the ramble

.One.
I love other people’s idiosyncrasies. My temporary roommate, for example, whom we shall call Fima, is compulsive about checking the weather. At any given moment of the day, she can tell you the precise temperature, including in the middle of the night. And in the mornings she often tells me what the nightly low was. I enjoy this very much.

Fima’s other idiosyncrasy is this: she eats roast chicken for every meal (seriously, there is a whole chicken in our fridge at all times). I like that too.

.Two.
I found out this week that Luna has a staph infection. Apparently it’s pretty common and treatable, but now she’s on antibiotics again. I just can’t seem to keep her whole and healthy.

.Three.
It’s only a few weeks till my best friend’s wedding now. I have a newly tailored bridesmaid dress and a half packed bag of gifts and paperwork. Soon I’m off to California–a state which I have only fond memories of from my trip to San Francisco something like six years ago now.

Wednesday was Luna’s dreaded visit to the vet (alternately known as the Building of Sad Sadness) for her international microchip, which was a much easier procedure than I imagined. It took approximately five minutes and when she came back the only difference was a little scab on her back.

What I didn’t anticipate was the feeling–my feeling–of relief. I don’t often think about Luna getting lost or stolen or separated from me somehow, but I guess I do think about it just enough to add a little stress to my day-to-day life. And that stress is all but gone now. Sure, something could still happen. But all someone has to do is scan her back and–viola!–they know she’s mine. That’s a good feeling, actually, albeit an expensive one.

As per the usual, Luna entered the vet’s office with a sense of adulation because OH MY GOSH THERE ARE PUPPIES HERE. She ran in circles, made small, half-bark noises and caused one older dog to pee all over herself in submission or fear or some other dog-pees-all-over-herself emotion.

After a short wait, though, we were ushered into a back room. As soon as we go into the back room (every time, without fail), Luna’s mood changes. She hides behind my legs. She jumps up on my lap and attempts to climb on my head (as if that would save her…). She stares at me with accusing eyes, as if to tell me I am the worst mom ever and (in the words of Brief Roommate) that I am MADE OF EVIL.

“What? Dr. Herman is your best friend.” I say.

But she doesn’t buy it.

So, in comes the doctor, just like always. And we chat about the requirements for traveling overseas with a dog and I ask him about going from country to country (do I need to choose just one or am I able to really “travel” vs. living in one place). He doesn’t know, but we go through the papers and both agree to call the relevant agencies for said information. We discuss how nice it would be if all the countries with a low incidence of rabies (or no incidence of rabies) would just allow a simple pet passport with microchip number and date of last rabies vaccine, rather than forcing you to complete a vet health certificate exactly 10 days before boarding your plane. That would make travel SO MUCH EASIER.

Luna, meanwhile, pretends to take a nap, perhaps hoping that today will be different from her average vet visits: today nothing will be inserted into her orifices and/or scraped out off her skin. (Alas, she is obviously wrong).

Finally, I hand Luna over and, with another betrayed look, she is whisked away for her five minutes of poking and prodding.

Afterward, she’s elated again. Because PUPPIES.

And I’m elated too. Because EUROPE.

.One.
This week we’re watching Nena–a sweet, soft-eyed black dog that belongs to a good friend of mine. She’s a quiet dog and extremely affectionate, which translates into her following me around the house while trying to lick my pants and stepping on Luna’s head anytime I try to pet Luna, put Luna’s collar on, etc. Jealous much?

Speaking of jealous (read: needy)…yesterday, when I took a short trip to the library to pick up yet another stack of travelogue-style books, sweet, affectionate Nena had taken one of my shoes, a stocking cap and the rope tie I use to tie up the curtains, deposited them in her dog bed and proceeded to snuggle them.

.Two.
Tomorrow is Luna’s trip to the V.E.T. for microchipping and sad sadness. I need to get her another cookie.

.Three.
Did I mention that poor Nena is an abuse survivor? No? Well, her owners got her from a shelter and she was clearly abused before she made it to the shelter. Unfortunately for her, this means that she’s quite afraid of a lot of things. Among them: my kitchen, my roommate, BonBon, pooping in front of people, rolling all the way over and the dreaded BATHROOM! Poor Nena.

Next week Luna is getting micro-chipped. It’s an outpatient procedure and the vet calls it “easy,” but I still feel a little bad for her. I mean, what dog wants to go to the vet in the first place?  And really what dog wants to have a giant needle shoved in her back? Even if it does mean she gets to go to Europe next year and learn to bark in French.

So…with said vet visit looming, Luna and I made a quick stop this afternoon at her very favorite place.

It’s called Two Pals and a Pup, but we like to refer to it around the house as Puppy Disneyland. Think: colorful displays, eco-friendly dog beds and local-made treats in bins like you’d see in old candy stores.

And did I mention the incredibly nice owners who always remember Luna and give her free treats, and a shop dog (which, in my humble opinion, every shop in the world should have…not to mention every pet-centric shop) named Griff who lets Luna jump on his face?

After running in circles for a few moments (out of pure joy) and then sniffing everything in the shop (including two smart-looking dachshunds), Luna settled down enough to let me bag some local-made liver treats and a special cookie for her vet visit. And then she spent the rest of the day in an excellent mood–heeling when I said to heel, trotting down the sidewalk with her tail in the air and now snuggling up next to me on the bed while I blog.

What a good day.

Oh, and a confession…you know that special cookie for her vet visit? I gave it to her after dinner.

Just seemed like the thing to do.