LabradorRodeo

August 7 — So, I realize I owe you all about two months’ worth of posts…and believe me, there is much to post. I really wanted to have everything up to date by tomorrow so I could get a turn-in post up this weekend, but there is so much to do, so much to prepare for, and so much weeping and clinging to Truman I have yet to do before Saturday at noon…I promise I will get all of it up eventually, but it probably won’t be anywhere near on time.

Rest assured, though, I will catch you up. And there may even be some interesting puppy news on the horizon….

From an actual IM conversation I just had a few minutes ago with a co-worker (who is working from home today):

me: um…earthquake
gabe: yeah
me: holy crap
me: still moving
gabe: this is a long one
me: man!
gabe: whew… it’s rare that i actually have time to remember to find cover
me: at least we have no windows here!
me: lol
gabe: lol
gabe: sad but true
gabe: there are ppl working on the street outside and they didn’t even notice it
gabe: they’re hardcore
me: lol … it was a 5.8 centered 2mi SW of Chino Hills
gabe: that’s a good size
me: yeah!
gabe: this is so LA of us… IMing while the earthquake is happening
gabe: lol
me: LOL!!!

Meanwhile, Truman was solid as a rock. He did look up from where he was sleeping under my desk, and he stood up at some point and walked over to me — this was a LOOOOONG earthquake — but he didn’t take much notice otherwise.

A co-worker a few cubicles down from me is quoted as saying, “That is a BAD DOG. He didn’t bark or warn us or anything.”

I replied, “You mean you didn’t get his e-mail?”

I’ve been dreading going to the mailbox for weeks now, knowing it was coming any day. Today, we got it.

The letter.

Turn-in day is August 9th.

June 8, 2008 — Truman and I have pretty much been hanging around the apartment, having a lazy day. Some days, he just looks big and grown up in ways that I’ve not yet seen. Today, inexplicably, he looks suspicious.

(Sorry about the title. Couldn’t help myself.)

June 1, 2008 — Just four months after our first train trip to San Diego, Truman and I were headed there again. And though we were riding in an Amtrak passenger car, this time was different in that the train was being pulled by the steam locomotivewe’ve come to know and love.

Unlike the trip to Fullerton, this was a full-blown steam excursion that was open to the public; it had been three years in the making, and the cars that followed the engine were filled with families, old-timers and steam enthusiasts who travel to distant locations for opportunities such as this one. As we pulled away from Union Station and rounded a curve of track, I was able to get a quick photo of Santa Fe 3751 in action — forgive the “filter” of the dirty Amtrak window:

As usual, many people were surprised to see a dog on the train, but Truman makes friends quickly and soon one of our car hosts was snapping his photograph for inclusion in his train club’s upcoming newsletter. We settled in and enjoyed the view all the way down the coast, having chosen seats on the side of the train that we knew would be closest to the ocean during the daylight trip southward.

She certainly draws a crowd! We pulled into the historic Santa Fe station in San Diego a few relaxing hours later, and were immediately met with throngs of curious onlookers and TV cameras. Here are some shots of her from the station and from across the street, with the station behind her, against the backdrop of the modern buildings of downtown San Diego:

We were free to explore for a few hours, so Truman and I had a nice lunch in front of the tall ships docked nearby, the most well-known of which, Star of India, had a bunch of people doing rigging or something high up just above the sail.

Before we got back onto the train for the journey home, I took a few shots of the inside of the lovely old Santa Fe station.

The only trouble with traveling is that I come home tired after a full day on the road…but Truman, who has by this time slept for most of the day and left the arrangements and coordination up to me, is ready to play. After having been so well-behaved and “in jacket” all day long, he got home to the apartment and hit the stairs at full shuffle, going up and down three flights twice in the time it took me to do it once, then doing donuts on my living room carpet until I made him go to bed. Is there a way to tap into puppy energy?

May 24, 2008 — There’s not always an opportunity for us (or most people) to hang out with a big steam locomotive, but there is a local train club here in Southern California where steam enthusiasts gather to build and run their own miniature trains, and to give rides and tours to the public as well.

Truman’s favorite human is a member of the Los Angeles Live Steamers, so we were invited to attend their annual Spring meet. People from all over the country descend on the LALS portion of Griffith Park for a weekend of food, entertainment, camping, and riding the little rails through the forest!

We were fortunate to be in the company of one of the core members of the club, who gave us a special walking tour of the facility. Truman enjoyed his stroll through the woods and a photo session with several of the miniature set pieces that make the track circuit even more fun. We thought the bridge was especially cool:

There are full-sized pieces on the property as well. This caboose houses the club’s library of historic books, documents, manuals and other train-related ephemera.

The atmosphere was festive, the BBQ was delicious, and the entertainment was provided by our favorite big band, The Fabulous Esquires…and yes, they played “Take the A Train.”

If I hadn’t had to keep both hands firmly on Truman, I would have taken a photo of us riding this little Santa Fe. Truman is typically an excellent traveler…when he’s in an enclosed compartment, that is. When he is sitting on a bench in front of me, with my arms around him to keep him from leaping off, he is less enthusiastic about riding the train. We had a few power struggles in which he was certain that if he wiggled enough, or climbed over me, he could elude my grasp and disembark mid-trip, hobo style. Fortunately, however, my dog-enhanced biceps are well practiced in the art of puppy restraint, and no one caused a derailment….

May 13, 2008

May 3, 2008 — Truman and I are huge fans of The Fabulous Esquires Big Band, so when we heard they were playing the Armed Forces Dance at Atomic Ballroom, we knew there was a good time to be had!

Though I did get a little dancing in, we mostly just hung out in the corner with the musicians’ gear, watching the swing dancers and enjoying the tunes with a couple of other friends of the band. Because Truman is so enamored of the saxophone section, he sat in next to the bari for a couple of numbers. He figured his primary job was to look cool and detached, like a real jazz musician.

He was eventually so cool and detached that he fell asleep.