Murphy's Slow Walk Movement

Murphy intends to be the Michael Pollan or Alice Waters of the Slow Walk Movement.  As you know, a number of years ago, a group of food producers, restaurants, and consumers in Italy collaborated on the idea that "slow food" is far better than "fast food."  Pollan and Waters have both written extensively about "slow food" here in the US.  I think the definition of slow food is rather ambiguous, but I think the idea is of vegetables (or other foods), nurtured in an organic garden, transported only a few miles to a local market, bought to be served at a home or local restaurant, cooked with other locally produced and bought ingredients, and enjoyed.  And while Murphy does love her "fast food" hamburgers, she agrees with the concept that our societies move way too fast.

Slow walking is ambling.  It is taking the time to sniff the Oregon grape along the trail, wade into the cool stream, or gaze at the Downy woodpecker working its way up a snag.  Slow walking is about the journey, not the destination (although when it is windy, cold, and raining, I want our walks to be about the destination).  Slow walking is one step at a time, stopping, looking, enjoying, breathing, sniffing, listening.  

While everyone else wants to use walking as exercise, slow walkers like Murphy understand that being outside is all about, well, being outside.  Slow walkers realize that sooner or later you will get to a destination, but life is about the stops along the way.  

If you want to see slow walking feel free to join us on one of our daily ambles.  Kim deve portare a spasso il cane.

Murphy's day.

What?

When Sage and I were out running yesterday morning we heard some woman calling, calling, and calling her dog while walking in Golden Gardens.  The calls increased in decibels and ferocity.  I smiled hearing this, thinking about all the times when Murphy would turn off her hearing aid and stare at me, from a good 20 or more yards.  What?  Are you talking to me?

Labs are, among other things, the very best con artists.  Those big brown eyes, soft floppy ears, big brown noses, convince you of their gentle nature.  And heck, they guide blind people, surely they must all be well behaved?  As many of us know from reading  Marley and Me, labs are independent, stubborn (which is why they are used as guide dogs) and hard of hearing.

When Murph was young and we still lived in New York, I would run with her in the morning, then throw ball for her before I left for work.  My hope was that I tired her out.  On weekends I would take her to the large ball fields on the SUNY Purchase campus.  There were several fields, each separated by a swale, or drainage ditch.  Murphy and I soon began to see other dog regulars.  

One Saturday, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man with two Dalmations.  He was two football fields away, but Murph made a break away and was greeting the dogs within seconds.  Of course, echoing off the empty fields were my increasingly emphatic calls.  Murphy, come.  Murphy, come.  MUUUURPHY COME HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!

  

She stared, wagged her tail, and started the pump fake motion that labs do when they are trying to play with another dog.  Of course, I had to jog over, clip on Murphy's leash, apologize to the other dog owner for interrupting his meticulous training operation he was conducting, and walk back toward the car, explaining to Murphy that when I call she should, believe it or not, come.  If our conversation was a cartoon, I could see my dialogue balloon going in one of her ears and out the other.

Fortunately, in our 14 years together, Murphy has been pretty good about coming.  The several times the gates have been left open she has not left the yard.  She knows, I hope, that she has it pretty darn good.  Now she wanders mostly because she gets on a scent, but still, if she sees a dog, her brain has that memory moment where she sees herself, bee-lining across green fields, leaping drainage ditches, eager for a romp.  She ambles over, gives a sniff, and lets the other dogs pay her homage.  After all, she is Murphy, Queen of Turning Off the Hearing Aid.

Murphy's day.

Sage's Wisdom

Those of you who know Sage will think this caption, "Sage's Wisdom" is an oxymoron.  But she is quite wise, especially when it comes to Murphy.

Several days ago I bumped into a friend whose cat had been quite ill.  We chatted about the cat's progress, then I asked about her other cat.  She related that the healthy cat always waited until her brother ate before she did.  Consequently, since her brother was ill and not eating, she would sit by her food dish, staring at it, then walk away.  Apparently this lasted for several days.

I think about Sage and how she relies on Murphy.  Sage is "labrador challenged."  Unlike Murphy, Sage is not at all interested in countless hours of playing fetch.  Sage's idea of a game is to get the ball and keep it.  She somehow missed out on the retriever part of her breed.  Aside from the lack of interest in becoming a duck hunting dog, Sage watches every move Murphy makes.  If Murphy slips into the kitchen when cheese or meat is taken out of the fridge, Sage will come running in, sit, and mimic whatever Murph is doing.  It's as if she is saying: ok, so is this what a lab does, Murphy?

While Sage is also quite independent, Murphy is her grounding.  Frequently during the day, Sage, who sleeps on the bed upstairs, will come down just to see where Murphy is and what she is doing.  She never comes into my study to check on me, but she will sniff Murph, sometimes lay down near her, then go back upstairs.  

Like my friend's cats, these two dogs are dependent upon each other.  Maybe more than they are on me.  

Murphy's best friend was Riley, my Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, who died a few years ago.  Several weeks after she died, we went on a trip to Sun Valley.  And I noticed that Murph seemed a little lethargic.  I realized that in being away from home, she noticed Riley was not there.  Murph looked for her in the places where Riley normally settled during road trips, like the closet in a hotel room, against the bench seat in the van.  Finally toward the end of the trip Murphy perked up, but I suspect it took her a few days to realize her friend was not joining us on the trip.

So I worry about Sage.  Until recently she treated Murphy as a peer.  She invited Murphy to play, she would tackle her, try to engage in chasing games, and always steal Murph's tennis ball.  Now, now Sage seems to realize there is a change.  That Murphy needs all gentle all the time.  There are more licks, nuzzles, and leaning into Murphy's body.  I'm right here, Murphy.  Hopefully Sage grows accustom to the changes in Murphy, that she is aware of the long, slow, fade.  And in the end, she knows that Murphy will always be there for her.  It will be Murphy's memory that whispers to Sage to run into the kitchen when the cheese or meat comes out of the fridge. 

Murphy's day.

Murphy Girl

Murphygirl.  Murphy Lulu.  Murphy Magoo. Boogaloo.  Mistress Murphy Barksalot.  She has many nicknames.   All given to her in affection.  

In the writing I am doing, the young men and women who committed "ecotage" used nicknames to disguise themselves, to hide.

  

And in various cultures including our own we have nom de guerre and nom de plume, ways of hiding our identities.  I think the "war names and writers names" are also a way of hiding from what the person is doing.  If I am not called by my real name, by who I am, how can I be responsible for war?  

But Murphy's nicknames are part of her identity.  They help embellish her silliness, her sense of living in the moment, her gusto.  Her nicknames are a billboard advertising who she is and what she is about. 

 

I think Murphy's nicknames should be considered nom de paix.

Murphy's day.

Kumbaya

Well, this is not exactly lions and lambs lying together, but it is "showing a lotta' love."  Murphy is that way.  She lets Sage lay all over her.  I'm convinced Sage even plumps up Murphy like a pillow!  And I am even more convinced if they could speak they would hold paws and break out into a round of Kumbaya after a round of "let me bug you, Murphy."

Dog whisperers, you know, people who really know how to work with dogs, will tell you that to change a dogs behavior, you need to also change yours.  I think about that all the time, now days, as Murphy is older and much more vocal about her life.  She barks about many things.  Wanting to go out, wanting to come in, wanting her toast, wanting to go upstairs, no downstairs, no back upstairs.   She is, I feel, struggling with how her body is changing, how her legs don't work like they used to, how she wants different things to eat than what she did even 6 months ago.  I could get frustrated by her barking, by her demands.  Or I could look at myself.  How can I help her ease into this time with dignity and grace?

I think it is hard for us, to deal with change with dignity and grace.  I know I get short tempered and cranky when my routine is upset, or life does not stay on the rhythms and pathways I enjoy.  Now, with Murphy, trying to understand her needs, what will make her happy and comfortable, it's sometimes hard.  Her restlessness rattles my quiet, serene, cocoon.  But then, she comes over to my desk, nuzzles my hand, looks at me with her big eyes, and I scroll through thousands of memories.  Fourteen years of times when she has adjusted to my schedules, my demands, my needs.  These are her days, now.  The few minutes it takes me to walk upstairs, then downstairs, then outside, then back inside, with her, are miniscule compared to the countless minutes, days, weeks, months, years she has accommodated me.  

Of course, it has been said many many times by people far wiser than I, that we can learn a lot from our dogs.  But when I see Murphy and Sage, wrapped up together, I do think the dog-is-our-life-philosophers are onto something.    How about a round of Kumbaya?  

Murphy's day.

Super Bowl Sunday!

Well, it wasn't Phoenix, but in our opinion certainly better.  A sunny Sunday afternoon, the Upper Yakima.  Murphy was just getting ready to "go out for a long one."  Sage was ready to "cover."  

The day was a touchdown for all.

Murphy's day.

Murphy for President

Yes, I know this is a picture of Sage.  She is Murphy's campaign manager.  And she asked me to post Murphy's positions on a number of issues vital to this country.  All three of us listened to the most recent Republican and Democratic debates, and Murphy realized no-one was talking about these critical issues, so she decided to throw her collar into the ring.

Border Security: Fences, expanded identification, passports...it all seems fairly ridiculous to Murphy.  Any lab will tell you, if you want to get through, over, under, or around a fence, gate, or guard, you can do it.  It just takes thinking like a lab.  It's better to spend the money making sure Canadian beer can flow freely, and people who are looking for work can find it closer to their family, friends, and yes, dogs.  

Other Foreign Policy Issues: First, it is time to bring the bomb sniffing dogs home.  Their lives are in constant danger, and it looks like there is no end in sight for their work, just bring them home.  Murphy believes if you humans want to fight a war, go ahead, but bring the dogs home.  They didn't volunteer, they were ordered over there.  Second, stop the quarantines.  Why is it when a dog wants to go to France, they have to be in a kennel for 90 days?  What?  Do they think their cheese is any better than our cheese?  Maybe it would help our relations with France if we treated dogs here like they do there.  Open up those restaurants and fancy Hermes stores to dogs.  Third, let's bankrupt China by not buying crappy dog food from them.  That will show them who still controls the global economy.

Energy Policy:  In theory mass transit is great.  Everyone who isn't owned by a lab should be using mass transit.  For those labs who need to get to the forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, lab limos are required and should be subsidized.  However, we have heard from a very good source that there are pretty good treats to be found on buses, so if labs are forced to ride with the "regular joes," make sure the bus is well stocked with doughnut crumbs, forgotten sandwiches, and bags of chips. 

The Environment: Ok, so there is global warming.  Let's get a little adaptive, and understand for older dogs, a lot of sunshine is not such a bad thing.  But, sucking all the carbon from cars when we're running in the morning isn't so hot.  And don't you think we would all be more concerned about conserving open space if you could hike, swim, fish, with your dog?  How about letting dogs at least hike in National Parks?  Or be off leash on trails?  Swim in lakes?  Murphy believes the trail to protecting the environment goes right through how much we open up public lands for the dogs.

Health Care:  You humans think health care costs are out of control, try seeing a vet. Corporations have bought up small vet clinics because they know they can make big bucks off of the backs of animals.  That is wrong.  Every animal (yes, including cats) deserves access to the same medical care chi-chi dogs from Park Avenue get.  

Taxes: Not a problem.  Dogs don't pay them.  But, about this licensing thing.  Don't you think it is perpetuating the idea that dogs are property by requiring dog licenses?  Free the dogs!  Dogs are humans, too!

Political Process: What is with you people?  Did you not hear of evolution, or do you only think that applies to beaks and fins?  All this arguing over changing positions?  It's silly.  Frankly, Murphy believes changing your mind, evolving your thoughts is a good thing.  A sign of flexibility, adroitness, intelligence.  She enjoys change, as in when a human says no, no, no, you can not have steak bites....well, ok, just one.  Or, Absolutely not, no way can you get on the couch....ok, if you want to watch Westminster Dog Show with me, hop up.  As she says, changing your mind demonstrates higher evolution, especially when humans see the light about how to treat labs.

If Murphy is elected she promises to not tear up the Rose Garden, to make sure her cabinet is housebroken so the carpets in the White House are not soiled, and to invite the cast from Snow Dogs to the Inauguration.  

Murphy's day.