Rude Awakening

Sun out and breeze a-blowing, we got into the car today and headed for the coast. Truth be told, if there were a straight line leading out of our front door to the coast, it'd be maybe a ten mile jaunt, but with all those mountains, it's actually a 20-minute drive on a freeway with Girlfriend singing "Jingle Bells," and a few other tunes I don't really know the name of.

That's okay, though. And although I really needed to get some stuff done (knitting), I opted for relaxing in the car because the last time I attempted knitting in the car, I got car sick. Plus, it's looking like I have a herniated disc in my back and when I knit it intensifies the pain in my left hip and leg. Ugh.

But that's okay; it's alright. Because there's sunshine and enough breeze to go around, and I was thinking I looked sensational in my new sunglasses--with prescription lenses and all.

At any rate, after our lunch, we went to get ice cream for Girlfriend and we spotted a doggie doing a jig. And the woman who was leading him around had a giant Chanel purse and, well, the same sunglasses as me, the ones that the people at my optical joint promised "weren't even in the catalogs, yet."

Next thing I knew, I was whipping those suckers off my nose and pushing them into my purse.

Is it just me? Am I a snob? Or is it I just don't want to have anything to do with a woman who puts slippers on her dog?

(Shoot; you'd think they'd at least be hand-knit.)

Oh man: I can see it now. I'm going to continue wearing these fabulous Chanels only to run into the retired, doggie-leading set who happen to love the same frames. Oy, ugh, ugh, ugh ugh ugh. (Good thing this sort of thing doesn't happen with hand-knit sweaters and other items in these parts.)

BTW: I am so busy with all the knitting and writing stuff. I am spent, spent, spent. BUT not spent enough to go out and give blood so I can afford more yarn. Heh. Just joking, but honestly, what's up with that? On our way to the "coast," I managed to score more than two skeins of yarn--on a Sunday.

Lets face it, friends: Scoring two or more skeins of yarn on a Sunday, during an ordinary drive to the coast, is nearly the same as scoring your particular brand while in rehab.

Comments

[Vicki in So. Cal.]

So sorry about your back.

Poor dog! I hate putting dogs in any kind of clothes, it seems so undignified. However, I once had to keep boots on my Aussies for a couple of weeks after they tore off their pads. They chased a pack of dogs away from the sheep and weren't used to running on pavement. By the time I was able to call them off, their pads were a mess. Perhaps, that little doggy also had a reson for wearing slippers. Probably not, but I'll give her the benefit of doubt.

[Tammy]

Oh no! I hope your back feels better soon!

I thought of you this weekend... of all your wonderful strange people stories... of all the stories I'd love to tell about my weekend but I can't. I was at a family wedding. Oy!

[keohinani]

sometimes, telling someone else "you've got great taste" doesn't quite cut it, does it?

i don't blame you at all.

though, i suppose that's the other side of the coin when you consider how brand-conscious people can be.

to each her own, brand-conscious or not.

btw, did you happen to see that brand name challenge thing that was going around a couple of months ago? the one where people knitted / crocheted brand name replicas of handbags, etc.? i didn't think to save the link, but i thought it was quite fascinating.

[Lizbon]

In my not-especially-humble opinion, it is just as silly to ditch a pair of perfectly fabulous sunglasses because a dorky lady is wearing them as it is to buy a pair of ugly jeans because "the cool kids" are wearing them. If you still like the shades for their aesthetics (I agree, they look cool behind the bar), sport them proudly!

Perhaps purple-dog-bootie-vixen bought them after admiring them on her very very chic moviestar friend.

As to mainlining the yarn, I can only say that I, too, bought two skeins of yarn for no good reason yesterday. Oh wait, it was three skeins. (hangs head in shame) Handpainted merino, in point of fact. (singing: "Don't bogart that swift, my friend...")

[Lizbon]

PS. Very sorry to hear about your disc. Back problems suck.

[Erica]

SUCH a drag about the disc. So sorry to hear it!

I LOVE how you blacked out the eyes, even on the poor, victimized dog. (OK, yes the first sweater I knit was a hoodie for a dog, but it was for my FRIEND's dog as payment for the metric buttload of yarn she'd given me.)

Honey, up here MOST of the yarn shops are open on Sunday (well, not the one up the street, but that's b/c it changed hands and, therefore, now doesn't have enough employees).

[KnittinMol]

In defense of the lady...the slippers are probably to keep the pooch's feet clean. My mom owns a maltese and has similar little shoes she puts on him when she's walking him on asphalt or dusty ground. It's a choice, either wash your dog twice a week, have him wear shoes, or let him be dirty. Personally? I would go with the dirty option.

Nice bonus scoring yarn on a beach trip!

[Carson]

I really don't understand people who can't deal with their dogs being dirty. Dogs get dirty. That's their raison d'etre. If you can't deal..get a cat.
Anyhoo...I certainly share your horror of sharing an accessory -prescription or otherwise- with a member of that 'crowd' as John so aptly puts it.

[Angela]

My guess is that the pup has a reason for the slippers...and as for all the disdain and horror over dogs wearing clothes, some dogs, with a single coat of fur and a short nose (Boston Terriers and Boxers, for example) need to be sweatered in the winter if they are going to be outside for any length of time. Their bodies aren't made for cold and their short faces prevent them from warming up the air which leads to pneumonia, among other things. One thing I thought I liked about the knitting crowd is the "to each is own" attitude, but lately it seems a lot less like that and a lot more like Mean Girls redux.

[Lizbon]

Hmmmn. Having just read the keeping-dogs'-feet-clean explanation for dog booties, I must say that sort of makes sense to me - given how un-thrilled I am when my cat wants to stick her litter-box feet in my face.

[wendy]

Yeah, I understand that, too, but it wasn't dirty there nor was it cold. I think it must have been in the mid-70's...(hence, the ice cream).

[Angel]

I have seen patterns for doggie slippers out there (I forgot where- but I think maybe in "Creative Knitting") I have to say though, when I lived in Boston it was not uncommon at all for dogs to wear "shoes" in the snow to protect their feet from the cold, ice, and salt on the roads. Also, unless the dog was a malumute or st bernard, they all wore sweaters- It was simply too cold that particular winter to go without one. It was always fun to see the different doggie wear- there was this one greyhound in my neighborhood who always wore an old sweatshirt that had been tailored for him, with the hood up over his head. Some people "dressed up" their dogs in fussy outfits but most simply put a simple knitted sweater or fleece "jacket" on them to keep them warm, along with doggie boots. I have also seen dogs wearing "shoes" in really hot weather because the asphalt can burn their paws.

So maybe that woman had a reason for doggie slippers- who knows, but given that its a mild, sunny California winter- it most certainly isn't because there is snow on the ground!

[dris]

Angela (aka "Mean Girls" labeler), lighten up!

[Sarah]

Thank you, Wendy! Your post reminded me of two very important things I must remember:
1. Never, ever put slippers on the dog. Even if he's willing to let me. It's just wrong.
2. Next time I am back in the ol' hometown, I need to go down to the harbor and get myself some ice cream at Coastal Cone -- I haven't been there in ages! Mmm...ice cream...

[no-blog-rachel]

In Vermont where roads, sidewalks and paths are salted (either with real salt or a chemical) to melt ice, we do put waterproof booties on the dogs to keep their feet from being burned by . And yes they hate them but it's necessary. If their feet become irritated it not only hurts, they also ingest that nasty stuff when they lick their sore feet. But I don't have a clue why this would be needed in CA!

Oh yeah - your rehab comment? Priceless. You crack me up.

[Dorothy B]

My name is Dorothy and I am a yarn addict. It has been two days since my last score and I don't know how much longer I can hold out.

I live in Canada. There is snow and cold temperatures here. I don't put slippers on my dog. If I was wearing anything that woman was wearing it would have gone right into my bag too. Just be glad it wasn't your shirt.

[flutter]

oh dear that is so wrong

[Bob Cuddy]

I want to comment on your possible herniated disk. My problem was pain from a herniated neck disk. Among my different aspects of my life it was a severe problem during a vacation at the beach while lying on my stomach in the sun with my head turned to the side to breathe. I ultimately invented and patented the SquidFace and ComfyRest pillows to relieve my pain. These pillows enable me to lie facedown comfortably and breathe without turning my head to the side. Unexpected benefits of these pillows are snoring relief; Neck, shoulder and back muscle tension relief; sinus, migraine, ear pain, snoring and more. Stomach sleepers are finding their backs feel better after using these pillows. Hopefully this can help you. Many of the benefits are on my website. www.SquidFace.com

[Anita]

I do sympathize with the Chanel debacle...as I am a handbag, shoes, jeans, sunglasses and....(somewhat)yarn snob. I like nice things and .... I knit. These 2 things don't always make sense in other people minds....
About the dog, boots not necessary for that situation! I live in PA and only put boots on my Bichon when there is snow/ice due to the salt burning her paws! And a sweater b/c I keep her hair shorter and it can get pretty darn cold for me! And also, gives me a chance to show off handknits!!!!
Sorry about back probs, take care of it now, don't wait!

[Kell]

oh man that was a good first read of the morning. I almost spit on the screen seeing that doggy!

[Stark Raving Mom]

The poor little thing! Dogs are so regal and loyal, they shouldn't be used as clowns and have their self respect stripped away. I know you would never do that to Chuck. Real dog people like us should unite against the people with dogs in pink handbags and dogs with purple slippers. I blame Paris Hilton for the whole thing!
Sorry about the back. I hear there is a new surgery on the horizon that entails placing a synthetic disc in the area. My mom just had a more standard surgery in the area and it didn't really offer any relief. Just a really "cool" scar that she says makes it look like she has the worlds longest butt crack!

[Niki]

Great pic. Instead of dancing, it looks like he is trying to get the dopey shoes off his feet. Poor guy!

[becky]

The only way you can score yarn in rural western Pennsylvania on a Sunday is to compulsively bid on ebay. It was almost like being at an auction in the last few minutes. I scored 10 skeins of Jaeger luxury tweed yarn- Fossil for $33. Someone tell me that was a good deal and not a BYWOL (buying yarn while on line- as opposed to the more traditional DUI.) I may open a 12-step yarn blog- then again- is my life really unmanageable? Maybe I'll stay in denial for a little longer- just to see what happens.

Boots no boots- at least it's a sight to see.

Wendy, I think you're great.

[Sue]

I think it looks like a possible shot for a "Whose Line Is It Anyway" episode.

[Ingrid]

Hey wait! I recognize the dog!
(Just kidding, the bar across the eyes is too funny.)

You need to read Dr. Sarno's books on back pain. They cured my long-standing issues with squooshy discs and things in my neck and lower back. He says it is all about chronic muscle tension, and I am telling you, changing my mind about the problem changed my life.