Bixby Bridge

I took a drive on Hwy 1 today. Unfortunately, the thing I remember the most is NOT the breathtaking panoramic views, nor driving my new zippy car. What I remember most is walking over the narrow path on the right of the bridge to get to the other side. The distance down causes a nervousness that causes your bones to shake. But since I am in the process of conquering my fears, I decided, in Yoda speak..."Cross it, you will." Grumble a little when you read it, and my mindset can be understood.

With all the bravery I could muster, I began slowly walking across that bridge. Although she was in the car, I did not bring Roxie. She is still an extreme tugger on the leash, and I was simply to "chicken" to bring her along. I mean... she may have gotten hit! So I braved the trek alone. Once across, and feeling rather proud and confident, I started to feel comfortable. Perhaps I was acclimated to my environment.

Who knows why, but I decided to frolic a little. VERY little. But frolic, I did (don't forget to grumble).  In any case, I walked back and forth several times, stopping at the alcoves that were designed for just that. Then I heard it. The sound of a police car siren was coming my way.

Tucked in the safety of the alcove. I stayed put as I discovered it was a Highway Patrol car crossing the bridge - rather quickly, but safely by me. It was a little scary but nothing to write to my Aunt Dorothy about. After it passed by, I felt that euphoria that comes after conquering a major fear. The euphoria that fuels your veins with adrenaline. I felt like I could conquer the world, and so, out there on this dangerous highway, I decided to take a photo of the narrowness standing directly in the path of traffic. What was I thinking?

Then I heard it again, only this time it was coming at me much more quickly. Another siren! "You have got to be kidding me," I was thinking. I looked around and I could not see another one of the alcoves that was near enough to tuck into. I opted to stand up on the curbside, and look out towards the ocean (trying as best as I could to avoid looking at the gorge below). Unlike the prior CHP crossing, this driver was speeding, and a little out of control, at that. He even swerved a little towards me, as if to say, get out of my way, so I leaned over the bridge a little. GASP! I exhaled as he passed by me without hitting me. That was intensely frightening. I regretted every moment of my frolicking.

It wasn't until I was far away from that place that I felt safe again (Elkhorn Yacht Club area), but I got a migraine on the way home that day. It was simply too much for me. To this day, I don't know why the CHP officer drove that way. Could have been that they were racing? Maybe they were comparing times when they got to their ending point. Maybe there was an accident up ahead (I didn't think so because I had just been there, and traffic was coming from that direction as normal as could be).  I wonder if I'll ever know.

Speaking of Accessories

The Dog Whisperer and Friends

Hardy wouldn’t have enjoyed riding in the Hybrid. In my gas guzzling, outdated means of transportation SUV, and the car I owned before it, he had a cute habit of putting his feet on the center armrest that is situated between the driver and passenger seats. Once he secured good balance, he would place his muzzle on my shoulder, as I drove us from point A to point B. He didn’t do it the whole time, and I’m not exactly certain what it meant, but I had a few ideas. It was a charming behavior, his head resting softly and quietly on my shoulder, and it remains one of my fondest memories of him, if not the fondest.

The Hybrid doesn’t have the center armrest for doggie paw stabilization, and I’m thinking I need to change that. That head resting behavior could possibly be something I can train Roxie to do. She seems to be at ease in a way she wasn't before. Maybe it's time to teach her something new. Last night while taking Roxie and Chico for an evening stroll down to the park with my daughter and her BF, I realized how happy Roxie has become. She really seemed to take pleasure in this particular walk, as she frolicked happily, chasing and yapping after my daughter’s best friend.

Roxie has taken quite a fancy to this woman – we call her the dog whisperer because she has a quiet way with the dogs, but it’s really Roxie with which she seems to have had the most profound influence. It’s been almost a year after her adoption, and the relationship between these two kind souls has truly become extraordinary. There is no doubt in my mind that if anything happened to me, after my husband, my daughter’s friend would be the best owner for Roxie.

It was the first time I gave up the “reins” to another person without regret. So impressed was I in this newly blossoming relationship between my fated companion and the dog whisperer that I let her take possession of Roxie’s lead on the way back. It looked like Roxie smiled the whole way home, as she pranced obediently, and uncharacteristically, with a little slack on the leash the whole time. It made me think: my little girl has come a long way in about a year. What's more, the huge cavity in my heart is slowly filling up with fond memories that only time can deliver.

My Futuristic Honda Hybrid

On July 24th I purchased a new car! It's a 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid variable transmission. I've had it for several weeks now, and I'm enjoying it very much. Learning to drive it has been a little bit of a challenge, but fun at the same time. It has a voice recognition navigation system, and it makes me feel like I'm driving in the Jetson's cartoon or the Back to the Future movie. It has a variable transmission, which means I can select to drive it in three different modes: Sport (fast and racy), Normal, and Economy (gas saving and gutless). The navi system ranks me when I shut off the engine based on a 1 to 5 scale. If I get a 5, it means I drove well and saved fuel. I love the auto stop feature which shuts off the engine when the car is stopped - stop signs, signals, etc. It has a 10 gallon tank, so it's not so painful to pay at the pump, but the best thing about it is... Roxie seems to love it. I was so excited about my new car, I recently purchased an accessory to go with it.

Roxie as a phobia of cars. She pants and panics much like me when I see a large dog make eye contact with me and come my way. She shudders and jumps around from place to place trying to find somewhere where she feels comfortable, which usually ends up being my lap. Not a safe way to drive, I am aware, but it almost seems safer than her jumping all over the place. I tried putting her in a crate, but that seemed to make her even more panicky. The new car seems to have helped her cope with being a passenger. She is not cured of these undesirable behaviors all of the time, but in the Hybrid she's a lot calmer and often times she simply relaxes in the passenger seat. I'm happy to report that she was driven to the dog park in it and she played without fear! We even made a new friend there that day. His name is Rocky and he is a six month old Boston Terrier.

Roxie at the Dog Park

I am causing quite a stir in the land of SUVs Dublin with my new vehicle. Many people ask questions about how it runs, how I like it, gas mileage, and simply compliment me on its lovely color. After giving my kids a ride in it, it's a two seater so it had to be separate occasions, both of them stated the car was "futuristic." I've heard it said your future is what you make it, so make it a good one. With this car, I think I am doing just that.