Little Lucy Visits

As you'll note from the photo, I've been napping and catching up with my zzzzz's after a thrilling spring break weekend. Little Lucy, aka Lucy Robins, flew into town from Boston, accompanied by Melinda, her Maman. [see other photo]

I've known Lucy long-distance for several years but this was our first face-to-face. Maman has known Melinda for a couple of decades! Maman et Papa love Melinda and Lucy. Perfect set up for a wonderful few doggie-centered days.

What we did: ate. watched the Oscar's. walked. slept. played. ran & jumped in the UGA intramural fields. requested special treats. Need I say more? Every element of a perfect fun-filled weekend.

What I learned about Lucy: her weight, 9lbs. personality, alpha dog. talents, goes for a walk off leash. Adventuresome & adapts well to unfamiliar & challenging situations. Willing to travel tourist class even though she's a first-class kind of girl.

Lucy revealed a lot about her life in Melrose (the town near Boston where Lucy's house is located). She occasionally travels into the city to give a lecture at Emerson College after which she lunches at the Ritz and then indulges in a postprandial stroll through the Boston Gardens. On days at home, she rests, roots out dropped bits of food, gazes out the windows, dips into a murder mystery (she prefers those by Georges Simenon or the English police procedural genre) and then rests when her eyes get tired from reading. She asserts her alpha personality when necessary -- which is infrequent since she established her requirements on her initial interview with Melinda. Few variations to those established routines of home life occur.

Lucy enjoys long walks, rainy days spent indoors, prefers Italian to Mexican foods, and swing to punk. Favorite film star: Asta. Favorite color: red (like her coat). She enjoys a cuddle but she also treasures alone time.

I love Lucy now that I've met her face-to-face even more than I loved her long-distance. She's my best pal. I'm so happy that she accepted my gift to her, the royal-purple bed that becomes her so well.

Mama facebooks

In the past, Mama and I spent our days together pleasantly, watching Law & Order (the original is the best) or Maigret, Perry Mason or Inspector Morse DVDs, reading, walking outdoors, or just puttering around the house.

Ah, for the good old days.

In fact, my dear friend Lucy was the inadvertant cause of the demise of our long lovely days together. Lucy's Mama, Melinda, invited mine to be her facebook friend. Many had previously invited Mama; she steadfastly refused to reply. Until Melinda's invitation. And such is Mama's respect for Melinda, that she was unable to resist returning a resounding Yes.

Now Mama is facebook addicted. She turned facebook into a verb [i.e. facebooking, facebooked...]

She has spent hours creating her profile, joining groups, contacting long lost friends, opening photo albums. Granted, as far as the last is concerned, mine was the first album and has, as I recall, the greatest number of pictures. Her albums include those dedicated to: family, former graduate students, colleague-friends, other friends, my friends, Grady at Oxford 2004, Grady at Oxford 2005, etc. If the list isn't yet endless, there's every indication that her collection of albums will continue to grow at an alarming rate. She proceeds more gingerly with groups; but one established group had no wall entries (wall! what?) nor any pictures until Mama joined.

Furthermore, as a result of Mama's direct and indirect instigation, many more friends have accepted invitations and they in turn are connecting with their long lost friends. Even Papa has (reluctantly) succumbed. Even, Grandpere!

I seem to have been relegated to 2nd class status. I watch from my computer room bed (one of my 3 beds in our home) and wait, hoping for some slight recognition, even a mere glimmer of remembrance.

I find it ironic that Mama is reading an Agatha Christie novel just now that centers around a dead character: Rosemary, for remembrance.

Loyal fans and friends, please send your special messages across time & space in your hopes that Mama's sanity and my pleasurable days will return soon. [you may notice how plaintive I look in the photo above.

I love Lucy

These are Lucy.

Lucy, I love you.

You are smart & clever. I'm pretty sure you Boss your home and that you run a tight ship there.

Also, au naturel or chicly groomed, you're gorgeous.

PLUS!

Sparkling personality, sly sense of humor, cunning wit and underneath all that a true capacity for love & compassion, Lucy, these are among your qualities that today's entry celebrates. Lucy, I love you so much. Your pal, M²

Compare, Invidious, Unfair

During the last few days my personality & behaviour have been subjected to comparisons to the Remarkable Lucy (shown at left with her Mama). As a consequence, I've experienced any amount of suffering.

The back story: Lucy flew, from the Idaho breeder with whom I lived previously, to Logan, Boston. There for the first time she met Melinda, long time friend (& accomplished scholar) of Mama (click appropriate link in labels field below). It seems that Lucy (formerly named Poppi!) was an instant hit with her Mama & took to city life in a most gratifying manner.

However, that does not negate the unenviable position in which I've been placed. For example,

Lucy is touted as a lap dog; I, a bruiser.

Lucy's manners are impecable; mine, to the contrary.

Lucy eats daintily; I'm accused of spreading crumbs.

Lucy is called "cute little Lucy;" I'm referred to as "funny little girl."

And on. And on.

Let's face it. Such comparisons are invidious and unfair. Lucy is an adult & I, a teen. Lucy is a relative newcomer in Melinda's flat--perhaps acting on her (suspiciously) best behavior. I'm already a seasoned member of the Roushanzamir household, clearly a lifer. In any case, aren't we each unique with characteristics that define our identities, that ephemeral yet essential Who-We-Are?

Let's add insult to injury. Lucy's Mama is that same Melinda Robins who, as I reported in February 03, '07 , brutally scorned Mama's pals-- before my time & true, pauvre Mama's so-called pals were pathetic stuffed animals (again, click appropriate link in labels field below for juicy tit bits).

In fairness, Lucy is gorgeous, a veritable glamour girl; like me she may be able to pursue a successful modeling career (click appropriate link in labels field below). Apparently she has cottened to Melinda most satisfactorily.

And in the interests of truth, let it be known that it was Melinda's encounter with Me that served as the significant first step towards uniting Lucy with her Mama. In the adoption of Lucy my influence was paramount.

So Cheers to you, lovely Lucy. Your namesakes may be many (Lucille Ball, B.B.King's guitar to name only two) but you're an exceptional doggie & a credit to us all.