Roland in the house — my house

I've written on occasion about Roland.

Well, the pooch himself is spending the weekend with Kate and me while Maria Burnham, Roland's human and my editor, goes off gallivanting.

That is the first time I've ever written a sentence with the word "gallivanting" in it.

Kate and Roland trotted around the apartment for a while and then things settled down to normal.

For Kate, that is.


Roland eventually found a spot underneath the table where he remained while I finished my coffee and online news reading. Sorry, newspaper industry. I guess I am part of the problem.


Thing is, I couldn't move my legs, but the priority is to make the guest happy, right?

Roland did keep an eye on me (the eyes!) as I moved around the place, even coming upstairs with me for a bit.

But, for right now, until he gets used to the new environs, I guess under the table is as good a spot as any.


It's close to the water; it's got a view of the patio. What could be bad?

UPDATE: I was upstairs getting ready for work and I heard barking. From inside my apartment. Not something that usually occurs. I went downstairs and Roland was growling at the complex's handyman who had come by unannounced. Good boy, Roland.

Kate's grand adventure

I spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Cleveland at the Christmas Story House Convention, where I attended the premiere of a documentary I've been working on for the past year.

The feature-length film is called "The Untold Christmas Story," a behind-the-scenes movie, which stars actors from the holiday favorite "A Christmas Story." It was directed and edited by my friend Bill Szarka. If you are curious, here are the trailer and a couple of clips from the film.

As always, the problem with going away is what to do with Kate. Couldn't take her to Cleveland.

Fortunately, my editor Maria Burnham volunteered to take care of Kate for the weekend.

Maria documented the weekend for me, leaving out pictures of the little stomach upset Kate had. She wasn't eating much, probably because of the change in circumstances, and when she doesn't eat, she throws up. Again, Maria, my apologies.

Apparently, Kate made herself right at home, commandeering Roland's bed, even though Maria brought Kate's bed from our home. Roland was a gentleman about it. Maria's cat Wookiee, on the other hand, was non-plussed.

Here are Maria's pix:

Kate and Roland meet.


Kate inspects the digs.


Kate inspects Roland.


Wookiee is not impressed.


Kate wonders where all the food is.


Kate makes herself at home ... in Roland's bed.


Roland wonders, what is up with that?


Kate and Roland on a walk.

Beacon goes to the dogs (sorry)

The City of Beacon turned Main Street over to canines of all sizes and shapes today for the first annual Animal Shelter Appreciation Day's "Beacon Barks!" parade and street fair. Local merchants welcomed dogs and their owners into the shops and even provided water and treats.

Before the parade, dogs and their humans gathered at the base of Main Street. Kate got to meet several cute pups.


Willie (named after Willie Nelson), a 1-3/4-year-old cockapoo owned by Art Burns of Beacon.


Kate says hello to 9-year-old Molly O'Hamlin, a bearded collie with a summer haircut, and 14-year-old Sam Malone, a west highland terrier. They are owned by Suzanne Hamlin of Newburgh.


The parade kicked off shortly after 11 a.m. with Debbi Calabrese of the Dutchess County SPCA holding the banner and dancing to "Who Let the Dogs Out?" What would we do if that song hadn't been written?



During the parade, Boston, an 18-month-old black pug owned by Tamela Hayes of Wappingers Falls, had the right idea. Get in the shade and onto some cool asphalt as Kate looks on.


Walking alongside Kate and me was Roland, a 3-year-old terrier mix owned by the Journal's Assistant Local Desk Editor Maria Burnham, who said everyone who stopped her to ask what breed Roland was had a different idea of what made up his Roland-ness.


It was shoulder to shoulder and paw to paw inside The Beacon Barkery after the parade. The store, which co-sponsored the parade and street fair with the DCSPCA and the City of Beacon, was also filled with treats and collars and toys and food for dogs. I bought a few for Kate, but the icing didn't fair too well in 80+ temperatures. She didn't seem to mind, devouring the heart-shaped cookie first.


There were even dogs available for adoption. Here, Mary Ellen Mikula of East Fishkill volunteered to man the DCSPCA mobile adoption van.


The DCSPCA also had agility demonstrations and music throughout the afternoon. Kate, unwillingly, took advantage of the Dog Wash, the proceeds of which went to the DCSPCA. Attending to her highness was John Bier of Beacon and Isabel Rose of the City of Poughkeepsie, a DCSPCA volunteer.


A highlight of the day for Kate was getting her picture taken with Beacon Mayor Clara Lou Gould. After 18 years in office, Gould is not seeking re-election. She is ostensibly hanging up her hat, but probably not the one she is wearing.


Kate was plum tuckered out by the excitement of all those butts to sniff, not to mention those city lamp posts. While Burnham and I had some coffee at Muddy Cup, Kate did her impersonation of a rug, albeit a panting rug.


If anyone has any pictures they want to share from Saturday's Beacon Barks!, send them to me here.

Another banner day at the Journal

We didn't exactly roll out the red carpet (it was more of a blanket), but Roland — belonging to Assistant Local Editor Maria Burnham — visited the information center today.

He has visited in the past, and most everyone is happy to see him.

I say most everyone, because, well, today Roland was watching me. Just watching me.

Lying there, then sitting there on his haunches.

His eyes seldom looked anywhere other than in my direction. I could feel them in the back of my head.

Always with the eyes. The eyes!


Embiggen the picture for a closer look at the eyes. The eyes! coming from under the desk.

Maybe at first it was because of the turkey sandwich I brought for lunch and was eating at my desk.

Then maybe it was the barbecued chicken sandwich I had for dinner that my colleague Larry Hertz brought me from the Hudson Valley Ribfest.

Sheesh, I thought Kate could stare.

Banner day at the Journal

We were honored today in the information center (née newsroom) by a visit from Assistant Local Editor Maria Burnham's Roland.

He happily munched on some beef jerky while Burnham toiled to provide the life to which he's grown accustomed.

A visit to the dog park

We finally made it to the Fishkill, N.Y., dog park, located in Doug Phillips Park on Route 52.

You can find it here.

Kate and I went there today with my editor Maria and her pooch Roland, seen below under a tree.

For the first few minutes we were the only ones there, but eventually a few more people showed up. With their dogs, of course. Nothing is stranger than someone who comes to a dog park without a dog.

The place is pretty large, and it has a double gate so the furry ones can't escape too easily. It even has an obstacle course for those dogs so inclined.

Kate, being an old gal, was content to sit in the shade most of the time.


You can see from the video how big the place is. Maria said that she had been there on the weekend when it was jammed with dogs. There are plenty of tennis balls to throw, and even a flying disk or two. Water bottles and waste bags are hanging by the entrance. There is a hose in the back near a couple of wading pools.

Kate found it extremely convenient just to lie down next to one of the water bowls — in the shade of course.


And under a bench, too.

I think the park is wonderful, and I wish more communities would provide safe and secure places for dogs to run and play off leash. Are you listening City of Poughkeepsie?

We will definitely go there again. It only took about 20 minutes, but I think we'll go on cooler days.

It's all about me

Be sure and check out tomorrow's Life section in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

I've done an article about a book dealing with greening your dog, called Eco Dog: Healthy Living for Your Pet.

It was written by Catskill residents Corbett Marshall and Jim Deskevich.

I made one of the treat recipes for Kate and my editor Maria Burnham's Roland. They liked them.