Life these days

A man holding a sign that has Smoky Bear "Only You Can Prevent Fascism"

A crowd of people with signs and flags standing up for democracy.

A handwritten high school report card from the early 1950s.

photograph of a smiling woman and her husband and a photograph of that man with his son.

A marina full of sailing boats with their hulls reflecting in the water.

Two dogs sleeping in the sun next to a sliding glass door.

A woman holding a small dog in her lap, bent over and stroking his ears.

Woman in sunglasses with gray short hair holding an SLR camera in above her left shoulder and HANDS OFF sign in the backpack behind her right shoulder. She is wearing a navy blue tshirt over long-sleeved white shirt that says: Well-behaved Women Rarely Make History. — Trying to stay sane.

Still here

It’s been nearly eight months. We are doing well. She’s learned to roll over and is the best little princess, cuddle bug, and car buddy.

The Bargain

Nina let me know this morning as we were snuggling in bed. These past few weeks have seen a steep decline, and today she made it clear. “Okay,” I whispered. “I gotchu.” This is the bargain we make for the pup-human bond, and I promised her I would uphold my end of it. So this afternoon, through the snow and ice, we took one last R-I-D-E. I love you so much, my little black doggie. Thank you for 14 1/2 years of unconditional love.

It’s been awhile but …

I’ll be back more regularly. I’m retiring from my job at the beginning of September! In the meantime, here’s Nina in her 14-year-old glory. I do love this girl.

Nina, Dec 27, 2020

Nina 2020-12-27

Taken in our backyard this morning while the frost was still on the grass.

ISO 400; 40mm; 1/80s; f 2.8

Farewell

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Our loud, brave, loving girl. First out of the closet, bravest of the litter. Never cowed by the big dogs, you wove yourself between their legs just as you wove yourself into our hearts. We love you forever.

Jezebel

Aug 5, 2003 – December 15, 2020

Eyeing the inevitable

She didn’t eat last night. She didn’t holler at me this morning for her morning meal. She merely took a trip to the litter box, vomited up some bile, then went back to her pillows by the heater grate. She’s very quiet this morning, and my heart is starting to break.

Jezebel 12-13-2020-1 Jezebel 12-13-2020-2