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.

April update

Beautiful weather has made for bug-free walks, better moods, and a tidier yard.
On walks, Ginger has been helping to fill the void left by the death of her sister. 
She is great company.

Ginger Pudding.  Prettier than ever, with a touch of gray.

Roxy completed her heartworm treatment and is doing great!  We'll have her tested in a few months to make sure they're gone.  
Ginger and Roxy.

Linda and Roxy. 

Except for the shaved patch at the injection site on her back, there's no hint that she was recently on Death's door.

Bette's hips haven't been bothering her.

Bette seizes the day!

Monkey has been with us for 4 years; she's an absolute brat and I adore her!

In the yard, Archie is our most dedicated watchdog.

Out of the yard, he prefers to roll in filth.

Murci has finally been spayed.  She and Hazel had to be kept apart for a few days while she recuperated and Hazel was noticeably depressed about it.  Murci is a tad taller than Hazel, mid-sized, but bigger than we initially expected.

They're back together again and all is right with the world!
Murci(élago) -air attack.

Lovely Xmul is back with us for a few months.

Tori, in front, has been with us a year!
Happy Anniversary Tori Monster!  

Win some. Lose some.

As of December, Ernie has been with us 6 years.
His snore is something you have to hear to believe.

At the end of January a long run of fence was stolen from the rental property, and another attempt was made to remove a door.  Without a perimeter fence the lot is useless to us.  Disappointed, but glad for resolution, we removed all the improvements, including the remaining fence, and we'll use them when we buy a property. 

Our beautiful Lucy died February 19th.  Her passing hit me hard; she was one of my best friends and left us too soon.

17 year old cat Spot has good days, and not so good days. We put a few steps to the roof and a rail on the casita for him.  Both he and Maldi have been enjoying the new views.

Roxy is doing well with the treatments for heartworm.

We call Hazel, Murci and Tori The Heroic Trio.  They play together like this for hours every day.  This Bumi is their favorite thing in the world. 

Same game, different day.

Daisy had a run in with something in the yard during the night.  
She looked like this early in the morning.

It started as a few bumps and a little swelling, then quickly turned ugly.  
She needed an injection of corticosteroid, and some antibiotics.

She's fine now, though we still don't know what caused it.

Steve McQueen had a tiny bit of the same thing, but was likely spared worse by being a complete scaredy-cat.  
Pete & Steve play another round of the ongoing game -who's taller?! (spoiler:it's Steve.)

Xmul visited for a few days.  

Full-on Linda cuteness.

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.