Six Years of Ki’o

Today is Na Ki’o’s foundling day. He came to live with us six years ago today, which we think makes him about 12 1/2 years old. Since we don’t often know our pets’ origins, figuring out an actual birthdate is often a challenge. Guessing at Marrakesh’s birth year comes with wild swings, since the animal […]

Musings on the Mouse

I got derailed yesterday on the way to completing my post (definitely not making it into the Blogger Hall of Fame now), and this is why: I had a home invasion. Let’s not forget, I am here in the country, so you need to think differently when I say home invasion. And I suppose it […]

Outfoxed

This is not new ground, but here it is again: Marrakesh does not know what he wants out of life. In a true accounting of this morning, which could be any morning, here is Marrakesh in action: he went into the garage. He came back into the house. He went out the back door. He […]

Mysterious Maladies

Spotty internet service, slow computers . . . the last two days have shaken my limited faith in technology. I understand that nothing in the world is more dreary than listening to old people discussing their endless ailments. But that’s what we’ve got at this house, aging people and pets, and that’s what we’ve got […]

Country Living

You have no idea how many times I feel, without ever having devoted much time to watching the show, like — I was going to say Eddie Albert, but maybe it’s Eva Gabor — on Green Acres. Maybe I mean Eddie. He was the one who wanted to live on the farm; he just wasn’t […]

The Green Grass Grows All Around

There’s a book, somewhere in this house, called The Black Death. I was looking for this book for blogging purposes, when my quiet morning turned into quite the kerfuffle, thanks to Oz the Ever Helpful. I had put my bagel into the toaster, and to mark the passing toasting time, I was roaming around the […]

The Difference Between

Up until now, I’ve never had a dog that liked toys, much. Sometimes a ball, although Ashoka was the first to actually fetch it and not just run around and want to be chased while holding it in her mouth. And then came Ozzie, for whom I bought several toys, none of which he liked. […]

Walking with Sadie

I like to think I can charm any dog out there, just as these dogs all charm me. This is an illusive, possibly delusional, thought, but it works out often enough with dogs’ winsome ways and my secret technique that I think it’s true even when it isn’t. So when Julia said Sadie hadn’t really […]

A Tail of New Neighbors

\ Another day, another visit to the vet. That’s why you missed me yesterday, or I missed you, or however that works: Marrakesh and I were taking advantage of an open “urgent care” appointment with his veterinarian. The lump I’d been feeling on his tail, when he’d let me touch it, was seeming more and […]

Smarter Than Your Average Cat

If you’ll recall, Yogi Bear was “smarter than your average bear” as he went about his day in Jellystone Park, swiping “pic-a-nic” baskets and generally getting the best of the park ranger who tried to stop his shenanigans. Well, today — at least for the moment — this ranger is feeling smarter than your average […]