Clean Up on Aisle 3

Here's the lowdown on the poop pick-up "party" that took place yesterday at Dog Park--at least while I was there. I spent two hours meandering  the Park, scanning the ground for poop. It was a surprisingly meditative activity. I hummed little songs to myself as I wended my way, trying to keep my plastic garbage bags from blowing away and my baseball cap from blowing off. (Erica, left, had more luck with her hat than I did.) People who were smart brought buckets instead of bags. I thought I was pretty clever by putting a piece of broken iron pipe in my bag to hold it down. Instead the pipe kept ponking me in the leg. Very annoying. 

Also present (between 10 and noon): Dario (Ellie), Erica (Joey and Coco), Kathy (Willie), Bill (Lulu),  Margo (Sidney and Jack), and a couple of other people whose names I don't know. (Sorry!)  Almost everyone I met commented on how they were amazed at the little zing of joy they felt every time they found a crusty old load of crap to put in their bags. (Though Dario's first find was a fresh donation from Ellie herself.) The morning's work was like a perverse Easter egg hunt. (Though Erica and I did find an actual egg—the empty shell anyway. So delicate and pretty. See?) 

                                         

Folks also said that they were surprised that there was not more poop to pick up. Unless someone preempted us and did a major sweep before we got there, it's probably safe to conclude that people generally are doing a much more consistent and thorough pick-up on a daily basis. 

I will say, however, that even after several sweeps of the area next to the south parking lot, as I walked toward the dumpster to throw away my last bag, I nearly stepped in a fresh pile of poop! Gee, thanks! 

Here's some photographic evidence of a good morning's work: 

In addition to poop, I also found and threw away these objects: 

• a shattered Shiner Bock bottle
  
• several sliced soda and beer cans
  
• one perfectly denuded tennis ball
  
• plastic tubing
  
• candy wrappers
  
• rusty wire screen
  
• a piece of iron pipe
  
• a rusted pulley wheel
  
• broken bits of rubber and plastic

I have participated in clean-ups in other parks and in other cities. The fact that I did not find a used condom among the trash is a testament to our clean living at Dog Park. Thanks for keeping things clean on more than one level, folks! --z

It's Dirty Work, but Somebody's Got to Do It

Good morning, everyone. I feel compelled to post the announcement that most folks have already received from the listserv about the poop pick-up "party" that will take place on Saturday morning at Dog Park. It was arranged by Laure McLaughlin, the informal liaison between us Parkers and the state agencies on whose land we walk and poop. (Aside: Yesterday I was at Park with a friend who brought her little girl, so cute in her cowgirl boots. The little girl had to pee, so her mother let her go right under our pecan trees. Is little girl pee worse than dog pee in the taxonomy of pee? I felt a little shiver of annoyance. Maybe I was just jealous that I have to hold it when the dogs can let loose anywhere.) 

Anyway, here are the particulars of the Poop Pick-up, for those who don't already know: 

Come when you can (starting @ 10am) with gloves, trash bags, dogs ON LEASH and whatever else to help clean up the dogpark. It's also a great time for newbies to learn the unofficial rules we live by, such as:
    * avoiding agency buildings and personnel at all costs;
    * picking up after your dog every visit and actually placing it in the trash receptacles;
    * not allowing your dog(s) to chase or harass anyone, especially those you don't know personally, such as agency personnel,  bikers, joggers and walkers without dogs;
    * keeping our dogs and our dog park friendly and respectful of others.

The point about keeping dogs leashed, I'm sure, is about making a token effort to obey the signs. I won't even bring my dogs. How can I pick up other dogs' poop when I've got two unhappy dogs on leashes attached to me? 

Laure also let everyone know that both the state agency and the Texas State Cemetery Board are aware of the plans for pick-up.  (Insert smarty-pants eye roll here.) I know that the point of alerting the agencies is to let people—whose good graces we count on—know that we are doing our best to be good trespassers—er, neighbors. Still, a girl and her dogs roil a bit about having to let authorities know that we are out there in the first place. (Insert shrug here.) I am not a good team-player; that's why I hang with dogs. I only grudgingly admit that I am connected to all things in the universe. Om, baby. See you at the Dog Park. Don't forget  your gloves. --z