one cat to rule them

Even in a land of dogs a cat can be king.


















From our pack to yours, Happy New Year!

November evening

A few shots of Reggie, Mega and PuppyG:

crime wave

This summer brought the real word a little too close to home. There was a murder nearby; a tourist was killed and her body was found in the surf. That might not be news in most of Mexico, but here it is virtually unheard of.
the police tape is still on the beach:














Why not in my back yard, I guess. I don't imagine the publicity will help those with houses for sale. "Safe" and "idyllic" are a local realtor's most overused adjectives (although generally truer than "city water available").
We are acquainted with the grandmother of the murder suspect. We've watched her dogs Bosha & Linda in the past and have taken them in while she has gone to stay elsewhere with family. The more the hairier!
Linda and the tribe:














Bald when we met, now she's the victim of a ridiculous (but practical) haircut:














she looks just like Ziggy:














still cute:








 




Our not-so-little-anymore Xmul will be leaving us soon to live with her other mothers for 6 months. She's an irrepressible and exasperating girl...we'll miss her!
being goofy with Daisy:














covered in sand and coming to say hi:














Poor Buddy had a few seizures and suffered a relapse. He had visited the vet for a skin problem and haircut a few days earlier and she was amazed to see how well he was doing -despite the brain damage. He still seems happy and has begun to slowly regain what was lost. He hasn't given up, so we'll see how it goes.
Buddy strikes a pose:












 


Buddy on the move:

What's new for Fall?

Summer is shuffling off stage left and none to soon for me. The loss of Oscar & the saga with Buddy (hand feedings, sleepless nights and quarantine), coupled with a myriad of injuries and afflictions to both dogs and humans have been exhausting...add insects, heat and humidity and I'm seriously ready for Fall.

Ball was all the rage this summer. Daisy is a big fan.













As are Monkey and Mo.













Reg is more of an observer, but Rufus loves ball!













Unfortunately, it hasn't all been fun and games. Buddy suffered brain damage from encephalitis. Now he's the anti-Zoolander, he always turns left. I'd love to call him Hansel, but he already responds to Buddy. He's enjoying life, despite its challenges.
His coat has grown in and he's soft as a plushie!













Through it all I'm lucky to have my faithful pals, my little band of loyalists, my shaggy entourage -the devoted contingent of dogs that are my constant companions.
I move in a cloud like Pigpen, but of fur instead of filth (ok, some of it is filth). Reggie (nee Rumsfeld) is the most devoted.
There is no nap that can't be interrupted to follow me, a potent compliment!













He (like his 2 sisters) is a weird one.
He's the biggest dog here but he doesn't know it.He thinks he's still a pup.













He's become a fixture on the small dog walk.Reg & Tito.













He loves to dote on the other dogs; he keeps everyone's ears and faces clean.Reg & Jack
















He is often in my way and he's a damn menace on the stairs, but I love my Reggie.Of course he loves puppies.


















Yes, new faces! This tribe of 6 was under a bush on our little road; don't know if they were raised or dumped there. They're here now, all else is moot.
As you might well imagine, I hate puppies, can't stand the adorable little things ...what with all that joy and enthusiasm.
5 are boys -I've never been so happy to see 5 little wieners!
l-r: Zoot, Petey, Amber, Lex, Mega and Steve McQueen













Daisy isn't mom.













Steve McQueen and Lex.













Here comes Petey!













Amber, the only girl.

















All hail Zoot!

















We've tried out Hank and Po, but I think we're going with Lex.

















Xmul doesn't care what we call them. She couldn't be happier.













Poor Xmulie -we thought she must have gotten bitten or stung by something, because she had a lump. We treated that, but it rapidly got much worse. The vet directed us to take a sample (with a syringe) and it turned out to be pus -which meant an infection. It was too late in the day to take her to the city, so we had to drain it ourselves. Yoy. We drained about a liter of goo out of her! That was a new experience for us!
You can see the drainage incision on her chest

















A course of antibiotics and a daily flushing for a week and she's fine.













For most of us though, it's been the same old same old.
Posey, Luna and Bette under the neem tree.

















Linda (more on her next post) and Monkey seize the evening.

solemn note: 5.08.11

Sean wrote the following on dogonomicon.blogspot and I'm reposting it here.

"Oscar died Friday night. We don't really know why. He had been weak and slow to recover from a bout of ehrlichiosis coupled with giardia, but the fact is that the treatment he received for heart worm two years ago had been very hard on him; the vet thinks it weakened him. I had just taken him to the vet yesterday and he was fine on the trip and with her; his blood-work had improved since last time but he was still very thin and weak. Late at night he took a sudden turn for the worse. There was nothing we could do. We both miss him more than I can possibly say here and feel his loss keenly. Everyone who knew him loved him. He is buried in our yard with all of our fallen friends. He was the best and we will always love him."

Que Linda!

We have our neighbor Kiki's 2 dogs staying with us while she's away.
The little one, Linda, first visited us in June when she wasn't feeling well.
Linda was not having a good hair day.













Linda circa June.













Linda in July.













Linda loves Tito and he thinks she has fine taste.













She's a popular girl; Xmul thinks she's swell!













They do a lot of this.













Speaking of Xmul -she and the other pups are rambunctious and entirely sweet. Twiggy and Mo have been spayed and Xmul, Daisy and Luna will be done next month.













Sofia, it was great meeting and hosting you!
Thanks for everything, we miss you!

















Humidity and flies rule the day -not great for getting out for photo ops.
Zasu doesn't mind. She looks cute with her muddy paws and gray eyebrows.
13? She doesn't look a day over 8!

















Monkey and Henry are always great company!













Many sleepless nights recently. Sweet Oscar was scary sick from giardia. He's on the mend, but the poor guy can't catch a break; he's had one health problem after another this year.
To top it off, moments before leaving on a run, helpxer Jami saw "some sort of animal" dash past the gate.
We're calling him Buddy (Hugo didn't stick).

















After a few weeks, he took a drastic turn for the worse. Long story short, he has idiopathic encephalitis and although we're relatively sure it isn't contagious, we've been keeping him quarantined. Our time since has been dominated by him (and the infernal washing machine, but that's another story!). We've all the necessary meds for him and, with the guidance of the vet, we're doing what we can.













Prognosis for recovery is uncertain, but he's getting stronger. He's been walking in circles for a week and there's no way to know if the neurological problems are temporary or permanent.
If he pulls through, he's going to be a cutie-pie (Well I think so, but I'm partial to redheads.)!
Pre-encephalitis nap.













Thanks to Jami and Ian, our most recent helpers!
Running with Floyd at sunset.