Introducing Sconnie

So Kim and I have added another animal to our brood, Sconnie. She's 7-8 weeks old, deaf and adjusting quite nicely to us and our house. Her temperament can be very sweet, tender and loving at times, but she also has a spunky, rambunctious and spastic side. She loves to play with her toys, sleep in weird places and isn't afraid of the dogs. I don't know what the dogs make of her quite yet, but we are still slowly introducing them to each other. So far she ignores them as they try to stare her down.

I'm teaching her a few signs in ASL, Kim too, like "no" and "food" so we can communicate with her better. And the past few nights she has been keeping Kim and I up with her nocturnal antics, which we both hope will pass soon, but she is a kitten and the possibility of that happening is quite slim. It's so nice to have a kitty in the house again, it was missing that energy. Kim and I have fallen madly in love with her and I believe her with us too. And so it begins...

Our teddy bear

Yesterday, Kim and I said goodbye to our teddy bear, Spencer. We are heartbroken and heavy-hearted, but know deep within our hearts that it was the right decision. He had a old injury that, at his age, his body could no longer fend off. This caused chronic inflammation, pain and discharge, none of which medication helped. He no longer could get up with ease, romp around the yard with the Linus and Abby or go for long walks around the lake. Kim made the tough decision and he went peacefully last night.

So goodnight teddy bear, our Fatboy, I hope you are running around the skies chasing gophers and lizards with Punker-poo and that kitty is watching somewhere close by. You will forever be in our hearts and minds as one of the sweetest and most loving animals we ever knew. We will always love you and we will miss you dearly.

Crazy little boy

Linus Henry loves to entertain himself on occasion and we should consider ourselves lucky. He's an energetic boy and needs a lot of attention, so when he amuses himself, we can sit back and laugh. For a while there he had an obsession with a bucket in the garden and I was finally able to catch it on video. He really cracks us up...

Linus and the bucket

Time flies...

As I sit here on our three season porch, in Madison, I realized that our trip is nearly half over. I have been working all over southern Wisconsin and Kim has been busy renovating the kitchen, which looks fabulous by the by. These events have eaten away most of our time. Blogging has been put on the back burner, mainly because I can't figure out how to upload pictures remotely. That just means I'll have to update everyone when we get back to Elizabeth Lake.

We've been enjoying getting to know Shawnie and Kevin's little girl Ivy, who on July 1st officially became their little bundle of joy. In reality that happen the moment they laid eyes on her, but I'm never one to turn down a celebration. She is adorable: all smiles and very inquizative. Shawn, of course, fits perfectly into motherhood. Her ablility to keep an eye on Ivy while carrying on a adult conversation is quite impressive.

We've also been taking advantage of unseasonably cool weather and have walked the dogs every day with Cris and her naughties, Katie & Isabelle. We've now been able to socialize the dogs without much ado and managaed to impress most people when our pack passes by.

Today, Kim and I are off on a little excursion to House on the Rock and possibly Cave on the Mounds near Mt Horeb, followed by, a nice romantic dinner alone back here in Madison. I'm looking forward to this.

Tomorrow my Dad arrives, which I sure will involve further projects in and around the house. I think Dad enjoys being here in Wisconsin. This is the place where his mother's side of his family grew up. Honestly, I think he enjoys traveling more then he ever realized he would. And we love having him here too. One of these days I have to get Chuck and Eileen here as well...hint hint.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Greetings from Madison

After a whirlwind three day drive from Elizabeth Lake, with naughties: Fatboy, Monkey and Little Boy in tow, Kim and I arrived in Madison on the 19th of June. Apparently we brought the weather along with us and have been dealing with thunderstorms and oppressive humidity ever since. Despite that we're having a great time thus far and we're enjoying hanging out with family and good friends.

Since last summer, I've longed for my next bite of Wisconsin ice cream and I really must admit there is no other that can compare: Orange Custard Chocolate Chip from the Union, absolutely refreshing or Zanzabar chocolate from Ella's Deli, delish. Kim and I have also had a chance to frequent one of our favorite restaurants here in Madison, Buraka, East African cuisine. Kim partook in chicken peanut curry and I had the baris, yummy.

We have so much to and very little time in which to do it in. There is cheese tasting to be had at one of the local producers: chocolate cheese has me curious, and photographing run down farm houses and barns: taking my new Cannon out for a spin and taking in local sites and sounds: Art Fair on the Square, Rhthym and Booms, Farmer's Market on the Square and so much more. I want to see the glacier's path from the Wisconsin ice age, go camping along side the Wisconsin river and spend some time with my honey, as we embark on our fourth year together.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

My very best friend

Yesterday I said goodbye to my very best friend and I am heartbroken. We shared 19 and half wonderful years together and I can't imagine my life without her. She stood by me when my mother died and through every relationship's end. There are no words to describe how caring, loving and compassionate she was. I hope she is now running around chasing moths, lying leisurely in the sun and nestling a comfy pillow for all eternity. I will miss you my sweetie and will love you forever and always.

Madison time

Within the next few weeks Kim, myself and our 3 naughties: Spencer, Abby and Linus will be getting ready to journey to Madison, WI for the summer. Our trip starts with the trek across the Mojave Desert in California, a brief jaunt through Nevada and Arizona, then a interesting diagonal voyage through Utah where we'll probably stay the night. In the morning, it is onwards and upwards through beautiful Colorado. I'll be sure to snap lots of photographs of its amazing scenery. We will hit the top of the Rocky Mountains and then we start heading downward towards Tornado Alley. This next portion of our trip is flat and I mean flat. I will save our book on CD: Angels and Daemons, for this mind numbingly repetitive landscape across the fields of Nebraska, where we again will seek shelter for the 5 of us. The following morning we will journey across Iowa plains and in the evening set up camp in some small town yet again. As we approach the great Mississippi River the visual perspective becomes more promising and we begin to see a light at the end of our travel tunnel, so to speak, we begin the final procession into Madison, WI. I will miss everyone I have left behind, but I so look forward to those I have not seen in a while. I cannot wait for the love, laughter and stories that will, inevitably, enrich my life this summer.

See you soon Madison.

Kim and Linus Henry

Just too adorable for words!











I am a flying bat!










My babies

Starting to feel a little better

Kitty is starting feel like her ol' self again. She has started purring and decided sunning herself would be a nice activity for today. She's been a really good little patient, enduring fluids, oral medicine and an over protective mother.

That's my little boobear.

More on Kitty

The Vet asked that I bring in Kitty for more need fluids and an enema yesterday...my poor sweetie. Her kidneys are not functioning as well as they should. so I was asked to give her fluids and mix some medicine into her food at home. She still seems a bit under the weather, but with rest and following doc orders, I think she'll start feeling better soon. Thanks everybody for your well wishes, we appreciate it.

Kitty went to the Vet

Kitty hasn't been feeling very good lately, so I took her to see Dr Dave. Turns out she was severely dehydrated, so they filled her with fluids and gave her a B-12 shot. I feel like an awful mom. They also took some blood to check on some possible health issues. I should know by tomorrow what's going on. If everybody could cross your fingers, rub a lantern, light a candle, wish on a star... would you do that for me?

Linus Henry

So we've had little (ha!) Linus Henry for a while now and he's definitely become one of the family. Spencer has found a new buddy, whether he likes it or not and Abby is well...tolerant. Linus is very smart and learns very quickly: doggy doors, going outside to go potty, walking on a leash and understanding No. He still needs a good dose of obedience school, but that will have to wait until February.

In the mean time, Linus likes wood. He has already chewed up our coffee table and two end tables, but Kim said she'll get us new furniture when he's finished with this "phase." He also wants to sleep on the couch, so Kim and I have tried various ways to keep him off: baby gates, chairs, pillows. But clever little Linus always found a way to get around our obstacles. My Dad has found the most effective tool thus far, green plastic fencing material. It's not the most attractive, but it does seem to work.

I'll take more pictures of Linus Henry if and when he'll stand still for them. Until now this picture that Kim took will have to suffice.

Snow date

It keeps snowing and snowing and snowing...












So, Kim and I decided to take the naughties (Abby, Spencer & Linus) out for a walk. We even had a snowball fight. My Christmas present came early.

Introducing Linus

Let me see, were shall I start? Kim and Cris were driving home from the airport and almost ran into Lola and Linus. Of course they could not leave them by the roadside, so they took them back to our place until they knew what to do with them. I swear they are dog magnets!





After struggling to find a shelter that accepted Pits (very few in Southern California), we finally dropped off Linus and his sister Lola at the West Valley Animal Shelter in Chatsworth. Paranoid that they would be euthanized, Kim and Cris got in contact with It's the Pits in San Diego and worked with the them to get the puppies fostered.

Long story short, Lola was quickly adopted from under our nose....erg! The shelter was supposed to give us first rights when they were ready to be adopted. I hope the people who adopted her are kind and loving people. In the mean time Kim and I are fostering (wink wink) Linus and promptly getting attached. We'll see what happens. Our decision is not yet finalized and we want to keep our options open.

He is pretty darn cute though huh?

Goodnight Punk

Yesterday, we said goodbye to Punk. Stubborn, curious and always hungry, she was Kim's little Punker-Poo. We hope that she's running around and chasing animals up in the sky, going for long walks and visiting friends who have long since passed. She had a great life, full of adventures here and in Wisconsin, car rides back a forth and mini escapes whenever she had the chance. We will miss her and she will always be in our hearts. Goodbye sweetie, we'll be seeing you.