While He Wasn't Sleeping After All

I guess it's time to buy a new mattress topper. Oh, yes; and I guess we should keep the door closed when we think Saki's asleep. Maybe he never sleeps. Maybe he just does everything very very quietly.

He doesn't even look guilty. Now, that's something good to learn because it makes the humans melt. So young. So much to learn.

Best of luck, Juno

"So Gehts im Leben"

The pool. It’s just not that much of a thrill anymore, at least for me. And while Saki loves it, Shane shies away from it. In fact, he ran right into the house when Joan filled it up. “No, it’s not a bath,” she called after him. But, did he listen? (Rhetorical question.) In short, neither of us pool anymore. And, as Opa would say, "So gehts im Leben."

At my age, you get more relaxed about life. You stay near the air-conditioning unit; you don’t run across waxed floors; you don’t go on walks on hot days, noisy days, or even rainy days. You do pretty much what you want. And isn’t that the way it should be? (Another rhetorical question.)

Best wishes, Juno

Triplets

In the first picture, well, that’s how things were—just me and Shane watching the people, the cars, the grass. In the second picture, well, that’s how things are—me, Shane, and Saki.

Only Saki doesn’t sit still for long periods of time. He sits, he runs, he chases bugs, he follows the lawn mower, he copies us if we bark, he copies us if we go to the back yard, the front yard; he copies us if we sit in the sun, if we sit in the shade, if we stand. He’s like a regular annoying little brother. Yup. He’s one of us. I guess you could say we're triplets, at least, in spirit.

Best wishes, Juno

Close to Home

Saki follows Shane—drives Shane crazy (but I think he likes the big-brother role)

I’m still sticking close to home. Getting to old or too intolerant of the big noises out there in the streets and even in the park. Summer is loud over there.

Almost every day, Saki runs in circles chasing the hose. Around and around. He would do it all day if he could. Shane is so much better with Saki than he used to be. He even tries to play with him, but we can’t expect too much from him. He never even played when he was a puppy; we can’t expect him to get up and start zipping around the yard the way Saki does.

Saki has also been going to dog school to learn how to do things Shane and I don’t care to do, like lie down, get up, and leave it. Actually, we have no reason to learn those things because all that comes naturally to us.

Best wishes, Juno

Not Taking It Anymore (Walks)

I’ve returned to my old ways, my refusal ways, my recalcitrant ways. Ever since the people started shooting off firecrackers on Memorial Day, I’ve found it a terrible prospect to walk anywhere. Joan coaxes me, “But, Juno,” she says, “You’ll get fat again.” I don’t care. “But, Juno. You’ll miss smelling all the new smells.” No big deal. “But Juno, that’s the sound of someone hitting a baseball; it’s not a firecracker.” Nothing can convince me to move. So I sit in the yard where life is predictably slow. If loud noises occur—which they do—I just go inside.

Now, Joan walks around the neighborhood with Shane and Saki, and the people say, “Hey, where’s the big black and white one?” And Joan just shakes her head sadly, “Oh, she’s too scared to leave the yard.”

Me? I’m fine in the yard. Let the others tangle with the elements. Elements aren’t for everyone, you know.

Best wishes, Juno