more of the same

This summer has been full of loss, even the oriole chicks in the neem tree came to a sad end. Too soon after losing Godzilla, her father George got sick and did not recover. He died in August. 
He had bounced back from heart worm, paralysis and ehrliciosis to enjoy years of morning runs. It was a shock. 
Flashback to George and young Godzilla with Gracie.

He was a huge part of our family for a long time. I learned a lot from George.
George and Godzilla. Loved and missed.

I'll spare you the photos of Monkey's eye cyst (I think she just likes to go to the vet) and Nico's swollen leg (poor thing can't catch a break). There aren't many fun pictures because we don't have a point & click camera at the moment and the Nikon is too cumbersome for most outings. Between the 10-12 bags of kibble a month and a never ending string of vet/medication costs, a new camera is not a priority.

A walk with Zasu is worth taking the Nikon! At 19 years old she doesn't go out as often or as far as she once did, but she is still lively. 
I tell her not to run but she doesn't listen.

Henry has been with us 10 years, Zasu nearly 20.

















Tito is now on medication for his congenital heart defect and is doing well.

Ruby and Perl have been spayed! 
Don't they look cute in their post-op jumpers?

Worked like a charm, no sand in the incisions. 
Perl showing off her couture threads.

All recovered, time to swim.
Ruby waits for her pool to fill.

Sadly Maldi hasn't been around for a few months, but Sugar's 4 kittens are all doing fine. 
Kevin hangs out on the cat bridge (covered to keep the clods from falling off). 

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.

 

June bugs.

May brought kittens, June brought flies.  June is a bitch.
Momma Sugar and Cali, the day we met. 

Sugar was living at a beach shack next door with her kittens.

Here are all 4 of the little devils.  I like cats, but not what they do to the birds!  
At least these 4 won't be having kittens.  

Sugar checks out the view from the roof.

Sugar and Maldi have a tentative peace.  
She's already proven herself to be a good mouser!  












Daisy and pals play with their new toys, thanks to Lisa and Tim!

Xmul prefers Mo to toys.  Happy dogs at sunset.

Lovely Xmul.

Not so much lovely as loved.  
Ziggy naps. 

These orange insects were standing motionless on a new shoot of our nopal.  They caught my eye because it looked like a bloom, but nopal doesn't have orange flowers.  They were so still that I touched them, thinking it was some kind of fungus.  I'll update when I identify the species. 
Identified as assassin bugs by Amanda. Thanks!

  
The dogs do their best impression of ants.  
Hey!  No dogs allowed on the tabl.... ah, forget it. 

Elewah and Sean.

Her darling daughter Lily, and a napping Frankie.

Blue leads Zoot, Amber, and gang.
Siblings Zoot and Amber have not wanted to go out for months!  So odd.

















Finally, success -we convinced/tricked them, and
Amber couldn't be happier! 

Zoot also seems to have forgotten what all the fuss was about.
Zasu, Zoot, Rita, Monkey and Tito head home.

















A good representation of Ginger -doing her own thing.