Super Sunday

If there were an official holiday to celebrate Long Beach, Super Bowl Sunday would be it, and the annual Polar Bear Plunge would be the official celebration. No matter how many years I go to watch (yes, watch) this outstanding coming together of our community, my heart never fails to swell. The sheer number of people who strip to their skivvies -- no matter how bitterly cold -- to raise money for Make a Wish Foundation and to share in the community comraderie is mind-boggling. Standing on a bench just west of the ramp at Edwards Blvd., it appeared that literally thousands of bathers and their cheerleaders blanketed the beach clear down to Riverside Blvd.  It was a truly awesome sight to behold!

No less enthralling was the parade of characters up on the boardwalk. There were four young athletes in black speedos (ahem) who turned heads coming and going. There was the polar bear in the bikini, topless Santa and legions of people in bathrobes, furry caps with paws and all manner of beachwear. And let's not forget the official Polar Bear uniform: Darryl and I were the ones in the sweatshirts, in case you saw us (LOL). 

After walking the water line to oggle and admire the free and the brave, we strolled to the Allegria for post-plunge libations. Sitting by the lounge fireplace was something of a return to the scene of the crime, since we had been there the night before to attend the Polar Bear cocktail party. So it was a little bit of the hair of the dog, if you know what I mean.

Moving from there to our friends' annual Super Bowl party was the perfect end to a perfect day. Great food, great friends. Oh, did someone say football? Was that on the line up, too?

Smell the Roses

My poor doggie has had a rash her entire life. No kidding. For six years, she's had a skin condition that no one can solve -- not our wonderful vet (Dr. Ratner at Island Park Veterinary Hospital) and not LI Veterinary Specialists, who whipped up a batch of allergy serum that I injected her with for weeks to no effect.

Her current regimen is twice weekly baths with antifungal shampoo and an antifungal spray chaser. She also gets twice daily antifungal tablets and several additional doses of the spray. All of this I have been managing reasonably well until this week.

Cupcake has a scab at the tip of her left ear from scratching. Every time I shower her, the scab dissolves, and when she shakes off the water, blood sprays all over the walls.  I mean ALL OVER.  I literally had to scrub the walls in the bathroom, back hall and kitchen from top to bottom, and it was true sweat labor. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I just can't go through that again. So I decided to spend the bucks and send her out to the doggy salon for her next bath.

Today was the day. I called ahead to Groomin' Tails Pet Salon in the West End and was invited to bring Cupcake in at noon. What a great place!  There was cat lounging on a pedastal, next to a parrot clinging to the grate of its cage. There was a gorgeous white shepherd getting her nails trimmed and a miniature schnauzer being brushed. And everyone was happy! Not a howl in the place.

I warned them not be deceived by Cupcake's sweet face or misleading moniker. Let's just say that she is not known to be warm and fuzzy with strangers. They waved away the soft muzzle I brought with me and sent me packing. 

When I returned to pick her up a couple of hours later, she was happily napping behind the counter (not in a cage) and was clean and sweet-smelling. A pink bandana was tied around her neck - and she wasn't even scatching at it!

The good news is I have a clean, happy dog and clean, happy walls. The bad news is I can't make this a regular thing - Cupcake needs bathing too frequently for my checkbook. So it's back to the showers for us. But thanks to Groomin' Tails, I have a new trick up my sleeve: styptic powder or baking flour. Apparently either will stem the bleeding from the scab.

That tip alone has earned Tammy and Karen a place in my heart. And the next time I just can't face the job myself, I'm headed straight back to Groomin' Tails.