Since the last update we've had to say good-bye to a few old friends.
Ziggy, Tito and Henry
The 3 girls dumped in February are now called Gilda, Jane and Joy. They are fun, sweet-tempered dogs.
Picture of Gilda from June 2018 (Jojo foreground).
Unfortunately Joy has hip problems which cause her significant pain and will need surgery. Despite this she is aptly named.
Gilda and Joy attack.
Jane has had no health problems since her broken leg healed.
Jane and Joy.
All 3 have been spayed -just in time to be big sisters.
Jane and Joy play with the wee ones.
May 3 Sean returned from a day in Merida to find 4 abandoned puppies in the nearby bushes. The smallest of them did not survive.
The remaining sisters are called Bindy, Biscuit and Boomer.
Bindy mid-May (she's part hippopotamus),
Biscuit (a pillow for Henry, early June),
and Boomer (mid-May) with Nico, Xmul, Sean and Murci.
It hasn't been all puppies, there were visiting bees
morning runs,
pitaya flowers,
then fruit.
Summer is a time of many milestones for us. July 29 was the 1st anniversary of finding 9 abandoned puppies; they are all happy, healthy, loved and sterilized. The occasion was marred by a street full of dead (poisoned) street dogs. They were not 'ours' but we knew and cared for all of them. We'd known some for years and the girls had been spayed. I'll spare you and myself a photo.
July 31 we brought in a stray and her 9 puppies. She had a burrow about a block away, in an open lot, where we'd been taking her food and water. It was a no win situation since we'd be worried to distraction either way -worried for their safety because of hot days, hard rain, and now a dog
killer, but also worried for our sanity if they were to survive and fill the
area with loud, hungry, fecund dogs.
We'll be desperate for homes for them as soon as they're weaned!
She is unnamed, friendly and sensible.
They are in a private pen. 6 females (+ mom) and only 3 males.
Did I mention we're desperate to find them homes?
Less than a week later, Aug 6, we heard something unhappy nearby. It was this poor little fellow, all alone. He isn't even properly weaned but he's brave. We've named him Willy because we're so happy he's a boy.
Aug 06, 2018
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).
Wednesday, April 27, the Kinchil firemen that come to Celestun to fill cisterns brought a puppy they found at the remote cenote (where they fill the truck). They saw 2 puppies but one ran off.
She was ridiculously infested with fleas and has a broken tail but is fine.
Looking much better after a bath and intensive flea removal.
She has a great temperament and settled in immediately.
We're calling her Pearl(a). Or Perl.
Her broken tail is adorable.
As are her tiny paws.
Perl under Xmul, for scale.
Sean considers learning to juggle. Tito is not amused.
Twelve days after Pearl, May 9th, look what the bomberos found!
(She immediately pooped on Sean!)
Poor baby, all alone for nearly 2 weeks!
After her delousing, I may need one.
She's full of worms but otherwise surprisingly fit.
Say hello to my little friend.
We're trying out Ruby for a name. She's a bit bigger than her sister. Murci says hello.
We've been calling the 3 newbies the little squirts, though they won't be little for long. Most of these shots are from January.
Tupo out for a walk with Linda and Tito.
Tupo fronts a group shot.
Coco is lovely.
Nico couldn't be sweeter.
Early January shot of Tupo.
Nico and Otto.
Monkey and Tito with Coco on one of her first outings.
Nico!
Coco gets used to being on a leash.
Linda watches Coco and Monkey.
Taking a break.
Tito, Henry and Zasu leave the puppies at home and go for an old dog stroll.
Tuesday sleeps with one eye open.
