Ball Philosophy

Saki and Bailey share a ball, a pool, a backyard, a sunny day, a hot day. They're sort of best friends, which is sweet.

Me? I'm too old to rush around. Shane just gets grumpier and grumpier. But the beauty of being a puppy is that you just don't care about grumpy dogs. All you care about is that dopey ball and the dog pool. Now, that's philosophy.

Best wishes, Juno

Around and Around

From rain and cold, we zip into impossibly hot, and I’ll stay in the kitchen while crazy Saki and Bailey run around in the heat.

Shane has to stay in bed since he’s still not used to Bailey and we can’t have him near the little guy. Not that he could catch him, but it’s better not to upset anyone. So, I won’t come out of the kitchen. Shane’s in the bedroom with a biscuit. Saki and Bailey—who’s shot from nine pounds to 25 pounds in a month (!)—are running around outside. Around the yard, around the azalea, around the doggy pool, around and around they go.

Yes, it’s another summer. Our eleventh summer with Joan, and what changes we’ve seen—three houses, seasons coming and going, Saki’s arrival, our slowing down from speedy (okay, Shane was speedy; I wasn’t) to almost neutral, Bailey’s visits, snow and heat, leaky roofs, three cars, the park, no park, four or five vets, and who knows what else. Oh, that’s right: old age.

This is the way life's supposed to be. Around and around we go.

Have a lovely summer,
Juno

Just Before the Rain Came

Saki and Bailey were panting and running their paws off, and I'm pretty sure these two puppies are now best friends forever.

Shane has now progressed to sitting on the other side of the sliding-glass door where he growls and gets all tense every time a new dog comes on the scene. Oh, Cesar Milan, how we need you. Alas! We'll just have to do things our way and introduce Shane and Bailey a little at a time.

As for me, I pretty much stay out of their way. It's fine when Bailey walks around my head and trips over my nose. It's really fine. But, when he and Saki start running, I just have to go inside.

And then the sky darkened. Bailey went home. It thundered. It's raining now. Wow, what excitement.

Best wishes, Juno

Bailey Comes to Visit

I feel so young today. Really.

Bailey came over to play with Saki, and I found him very intriguing. His smell, his attitude, his subtle signs of respect—very impressive.

I really had a good time doing my semi-romp around the yard. They're a little too fast and enthusiastic for me, but it was okay. Poor Shane had to stay inside. He needs more time to calm down when a new dog shows up. Me? I don't mind one bit.

Best wishes, Juno

Semi-Walking

I had my first walk in months, but we didn't get very far. Oh, well. It was more of a semi-walk, an almost walk. That firecracker was so loud and the cars so fast, it just didn't have that soft-grassy-yard feeling of security.

After all, what is a walk? It's a sneaky form of exercise. Too difficult these days, especially for Shane.

So we turned around and headed home. Shellavon—that's one of the neighbors—came out to say hello and pet me on the head. She told me I was beautiful and felt very bad about Shane's decline. Shane just stared at Joan. Meanwhile, Saki was bouncing all around, getting all itchy to run and play.

He's still a puppy, I guess.

Not me. Not Shane. We're adults.

Best wishes, Juno

Saki & Bailey: First Meeting

Today, Saki met Bailey, and suddenly Saki was the big dog instead of the little dog. See, it’s all relative. When Saki is with me and Shane, he’s just a cute little guy who runs his tail off and doesn’t know when to call a day a day. He’s a non-stop romping, circle running, hole-digging puppy with enough energy to light Manhattan.

Well, today he met Bailey, and Saki became the big dog, the mature, been-around-the-block strutting guy. And Bailey? He took Saki’s role and became the romping party boy all fired up and ready to dig a hole to China.

After fifteen minutes, Saki was all tuckered out, that is, until he saw Shane. Then, he ran circles around Shane for half an hour, splashed in the pool for about 20 minutes. Bored with that, he looked around for something to do.

Yup. Life. It's all relative.

Best wishes, Juno

Saturday Mornings in May

Toward the end of May, the grass is at its greenest, the azalea petals have dropped, and the rain rushes in and out like tantrums, leaving the sky confused, cloudy, clear, perplexed.

This morning is peaceful. As you can see, even Saki is learning how to soak life in instead of constantly running around in circles. I like Saturday mornings before the trips to the mall and fat-food eateries and backyard arguments. Early Saturday morning is like Sunday morning used to be before shopping became the god of everything.

My life is winding down. It’s slow and still. Sleep is so beautiful. Some people think old age is a curse, but I don’t see it that way. It’s more like a letting up of all the madness—a peaceful slipping into sleep. I wake up for treats and excursions into the yard. And then I sleep again. I can hear people asking, “Is she alive?”

And I think, “Yes. I’m alive. And it’s good.”

Best wishes, Juno

PS: Shane's inside. He likes it better there.

Lunch Hour on a Sunny Day

You see that inchworm coming at me?

Shane and Saki, uhm. What are they doing anyway?

Azaleas & LIfe

Every year, somewhere in the middle of May on a sunny day, it's azalea-picture day. Shane and Saki and I get called to the front yard, directed to the big azalea bush, and told to sit. And every year, Joan says, “Wow. What beautiful colors.”

And she takes about 100 pictures.

It's a strange ritual since we think, well, if you've seen one picture of us sitting in front of the azalea bush, you've pretty much seen them all. Don't you think?

But, it's also a way we mark the passing of the years. It might seem silly, but it's kind of nice. I mean, life is just like a bush full of azalea flowers. When it blooms, it really blooms in the most spectacularly rich colors, and you think, wow, I'm glad I'm alive to see this.

And when it's not in bloom, that is, when it's just sitting there being green, you forget it's there, forget to appreciate the beauty that whirls inside of it like a great rainbow of the best secrets.

So, getting our picture taken in front of the blooming azalea is like getting our picture taken in front of life when it's at its peak of perfection. And so I think, Oh, I like being included in this.

Best wishes, Juno

Rugged Life

Saki keeps things interesting for Shane. Me? I'm fine.

Shane has started to fall, so now we have rugs all over the house—mismatched rugs and runners all colors of the rug rainbow. But, outside, we don’t need rugs what with the green grass, which hasn’t been green for so long.

I’m getting forgetful. Or, else, I’m remembering things before they happen. Like this morning when I started to bark fifteen minutes before Joan came home for lunch. Shane and Saki got all excited and ran out to the sunroom all puffed up with love and ready to greet. But, no Joan. I think Kyla was wondering what the fuss was all about. Then I barked again when Joan pulled into the driveway fifteen minutes later. Everyone just ignored me. Thought it was a trick. Isn’t there a story about this—a boy and a wolf?

At my age, I can do what I want. And if I want to remember something before it happens, well, just chalk it up to old age.

I think Saki is keeping Shane alive. This morning, we thought he was going to die because he couldn’t get up. Then, this afternoon he and Saki started chasing the bees around the azalea bush. Saki makes him get up and get out in the world—well, out in the yard. Not everyone has the same size world. That’s what I think.

I hope you have a good spring.
Best wishes, Juno