dogs – Page 7 – FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER!

My Dog Is Too Smart

July 22, 2025July 21, 2025 Posted in memoir, dogs, California, Jack Russell terrier, dog walks, Prozac, dog pill, escape artist, prey driveLeave a comment

(re-run) Today I put Daisy’s Prozac in a slice of banana, as I do every day. She caught it and spit it out and then ate the banana pieces, leaving the pill. Since two other dogs were right there, also getting slices of banana sans pills, I had to hurriedly pick it up before the… Continue reading My Dog Is Too Smart

My Newspaper-ritual Disaster

July 17, 2025July 16, 2025 Posted in cocoa, dogs, March, Miss Manners, newspaper, rituals, Sunday, UncategorizedLeave a comment

(re-run) When I finally sat down to read my two Sunday newspapers in the evening, I opened up the bag that was supposed to be my local paper and found the New York Times. The delivery person left me the wrong paper? I’d already had trouble in the a.m. procuring the San Francisco Chronicle. I… Continue reading My Newspaper-ritual Disaster

Feeling Better

July 15, 2025July 12, 2025 Posted in animals, birdfeeder, birds, Depression, dogs, exercise, food, Iowa, medications, melanoma, memoir, mood, nature, sunshine, ZumbaLeave a comment

(re-run) I have some down days once in a while, but mostly I don’t. I know I’m lucky. I have aligned my life to feel better. Coincidentally, a relative’s therapist told her the five things she needs every day to get out of her funk. Then, if you still feel like crap, go see a… Continue reading Feeling Better

A Week in the Woods

July 13, 2025July 8, 2025 Posted in August, Car Week, care giver, dogs, lunch, memoir, mountain lion, mountains, shopping, travel, woodsLeave a comment

(re-run from 2023) When both my mom and sis started having big health problems at the same time, I flew back to Iowa to collect my older sister and bring her to California to live with me. Eighteen months later, my younger sister flew back to Iowa to get our mom and bring her to… Continue reading A Week in the Woods

The Dog Days of Summer

July 12, 2025July 8, 2025 Posted in California, college, dogs, fires, July, memoir, music, summerLeave a comment

I haven’t written a new blog post for a few days, and it’s time. I’ve posted re-runs every day for a long string of hot days now. My computer is playing Neil Young’s Harvest Moon, which puts me in the mood for writing. That song keeps reappearing in my life. You probably have a song… Continue reading The Dog Days of Summer

Apple Tree

July 6, 2025July 5, 2025 Posted in apple tree, dog park, dogs, fences, foundation drain, gardeners, landscaper, memoir, tree hugger, trees, wheelbarrow1 Comment

(re-run) You know it’s apple-picking season when the dogs start bringing in the bruised ones and then growl at each other. When I bought the house, I inherited the apple tree. I didn’t realize how prolific it was until one day, after the gardeners left, I noticed a line of fat apples sitting on my… Continue reading Apple Tree

Kuma, the Teddy-bear Akita

June 30, 2025June 29, 2025 Posted in 4th of July, Akita, animal training, animals, boyfriend, California, casino, dating, divorce, dogs, father figure, Japan, kayaking, lake, Lake Tahoe, puppy, river, swimmingLeave a comment

(re-run) Beth’s husband had two Akita dogs. She wanted to get one for their six-year-old son. She got Lee a puppy and named him Kuma, which is Japanese for Bear. The two older dogs kept attacking the puppy. The marriage wasn’t going well, either. Beth and her son moved out and got their own place… Continue reading Kuma, the Teddy-bear Akita

Daisy’s Night Run, a Skunk, and an Anniversary

June 22, 2025June 22, 2025 Posted in beach, California, dogs, foxtails, memoir, Monterey county, raccoons, runaway, skunk1 Comment

(re-run) With hot, hot weather in the Bay Area, it seemed like a good time to run down to the beach, plus the handy woman was available to come at the same time with her daughter. We had trees to plant, foxtails to pull, and a flat roof filled with pine needles to clean. The… Continue reading Daisy’s Night Run, a Skunk, and an Anniversary

How to Teach your Puppy or Rescue to Play Ball

June 9, 2025June 8, 2025 Posted in animal adoption, animal rescue, animal training, dogs, greenbelt, park1 Comment

(re-run) Put on a pair of pants with pockets. Fill your pockets with yummy treats torn into tiny pieces. You can use cooked chicken, pieces of cheese, or beef strips from Costco. Take your ball launcher or strong throwing arm and two balls. Take your puppy to the yard, park or green belt. Walk him… Continue reading How to Teach your Puppy or Rescue to Play Ball

Musical Cleaning Day (waiting for plumber)

June 3, 2025June 2, 2025 Posted in Bill Withers, CD player, children, cleaning, dogs, Isley Brothers, memoir, music, musicians, pandemic, plumber, poem, purge, reflux diseaseLeave a comment

(re-run) The plumber said he’d be here by mid-morning, but it wasn’t looking good. I worked on a review for a new children’s book coming out next month. I watched some Dry Bar Comedy while I digested my breakfast. That is no longer a multi-tasking feature of my aging body. Reflux. It’s best to let… Continue reading Musical Cleaning Day (waiting for plumber)