This was a much bigger production than others I'd seen. Lots of trucks and equipment, very hi-tech monitoring equipment and cameras. I only got to see Norton on the monitors...I wasn't in a position to see him in person. However, I did pass by Richard Dreyfuss when I took a break to the loo. I was going down the hall and, as I passed the Rabbi's office, Dreyfuss was standing there in the doorway looking very relaxed and smiling. I nodded to him as I passed by and he nodded back. He's about as tall as Jonnene...I don't why we think actors and other famous people are taller except that maybe the TV or movie screens make them look that way.
We wrapped at 4 o'clock so I got to go home way earlier than last week, about 9.5 hours this time with the pay rate at $58 for an 8-hour period (which means $68.88 for me BEFORE taxes). You can't make a living as an extra or background but it's fun to see how the industry works and get some compensation for it. Jonnene and I went to the evening bike ride and decided to ride on our own instead of with the groups. We kept the pace around 20 mph but neither of us were highly motivated and just a little tired before we even started the ride. But we knew it would be good to loosen the legs a little bit and get a few miles in, about 20 miles in an hour.
I intended to do the morning ride but I couldn't make myself get up. Too tired, too sore but mostly I didn't want to drag all the gear out and prep my TT bike (the road bike's in the shop). So I did a workout here at the house and Jonnene went to the studio for a solo pilates workout after we walked the dogs.
It's nice to walk Farley at 5:30 in the morning. It's dark and quiet, very peaceful in the neighborhood. You'll see some runners, a few of the older folks out getting their walks, and others walking their dogs, too. But mostly you're by yourself with your best friend, watching him sniff everything and bagging up his "deposits" from the yard of a neighbor. Farley will be 13 years old this January and that's getting up there for a Labrador. I know I don't have a lot of time left with him and I always get teary-eyed when I think too much about that. I've known him since he was three months old as a terrified little (30 pounds?) puppy with those small brown eyes. I've tolerated his growing up years...I only spanked him a handful of times but not for the last 10 years...and I marveled at his strength as he matured. He could knock me down when we played in the back yard and, fortunately, didn't know he had the power to jump over the chainlink fence if he had wanted to. He doesn't have that strength anymore and his hind legs are weak, but we go out and do the 1/2 mile or longer walks every morning. He is so excited to do them and is anxiously waiting at the carport door to get outside when I'm finally dressed. It's no problem to keep up with him on the walks as compared to how he pulled me when he was younger.
I mostly let him go where he wants while on leash...I figure he's earned the right to choose his own path...and nearly every morning he surprises me with a new direction or new method to his madness. It's never the same-old same-old. I can always tell a new story about the morning walk because of something different he did. I'm figuring that the day he doesn't want to go for that walk will be the day I have to decide what the future holds. If he doesn't have the enthusiasm or doesn't wag his tail to go outside on his leash, and stays in the house....if he can't walk for any appreciable distance or not at all...
If he heard an ambulance or police car, Farley would go to the back fence and howl. Now he howls if the house phone rings too long!
He follows me between my studio and the living room, and I think it's because he wants to know where I am. I also think I sense some fear in him, that's he's scared, probably because he realizes he can't do all the things he used to do and is confused by it. Other times he's his old self, wagging his tail and getting in my way on purpose. I love it when he's like that! He's still got some zip but there are times you can tell he's just tired. He sleeps a lot (well, that's what dogs do). He goes out into the backyard a couple of times a day but not for long.
I remember reading an article on how to know when to put your dog down. There were three points, any of which is a sign: 1. If your dog can't walk; 2. If your dog can't eat; 3. If your dog can't express pleasure at seeing you or being petted by you. If any of these conditions are present, it's time. It also mentioned that if you think you'd feel relief if you found your dog had died overnight when you woke up in the morning, that might be a sign, too. So far, Farley hasn't given me any of those signs but right now it would probably be the walking part that'll make the difference. He walks gingerly but he can still get around. Once he gets the stiffness out of his legs he can walk for a long distance.
But we'll see how it goes. I'm going to spoil him at this time of his life and he'll know he's lived a good one. He's a good dog and that's the best compliment you can give.
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