year's end ...on to the next

First and foremost, sincere gratitude to Markus, Angela and Lisa&Tim for donations! 

It's been a rough year, no lie. Too many of the photos I've taken this year were destined for the veterinarian. 
A sterilization clinic is in the works but life keeps getting in the way.

The last week has been spent bringing Brooklyn back from the brink; she ingested an unknown toxin, and we thought we were going to lose her. We did all we could but were expecting the worst. Happily, she has pulled through and is getting stronger. I don't want to speak too soon but we may actually end the year on a high note.

Since the last update we've lost a few more old friends. Inevitable but always difficult.
Chester was with us a long time, one of the 1st adult strays to join the troupe. He survived heart worm and was a smart and loving fellow.
Most recent picture of him, sleeping next to his daughter Blue

one of my favorite shots of Chester

 
another old favorite

Greta, our leibling. A slew of health issues and an indomitable spirit. 
An old shot of Greta playing with Monkey    

















showing wee Rufus the ropes
 












and one with Zasu (who is still alive and mostly well at 23)

We had to say goodbye to Mo.
Momo was sweetest of her sisters and outlived them both

 

One of my favorites of Momo, keeping an eye on me 













Xmul wasn't related but they were raised together and Mo loved her best

Mo was so happy to see Xmul the last time she came to stay -maybe she knew it was the last visit.

The youngest of our recently deceased was Zoot. He and his siblings showed up at the end of 2011 to irrevocably change our lives.

   

there will never be another like him

We lost him to aggressive skin cancer. He had survived and recovered from multiple surgeries but these last tumors were awful and we couldn't put him though any more.  
Better days, happy and covered in marmot poo

Rest in power and chaos friend

It hasn't all been loss. This month, Sean found 2 puppies at a nearby abandoned building. They spent a couple days with us, got baths, vaccinations, and new homes with families in town. 
An injured pup he rescued last week is being fostered (by the aforementioned Lisa and Tim) and will hopefully be going to a permanent home this week.
rescued and rehomed

winter solace

The last few months have been undeniably rough, flashes of joy and long stretches of grief. After weeks of medical intervention and hope, the deaths of Ginger and Reggie left me gutted. Still am but life trudges on. 
So many little faces, always plenty to do and something to be happy about. Some mornings while I rake I can hear pelicans diving into the Gulf on one side and distant flamingos from the other.

Dulce showed up in November, young enough to still have a milk tooth. Here is her 1st bath photo. She has since been spayed during one of the many recent vet visits.

Ruby is just about a year old. She's clever, beautiful and has a bit of a temper!
 
















Ruby's adorable sister Perl has an under bite, hip dysplasia, suspect vision and a sunny disposition. Tupo is nearly 2 (!) and likes them both.

We've had a few cold fronts and it's great to get a break from the heat. Not everyone agrees, Elewah does not like the cold.

February started with 3 puppies dumped at our gate, predictably all girls. I'm not happy about it, but it's hard to be quite as sad with puppies around. 
As of then unnamed pup with Dulce.

They were a little thin, mangy and wormy, but overall in decent shape. One fawn colored and two light colored pups.

This is JoJo (Calderwoof) and her 1st bath photo.

This is Rose (Namapoonas) and her 1st bath. I know it has become a tradition but pup 3 looks pretty much just like this. Trust me they all got a bath.

clean and tired

Nico (in the hammock) is at the mercy of her weak immune system and Greta (gazing at the puppies) had ear surgery for what I guess you'd call cauliflower ear. Recovery is gruesome but seems to be going ok. It is always something, but hopefully there are no more medical dramas on the horizon.

 
All 3 have put on weight. Rose, Rocky (Puppington) and JoJo say life is good.

(Almost) everybody loves puppies.
Ruby and Steve watch JoJo chew on Rocky.

New year, new plan.

This new year did not come to me with its customary flash of optimism.  
It is still raining.  Almost daily.  This has increased the difficulty of keeping so many dogs in a small space tenfold.  Poop raking has become a serious strength and conditioning routine!  That is a good thing, I suppose, as I have been feeling puny after an injury laden year.  This weather has been great for the spiny grass (xmul).  It has been making walks miserable, especially for the shaggy dogs (and me, the designated xmul-remover).

Sisters Blue and Eve wait for the rain to pass.

I may finally have to break down and import a case of Natures Miracle pee odor remover -damn the price!   Except that as of this month, pet food is to be taxed.  That is going to hurt!  We go through about 100 lbs of kibble a week.

Archie enjoys some morning sun.

More beach houses are going up and we are feeling hemmed in.  With no prospects of compatible volunteers on the horizon (we've temporarily removed our Helpx profile), we have little hope of making much progress at the alternative site.  We need a plan.
Land prices on the coast are currently outrageous, so it's unfeasible to consider adding on to our existing lot.  The same money it would cost to widen our lot by 9 meters could buy us hectares a few miles inland.  We are doing our best to save to buy land.  At least, being vegan in the Yucatan makes it easy to save on eating out!  We've literally eaten out once in the past 2 years.

Sweet, strange Greta wants a belly rub.

Amber makes the most of the 1st sunny day in weeks.

Hazel digs a hole while Amber jumps through the sand she kicks up.

Amber pauses. 

PuppyG supervises Merci's hole digging technique.













Amber and PuppyG play.
 











PuppyG and Merci.

Spot (the cat) will be 18 this month! 
 

The sweet little black and white stray is now a being called Roxy -because she's extremely nice and very brave, just like Roxanne Modafferi!  I hope she shares the same fighting spirit, as she has been diagnosed with Ehrlichiosis and late stage heartworms.  We've begun treatment and it has been unsurprisingly tough on her.  There is no guarantee that she'll recover, but at least she's inside, out of the cold and wet. 

Roxy (who is obviously good with other dogs and cats) and overlord Spot.  When her treatments are finished, we'd love to find her a home of her own. 

'Cold' weather means more dogs love hammocks.  

A tired me, ready to watch a movie -note my Elewah pillow.  

Full crew in my hammock...

and under it.

Stella can jump in on her own, but Tuesday prefers to be helped.  

This is how she asks for a boost.

Dragonflies to the rescue

A battalion of dragonflies laid waste to the mosquitoes.

Hot little dogs on a morning walk.

A picture that captures Tori's enthusiasm for water.

Steve, Lex, Hazel and Tori play with their favorite toy.

Miles, Henry, Blue and Bette patrol the grounds of the beta site.

Lovely PuppyG.

Zasu watches Tori and Greta swim with Sean. 
She prefers to wade belly deep.

4 funny girls -Molly, Tuesday, Twiggy and Monkey.

Shirley takes a break from lizard hunting.
I love that face!

Large, used political banners are cut up and resold as tarps.  
We've stapled them to the screened porch to keep the rain out.
Reggie teases Henry. Such a little brother.

Everybody say kibble!  Group shot on the porch.
Zasu, Mega, Reggie, Tuesday and Pete.

Our pal Xmul has come back to stay for a few months.
We missed her!  

I think Zoot missed her the most.  
Zoot, Xmul and Steve play at dusk.