Cal Orey's Blog, page 169

Animal-Loving Author Awaits Four-Legger Arrival

The Writing Gourmet
By Cal Orey

Since 1986, when I was first published in Dog World Magazine, I've been an author with dogs on the brain. Actually, my love for canines goes back to when I was a kid. My bond with the dog was spawned by my relationship with my dad. He is the man in my life who turned me to the beautiful world of dogs. As a child, I enjoyed a Dalmatian, Casey, and Norwegian Elkhound, Ole...
At 21, I ended up hitchhiking across America with a Maltese who was stolen in front of Lady Luck Casino in Las Vegas--and the loss tore my heart. Soon after, fate hooked me up with a beautiful black Lab six month old puppy. And it was Stone Fox and I who enjoyed the country and more than a decade together.
In my 30s, it was two dogs: Stone Fox and a new yellow Lab Carmella that entered my life and gave me happiness. And I learned that two dogs give me a sense of wholeness. 
Later, during my 40s, when I was Lab-less I fell into Brittanyland. I adopted my first orange and white energetic Brittany and was in love with the happy and hardy breed. So, it was Dylan, who captured my love and he lived to 14--despite his epilespy. (He was seizure-free after age 7; I wrote a book on the holistic remedies to control my "shaky pup".)
Next came Simon and Seth--two Brittanys who were part of my life day and night. As best friends we were a happy and balanced trio. Then, tragedy hit Seth (named after the angel in City of Angels), the dear dog love of my life. Canine neuropathy rocked our world and left me with one dog: Simon. As we both grieve the loss of Seth, a giving and fun-loving pooch, we are preparing, day by day, to welcome a new addition this month to our home and hearts.
Puppy-proofing the home...preparing for adjustment for "Skyler"--an Australian Shepherd (I penned the article on how to do it right), another Type-A breed I've written about in the past--is exciting and a bit unsettling with the fear of unknown. But as a devout dog lover and intuitive, I'm sensing it will all be good sooner than later. The new addition will fill the huge hole in my heart and add life and longevity to my Simon and Zen (a Siamese cat who believes he's a dog). And we await the beginning of a life-changing dog adventure to begin in a few weeks.

Author Prepares for New Canine Companion

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet
As an author-intuitive you'd think I'd see this twist of fate coming. But sometimes, we can not control events. However, as I tell my callers, you can toy with destiny--and always have Plan B. This tri-colored English Setter pup from SAC is just that...
Instead of another Brittany dog pal for Simon, he's going to be befriending another sporting dog. I fell into this little guy by chance. While I'm excited, I'm anxious, too. Questions like, "Am I too old to raise another pooch?" and "What if my Siamese-mix Zen (fearless, mellow and devoted cat who thinks he's a dog) is jealous with a capital J?" But I'm trying to go with the philosophy I heard the other day: "Fear is not an option." Yep, going out of my comfort zone so I can have balance and new life in my world once again.
The void of losing my former Britt, Seth, is still a shock and surreal.  This libra dog (same sun sign, Lib, like me) with traits of being laid-back, elegant, people friendly, and sensitive will most likely bring happiness, joy and balance into our lives. 
The dog trainer in my world (he helped Simon and Seth) gave me a thumbs up, saying that the canine will keep my boy Simon young (he does need a follower to feel like the man) and I suppose it will help keep me younger, too. We will have to stay on our paws and toes with this one.

So, next Saturday our life (emptiness but peaceful) will change as it is now. Am I looking forward to the challenge(s)? Yes and no. This time around, I will be prepared to make smooth introductions and take it slowly. And chamomile tea, coffee, chocolate (thank to my Healing Powers book series published by @kensingtonbooks.com) will be on hand for me who will lose sleep, patience and need feel-good endorphins as I enter another chapter in my world of the healing powers of pets. 

Dog Angel Sends Author Final Wish

Angels in Dog Heaven By Cal Orey
We are pregnant with a Brittany litter--a post-Valentine's Gift from Dog Heaven The other day, during the grieving process of losing my beloved six year old Brittany, Seth...something wonderful happened. Within 24 hours I connected with Britt people. An older man on the East Coast was compassionate about our loss. His wife called me in the afternoon and dished numbers on the West Coast. Then, I hooked up with a Britt lover whom has champion dogs -- and she resides in Reno, 50 miles from where I reside at Tahoe...
Her female, 7, is pregnant. And before I knew it, I was blessed to be allowed to get the pick of the males in her upcoming litter! My prediction is 5 pups, delivery date Dec. 18...give or take a few days. We're going to have Sag/Cappie puppies. 
While I have to wait 2 months and a few days so the health of the pups are in good hands, it's worth it. Time to grieve, love my Simon and Zen, and puppy proof the home. 
It came to me today: I believe in dog angels. Sethie made this happen for me. I will never forget my human-canine bond with my baby boy.

Dog-Loving Author & Canine Grieve Grr-eat Loss

By The Writing Gourmet, Cal Orey
A Tribune to Seth, our beloved Brittany with a fun-loving spirit that Simon and I miss dearly and will always cherish
I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all.
--Alfred Lord Tennyson's

Author-Intuitive's Seismically Sensitive Dog Dies

Author-Intuitive's Seismically Sensitive Dog Enters HeavenBy Cal Orey
It happened like a quake out of nowhere. It hit today. My dog Seth, 6, had a terrible relapse. It was so graphic that I'll have nightmares forever. He was diagnosed with neuropathy (brain) issues. Really bad. Balance GONE. Personality GONE.

Ironically, on my birthday he sensed something was wrong. He was very, very clingy. I predicted a quake but he was sensing his own demise. 

I am so hurt, so sad...but I know I did the right thing. Images of dog scenes in Marley & Me and I Am Legend haunt me.  I acted humanely for my best friend. The prognosis was grave. 

This loss is going to be a huge challenge for me. I'd rather be in a great quake (me) than deal with this void in my life. 

Never give a dog your heart. I will always love Seth. (Another weird coincidence. While on a book tour in Los Angeles, I named him after the fallen angel in City of Angels and we all know how that love story ended.) 

I am devastated. I am shocked. I am hurting. I miss my boy Seth. We had an incredible human-canine bond. Six years is not long enough.  I am not entering a life without my beloved dog whom joined me at 6 weeks old. And the tears won't stop, nor will the ache in my heart. 

Dear Sethie, I miss you baby boy. Please forgive me. I helped you to go to the other side to avoid any suffering. I tried to be strong, as you did. I am so sorry, puppy. I will never forget the night you placed your paw on my arm. We tried to be strong together. Good boy. You did a good job. I will always love you.

Woman's Sweetest Friend...A Bittersweet Tail

By Cal Orey,
The Writing Gourmet

A Bittersweet Tail

Today's tale about a woman who stole a dog at a supermarket hit a nerve...
I faced sweet and spicy experiences on my road travels, like a honey bee in flight; I was stricken by untimely challenges. One afternoon in Las Vegas, Tiger (a bold and amazingly loyal angelic white Llaso Apso) and I were in front of Lady Luck Casino. It was my idea to leave my well-trained long-haired partner in the shade with water the doorstep of the entryway while I tried to hitch a safe ride back home to California. As I was walking inside, an older man called out to me, "Nice dog!" I got an uneasy vibe but tuned it out.
Fifteen minutes later, I left the casino. My best friend was MIA. Shocked and disoriented like a beekeepers with stolen bee colonies, I stood outside in the hot sun. I tried to fight back the tears. After a long search therewas no rescue. My canine buddy was gone. I cried all night long.
At dawn, at cafe I ordered a cinnamon roll, tea, and honey. I was like a devoted beekeeper without his bees. I was alone. It was one of the worst experiences I endured on the road. And flashbacks of our travels from coast to coast haunted me then but now are cherished memories of a dog and a girl--an amazing human-animal bond. I left a photo of me, the hippie girl with her dog in Ontario, on the bulletin board at the local animal shelter. Through all the pain and loss, I moved on.
[Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Honey]

West Coast Quake Contest: Coffee/Honey Book

The Writing Gourmet, By Cal Orey Earthquake Predictors' Contest: Win 2 Books by Using Your Skill as a Quake Sensitive

Now-Dec. 31 (End Date)


Strongest Quake for West Coast
(AK, Offshore BC/OR/NorCal to SoCal--no South of Border)
Name Region, Epicenter, Mag, DateThe predictor who is the closest with all above, is the top predictor.PRIZE: Two Books: The Healing Powers of Coffee and Honey (value $30).

I Survived a 3 Day Power Outage

I Survived a 3 Day Power Outage By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

On a dark, stormy winter midnight in California sierra, I walked outdoors into the cold with my two Brittanys. The front deck was covered with wet snow; the towering trees and wires amid me looked surreal and eerie because they were wilted with white powder. I shoveled the heavy slush off the deck to make it easier for the morning. At 7:30 a.m. I got out of bed and turned on the TV switch for CNN—there were no red and amber lights on the cable box. I flicked on the lamp—it didn’t work. “Power outage,” I mumbled. It was the beginning of the first day the lights went out at South Lake Tahoe.
Dog Night One            Instead of making a cup of fresh, brewed java, I resorted to trekking to the back house to borrow instant coffee from my sibling. A gas stove and heat were a godsend. I got my first news report from a neighbor walking her new young black dog. “The power will be out for days,” she shouted. Her words echoed in my mind. I tuned out her warning. Once back indoors I was thankful for having a land line phone. I called the police department. They assured me that the power would be restored by afternoon. A call to the power company dished out an automated message: “downed wires and trees in power lines.” I hoped for the best, but by dusk I went into survival mode and prepared for the worst.First, I buried my premium perishables—milk, yogurt, cheeses—in the snow. Dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, and chamomile tea were my new friends. As I munched on the “granola girl” type foods, I got a move on. I gathered matches, candles, flashlights, brought in firewood—and fed my cat and two Brittanys, Simon and Seth. I was clad in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans and felt like a characters in The Day After Tomorrow doomsday film.  But it was a cozy in the candlelight sitting by the crackling fire. Then, my mind raced. The filters nor did the lights work for my fish aquariums; my waterbed was another concern. It was good for one night—not two. I tried to read by candlelight but the challenge wasn’t worth the effort. I turned in at 11:00 p.m., and had a two dog night.Dog Night TwoThe next morning, like a Groundhog Daymovie, the same (and more) inconveniences greeted me. The ice dam above the front door was back. The pricey work for a heating device was useless without power. The ice mound at the doorstep was accumulating ice again. So, I called the power company (again). More automated messages. No estimated time for power restoration.A hot shower was on my agenda. I didn’t go to the resort indoor swimming pool (they did have power but they also had a flood of tourists). Without usage of my hair dryer, I ended up drying my long locks by the gas furnace. The warmth of the air reminded me that three comforters on my bed filled with cooling water weren’t enough. A quick trip to the store (they had power) and another thick comforter made me and my dogs smile. But news of scattered outages hit me, like a tornado, hurricane, or quake that hits one house and not another. It made me frown and think, “Why me?”I felt isolated and cut off from politics, entertainment, world events, and weather reports. So, I called my geologist friend Jim Berkland in Glen Ellen, CA, for his forecast. He predicted a three day outage. At 8:00 p.m., electricity was restored. But, the scientist was partially spot-on. The cable company (my lifeline to the world via Internet and TV), was down. I felt disconnected and connected with my companion animals. I talked to both my cat and dogs to feel calmer.In the morning, like a hungry raccoon I dug up my edible goods—but they were no edible. Each item was too frozen or off in texture. I abided by the saying, “When in doubt, throw out.” Sadly, I lost 150 dollars of fresh food. In retrospect, the good things, such as gas heat for warmth and phone, were good. I endured withdrawal without my computer, Lifetime movies, the USGS and NOAA web site. My lifeline to technology was restored and resetting. I read in our local paper that 10,000 residents on the south shore of Lake Tahoe were affected by the blackout.
(Reprinted with permission from Oracle 20/20 Magazine, February 2011 issue.)

Coffee Book Revealed in Woman's World Magazine

Coffee is the Skinny Beverage
By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet





November 5 issue of Woman's World hit the stands. The cover story, "Lose 42 lbs drinking coffee!" will wake you up as it did me.
In the first paragraph, I, the one who wrote the bible on coffee, am mentioned.  ...Cal Orey, author of The Healing Powers of Coffee, says she's heard many stories like Susie's. "Umpteen women have told me they use ordinary coffee to make weight-loss magic. Even if you're already a coffee drinker, you just add a little extra coffee at key points during the day and slimming down becomes both faster and easier."
Ironically, I used to be the Diet and Nutrition columnist for Woman's World. Yep, I penned the cover stories on how to blast pounds. Every week as I ate veggie pizza, chocolate, salads, and drank coffee, I created a different weight loss plan. And, the fact was I maintained a size 2-4 throughout my role as the diet girl. 
Fast forward to present-day. I am the author of the successful Healing Powers series (translated in 20 languages). The Healing Powers of Coffee is offered (and doing well) by major book clubs including Good Cook, Crafters, Homestyle, Quality Paperback, and One Spirit.  And yes, I include an entire chapter on the "skinny beverage" as well as dozens of pro-chef recipes to help you get-stay lean and heart healthy.
I am pleased to see the Woman's World coffee headline so more women can discover the facts about fresh java and its perks--like losing unwanted weight, effortlessly. And in my new book I discuss more details, straight from high profile experts and personal experience, how exactly coffee can burn fat, facts about caffeine, and a super 2-day easy to follow fat-burning coffee diet that works without counting calories. 
Also, I devote an entire chapter to awesome flavored coffees so you can lose the fattening cream, sugar, and whip. Plus, I dish out DIY espresso recipes, too. What's more, coffee is the must-have power drink that can be a woman's best friend. And it's ideal for the upcoming hectic holidays--more energy, less weight gain.  Yes, coffee can help you fit into your skinny jeans and little black dress this year! A toast to joe!

Dear God: A Cry for Angels to Save My Dog

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet


In the summer, my beloved Brittany Seth, 6, stopped eating and drinking water. I watched my food-loving canine (part of my Brittany duo) go from a meaty 35 pounds to 29 pounds. After $1000 of medical tests, an antibiotic and change of diet was the cure.
Within 24 hours, my feisty, active, sweet-loving dog was back. Within weeks I no longer saw his ribs. Today, he weighed in at near 35 pounds.
But unfortunately, the story doesn't end...
A few days ago, my fur child was acting clingy. As a quake sensitive with seismically sensitive four-leggers I thought "earthquake" is coming. Wrong. Nothing significant. 
Yesterday, Seth's balance was off. He wasn't the leggy, agile canine I know. He was also subdued. Appetite still good but...he seemed weak and my other Brittany picked up on it. He fell twice. He appeared dazed and confused. His spirit was hazy. It's like monsters invaded his body and soul.

Fast forward: Today, he's at the vet...being monitored. I received "the call".  So far, better than expected. No epilepsy. Most likely no brain tumor or bone cancer (often causes lameness in the legs). He passed the hands-on neurological exam(s). Now, I wait. More blood work. Re-dos. I ponder, "Does he have an underlying life-threatening disease?"
I'm scared. I'm in shock. I have given my heart to this dog whom I've embraced since he was six weeks old. He's my older Britt Simon's sidekick. He is my best friend. I hope that you, God, please come to the rescue (again) and help us find the problem and fix my four-legger.  I can't bear to lose him. It will break my heart and spirit. Last night when he put his paw on my forearm, he was telling me, "I'm trying to be strong for you." And I got the message. God if you can hear me, please let the angels heal Seth. My tears are real. I know you know that. Save my dog.