Ten pounds of kisses

No dog could replace our Buddy but this one will fit in here just fine. Meet Sadie. She's a 3 1/2 year old, ten pound terrier mix and she's stolen our hearts.

A rescue of a rescue, her last owner had her for only three months. He was not physically able to handle a young dog. I'm not sure she ever had a walk but here she will get lots of leash time. We need to work on some easy commands like sit and stay.

She is very good in the car and that was a "must-have" as Dan will take her everywhere. Sadie has almost mastered the doggie door by herself. So many new things here. She's not such a good eater but we will give that some time. She's very friendly with humans and we'll work on the problems with other dog.

Dan is very taken with her and we hope she'll enjoy a long life with us. All our dogs lived into their old age here.

Sometimes the blindside sneaks up on you

For a variety of reasons I've not posted here. Summer; we've been busy walking/hiking. Lazy; it's oh so easy to stay away from the computer when the couch and a good book beckon. Creativity; my level has been low, read non-existing. Evaluating; just how important is this blog? Combine them all together and you get two posts since April.

Writing here has always been a release for me. Saying somethings I don't vocalize but it feels good to get out into the open. Getting through tough times; just wanting to forget or remembering good times; leaving a record of both.

Saturday, in the mail, I received Buddy's dog license renewal notice. They ask to be notified if you no longer have the animal so I tossed it on my desk with a reminder to call after the long holiday. When I called this morning I surprised myself. You see, telling the clerk we no longer had Buddy made my voice crack. I took a moment and started again. The clerk was more than patient, thank you, and I made it through.

There are some folks that say, "It's just a dog for god's sake, get over yourself!" and I have to say I feel that way too but boy, did I lose a good friend.

Lately we've discussed getting another dog and I keep saying it's because we can be more free to get away without having to worry about a pet but I wonder if that's the case with me. Am I too afraid to get so attached again? Do I miss Buddy or just having a dog? In 42 years of marriage this is the longest stretch without one.

I gave myself until January to decide.

Goodbye our dear friend

Pets can be the best friends you'll ever have. Of course, they can also dig through the trash, eat books, or jump fences. Buddy was all of those things and more. He was Dan's constant companion while I was still working and my watchdog when Dan was away. Always willing to take a ride, or a walk, or a nap and if you had an extra french fry, oh he was your best friend.

Wednesday morning, while on their morning walk, Buddy was viciously attacked by a stray dog. He was bleeding from two wounds on his right side. We got him to the Vet, Dr Ron Animal Hospital in Simi Valley, and after x rays and exam were told his situation was very serious. Buddy was 15 years old, had a heart murmur, and is pretty much deaf and almost blind. Not a good candidate for surgery and the Vet was pretty sure the bites had punctured his intestines. With a heavy heart we told him to go ahead with the euthanasia. He did not need any more pain.

We can not say enough of the wonderful Vet, Dr Ron, and his great compassionate staff. They were wonderful and made the tough decision so much easier. He said we'd done the right thing and for a moment I wanted to try and save him but I knew in my heart it would not be good for my gentle friend. Even though it was difficult we said our goodbyes.

To the person who lets their dog run free, for whatever reason--shame on you--your dog has taken from us, in the most horrifying way, our darling little dog and brought sadness to friends and family.

To all our family and friends that have been so supportive, our love and thanks. See my sister and daughter's blog for their lovely sentiment about this great dog. Tombstone Tumbleweed and Maltese Parakeet.

Finally, to our little terrier Buddy, thank you for letting us be your caretakers for 15 years. We will miss you.

Buddy, the fashionista

The hundred-year-old dog wasn't happy to get his photo taken after his haircut. He looks marvelous but as you can see by the tail placement he's not thrilled. He seemed to be afraid of the camera in my hand. New for the old dog.

What I was trying to show is how young he looks with his hair short. Must make an appointment for me.

A few days getaway

The ocean was great and the weather better but the Beverly Hillbillies pulled in next to us with their double wide and blocked our view. Ah, we were planning to leave the next day anyway. When they fired off the generator the next morning and it backfired it sealed the deal. Their motor home, all of 35 feet, was in a spot better laid out for a tent but somehow they squeezed in. It just proves my law, "Just because you can squeeze in a size 12 that doesn't mean you should." Seems like that rule applies to more than clothes.



Faria campground is nice but when it's full it's crowded. We are lucky we don't have to camp during the weekends so we packed up. We'll head back there for more during the week when it's peaceful and filled with seniors. My first choice is Rincon but we can't camp there with the teardrop and the truck doesn't like the trailer we usually use. Why can't we all get along?

The hundred-year-old-dog did pretty well but not being able to see makes his life more confusing especially someplace without all his familiar smells. His nose works fine and was never more evident than our lunch at the BBQ joint in Ventura. He could smell the meat smoking and when we got our sandwiches he let us know we weren't quick enough with his share. Nothing wrong with the sniffer.

The 3G worked on the iPad so we had some communication not that I'm gonna watch a movie but good to check up on e-mail and the like. AT$T was so spotty on our driving vacation to Pueblo, CO last year but Ventura seems to be part of their area with no problems. What did we do before computers?

So what's on the horizon? A trip north.

Weather of not

Our once-a-year Teardrop Gathering (we've gone since '07) is this week and with rain in the forecast my honey is none to pleased. His Safety Event was rained out last Sunday so the weather gods have not been too kind to him lately. Quoting Noah, I say go for it, what the hell is a little rain going to do?

We've not had the Teardrop out since our unfortunate accident in New Mexico and it's been repaired. The water leak has been fixed with the wood stripped out of the galley and replaced and everything is looking quite spiffy. I've got all my cast iron loaded for a few days of Dutch Oven cooking. Oh how I look forward to this. Will be making a carrot cake, potato side dish, and two pots of chile verde--not all on the same day, whew.

Before we get on the road I will attend the last Life Drawing class of this quarter and partake in a potluck. This class has been a lot more familial than the other with everyone eager to bring something. Jay is marketing this as "The Last Supper" but that sounding a little too ecclesiastical I think it should be called "The Luncheon of the Boating Party." After all, Renoir's masterpiece is much more festive.

I'd like to say I sacrificed a chicken last night to the rain gods but actually I just burnt dinner a bit. So, snorkel and fins in hand we'll head for the lake.

There is a disturbance in the force

In the 36 years we've lived in this house we've never had a cat. We've never owned a cat nor had one as a visitor but now we've got one residing in our guest room. There was that one time I kidnapped our neighbor's cat because we had a mouse invasion but all the stupid animal did was watch the rodent. Lazy-assed cat.

My darling sister and her husband and cat are visiting and would usually stay parked in front of our house in their trailer and did for the first week they were here. This week has turned into a variable hell when it comes to weather and they could not run their air conditioner and ours at the same time. We tried taking turns but yesterday, when the thermometer blew out the top at 111 we shut down their trailer and brought the cat inside to live in our guest bedroom.

At first, Bogie was not happy at all and climbed under the covers of the bed and would not come out. Later in the evening, when they went to bed, the cat did come out to eat and use his box. We must keep the door closed since Buddy, our 100 year-old terrier still has the urge to chase a cat now and then and we'd hate to give this, already traumatized, cat a fright. He was a kitten when they put him in the trailer and, outside of traveling from place to place in the back seat of their truck, he's only know that space. He was quite confused when dumped in a 9x12 bedroom.

The 100 year-old dog hasn't caught on that there is a feline a foot but keeps sniffing down the hall and looks a little confused but that is what a 100 year-old dog usually does. He knows there is something odd going on but loses interest if offered a cookie.

Buddy: The poor little doggy

He might have had a reaction to the non-itch meds he's been taking so they gave him Valium, put him on IVs for a while, and now he's home. He's asleep and not puking or shaking so there was an immediate improvement. We'll see how he's doing tomorrow. I thought he was a goner.

Accepting good wishes and cookies

When our thirteen-year-old wire haired terrorist walked away from his usual piece of toast this morning I told my beloved there was something wrong.

He's been seeing the Vet for a "chewing" problem and the meds seemed to have slowed it down but he's not his usual self. I goog'ed (this is my new word for research on Google) his meds and one of the side effects is lethargy but I'll give the Vet a call today because walking away from a handout is something he'd never do if he felt good.

Buddy?

This is not our dog; repeat, NOT BUDDY. He looks like Buddy but it's his doppelganger. He seems to be the anti-buddy. Click the link to see a video and read about this amazing dog. "Thrown Away Dog Saves Little Girl."


This is our Buddy. He's never saved a life, that we know of, and he's just a tiny bit bigger than the dog above. He is a very loyal, good at heart, dog. If I'm sick he'll stay right at the foot of the bed and he barks at intruders. I love him just as much as he's heroic cousin.

Some can never be rehabilitated

Our darling Buddy dog, at one time in his life, was a monster. Chewed everything mine, including an expensive signed by the photographer art book. I would refer to his as the "bastard with fur " and his breed being a "wire-haired terrorist." His only interest, not that he has a lot now, was finding a way to get into the trash. We'd had baby-locks on the cupboard with the can until we remodeled and have a wonderful slide out drawer; fooled him.

After my beloved retired seven years about Buddy became a model citizen. Imagine that, he was just lonely. He loves going camping and doesn't bolt out the door when it's opened. He is quite enjoyable even though he's not a cuddly dog. I do miss my Sheba, she was the best snuggler in dogdom. Buddy will sleep on the bed but faces the door waiting for some bungler to attack, he's ever vigilant.

Just to keep up the aforementioned title, ever so often, Buddy will pull something sneaky. Last week he must have felt no one was paying enough attention. My Aunt and I were heading for the Getty Villa and, out the door, I remembered my camera and returned to the house. There he was standing in the middle of the dining table his muzzle deep into the remnants of a cup of coffee I had carelessly left. He was so busy slurping up the coffee he didn't notice me and I was too shocked to say anything. Too bad I had not gotten my camera yet as that would have been a fantastic snap. He finally did look up and just turned, jumped to a chair, then the floor, and out the doggy door like nothing happened. Thanks, Buddy, I thought you'd lost all your spirit.

Cool ocean breeze makes life worth living

We've been away camping, again so blogging takes a far back seat. Someday I might get a laptop and post from where ever but until them the blog takes a bit of a hiatus from time to time. We have a few campgrounds to choose from but we knew it might be difficult to find a spot. It's been hot here in town and that usually drives the peasants to the shore and this peasant was feeling the heat and wanted to get to the beach.

We decided Monday morning would be our best bet and though our first choice, Faria, was full we found more open spaces at a camp ground called Hobson. It's tucked into the end of the Rincon and the beginning of some private residences with a few dry camp spot and about a dozen ones with full hook-ups. We took a dry camp by the water, well rocks actually because there is a berm built of big rocks between most of the spots and the surf. The view is only visible if you climb up on a rock or two bit you can find a few flat ones to put a beach chair.

The photo is looking south about five in the afternoon with a bit of fog drifting in. Other than that we experienced wonderful weather. The nights were great. Clear skies that were dark enough to see the Milky Way if you were up late. I get such a kick out of that each time we are there and am lucky to have a bladder that wake me around two in the morning for my own private show.

We did have some interesting neighbors this time. A family with three teen aged boys and three younger girls and a truck full of surf boards arrived after we'd set up. While they unloaded, we are so close we could have helped, I couldn't help but notice the mother unloaded what I thought was a little puppy. No, it was a little piggy. Lilly, a 10 month-old pot-bellied pig, was quite a surprise at the beach. Buddy the dog wasn't aggressive but very interested in the noises she made. When I asked why a pig for a pet the father said, "Well, we had one before." I didn't go any further with that line of questioning.

The little porker was kept in a dog carrier and evidently didn't get out much because by the morning it was covered with flies. Nice neighbors to have. Lucky for us they found a better space the next morning and left. Pig, kids, and surfboards were thrown into the trailer and truck and off they went. They forget to take the flies.


Going home we were driving into the sun and that makes it tough on Buddy. He usually gets on the floor of the truck but it was pretty hot and couldn't find the right place. After he'd gone back and forth enough to make me scream I plopped my cap on his head to shade his eyes. Bingo! That is what he was looking for and wore my cap the rest of the way home. When you're pulling a teardrop trailer with a dog wearing a baseball hat you get looks.

It was back to the real-hot world on Wednesday morning. Sad that it has to end but knowing school will be back in session soon and we then can take the 5th wheel up to the Rincon, again.

Camera captures the past

We didn't take any photos when we adopted Buddy, our wire-haired terrorist but this snap really tells his story. Lil Bird found him at a local pet store adoption day and I believe this was what he was doing. Little did we know.

Honestly, Buddy has turned out to be a great friend and we wouldn't know what to do without him.



see more dog pictures

Vote for a great candidate

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Na, Buddy dog isn't running for any office, though it's a great idea, he wants you to vote for him on I has a Hot Dog. Just click his photo and vote for him. It would mean so very much to the old doggy.

Bayer gave me a headache

Usually I show our dog's smiling face but this is a shot of a huge open sore caused by Bayer's K9 Advantix. This happened last week after I applied the dose as directed. It's not the first time I've used this or products like it. I switched from Frontline because the Advantix is more diligent on Ticks and we've been camping more lately.

I called Bayer, the maker, because I saw nothing about this in the safety pamphlet. They seemed very worried because they've never heard of this happening. And, please send us all bills from the Vet. This really scared me and I made an appointment for that same day.

My Vet said, yes, this happens but not that often and he says Bayer knows about this. He wasn't going to charge me because their Bayer rep. would pick up the bill. Maybe the person I talked to was new. I think the person I talked to just didn't want to admit they have this problem.

Do be careful with your doggies and watch carefully after applying. The Vet said I could switch back to Frontline but I'm not so sure now.

Buddy, on patrol

Does all this pet food poison scare worry anyone but Buddy the wire-haired-terrorists? He's very aware of what has and has not been contaminated and wants everyone to be super vigilant when it comes to a recall.

What keeps me up nights, besides the pizza, is wondering what's in the food we import? Sheesh! Who is watching this stuff. I know everything is global these days but does the Food and Drug Administration not look what is coming in to the country? A little nightmare reading from the Bioterrorism Law.

If accidentally some foreign substance can get into pet food how can we be sure anything imported is safe? It wasn't the FDA or Canada's equivalent but dead pets that alerted everyone to the problem. Buy local. Support your local Crop Share or Farmer's Market for fresh produce.

Buddy suggests to check out Snopes, his fav site for correct information. Feel safe knowing he's out there protecting the pack.

Before the next tear drop falls

Some might know my dearly beloved and I have a Tear Drop Trailer. I'm sure some wonder why, with all the time he spends with the cars, and safety team when do they have time but hey, let's add one more thing to our already full plate. The plate right now is dripping with gravy running off one side and mashed potatoes slipping of the other.

If I had to describe the Tear Drop it would be half the trailer with twice the fun. It is compact so packing and stocking the galley, notice I didn't call it a kitchen, is a challenge. We love challenges.

Cooking is very rustic. Two burner propane stove. For those of you never having the pleasure of cooking outside on propane it has two temperatures. Burning the hell our of anything in the pan and making that odd, poof, which means the fire's gone out and you'll need to re-light. Please turn off the gas, wait a few minutes then re-light. And speaking of fires, I set off the smoke alarm (yes, that little tiny thing has one) making toast one morning. Nice at 7:00 am to let others in the campground know I'd burnt something.

Ok, so we were off to a Tear Drop "Gathering" last weekend and we didn't have a clue what to expect. I'd seen a link to the event online and we thought we'd give it a try. Boy did we have fun. We found that Tear Drop Enthusiasts are just a nutty as Streetrodders so we fit right in. There were 120 trailers of different sizes and styles and my darling was in his height of glory talking to other people who've built theirs. We made many new friends, too. Some energetic sole has already posted photos of the event. SCCT Gathering

Because everytime I tell people we have a Tear Drop I hear this song from the late, great Freddie Fender--here are the lyrics.

Chief, you have mail

Our wired-haired terrorist Buddy is about eleven-year-old and is housebroken but when I went into my studio last week, a no-dogs-allowed area, I found someone had left me a "present" on the floor. Present in this case was a small pile of dog crap in the corner and yes, I do know the difference between a gift of some value and this. I was amazed because this isn't something this dog does. Oh there was that one time at Mary's when, much to my horror, he lifted his leg on a house plant but the two Bark Brothers were there and I think he was just marking his territory.

My beloved stepped in on Buddy's behalf because while moving cars in and out of the side yard he'd closed the doggie door and forgot it for the rest of the day. Poor Bud-man. There was no use admonishing him, it was long past, but this incident did qualify Buddy for a new Navajo name. My darling christened him, Poops-on-Floor.

Thanks, Snores-Real-Loud. I can only guess what he calls me.

This is a test. If it were a real emergency …

Last night was girl's night out. Darling husband was at sweet daughter's house getting ready to make a new roof so a lady friend and myself had dinner and went to the picture show. When over it was late, for us, but since she is single said what the hey to a cup of tea at my house. She left after 11:00 and since there was zip on the TV I did some writing.

Very silent house except the clinking of the keyboard so you could hear any little noise the house makes. Just me and Buddy.

Let's have a bit of back-story here. We have a Carbon Dioxide detector that has been relegated to the garage. Seems as though the "chirps" it makes ever now and again makes the terrier certifiable. He will actually climb up in your lap, no matter where you are--note to self: close the bathroom door all the way--and quiver like the hounds of hell are pursuing him. We've had this problem before and that is why the current detector is out of his earshot, or so I thought.

Buddy was the first to hear the chirp and I should have known. Usually if you are up late he just heads off to bed. "See ya in the morning, don't forget to lockup." He was right next to my chair when I heard the detector hit the high note again but it is always one of the those, "Did I hear something?"

The next time it was unmistakable, at least for the dog because all of his 27 lbs leaped into my arms and refused to get down. With some soothing I convinced him off my keyboard and I was out to the garage. I yanked the detector from it's plug and showed Buddy. "See, I've slayed your dragon my great protector, now go to bed." Which he did until the damn thing set off again. Seems like I forgot to also pull the battery. Now there was nothing else to do with except shut down the computer and be off to bed where he slept closer to me than ever.

Some of you safety people are saying, "How could you disabled the detector; maybe there was actually a problem?" Not to worry, I have another one and it said on the case, chirpping every three minutes is a malfunction. It's off to Lowes this morning to buy a new one.

Who knows what that noise means to him. It is loud but not as ear piercing as the actual alarm. It's constant but only every three minutes when it's in the malfunction mode. Well at least we don't have to worry about not hearing the alert, Buddy will keep us safe long before the carbon monoxide gets us.

Look Ma, no cavities!

Most regular readers know Buddy, the wire-haired terrorists. He's our eleven-year-old darling doggy and after a trip to the vet last November he was told by Dr Ron to lose a few pounds, three to be exact. Now this is not to say he's fat, just a tad over his fighting weight. So we stopped with all the "people food," which we thought was a good way to diet. Buddy didn't agree but us being the dutiful pet parents that we are we stuck with this new regimen.

Yesterday Buddy had an appointment to have his teeth cleaned. This was his first time. We've never had a dog with dental problems so why subject him was my thought. Anyway he did just fine, not a bad tooth in the lot and even had a blood test to say his insides were just as good.

And how did the diet work, she asks? Buddy proudly jumped on the scale and as the number rose my heart sank. He did not lose one ounce, not one. Of course he didn't gain anything, that would have been pure agony, but he really hasn't been eating anything close to what he did before November. Either this mutt is ordering pizza while we are away or we just don't understand how much to feed a dog. Back to the drawing board on this one. Poor Buddy.