Poetry, Children's Stories, Playwriting and more...

"Any powerful idea is absolutely fascinating and absolutely useless until you decide to put it to work."

-from the Messiah's Handbook by Richard Bach.

I began blogging last March to build my creative writing platform and since then, I've veered off course quite a bit.  Today, I am roping myself in.  I want to stay on track and buckle down.  

In the Blogathon 2012 blog roll my name and blog appear high on the list, which is great for driving traffic to my blog, and the description that follows is: "Poetry, children's stories, playwriting, and more..."  I examined the description for a minute, thought about my actual blog, and came up with a simple conclusion.  I am here to tell stories.  Whether they come out as poems, plays, kid's books, or simple life accounts, that is what I do.  

Therefore, today I am going to tell a story.  I consider it a Part 2, to the story of her jumping out of my car six months ago. That moment literally changed my life course forever.

So, without further ado...

Lucy's Surgery

by Amanda Steinhaus

Meet Lucy.

Lucy is my four and a half year old pure bred, black lab.  

She was the runt of the litter, but still managed to grow up big and strong! 

She weighs almost 75 pounds and loves to eat!  There's nothing Lucy won't do for a treat! 

She can sit, lay down, roll over, shake, high five, and even says "I Love You!"  

Lucy loves hiking, chasing squirrels, going for rides in the car and she especially loves swimming!

Well,  one day  when we were driving to California from Missouri, a picnic basket fell in Lucy's seat in the car, and she got spooked!  She couldn't get out from under the picnic basket, so without thinking, she JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW AT 80  MILES PER HOUR!!!

You can read that story here.

This is the story of what happened next.

Lucy healed from all of her wounds from that tragic jump in about three weeks - all except one.  Lucy partially tore her anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, that day and anytime we would go to the park, or the beach, Lucy would limp around on that leg for the remainder of the evening.  The vet gave me some pain pills to give her when this happened, and that was the routine for about five months.

Well, one day when my nephew was visiting me for his Spring Break vacation, we took Lucy to the dog beach to play with us.  All was going well, until Lucy emerged from the ocean limping more than usual, and when I took a closer look, she was NOT using her back right leg AT ALL!!!

We went straight to the vet and did x-rays.  The vet also sedated Lucy and did a special "shelf" test, in which he moved her knee in ways it shouldn't normally move.  The news was bad.  Lucy tore her ACL. 

I searched all over town and found the best place to have surgery - VCA Animal Specialty Group.  They did surgeries like this all day, so I didn't feel so scared when I took Lucy in for her exam.  In fact, I was already prepared to leave her in case they had an opening to do the surgery that day!

The specialist looked at her x-rays, felt her knee and confirmed my family vet's diagnosis.  Lucy needed surgery.  I said a prayer and left her there.  It was hard, but I knew she was in the best care possible.

Here I am saying, "bye" to my baby girl.

When I picked Lucy up the next morning, she was wearing a seriously cool bandage, that looked more like a cast and had a sweet little butterfly sticker on it!  Lucy could care less, since she was on plenty of pain medicine and just wanted to go home and lay in her bed.  

Here she is when I got her home,

The recovery time for an ACL surgery is 8 weeks!  Lucy is not allowed to run free, walk without a leash, jump or play until she is fully healed.  After one week, we got her cast off.  After two weeks, we got her stitches out.  At four weeks, we got an x-ray of her healing and the vet specialist told me that I could start taking her on ten minute walks!!!  We have been doing that for almost a week now.  

Here's what Lucy's knee looks like in the x-ray - full of screws and hinges to help it move.  The vet calls it a "bionic knee."

Pretty cool, huh?  

Lucy is starting to use it when she goes on her walks, and I even saw her itch herself with it last night, which is good because she is using it!!!

She has begun to grow her hair back where they shaved it off for the surgery and her scar is starting to look less like Frankenstein everyday!  

We have about three more weeks before our final set of x-rays, so until then, Lucy must lay low, go on her short walks, stay on a leash and avoid stairs at all costs.

She is doing good, is still getting used to her new knee, but is on the road to recovery!

As hard as it is to see those sad brown eyes begging me to go play, I know that this period of recovery is very important for the quality of life she will have for the rest of her life.  

One thing is for sure...

Lucy is a survivor!  

  

So, I got this dog...

Lucy was only 8 weeks old in this picture, but I met her when she was only 5 weeks old. 

She was the runt of the litter and also the most playful.

Her mom and dad were both all black...

(Zant and Vita)

 Lucy came out with a "cow" belly and white feet, 

and what I call a Wonder Woman "W" in white fur across her chest.

You can really see it here...

I was infatuated and had to make her mine.

A week later, she was what Delta Air calls, "Live Cargo," but to me she was precious goods on a wildly bumpy and extremely hot journey from Kansas City to Atlanta and finally to her new home, San Diego.

She loved her new home - especially her new front yard - the beach.

She grew into her puppy paws quickly and played all day everyday with anyone or any dog who was willing!

She liked to run, jump, roll over, high five, shake, lay down...

She would bark when you asked her, "What's your name?"

And if that isn't enough, she even knows how to say, 

"I love you!"

Lucy lived the good life.  She had it all and bag of treats.  

When Lucy didn't think life could get much better, she got the ultimate toy - another puppy to play with!

Annie.

Lucy and Annie became best buddies.

With the exception of one month, Lucy and Annie have been together every day since Annie came along.

They are just like sisters.  

One gets jealous when the other gets attention, but they'll always be best friends.

They both love to go outside.

They both love the beach!

And they REALLY love when I put on my roller skates and let them pull me FAST!

Lucy and Annie are always happy, good girls and I am so lucky to have two creatures so full of love who are always there to greet me when I get home, give me kisses when I am sad, give me lots of hugs and kisses and are always there to absorb any negativity I may be feeling right out of my life - at least for that moment.

I found this on Facebook and loved it so much that I wanted to share it here, too.  

If you are a dog owner, you will understand and respect it, too.

xOx,

Ms. Panda, Lucy and Annie

Sun Diego

What a wonderful weekend in San Diego - so blessed to be here and able to enjoy sunshine in January. 

Was able to sight the spouts and a tail of a couple gray whales less than 200 yards off the coast today. 

Pretty awe struck as I have been wanting to catch them during this winter migration and am stoked to think it was maybe a mama and her baby, or a couple of kids out there playing.  

They didn't seem too big, but I was in a car driving along the coast, so it was hard to tell. I doubt the water is that deep being so close to the shore, which adds to my assumption that they were calves.

I hear they are migrating in record numbers around Point Loma - the peninsula shown below. 

The island in the harbor is called Coronado.

This is the San Diego Harbor as seen from the top Point Loma.  

You can see the Coronado bridge and the Navy base in the distance.

This is Sunset Cliffs, the beach side of Point Loma - just before the point. See any gray whale spouts?

The waves have been incredible and the beaches are super crowed with surfers and photographers.

Lots of buzz about the high surf!

 At low tide, the girls got to go play at dog beach in Del Mar!

Happy dogs = happy day :)

I love the way things in life can be SO BEAUTIFUL without even trying.  

Rocks. Ha :)

Sometimes the simplest things can create the greatest beauty.

K.I.S.S.

xOx,

Ms. Panda

The Dog Days Are Over - Yeeeeaaaahhhh!!!

It's been a minute since I blogged, but a lot has changed.

First - I moved.  From Kansas City, MO to Dana Point, CA.  Two days of hard core driving.  Then, when I was just under 3 hours away from my new place, the worst thing ever happened.

My black lab, Lucy, got spooked by my road trip picnic basket when it fell in her seat, and instantly jumped out of the window of my car while we were driving 80 mph!!!  I watched in horror as she flipped over and over uncontrollably.  I slammed on the brakes, threw the car in park on the median and got out just as she flipped her last couple of times.  I expected the worst, but as soon as she stopped tumbling, she got back up on all fours and ran right to me!  It was a miracle!

I loaded her in the car and examined the damage.  The first thing I could see was blood, and LOTS of it.  I got some Subway napkins from my lunch and went to town on her, dabbing here and there.  It seemed like everywhere.  I breathed deeply - in through my nose and out of my mouth.  My hands and knees were shaking, but somehow my mind was clear.  I knew what needed to be done.  It's crazy how the maternal instinct kicks in - fight or flight is some real deal stuff.

I thought back to a similar incident, when my 11 year old nephew freaked out in the face of fear and I channeled my thoughts about how he could've handled HIS situation and applied them to my reasoning abilities.  It worked.  I drove carefully and cautiously, while calling on loved ones to help.  We made it safely to a vet and got her stitched up and on pain meds ASAP!  I spent the night with her - my car still packed to the brim with my stuff.

Here are some words I wrote when she was in surgery:

9-27-11

She can't tell me where it hurts

But I can hear her screaming in pain

Reacting to fear, an emotional day

As I try to play with Annie, 

I can't help but hear you, Lucy Q.

Jumped into the street while we were going 80.

I couldn't help but see you, Lucy Q.

I'll never forget that image, Lucy Q.

It took us three more days before we finally got to our new place, and Lucy is getting better everyday! I love her more now than ever before!

Here's a pic of Lu wearing the collar of shame.  She hates it.  But we gotta do what we gotta do! ;)

I never realized how one little thing, which was completely out of my control, could change my entire life, but now I do.  What I had envisioned for my first week in California became something TOTALLY different and taught me a LOT about life and what really matters.  It's amazing who you call, who you can count on, and how others interpret the whole situation.  Just sayin'.  It's been a week from hell and I am actually glad it is Monday!  Crazy!?

I can honestly say that God was watching over us and the fact that she didn't have ONE broken bone gives me reason to believe that we definitely had our angels with us.  I took this picture from my sunroof - and if you look closely, it looks like God's feet...walking above us.  Pretty AWESOME!!!

Here's to the end of the "Dog Days" and a fresh, and completely unexpected new direction for Ms. Panda.  Keep ya posted!

Kingston in the Bushes

I told this story to my best friend's daughter and she loved it, so I thought I would share here as well :)

KINGSTON IN THE BUSHES

For Jada Rose

By Amanda Steinhaus

One time, when mommy and daddy wanted to go out and play - back before they had a baby - 

they didn't want to leave their doggy, 

Kingston, at home all alone.

So they called up Kingston's favorite Auntie Panda 

and asked if she could doggy-sit.

Auntie Panda happily agreed,
 so mommy and daddy 
dropped Kingston off at her beach house
with his leash and some poop bags.  

Auntie Panda took Kingston to the beach, 

where they swam in the ocean, 

played fetch with the ball,
dug holes and ran around with other doggies!


After a few hours they came back home to relax. 

Auntie Panda gave Kingston a bath
and since he was such a good boy
she gave him a milk bone, too!


She filled up a bowl with fresh water for him
and then sat down to read a book on the couch.

After a while, Auntie Panda looked up from her book 
to check on Kingston, but she couldn't find him anywhere!  

She looked all over the house-
in the living room, her room, the kitchen, 
the bathroom, even the back yard. 

Kingston was no where to be found!

When she was just about to give up, 

Auntie Panda noticed that the front door was open 
just wide enough for Kingston to slip out.


She quickly opened the door, 
hoping to find him waiting on the front porch, 
but he was not there!

She began to freak out until...
A rustle came from her garden.


There Kingston was - 

HIDING IN THE BUSHES!  

Auntie Panda was relieved to find 

her best friend's doggy finally!  

After a minute she laughed at the silly dog 

and took this picture of him... 

STILL HIDING IN THE BUSHES!!!

(Can you find him?)

HAHA!! SILLY DOGGY!

THE END