Comings and Goings

In other news, we note the inevitable changes in the pack over the last two years.

January 2023 started with this adorable puppy, who went to a great home, where he is now called "Snorro", international dog of mystery!

After that brief but rewarding event there was a string of deaths...

2010 - 2023-01-11: Stella had to be put down, with a mouth full of cancer and swollen organs. She was an independent spirit in need of some assistance when we met her, and was really good company.

2013 - 2023-02-08: Roxy died of cancer peacefully here at home. She went in to the vet's the same day Stella had to be put down and was diagnosed, we were giving her meds to fight it. We don't know how old she was (nor Stella), they both came to us full-grown and in crisis, were cured of heartworm and lived with us for many years. We loved them and miss them.

2015 - 2023-02-22: June had to be put down, another mouth full of inoperable cancer, like Stella. She could've gone on for a few months in her drooling, grouchy old age but we decided it was enough suffering. I cannot express how hard this was... miss my running buddy (she's the one on the right, with her sister, Zoila, who is still with us).

2014 - 2023-12-06: Cancer claimed sweet kitty Cali, the most affable of Sugar's kittens.

2009 - 2023-12-09: Three days after Cali, loud, joyful Maggie had to be put down. She hadn't been able to get up on her own for several days, was blind and had lost enthusiasm for everything. We miss her dearly.

2009 - 2023-12-26: Goodbye to our sweet, serious Jack. Some dogs gray gracefully, others sprout silly eyebrows. Love him.

2011 - 2024-04-05: Four months into the new year we lost Daisy. Just a few weeks before we could feel she was slowing down, but she still had her little light and she never stopped letting it shine. One evening in March I remember walking to the kitchen and having her just appear besides me, so joyful to accompany me, and I thought: "Remember this. It's an honor that she's so proud and happy to be with you." So it was.

2014 - 2024-05-30: Another of Sugar's kittens died (how we'll always think of them even though it's been a decade), this time Falafel. Like Cali he had some kind of cancer and had to have one ear removed a year ago, but he gave it a good run afterwards and outlived expectations. He's buried next to Cali, out by the Jeep. Post-op Falafel catching some rays on the roof:

2009 - 2024-06-07: Elewah finally had to be put down, she couldn't get up and had been through a string of bad nights. She was with us 15 years, and was probably 2 years old when we met, so that's a long run for a dog. We miss her, will always miss her.

2009 (Lily), 2016 (Perl) - 2024-06-15: A doubly sad day: both Perl and Lily went to the vet in bad shape and neither came back. Perl always had problems, we used to say she was made of spare parts; her sister, Ruby, is still fine, but Perl's kidneys finally crashed and there was nothing to be done. Lily had long been suffering with some urinary ailment which was finally dianosed as an inoperable tumor in her bladder. Left is young Perl, right is Lily.

2024-06: Somewhere during the month of June, an errant pregnant dog we now call Nell made her appearance and unceremoniously produced 10 pups, out in the shelter we have arranged for the Jeep/Street dogs. Two died early on, leaving eight, four of which found homes around their 8th week. The remainig four are still with us, still looking for good homes.

2010 - 2024-07-24: Monkey had to be put down. I am not strong enough to write down what the last few months have been like, how important Monkey was to us both, I just can't.

2011 - 2024-09-14: Our buddy Steve McQueen died peacefully in the night. He had not been doing well for a few days. He was good looking, not so much with the smarts, kinda skittish but a sweetie and he loved his siblings, two of whom still remain with us after all these years.

2011 - 2024-10-17: Had just "finished" this post last night and then Linda took a turn for the worse, was all of a sudden very weak and listless and just died next to Roni a few minutes ago. She was an amazing, awesome presence who could fill a room with her razzle dazzle. She was 13.

January Blues

Sean and I rang in the new year with colds so the dogs haven't gone out as much as we'd all have liked. We're better now and making up for lost time.
This morning with siblings Amber and Zoot.

 

A passion butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) just emerged from its chrysalis.

Blue skies and cooler, drier weather make walks more fun.
Amber, Linda, Bette and Zoot.

Linda and Amber lead the way. 

Bette, Zasu, Blue, Linda and Otto.

I must have 100 shots of Bette wading and I love them all.  
Yay Bette!

This road is still submerged, but passable. Linda shakes it off.

Happy birthday to me and happy anniversary to Ernie!
Two goons, happy together.

Isn't she pretty? Cali is the smallest of the cats.

I didn't catch this guy's name, but he is as big as Cali. 

This tiny flower spider blends perfectly into a moringa blossom.

 
New year with old friends -we're all getting a little gray. 
Blue, Tito, Zasu and Otto.

Barking at thunder. Daily.

George and Tori, just because they look nice together.

I'm finally uploading a few of the videos Sean has taken on runs. This one is from February (and the camera is waterproof).

Shirley thinks rainy days are fine if you have enough toys.

This is from the end of June.

A few seconds from September.

Zoot enjoys a lovely September morning.

A hummingbird takes a break from hovering but not eating.

Tiny assassin bugs on a sea grape. 

Smiley face spider in our neem tree.

Sean found this little red-cheeked mud turtle too close to the road. He posed for a few photos before being relocated to the woods. Identified thanks to Jim Conrad's excellent site (link page right).

Sugar's kittens have been spayed and neutered! Minya didn't let the collar get in her way.

Recent family portrait. Sugar, her doppelgänger Falafel, Kevin, Cali and Minya.

Raining cats and dogs

Motivation, electricity, and internet have been sporadic.  Yes, the rainy season has begun!  Hot by 8AM, with high humidity and afternoon thunder.  Still, somehow, a few things get done.  Maggie had surgery for bladder stones; Doctora Sandra removed 3 large and 40+ smaller stones. 
Mags has recovered and is feeling much better!

Roxy has been having a hard time; she still has ehrlichiosis because the medicine upset her stomach and she couldn't keep it down.  Now on something to calm her stomach she is taking smaller, more frequent doses.  Sean has been her personal nurse.  She's due to be tested to see if the heartworm treatment worked but her being alive is a good indication that it did.  She's a tough little thing and happy to have people!


















Hazel decided to have an adventure, and was gone for a couple of days.  
Much anxiety was had by all -though mainly Sean, Murci and me.
Other than that, the dogs seem happy.
Xmul and Reggie sandwich Otto.

Greta tidies up Steve.

PuppyG does anime cosplay without a costume.
 
















Henry leads Eve and Monkey in a sea shanty.

  
So many strays around now! Dogs barking all night, on all sides.  One dumped with rope tied around its neck; if it lives long enough it will strangle.  Damn humans.  We'll do what we can.  Some sick kittens were dumped nearby.  Luckily, we attended to them far from ours until they went to the vet.  They tested positive for feline leukemia; we had no choice but to have them put down.  
I spent a week away visiting family, and Sean survived.  
Here he recuperates with other members of the shaggy dog club (he's an honorary member) Henry and Linda.

Sugar has been spayed and she tested positive for FIV.  Her kittens will be going in to be tested and sterilized soon.  They've been vaccinated and are currently doing great.
Falafel leaps and Cali prowls at dusk.

Xena has been renamed Minya.  
Minya and Kevin in sync.   

Bodging for kitties has become a full time job!  The most recent version of kitty bridge has been a success.  The longterm goal is integrating them but desensitizing the dogs is no small task.  Kevin and his siblings check out the new dog harassment platform. 

Falafel and Cali cross the kitty bridge.

Sugar and kin are the center of attention. That's an early stage of the kitty viewing station (pre-bridge), it was meant to be a place for potted plants.  Of course, the plants had to go soon after this was taken.