A Tribute to Serena

Several years into my retirement, I decided I needed a dog. After much research, I decided to get a German Shepherd Dog. My sister, who has had many GSDs said, “You know they shed.” I replied, “No problem”. She repeated, “No, I mean they really shed a lot.” I continued to ignore the warning and set out to find a GSD.

I decided to go the rescue route and found Westside German Shepherd Rescue in Los Angeles. I made an appointment and drove to their facility. The first dog presented to me was an older dog, very docile but just did not seem to have much spark. Robin said she had another dog that had just been spayed. We went to the vets and the vet tech said she hated the dog. Misty was put on a leash and proceeded to race around the block with me attempting to follow. Robin said, “I think you can handle her.” Several weeks later I called Westside to let them know how we were doing. The response was, “We thought you would bring her back within two weeks.” Sorry, I don’t give up that easily.

I am now the owner of a dog who is completely out of control, showing no signs of being co-operative. She has a whine that is ear piercing and becomes overly excited at the drop of the hat. I quickly determined she has no off button. She was on from dawn to dusk. I started looking for trainers and knew it would take a really skilled trainer to work with me and newly named, Serena. I found K-9 Companions in Woodcrest. Serena’s trainer was a no nonsense woman in the military who managed to get Serena on the right track to becoming a well-behaved dog. She went into training knowing the down command and came out knowing heel, sit, stay and wait. She never learned the Come command. It just wasn’t in her. Even with some commands under her belt she was a handful when walking. Everything distracted her. Anything small and moving set Serena’s prey instinct in motion. I took her everywhere with me. We went camping, hiked Mt. Rubidoux, and later in New Mexico we hiked Gomez Peak a couple of times. I tried to teach her to fetch. I threw grapefruit for her to bring to me. She would drop them half way, behind me , to my side, that is when she bothered to bring them to me at all. She could play with her Kong solo, never sharing. She would toss it, bounce it and run around with it. She knew toys were not to go outside and would be on a dead run to go out and drop her Kong just before she hit the door.  If she lost her Kong she could show me where it was three days later.

Serena never met a person she did not like. She greeted everyone who came to visit me as if they had come to visit her personally. She got along with some dogs but I never knew which dogs might set her off. If she spotted another dog while in the car she would bark until we got out of sight. Her babysitters loved her.

Her hips were bad from the beginning. As she got older, her hips began to fail her. I got wheels for her and meds to ease the pain. It took about a week for her to get the hang of walking in her wheels. It helped when she saw my neighbor (remember she loves people). She would forget she was in her wheels and begin to run to greet him.

On Monday of this week I left for Tucson for a dental appointment. Serena stayed home with a babysitter. She was somewhat feisty when I left so I felt confident she would be fine. The night before I was scheduled to come home Serena took a turn for the worse. Bree notified me and I got on the phone to make arrangements and to get my neighbor to help Bree get Serena into the car. The vet determined that multiple failures where taking place. I said, “No heroics. Just keep her stable until I get there. She was on oxygen and an IV but went into cardiac arrest an hour before arrive. As I was driving up highway 90 I looked out over the mountains and saw a ghost image of Serena running over the mountains. She ran beside the car and was gone. I will miss that crazy dog.

Two Articles

Article I

  Why I Don't Sew for Other People Anymore

Way back in the 1960's I sewed for other people. I did it because I was a stay at home mom with time on my hands and I liked to sew. I didn't have a large clientele, but the people I sewed for understood the art of fine garments and appreciated good fit and one of a kind designs. I made career suits, gowns for balls and many fun outfits for very appreciative clients. 

Many years later, in the 1990's after retiring from a career in teaching I decided to sew again for others. The world had changed, and no more were there ladies who wanted fine garments. Now they just wanted cute and cheap. Oops, I should have said inexpensive. I did pick up a few clients, and the surprising thing was that most of my clients were the morbidly obese who wanted nice garments like their thinner sisters. One sweet little lady said she used to be my size but when her husband died she just ate her heart out. She had tried a seamstress before, and the results were a disaster. I made her three well fitting dresses that made her very happy. 

Another client was a young high school girl who was as big as a barn. She was in desperate need of a good fitting bra and had no idea that bras could be purchased in such a large size. I am guessing something in the range of 50+ DDDD to J cup size might have helped. And, yes, those bras do exist. Fittings were a major challenge because I never knew where her flesh was going to land. We got through the fittings, and when all was done she had a prom dress and sweet little jacket to match. The expression on her face when she tried it on made the effort worthwhile. I think these very obese women were two of my most appreciative clients.

Now you would think I would continue sewing for other people but a move to New Mexico from California gave me a different clientele again. This time there were no redeeming aspects in the ladies who came to find out what dressmaking was all about. We would discuss what they wanted, I would quote a price and they would just stammer and gasp and tell me they could buy a dress cheaper. No kidding. Because I am happily retired I just didn't feel like wasting my time on these go nowhere interviews. Nor did I want to see the look of horror on someones face when I quoted a price. Heck, they don't hesitate to pay their plumber or mechanic more than I charge. And that is why I only sew for myself and family, if they catch me in a good mood.

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Article II

Why I Sew for Myself When I Can Buy a Garment Cheaper (Maybe)

I have been sewing since I was 3 or 4 years old. That is a long time. Many of those years were spent sewing my own wardrobe. Why I continue to sew for myself can be summed up in three reasons, (1) I like clothes, (2) I like well fitting clothes, (3) I like clothes that I can't afford. It is easy to understand 1 and 3, but 2 is the heart of what fine garments are all about. 

Firstly, I am vertically challenged. I used to be 5'2" or 3". Age has brought me down to 5'1". No sense lamenting the garments that my tall sisters can carry off. Sometimes even 1/4" makes a difference in how something looks. The best I can do to off set this handicap is to stand up straight and walk well.

Next I will work my way up, starting with my  feet and look at why ready made garments just don't work. My feet are just about average, and my toes are fairly even and straight so I can splash on some polish and wear a nice pair of sandals. Ankles are trim and calves are a bit thin but fairly well shaped. Once I get to the knees it all falls apart. My knees are just plain knobby and well, the thighs are definitely not in proportion to the calves. If the calves are a bit thin the thighs are definitely hefty. And to make matters worse I have had varicose veins since I was in high school. The only way a dress works is with a pair of tights or leggings. Ankle length dresses, when they are in fashion are sort of OK. Regular pants are too long and petites are too short. I decided a long time ago that if I have to alter anything I would just make it.

My over all silhouette is a pear. I can live with that. But when I was younger my upper body was easily two sizes smaller than my hips. Age has helped. The difference is only one size smaller now. I am long from my waist to crotch and short in the torso. Compounding the fitting is a bust measuring 32 D. Shoulders are narrow and sloping with the ball of the shoulder rolling slightly forward. Chest is hollow which disguises the large bust but only in looks not it fit. 

When you sew as many years as I have you get to know your body really well. Now that I know all the reasons why ready made clothes just don't look good on me I can work on making garments that do work. Most of my pattern alterations are in the length except the increase in bust size. I can either draft my own pattern or make the alteration on a commercial pattern. Because I look best in classic lines without to many extraneous things going on I tend to use a pattern for years and vary it ever so slightly.

I started with my feet so I will end with my head. Thanks to good genes and a good surgeon I continue to look younger than my years. Somehow my hair is still its natural color. To sum up my feet and head are my best features, and what is in between requires careful fitting to compliment the good parts. And that is why I make my own clothes.