Good morning fr #Pasadena. Went to #LaCrescentaValleyDogPark again this AM. Last minute decision bc tomorrow Saturday, husband has weight watchers at 7 &I cannot leave Finn alone :(

After only 10 minutes #MosesTheServiceDog was quite tired from the running. Not a lot of other dogs, but he loves the running!

I'm personally really enjoying this new dog park. I'm glad I no longer go to the Pasadena Park; too much upset, disappointment, and other issues there. It's becoming a trigger so I cannot go there for safety reasons… PLUS it's much more social that sometime I find it can become overbearing.

This is a BIG change I've made to avoid meltdowns: changing dog parks. When a situation is out of control (like issues with dog park hours and lack of maintenance), but complaining makes Pasadena employees & management hostile, it's unsafe because of triggers. My complaints are fair and do not deserve hostility.

Triggers can create an unsafe situation for #ActuallyAutistic people due to the high risk of emotional meltdown. And I've found out the hard way in SoCal that most southern Californians, when confronted with an #AutisticMeltdown, resort to aggression and hostility. So it becomes plain dangerous. Californians aren't as relaxed as they claim to be. They are just like New Yorkers except pretending to be chill.

Good morning from #Pasadena. A hot day in store for us with a high between 30°-35°C (86°-95°F)!!

Pic: #MosesTheServiceDog but enjoying time off at #LaCrescentaValleyDogPark yesterday

#SundaySurvivor and an excited #MosesTheServiceDog

Good morning from #Pasadena. More rain on the way according to the forecast and it sure looks like it though not yet raining. So today will be & 8º-10ºC (46º-50ºC), therefore quite a cold day for us, especially so close to Spring.

This is my best day since husband got back home from the hospital. I woke up relatively early ~5am (formerly 4am) and got going almost right away.

Now is the time to head out for a walk with #MosesTheServiceDog as he was quite walk-deprived during my husband’s hospital stay. And I think tomorrow we'll head out to La Crescenta dog park for some play since it's supposed to be sunny again.

I've stopped going to the dog park in Pasadena because they changed the opening time from 6am to7am (without so much as public consultation) and were quite hostile when I tried to complain. And one dog owner was quite rude with me as well regarding the same issue. So, not a safe place for me.

Plus the Pasadena dog park is mostly dirt with some grass. Moses gets wet in the grass, then rolls in the dirt and it's not manageable to have a service dog that is always full of dirt. The park in La Crescenta has a lot of trees plus is covered in deep wood chips and super clean.

Enjoy the weekend! Photos: Aloe x 2 (exact variety not checked), snow & cloud covered San Gabriel Mountains, and Moses

Good morning from #Pasadena. on its way in the next couple hours max, it looks like. 7°C (45°F) atm and dry with likely rain and 13°-15°C (55°-59°F) as a high.

I think #MosesTheServiceDog misses the dog park a great deal but TBH I am enjoying the reduced socializing stress. Plus he stays a lot cleaner. I think we’re going to start going to the La Crescenta dog park once or twice a week though, so he can run. Plus we’re working on the backyard to make it welcoming to his besties.

Happy #HumpDay or Thursday for those of you across the dateline.

#DontWorryBeHappy: worrying is like paying back a debt you’ll most likely never owe. Just be proactive and don’t be scared of pushing toxic people out of your life. And if they can’t be pushed out, just ignore them.

Good morning from #Pasadena. #EscholziaCalifornica aka #CaliforniaPoppies making their seasonal appearance & #MosesTheServiceDog looking happy during our walk yesterday.

predicted for today with a high of only 11°C (52°F) through the rain is not here yet!

Hoping your week is going well!!

Good morning & Merry Christmas from #Pasadena for those who celebrate it.

Not much planned here today. I simply never got to Christmas on time this year, so it's going to be a very quiet one.

But what kind of Christmas would it be for #MosesTheServiceDog without a visit to the dog park, so we were faithfully there before 7am this morning and Moses had a grand time. Unfortunately, he is now filthy. But we are not going anywhere so it's just a matter of vacuuming later wherever he decides to lie down while he's drying.

Also a bonus photo of #FinnTheDachshund wearing his cape for our walk last night since it was only 14ºC (57ºF).

According to my weather station today will be partly cloudy with 20ºC (68ºF) so the perfect California winter day! Although some other forecasts are saying it's only going to be 14ºc, that's very unlikely with the sun present, especially that it's already 12ºC (54ºF) atm. Still lots of time to warm up to a decent temperature.

Happy Day to All!

About to head off to work, but before I'm going to try to post a few pictures from this morning's #DogWalk. The dog park being closed on Tuesday, we do an exercise walk instead. A daily walk would make my cardiologist happier, but atm we visit the dog park 6 days/week because that makes #MosesTheServiceDog much, much happier. Here is Moses in #BungalowHeaven about 90 minutes ago.

I’m thankful for all my friends and family who stuck with me over the years despite the fact I don’t always keep in touch. So I really appreciate people who do.

I get so involved in my projects, pets, gardening that time flies and people who easily get flustered by friends who don’t keep in touch regularly normally get flustered with me and eventually dump me.

Same with those who feel insulted if I don’t want to see them as often as they’d like to see me. Friends of mine have to understand that meeting in person or even speaking over the phone is a very intensive activity for me as an #ActuallyAustistic person. My needing solitude doesn’t mean I do not love people. I do but in very small doses.

Pic: #MosesTheServiceDog & I arriving at the dog park earlier. Moses was in no mood for a selfie. All he wanted to do was get out of the car and into the park to see his friends.

Good morning from #Pasadena. A bit of unsettled cool weather today as a cold front goes past us. Mostly sunny so far though, but a forecast high of only 17ºc (63ºF).

Visited the dog park early today with #MosesTheServiceDog. If you look a bit right of center, you can see him lying in the dirt, a little blonde dot in the distance as he was relaxing rather than retrieving. But he did a lot of running, if not for the ball, with other dogs.

Will be trying to catch up on paperwork today, I think. Just paid my monthly bills. Need to put away my clean laundry and generally I have a lot of picking up to do so my life can have some semblance of order.

Enjoy the weekend!

Good morning from #Pasadena. Only 7°c (43°F) atm but the sun is out and we’re expecting a high of 23°c (73°F) so as perfect as it gets except we’re hoping for rain.

#MosesTheServiceDog is not a morning dog but he’s still waiting to make sure I don’t leave for a walk without him. Dog park closed Tuesdays so it’s a walk this morning then some veg shopping for my new beat the #PreDiabetes diet!!

Then maybe take the truck in for tires so I can get supplies for the garden. Had a flat for which I put on three spare yesterday. I don’t want to travel anywhere without a spare.

Then maybe a little gardening…

Happy Tuesday!

Good morning from #Pasadena. Super thick marine layer again this morning, like mother nature left the blinds down while we wake up. It's beautifully cool (18ºc/64ºF) atm and later will be & in the low 20s ºc (low 70s ºF). Perfect weather in my books.

Got up at 4am. Andy's breakfast is ready. Moses has been to the dog park. And we've been to home depot to get a few pieces of wood to complete a few storage shelving changes in the garage.

#MosesTheServiceDog is a very sensitive and visual dog, so nothing normally goes unnoticed. So imagine his surprise with these enormous #Halloween decorations. OMG! A good opportunity to learn, and the store had just opened so it was quiet, perfect to look and take our time.

All the best for the week ahead!

Good morning from #Pasadena. atm and cool: 18°c (64°F). Forecast calling for & 27°c (81°F).

Back from the dog park and trying to figure out where to start my day with way-too-long list. It doesn’t help that the heatwave set me back and that the first truly cool day (yesterday) I had a 7-hour #afib episode that forced me to spend the day resting. I was overdue for rest… and I’m feeling much better today.

Hoping everyone is well and weekend-ready! Have a good day!

Photo: #MosesTheServiceDog relaxing in moist dirt: his favorite. He loves the coolness of it.

A #Century apart: #MosesTheServiceDog, left, 3 years old, and #AndyTheTortoise, 103 years old. Guess who is the boss…?!

Good morning from #Pasadena and happy weekend! We have a cooler day forecast, finally: 27°c (81°F). After having had 39°c (102°F), just a couple days ago, I might need a sweater..

I was not very focused this week but today we’re trying to get back on track. And what better way to start than to take Moses to the dog park for some ball fetching!!

Much love to everyone. Thank you for all of your support this week with my panicking about potentially seeking an #AutismDiagnosis. I learnt yesterday that it was actually going to be well over $5k for extensive testing, not just autism. So it’s a huge decision as my only income is social security and my only safety net are modest savings considering I’m only 63. But seriously considering it, though not sure when…

Thank you all!!

Good afternoon from #Pasadena. Rough day. Started with an #Afib episode at 3am & went on for over 5 hours. Trouble breathing. If this ever happens to you, don't rule out heart issues and side with #PanicAttack. I went on 15 years with Afib due to this kind of thinking supported by awful doctors.

Very unusual to have afib again as I had an ablation years ago and it generally only triggers after major sugery, but I think it was triggered by a combination of lack of sleep and stress from very abusive staff people at my new dermatologist (over the phone,; I have not yet been there) which sent my heart racing briefly (see chart). I'm using #MakeVisible aka #Visible heart monitoring and pace-setting atm and it's been so #HELPFUL!!!

Considered canceling, but must go. So this will be when I start taking #MosesTheServiceDog to med appts to avoid meltdown if abusive in person as well. So he's getting a good brush and grooming & we're going together, as a team.

Amazing how abusive some doctors' offices are. Hadn't had such an experience since visting a bad neurologist who started w a big sigh, looked at my chart for first time, zeroed in on Rx list & said it was no wonder I felt tired, that I was a walking chemistry experiment…

Hoping your day is going better than mine though mine has improved tremendously!!

Good morning from #Pasadena where we’ll see & ~33°c (91°F) today.

Still dark now but soon leaving for our morning dog walk now that my foot seems better.

Here is happy #MosesTheServiceDog a few days back having found yet another piece of palm frond in the garden that he wants to import into the courtyard. I need to teach him to put his toys away though. He has toys EVERYWHERE!

Wishing everyone a good & productive but not too stressful a week. For me, the stress will likely come from the weather as we continue near or above 32°c (90°F) till at least Friday or Saturday when it will be a tad cooler. These are pretty much normal summer days but we normally get short breaks now and then so hoping for one of them soon.

#MosesTheServiceDog being a retriever. Focused. Waiting to retrieve Mr. Squirrel

Good afternoon fr #Pasadena. Beautiful day with & 18°c (64°F). Hazy but really, a perfect day.

Still reeling myself again after yesterday’s quiet meltdown. Plus I drove to my dentist by mistake in #Burbank (my appt is tomorrow) … but it happens. I didn’t get myself upset and came home. Then took the truck to #GanahlLumber, my #FavoriteStore (photo) to get the supplies for my driveway’s fence’s gate post. For sturdiness I got a 6x6 with a heavy duty steel clamp. And 6 bags of concrete just in case since the hole is a bit odd because of the 2 big stones in the ways. It’s all good.

I could not take #MosesTheServiceDog with me to Ganahl because he had to dog-sit #FinnTheDachshund since HB volunteers at his church Thursday. Finn has major separation anxiety so we NEVER leave him alone. Moses must be here if we’re not. I now try to take Moses with me almost everywhere though I haven’t started with medical appointments. Like for the dentist this morning, I’d left him home. Eventually I need to start taking him because he calms me so much. But one place at a time. Medical offices can be tiny and busy and Moses is huge and not used to that type of environment.

Hoping your Thursday is going (or went well).

As we say in #Québec, Salut!

#MosesTheServiceDog having leisure time, but suddenly calling off the retrieving lying down with an “I’ve had enough” attitude

He loves retrieving the ball so much that I cannot bring the ball thrower on a walk or he just wants to go retrieve immediately after which he’s too tired to walk. But I need my exercise too!!