Jack has anxiety. He’s afraid of other dogs, which if I let it get to me, is sad. He is excluded from the raucous dog club. He doesn’t sniff butts or tangle leases with his friends. Instead, he is visibly distressed when he is around other dogs. After lots of work, he is better. He…
Jack caught a squirrel. He has been watching them tightrope across the back fence, fling themselves from tree to rooftop and back again since we arrived one August afternoon. Jack tracks his audacious furry obsession from the window of my office. He attempts to outsmart them with a quiet approach and a sneak attack, only…
Jack and I are trying to walk twice a day. His trainer says he needs two sixty-minute sessions to deal with his anxiety over living in a new city or a city at all. The vast expanse of the desert is all Jack has ever known, so he is learning there are other people, dogs,…
Inviting a pet into your life is an exercise in being in the now. When I was searching for my Jack, I read about different dog breeds, and there was one section I still find troubling—life expectancy. Jack is a Brittany, and the average life expectancy for his breed is 12-13 years. That’s not…
Lots of counting, tracking, and numbers this month. The United States just turned 239 years old. This blog has been around for eight years this month. Jack Jack Cutie Face will be one year old tomorrow and on the very last day of July 2015, I will be forty-four. I’m not sure what any of this means,…
The morning hike starts the same way every day. It is just past dark, but before sunrise when Jack and I set out. He is always anxious, curious and a little nutty. I am usually sore, always alert and making sure he doesn’t get into trouble. We take the first few minutes to get settled. Jack does…
There are beings in this life that make the journey easier. They provide companionship and quiet comfort without strings. They push you, mess you up, and leave hair everywhere. They only want the basics and you, just as you are, are always enough. Good energy, hard work, patience. Jack will be ten months on Wednesday. Life is…
This morning’s hike was a gift. It’s starting to get warmer here in the desert. We are already into the 80s and the 90s are mere days away. It’s the trade off for our wonderful winter. Yucky hot summers. I’ve been anticipating, taking all things that can melt out to my car in preparation. Summer is…
I don’t have much to say today. In fact, my mind is bogged down in the fictional world of Candidate: A Love Story. The manuscript is due by 11/23. That’s ten days…as the guy from that show Cake Boss says, “I don’t know how we’re gonna do it.” I passed frazzled on Monday. It was…