A Blast From February Past ...

In honor(?) of the impending snow storm headed our way today (Friday the 13th no less!), I headed back into the 2004 archives on the XP box I use as a file server, because I recalled one of those February blasts that was particularly memorable ... so here it is, the great snow of February 5, 2004. I originally titled this first shot "NOT A Wonderland," no doubt due to my disgust with that particularly harsh winter when we had had our fill of the white stuff at that point. And, if I recall correctly, that was also the year that we had the surprise St. Patrick's Day blizzard that graced us (and buried emerging bulbs) with a mere 17 inches of snow ... it was a long winter that year.... So, let's head around back and see what Pepa and Rolly thought of the whole thing....
Pepa was definitely in deep and up to her elbows here, but not unhappy about the situation ... she and Rolly always loved frolicking in the snow, at least until they got too cold and were ready to come back inside. But on this particular day, they were quite content to take advantage of the snow accumulation to romp in the back yard while it was still coming down fast and furious....
Ever the snow dog with his heavy coat, Rolly was undaunted by the falling snow and given his height advantage over Pepa, had no problems tromping happily through the drifts on his way to a play session with his dear companion Queen Pepa....
Ah, these were the great old play days Pepa and Rolly so enjoyed in their younger years, when they would chase and wrestle each other around for what seemed like hours on end ... Pepa would start by nipping Rolly's ankles to get things going and then they were off! Who cared that day if there were already about 8 inches of snow on the ground and more on the way? They were having waaay too much fun!
But even as much fun as playing in the snow could be, Pepa usually was the first to have her fill and head for the warmth inside to find a nice blankie to nest in for a wee nap after playing ... Rolly, ever the oblivious one, hadn't quite figured out the cue yet and was intently watching something that caught his interest elsewhere. I don't exactly recall what got his attention prompting him to come in (probably one of those short, curt and bossy barks from Pepa signaling the end of play time?) but eventually he made his way back toward the house....
Ok, I'll admit it, I was mostly likely the one who first had had enough of the cold and snow and was really ready to go back in, though both Pepa and Rolly didn't mind that idea either at this point. So, as the snow was still falling, we all headed back into the house to warm up, dry off and settle down for a nice nap after a snowy playtime ... and the snow just kept on coming. If I recall correctly, we ended up with about 10-12 inches from this storm, more than enough for us to grumble enough already! But no, there was more still to come in March before it was all over for the year.... One last shot of Queen Pepa, who wanted to get up close and personal with the camera with her snowy nose before we went in ... In retrospect, I really wish the camera I was using at the time (the faithful Fuji Finepix 2250) had had the video capabilities that my new S700 has, but no matter, it did a fine job of capturing our two beloved furry loves for posterity, and that's what ultimately counts for us, now that they're gone physically, but still keeping watch over Jardín and Casa IVG! And once again, I think we have to give them great thanks for sending us our wonderful new pup, Hanna, who's not quite a snow pup yet because this year was her first time experiencing snow and since we've had her it's been wickedly cold and snowy, but maybe next year she'll be frolicking happily in the snow like her noble predecessors did for so many years here. Time will tell, but we'll see how she reacts to this next snow on the way, so stay tuned for more details....

Hanna's Grand Day Out (UPDATED)

So here we are, at the end of Hanna's first week in residence here at Casa IVG ... and so far, she's been settling in remarkably well, though there have been a few missteps on her and our parts, but nothing truly dramatic or game changing (meaning, she's here to stay if it's all up to us), mostly just puppy blunders, which are bound to happen with any young dog. After all, Hanna is probably just barely 9 months old and is still a total pup, despite her oh so adult demeanor ... Personally, I think she's just exhilarated with how she's been living large the past week, and she has developed a quick taste for it! Sure, there will have to be some rules and boundaries laid down and enforced, but that's what she needs ... and the pack is just getting itself organized at this point.

Hanna's had a couple of piddling accidents in the house, which I attribute to us not all communicating on the same signals just yet, but that will come quickly in time, I think. In any case, it's just all a part of puppyhood ... she's still learning and has had an awful lot to take in and process in the last week! Overall, if I had to grade her, it would be a close A-. Now, there was the toilet paper incident on Thursday when I had to be away (her first time alone) for several hours for meetings ... when I returned after her having spent about 4 hours alone, I found that she had found the extra rolls of toilet paper we had stored on a marble shelf in the bathroom ... think of that commercial with the terrier who drags the toilet paper from the bathroom all over the house, and that was pretty much the scene I found when I got home. Part of me had to laugh, while the other took on the role of the stern daddy who expressed his deep disappointment with the errant child ... no physical retribution, but stern words of dissatisfaction, mixed with reassurances that this little incident by no means jeopardized her status here, just that she had to learn boundaries. Having raised terriers previously, I know we'll be reinforcing that for many years, but they do respond and learn their manners. And where Hanna's concerned, she's way beyond most pups her age, so we have no reason to believe she won't be a star very soon!

So, in celebration of her first week and incipient Star status, Hanna got to experience her first dogsumer shopping experience at Petco today! We had a lot of things on the list, most importantly durable rubber squeaky toys that she couldn't destroy in about 20 minutes, like those previously given ones we started out with (they've since gone to the trash). Hanna had a blast at Petco, meeting other dogs and playing in the squeaky aisle, even if the ones we got her weren't her first choices, but the two we did choose for her have been real hits since we got home. She's now the proud owner of a Puppy Squeaky Kong (practically indestructible) and a bizarre heavy rubber bug eyed mouse. So far, she hasn't been able to leave as much as a scratch on either one, despite the heavy play ... whew, one issue resolved.

Here's about a minute of video I took tonight as she retrieved, and then proceeded to attack the squeaky mouse toy at length ... pardon the darkish exposure, we've got to work on the lighting still for indoors video! Anyway, check it out as she brings forth some downright eerie cries from her new squeaky mouse....

And here she is working on her squeaky puppy Kong, almost as popular as the mouse, but less strident in its squeakiness, but apparently no less fun for her ... even though she'd already been playing with both for several hours ... I think she came out well from her excursion with two great new toys that will last her quite a while. Whew. We were worried she'd wipe us out with her appetite for destroying the cheap squeakies, so we raised the bar quite a bit, and she seems even more pleased with the results so far. So here's fun with Squeaky Puppy Kong!

After we picked up some new dog necessities --which probably weren't as exciting for Hanna-- including her own new bowl, a stylin' jogging jacket (for those increasingly chilly walks around the neighborhood here lately), a new collar, new food and treats (Science Diet Puppy Food and treats), we headed to the checkout, where one of the cashiers gave her a treat.... She got to leave the store in a joyous mood. She was soo good on her visit, I think we'll be taking her back when we need more supplies, but after today (and all we spent) that may be a while, but a dog can dream, eh? In any case, her visit to Petco was certainly sensory overload for her ... all the great smells, the presence of other dogs and people to make over her (and there were several!), I'm sure she's eager to go back as soon as she can!

Once home, she got to play --incessantly-- with her new squeaky toys, had a quick walk around the neighborhood she's just getting to know, (it had to be quick because of the cold, even with her jacket), she started winding down (as much as terriers ever do), and for the first time since she's been here, she took possession of Pepa's old cushy bed. This was a big step for me, because it most surely smells of Pepa and she has avoided it until today ... Somehow, she felt the proper permission to use it today and I'm glad to see that happen. Most of this week though, she has spent the day lounging on the futon couch in my office that Pepa used to frequent ... and what's more, in almost the same spot on the blanket Pepa favored. Make of that what you will. No matter what the case, she obviously had a Grand Day Out, and as you can see in this last (very typical tonight) shot, she ended the day quite contented. So ends Hanna's first week here ... where she has witenessed the inauguration of a new president, gotten acquainted with the sights, smells and stimulations of a new home ... no wonder she was exhausted with all this processing!

It looks like living large agrees with her here ... and we're certainly remaining thrilled to have her along for the ride ... there's a lot of good things to look forward to in the future, not to mention spring! We're betting she's really going to enjoy spring and summer here as the new garden mascot! So stay tuned, and be ready to indulge our currently endless puppy love!

Sunday night Pupdate at 11:10 PM.

Hanna's foster mom called us tonight to see how Hanna was doing, and of course we gave her a glowing report about how great she's working out with us. She was very happy and gratified to hear how thrilled we are to have her, and appreciated hearing the squeaky Kong in the background, lol. She thought that Hanna's expedition to Petco sounded like lots of fun and was glad to hear she's getting to go places with us (she's great in the car!), so there will be lots more of that, especially as the weather gets warmer. Anyway, we have the last "official" paperwork to take care of next weekend, but that should just be pro forma at this point, as neither she nor we have any reservations about her staying here for good. At this point, I think she's as good as ours for her "forever" home ... and she sure seems to be loving it here living in the lap of doggie luxury!

--end puppy gushing--

In Memoriam: Rolly the Smiler 1991-2008

Rolly the Smiler 1991-2008

The house is now empty, there is no more plodding patter of paws nor clatter of toenails to be heard ... just the creaking and settling of our old house as the winter winds blow outside. A mere week ago we had our two geriatric dog friends still with us, but now they are both gone, hopefully having reunited again and enjoying their relationship as it once was, frolicking in the peaceful fields surrounding the Rainbow Bridge....

Rolly had to be put to sleep yesterday, after a long period of serious decline that began earlier this year ... we knew the inevitable was coming, and as his arthritis worsened and his dementia descended into the end-stage, it was just a matter of time. We should have done this sooner, but neither of us had the heart to do it just yet ... then Pepa's death signaled that we had waited far too long and Fernymoss set the date for Sunday. Even though Rolly didn't know me anymore and barely knew Fernymoss toward the end, he seemed to rally a bit after Pepa went and seemed to realize his faithful mate was gone. He also seemed to know that his time was nigh, and when it came time to leave yesterday to go to the Vet's, he actually acted as if he were ready and wanted to go. The end was peaceful and immediate. Now he has left the shell of what he had become due to age and illness and will no longer feel pain nor frightened confusion....Fernymoss got Rolly 17 years ago when he was a very young puppy and he spent his entire life with his devoted human, and when he was six Pepa and I came into the picture and the happy family was completed, only to be parted most recently. He was a dog of great beauty, gracious temperament, loving, funny (he really did smile a lot!), maybe not the brightest penny in the pocket, but always ready to play, accompany us anywhere and keep an eye on us ... literally! (Fernymoss used to jokingly refer to him as "laser eyes" because he always had to have us in sight or he wasn't content.) If you look closely at this second photo, you'll see that his tail was in full wag mode ... And Rolly didn't just wag his tail, he did a full body wag when he was excited or happy, leaning into you attempting the most affectionate hugs he could give.

Though he was born a hunting dog (a Brittany-Collie-Whatever mix farm dog), he was never formally trained as such, but still had very strong instincts in that direction that emerged at suprising moments throughout his life. He loathed squirrels with a fierce passion, and Fernymoss often recounts the time when, as a young dog he caught one, killed it and proceeded to toss it into the air multiple times, barking at it when it fell again, until he was sure it was properly dispatched. Then there was the time not that long ago (probably about the time this photo was taken in Summer 2003) when we were all out in the back yard and he literally plucked a sparrow out of the air in mid-flight, unfortunately frightening the poor thing to death. We'd have preferred that kill to involve a squirrel or rabbit, but something deep inside him told him that was the thing to do....

We have already been missing our gentle loving furry friend for quite some time since the dementia took hold, but now he's at peace at last. Pepa's ashes came home yesterday and Rolly's will likely do the same sometime later this week. They will be with us inside throughout the winter and in Spring they will both go to their final resting places among the peonies in the corner of the yard bordering the sidewalk, one of their favorite places. I think Rolly would appreciate this ... though he always misunderstood peonies as pee on me's and just couldn't resist them, no matter where they were....

Now, as we approach the high holidays, we will honor them with a place under the tree with their bowls filled with some of their favorite treats, so at least their spirits can come back to join us on Christmas and know that they were both dearly loved and are missed

Pensive Lurker

More experimentation with the S700, as I start to get a little more comfortable with it ... I think the learning curve is going to be a challenge for while, but so far I'm having fun in my spare moments.

This is a shot I took of Rolly "lurking" in the hallway today, just outside my home office door. Both versions are cropped from the original, though by both of us. Fernymoss went for the more contextual frame, whereas I was looking to achieve a purely profile look.

Even though I was experimenting a bit, the idea behind this shot was to capture Rolly in his "lurking" mode ... for those who may not know him, Rolly is a regal dog's dog in his "twilight time" of life ... he turned 16 last November, and he has his good days and bad days now. At this point, he's pretty much deaf and has some difficulty with making his back legs do what he tells them to do ... But on the positive side, he's still interested in what's going on (when he's not snoozing, which he does a lot, lol) and has an appetite that would put a puppy to shame. He does a lot of "lurking" these days, peering around doorways and just generally making sure he knows what's going on around him ... he's always been able to stare down the most resolute and usually win. We used to refer to him jokingly as "Ole Laser Eye" when he would stare us down from the other room ... these days though, we fondly call him "Lurky" when we see him peering around corners ... from the kitchen, into the bedroom, from the dining room ... making it really hard to imagine what's going through his mind.

He sure can strike a pensive pose though, can't he?

Photo taken 1 April, 2008 with the S700. There's a good degree of zoom on this one, and in the natural light setting.