DO animals have a sixth sense?

Last night my mother-in-law called me. My in-laws are in the Czech Republic. She didn't sound well so I asked what was wrong? She said that she had an accident and although she was seriously injured she was ok.

My first instincts of course were to call M. and let her know about her mom. After my own initial shock wore off and I realized something astonishing. My in-laws dog, Robbie, had been acting really strange for a couple of days!!!!

Let me elaborate if I may. Robbie is a 95lb brindle boxer, who truly believes he is a lap dog. He is spoiled rotten by my in-laws, is raised more like a child then a dog, cries like a baby when left alone for 1 second and is an overall completely insane dog - but sooooo lovable!

From the first moment we started babysitting him 12 days ago we were prepared for the worst. Separation anxiety, lack of appetite and crying are his trademarks when he isn't around my in-laws.
Strangely enough, none of it came to pass. He adjusted just fine - never even missed his parents. He accepted me as his new lead dog, wuff wuff, had a VERY healthy appetite and couldn't WAIT to play with our chocolate lab, Hershey. At work, where I have to take him because M. can barely hold Hershey in check, he was happy whenever someone came in, wiggling his little tail and trying to lick everyone's face :-)

Anyway, two days ago Robbie started acting kinda weird all of the sudden. He started crying at work a lot - especially when I had to leave him behind a barrier for a minute or two. At walkies he started pulling harder then usual and even snapped at some people who walked past us. Then he threw up his dinner.

This M. and I related to him finally realizing his parents had gone away and he missed them.

Now I am not so sure anymore.

His weirdness began 2 days ago - just about the time my mother-in-law was injured. Ever since, he has been lethargic at times, crying at others and then just plain sad most of the time in between. Only when he sees Hershey does he liven up for a few minutes. Then its back to being sad.

Some people say that animals have a sixth sense. They can see the spirits of the departed. I don't know if that is all true!

What I DO know is that Robbie has been acting strange since my m-I-l got hurt.

Get well soon, Milena!

Respect for cyclists? WHY?

Last week M. and I took our chocolate Lab, Hershey, for a walk into Pacific Spirit Park. It was a rare sunny April day in Vancouver and we took advantage of it. The Park is a favorite for both families with dogs, with or without kids, joggers and cyclists. Most parts of it are off leash which makes it PERFECT for Hershey's unbound energy to let loose!
As we walk along I spot this cyclist charging down the trail at 100 km/h. I called Hershey back, grabbed his collar and held him to be nice and make sure he doesn't spill a biker in his enthusiasm.
That asshole on his bike never slowed down!!! Almost ran us over despite the fact we were on the side of the trail. He also almost ran a puddle and sprayed us!
So when I shouted after him my usual "niceties" about what a fucking arsehole he is - he stopped - and shouted back at me to take my "fucking mudd on a leash". In an off-leash park!

Yesterday as I was driving to the store I encountered 2 cyclists slowly paddling along the road, side-by-side, blocking the entire right lane.
As is my usual way I passed them and then safely, without signal changed lanes VERY close in front of them. I almost scared one of them off his bike. My efforts got me a finger!

Here is my point! Cyclists in Vancouver are up and over the fence for more respect on the road. Many a cyclist is struck every day in traffic. We apparently don't have enough bike lanes in the city. A city that sports as many cyclists daily then any Dutch city (the Dutch being famous for cycling and all!)

However, here is my point of view. We DO need more bike lanes. We DO need to be more aware of cyclists on the road.
BUT what we need MOST OF ALL - cyclists who KNOW THE RULES of the road!!!!

When I was growing up in Europe, I had yearly cyclist training in school from Grade 2 on! GRADE 2!!!! Every year until Grade 10!
I knew what to do in any situation on the road. I was trained by traffic police officers like I was trained by a driving instructor at Young Drivers to do what I needed to operate a vehicle in traffic.

Here in Vancouver, all I see and encounter are people who buy a fancy $5000 bike, wonderful cycling outfits they can wear to the opera if need be and an attitude that makes me want to throw most of them off their bikes!

IF a cyclist wants respect from ME, they have to earn it! Abide by the rules of traffic as I do when I operate a vehicle in traffic! Learn the rules or get off the road!

It is a shame that a motorist can get a ticket making a U-turn on a back country road but a cyclist can go and run over a family without being punished!

Get with the program, you two-wheeled, paddling morons on the road! Get with the Program!

THEN maybe you will earn the respect you seek!

Happy Sunday!

Happy Anniversary, M :-)

Has it already been 1 year? How time flies when you are in love and have fun!

Today, April 17, you emerged from behind the doors at Konopiste Castle near Prague, Czech Republic, flanked by your parents and walked down the aisle to become my wife.

I can still see you - slightly wet in the eyes - unsure of what's going to happen during our Jewish ceremony yet sure of wanting to get married.

I can still remember the thought that ran through my mind when I saw you coming towards me: boy, must the angels in heaven be jealous today! Yes, honey, an angel you were that day - gorgeous, radiant, beautiful - I am running out of adjectives!

We were so afraid of what's going to happen at the ceremony - remember? Would the Rabbi show up! Would you be able to do the tradition of the veil - would we spill wine on your dress (ok that was MY biggest fear!).

But like so many obstacles we faced in the 3 1/2 years we are together now - we managed that one too!

When the ceremony was finally over - I felt all the worries and concerns of the last year of planning this wedding fall off your shoulders. The worst was over!

All that was left was to party the night away with our families and friends.

Yes, we didn't get to eat off our buffet, yes we didn't get to really taste our cake (though you DID get me good ) and yes, we totally botched our couple dance.

But who cares?

We spent the best day of your life together as man and wife. In Love. Celebrating this love with others we love. Nothing can beat that!

In the year since we had plenty of difficulties and obstacles to face. We had numerous fights, arguments and "marital discussions". We called each other names, we stormed out of rooms and we looked for things throw (thank you for not finding any!).

But we always kissed and made up - we always said "I love you" before we went to sleep.

May we fight and argue for 100 years to come. As long as we don't forget to say


I LOVE YOU!

Babysitting Robbie - 42 days and counting

When M. and I married exactly 1 year ago today (and again on Monday), her parents of course joined us in Prague for the weddings.
Afterwards we headed for a few days to Brno - the city near the Austrian border where M.'s mom hails from. Her parents had escaped Communism in the late 60's and made their way to Canada.
They made a wonderful home here and seemed to be happy and content. Until last year!!! While over there, my mother-in-law all of the sudden, after 35+ years in Canada became seriously homesick!

So she decided to buy a small apartment and spent lots of time in the Czech Republic! That of course means that M.'s step-dad has to go over there a lot too! (he would rather stay here in Canada I think!).

HOWEVER, unless they decide to move back to Brno permanently they can't take their dog, brindle boxer Robbie, with them. So M. and I get to babysit him! OY VEY - that's all I have to say. He and Hershey, our chocolate lab, are always trying to get into mischief. That is when they aren't sleeping! To make matters worse, Robbie is a slobberer - and I mean S L O B E R E R! We always have to have a towel ready for his snout!

But the absolute cherry on the cake is the fact that Robbie actually THINKS he is a lap dog. I mean it! All 95lbs of him think he is a Chihuahua. He jumps on you and sits on you and licks you and even falls asleep on you lap.

So we get to babysit this lovable monster for then next 42 days! Two dogs who love playing, getting into mischief, bark at other dogs, pull on their leashes, beg for food and THINK theirs is the couch, not ours! The fact that Robbie has separation anxiety (remember he IS a spoiled rotten lap dog!) doesn't make things easier.

So M and I have decided to start a "Robbie and Hershey Diary" which we will post on here periodically. "The Adventures of M. and M.'s Dogsitting Nightmare" could become a bestseller and an Oprah Book Club entry. I am sure of it!

So stay tuned and enjoy. I am sure we will have some VERY funny stories to tell!

check it all out here: www.grizznuck.blogspot.com


Cheers

Honestly - I am ashamed to be a MAN!!!!!

The other week my wife dragged me to the movies. Well not so much dragged as gently nugged. Ok, I had invited her numerous times before and she finally said "Lets Go".

So what movie does she have to choose? Nope, NOT "A History of Violence", not a chance for "Jarhead", in my dreams would we watch "King Kong". No, M. wants to watch "Brokeback Mountain"!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now mind you, I wanted to see this movie anyway. I work with the film industry and had in a way a hand in making that movie (among many others). And I make it a habit to watch any movie I am (in my own way) involved in!

Brokeback Mountain - the "gay" movie. The movie everyone talks about. Guess what!

I LOVED IT!

what a great movie! VERY intriguing story, well written, acted, directed, edited, very well EVERYTHING! I was amazed - I haven't seen a good flick like that in ages!!!

The next day as I am driving to work I (as always) am listening to one of our local sports radio shows and there is these two "macho" man discussing Brokeback Mountain. Or should I say they are discussing the fact that they wouldn't go see that movie if their wife's threatened divorce. How can you, as a good MAN, go and see a movie about two men "doing it".

Here are two grown men, supposedly intelligent - who condemn athletes for doing illegal drugs, for cheating on their spouses, for beating their wives/girlfriends, for having kids with some floozy they nailed in the bathroom of some obscure club and G-D knows what else - who talk more childish then a 2-year-old!

And even better - scores of guys called into the show and vehemently denied seeing it or stating matter of fact that such a movie ought to be burned.

WAKEY WAKEY morons....Its the 21st Century!!!

How come men are so damn fast at the button when it comes to watching porn?? No man has EVER complaint about watching Jenna Jamison or Silvia Saint being nailed by 6 studs at the same time! No dude has ever turned off the VCR/DVD when Tracy Lords licks the Bajesus out of Kitty Yung. And G-D forbid you powered down the TV when Tiffany Minx gets two huge ones up her ass at the same time!! Wouldn't DARE!!!!

So how come we cant appreciate a WONDERFUL love story?? Because its two men? Because in our tiny little minds, the love of two men is utterly atrocious while the love between two women is a total turn-on????

Give me a F***ing break!!!

I say this in the open - and I AM a man!

I LOVED the film, the idea of the film, everything about the film! I don't have a problem with two men making love - because its TRUE LOVE! It isn't dirty, it isn't wrong! IT IS RIGHT!

When I heard what those two sports casters and the dozens of call-ins had to say, all I could think was:

I am ashamed to be a man!!


Cheers

A First and I actually enjoyed it!!

The other week we dropped Hershey off at the vet to re-check on an ear infection he had for a while. While there we of course weight him - 80+ lbs...We have a strapping BIG boy!!!

Just for the fun of it I jumped on the scale too - and almost fainted right off it! 200lbs - clothed but still - TWO HUNDRED!
I turned to M. and asked her if she'd really want to know - I mean REALLY want to know. When she said "yes" and I told her - her face just turned to horrified concern with some laughter in there too - she compared me to our Hershey, whose nickname lately has been "Fatso McPorkrind!"

Needless to say - I am shocked. Ever since I quit smoking 5 years ago I had a little belly and going 40 next month doesn't help either (there is to more ideas for blogs!!) but I never thought it was THAT bad.

M is now really after me to start dieting, working out - ANYTHING to loose some weight and maybe avoid a Heartattack at 50 (my dad passed away of the second one at 62!)

So, being the obedient husband that I am (cough) I decided she was right and I was a lazy-assed SOB. I signed up for soccer and the gym at work, will bike in the summer when its a little warmer and will try to eat healthier.

Oh, darn I forgot - lost my thread here - the FIRST I was thinking about!

Y O G A!

Yup - I am strapping on those tights and take my kreeky old bones and stiff ol' muscles to Yoga! I never thought I would do THAT! Come on! you kiddin me? Yoga is for 60's hippie wanna-be's, wiccans and East Indian holy man, right????

nope - it is the thing for me! one lesson and I think I am hooked! It was actually a LOT of fun! I am sore on some places I didn't know I had muscles but it was worth it!
I was relaxed, bend in ways I didn't know I could still bend, calm and at peace at times, laughing with M at others when we looked like a wrongly put-together puzzle.

I understood only half of what our instructor wanted us to do - mostly because she used Yoga terms that we don't know but it was ok! I still have some problem comprehending taking MY roots down to the core of the earth and back again (sounds like a Jules Verne novel!) and letting some golden fireball enter my skull, move down my spine and meet with my roots (doesn't that make a nice brush fire???) but I am more then happy to give it a chance!!

I always had problems relaxing. I don't know why but maybe my shoulders took too much emotional weight on over the years or maybe I am just not a person that relaxes well. But yesterday I almost fell asleep I was that relaxed. It was amazing!

Now, I don't know where this all will lead and maybe in 10 years I will win the Yoga Olympics, have my own Yoga business and become a Guru for millions of little Hippies, but I know one thing - I am more then happy if Yoga will teach me to relax more, be more calm and less angry, be more nimble on my feet and feel better - bodily as well as emotionally!

Namaste

Terrorism - get used to it!

An explosion at Tim hurting in Toronto yesterday seems to have been the suicide of a distraught individual, who by latest rumors (and nothing has been confirmed) doused himself in gas and lit himself up in the washroom.

Nevertheless, today's papers write of panic in Toronto following reports of Terror attacks (yup - it actually didn't have ANYTHING to do with the Maple Leafs!!).

NEWSFLASH: time to get off our fat asses and realize that life isn't all milk and honey in LaLa Land!

Mind you, I have personally experience one Terror attack and grew up with Terrorism on a daily basis. I even vacationed half my life in a country that lives with Terrorism on a daily basis - Israel! So I know from first hand experience what it is like to look over your shoulder all the time, not really scared but still conscious about danger (ok - even a little scared!)

anecdote time: Since I would either be asked about it or write about it anyway might as well make it an anecdote :-)

The year was 1982 - Summer vacation. I was still living in Munich, Germany and my parents took my brother and I to Israel as we did all vacations except winter (when we used to go somewhere else in the world). We are at the Airport and due to the Terror risk with anything related to Israel or Jews, we were at a separated security gate and terminal.

We were lining up to go through passport check and security and I remember to this day seeing this suitcase standing around to the side and thinking "what moron would leave their suitcase standing around unattended. It could get stolen!"
There were about 150 or so people lingering in line or just around the gate waiting to go through (baggage checks inside the secure area took a long time - sometimes over 1h!).
We had finally made it through passport control and the security door closed behind me when a huge explosion ripped through the terminal.

I remember instinctively taking cover, pulling the then-12year-old daughter of close friends toward me, covering her with my body while shattered glass flew all around us (she still to this day keeps reminding me of that!!). I also remembering me being completely calm. I was looking all over for my family and seeing them being ok, I felt complete relief! I also started shaking all of the sudden. Shock and realization of what had happened caught up to me!

The suitcase I had seen standing all alone to the side had blown up! A powerful bomb ripped through the terminal - severely injuring a German Police officer and spraying shrapnel into scores of passengers lounging about in peace.

I DON'T know who was responsible for the attack. All I know is that innocent people get hurt everytime some misguided, brainwashed young person straps a dynamite belt around their waist or drives a car full of TNT towards a roadblock.

I DO know what growing up in Germany being Jewish was like (and still is): submachine-gun toting police officers at my synagogue, at my school and at my club. Armored personnel carriers guarding the airplane I would board to Israel, terrorists trying to kill me while I have lunch in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

I DO know that I almost lost my father in a airplane high-jacking in 1972, where he was seriously injured.

I DO know what it feels like to constantly looking over your shoulder thinking this car could blow up and this Palestinian looking person may have a bomb belt strapped to his body. It is not a feel of fear but a feel of uncertainty.

I DO know that 90% of the world don't have an idea what I am talking about! A bomb in a cafe on Robson St.? Someone blowing themselves up at The Bay on Yonge St.? Are you kiddin me??? No, I am NOT kidding - it could happen! It DOES happen among others in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Bali, Iraq, Spain and now even in Toronto.

I DO know one thing with utmost certainty: I will not be afraid! I refuse to give in to fear.
Because when I do - THEY will have won! And no way in hell will I give them that satisfaction. NO CHANCE IN HELL!!

Cheers