave for Madrid on Thursday on a school trip. Sheesh!

14 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Poor old Dave! I hope he's in better fettle on Wednesday. I loved the still of Olga. Rather than being in mid-bark I thought she might have been in mid-song and I wondered what she was singing...perhaps "Home Home on the Range" or "Walking the Dog" by The Rolling Stones.

crafty cat corner said...

I feel for Dave, as I mentioned my daughter-in-law has this complaint and it flares up from time to time. I love the video of Olga. Like her I'm sure the cats deliberately turn their head when I point the camera at them. lol
Briony
x

Ms. Moon said...

Olga is saying, "Out! Out! Out!" which I suppose is easier for dogs to say than "Stop!" Stop!" Stop!"
I feel so bad for Dave. I hope he's well enough to go on his trip. Possibly the stress of worrying about the trip is causing the flare-up which would be ironic.
I baked a chicken on Friday night. It was good and still is. Lunches for days!

ellen abbott said...

sorry to hear about Dave's flare-up. it's my uneducated opinion that this and other autoimmune diseases are caused by our adulterated food supply. all the GMOs, poisons, chemicals, artificial colors, and sugar and salt (which is in everything!) are destroying our beneficial gut bacteria. Minnie does not like the rain AT ALL. no way will she go out in it. she doesn't even like to go out if there are large puddles.

Anonymous said...

So sorry about Dave's ER visit. Hope all goes well for him and that he's ready for his journey on Thursday. Love that photo of Olga. She looks like she's laughing about everything. Has she been reading the news?

Red said...

Hey, I like Kris Kristopherson. I used some of his poetry with my Middle school kids.

Sharon said...

Sorry to hear about Dave's troubles. I hope he gets to the doctor and is cleared for his trip. Fingers crossed here in the states.
I really do wonder what goes through a dog's mind when a human points a camera at them. I get the feeling that it has some negative significance in their minds.

Catalyst said...

I like Kristofferson too though I suppose it is an acquired taste. Sorry to hear about Dave's flare-up. Fingers crossed that he'll be well enough for his trip to Madrid. Will they visit the Prado?

Marty said...

Gastro issues are no fun whatsoever and you can't get the automatic sympathy delivered by say, a foot in a big walking cast.
Music - as much as I loved Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman, I hated the song Jenny Lind sang in it- current pop style rather than something historically accurate.

jenny_o said...

As one with predictably unpredictable innards, I feel for Dave. It's one reason I hate to travel. I hope all goes well on his trip.

I think Olga is evolving . . . she now knows what the camera means and she also feels confident enough to speak up about it! Honestly, that message could not be much clearer . . . (but, but, but, Olga, we LURVE seeing your pictures and video)

Linda Sue said...

such great timing for the Olga in mid bark shot! Human singers would be envious. Kris K. was once a favorite , back in the very slow days of pot smoking and vegan eating, guitar strumming, horseback riding.
I am so sorry for Dave, that is one helluva disease- difficult to keep on top of and the discomfort is severe. He is a warrior, a champion, bless his heart!

Sabine said...

All the best to Dave for a speedy recovery.

The Bug said...

I'll add my vote to those who like Kris Kristofferson - my mom had one of his albums & I loved singing along. Come to think of is - I probably like him because his voice is in a range I can sing to. Ha!

Sorry Dave is having issues. My 80 year old aunt was recently diagnosed (weird - at her age). She's having a devil of a time trying to figure out what she can eat. It's not under control AT ALL at this point.

Steve Reed said...

YP: She does look like she's singing -- or maybe yodeling.

Briony: I'm sure animals DO wonder what we're up to with those devices they don't understand! I can see why they'd get uneasy and turn away or react.

Ms Moon: I asked him whether he thinks travel stress might be causing the flare, and he agreed it's an interesting idea. I think he may stay home, actually.

Ellen: It's hard not to wonder why these illnesses seem so common now. But maybe they were always around and no one discussed them, or they were simply known as having a "sensitive stomach."

Robin: I think if she'd been reading the news, she'd be howling! I feel certain Olga is a Democrat.

Red: I don't dislike him as a person or as an actor. (And I don't know his poetry!) But his singing in that movie is gravelly and off-key. Maybe he's just not my style!

Sharon: Olga seems to think it's a game that she doesn't understand. Some animals feel threatened -- I've had animals be perfectly friendly until I raise the camera and then they run!

Catalyst: The Madrid thing is for a conference, actually. So no, the Prado is unfortunately not on the agenda! I've never heard any of Kristofferson's albums. Maybe I should try him again.

Marty: I know this makes me seem old, but I hate current pop music. I haven't seen "The Greatest Showman" yet.

Jenny-O: Well, she just has to cope, doesn't she? My camera is not going away any time soon!

Linda Sue: He really does go through a lot. I probably don't even fully appreciate how hard it is for him at times.

Sabine: Thanks! I will tell him.

Bug: I've really got to listen to some of his albums! It IS interesting that your aunt got a diagnosis so late in her life.