Meet Jackson

My GF has added an adorable little pup to her family.  We picked him up yesterday after GF heard about him from Collie Rescue.  He is 3 or 4 months old, and was abandoned and found roaming with a couple of other young Collies.  Flea ridden, tics, starving, this poor guy was a mere 16 pounds when he was found.  What in the world is up with some people that they would abandon a animal in such a cruel way?!  Take them to a vet, take them to the SPCA for crying out loud.  Don't leave them to die a horrible death.

She checked in with me on the whole idea, and I provided wholehearted support: she has two adult Collies, one of which is in ill health and may be on the way out soon.  Adopting Jackson (Jack) is a good way to lessen the burden of loss that may soon come.  And GF is an excellent pet companion: her dogs are all up-to-date on vet checks, are chipped, well-cared for and loved tremendously.  They are truly a part of the family.

We spent the afternoon yesterday playing with him, bathing him, gazing adoringly at him and saying, "He's just the cutest thing!"  The other dogs behaved well around him, and he them.  He slept in his new crate last night without a single whimper or bark.  He has just begun what is going to be a very good life.  Lucky him.  Lucky us.

Shirley 2000 - 2010

This is our baby, Shirley. Cantankerous, bitchy, a love-bug, a loner; one of the softest coats you have ever felt. Shirley died on Wednesday Sept. 1 after feeling very poorly for 5 days. She had a wound that abscessed so we took her to the vet and had her treated. We had her isolated at home so we could monitor if she was eating or drinking. She didn't seem to be. However, on Tuesday she perked up and sat on the windowsill to soak up the sun. A very positive sign.

This morning she raced out of her room and out to the back yard. A good sign? Turns out, not. I found her hours later, lying on the deck, obviously not alive. Poor dear. Poor dear.

She was a fiend, and she peed where she shouldn't; she destroyed furniture and carpets by tearing at them with her sharp claws. But then, she would snuggle up with us in bed, push her head against our bodies and hands to ask for touch, thank us with a steady purr, and sometimes drool with happiness.

This is the downside of loving creatures so much...they do leave this earth, and it is heartbreaking.

Wordless Wednesday

Do You Really Feel the Way I Feel?

Tug and Luz playing in the Jungle Room. I've decided that Luz looks like a little bat with those big ears and pointy snout. They roughhouse all the time and it's good, because it wears them out. Tug is very gentle with Luz, and though her mouth is open, she just leaves it hanging open and never clamps down. Luz, on the other hand, will greedily maul Tug's neck with everything she's got. Tug is very patient with her and is just glad to have someone to roll around with finally. She's has tried for years, unsuccessfully, to teach Shasta the schnauzer how to play. Aint. Gonna. Happen.

But there's a pretty little thing
Waiting for the King
Down in the Jungle Room

Fiat Lux

Luz and I went to visit N.'s grandma who is in a rehab center right now. I didn't know if they'd let her in, but not only were they happy to see the pup, they told me about their dog therapy program and encouraged us to sign up, so we did. Gma fell at home over a week ago and badly bruised her tailbone. Poor woman has to be loaded up with morphine, so she's pretty miserable with the side effect: itching. All the time. Argh, I remember it well.

Not only did Luz cheer grandma up tremendously, but also a fellow named Terry, who has dogs at home and misses them so very much. The nurse said he probably would be delighted to have her as a visitor, so I just waltzed into his room and introduced ourselves. He was so happy to hold her that tears of joy were shed - ever so slightly. Love spreading that joy!

New Leaves Laugh in the Sun

Tug and Luz are hangin' on the deck.

The flowers are starting to bloom, with much more to come.

¡y Luz es vida cariñosa!

Friday Tug Love

Tug had a good run after work today. She got to romp with her boyfriend Cooper, a handsome boxer with exceptionally long legs who lives across the street. Cooper's mom is show quality, alas, poor Cooper's long legs knock him out of the running. Can you believe it? Tug should sleep well tonight.

She looks quite comfy with the Mrs., huh? Doncha just love that pink belly? The beast. Belly of. You know.

Not the wife. She's no beast. She's the beauty. Tee-hee.

BTW. I bought artichokes today. Gonna try that recipe. Will report back.

Sunday Morning

The dogs escaped the yard for the second morning in a row. How bad does that make us look? Irresponsible pet owners....sheesh. Good news, several neighbors contacted us to alert us to their route and we were able to retrieve them.

After a rough start like that, I really needed my latte.

Bliss in a glass.

Espresso che fa nell'azione.

(Espresso machine in action.)

Check out that crema.

I'm so very happy with my new machine, and it is a much easier process than I thought it would be. Yes, I was intimidated. Nient'altro! I even had a latte at 5 pm yesterday to boost me after an afternoon nap. And to fortify me for my 6 pm martini.

I am steeped (no pun intended) in Italian coltura right now, what with reading The City of Falling Angels. How I long to sit in an cafe near the Grand Canal in Venice, sipping espresso from a tiny cup. There are a couple of characters in the book that I would especially like to visit: a retired minister and his wife, ex-pats from England who have their martinis every day at five. They live next door to the home Ezra Pound and his mistress and child. The intrigue surrounding Pound's family after his death is remarkable. In his lifetime as well, there was a period during the war when the wife, the mistress, and Pound all shared the home because the army took over their country villa. Can you imagine? And these women did not like each other. It was not a happy a'tu di famiglia. Che mess!!

Here at the ranchito de Soquel, we are a tame bunch. Dogs breaking free is about the wildest thing that happens around here. Buon.