I was at a women’s breakfast a few weeks ago, and the organizer used this question for an icebreaker: “Over the past 18 months, what is one thing you are grateful for?” She waited a few minutes, and then one by one, each person took a few minutes to share their thoughts. Since I was […]
Read MoreI have never thought of myself as a drama queen, but I have lived with some. The current one is black and tan and has four legs. If you have heard that dachshunds are stubborn, I can tell you that is absolutely correct. I would even say relentless. They wear you down until you give them […]
Read MoreThis week we met with Genie Tuttle, Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). Yes, we had reached a tipping point, and it was time to bring in outside help. Teddy had started nipping at human visitors’ clothing and shoes, and from there it is just a hop, skip, and a jump to chomping down on someone’s hand […]
Read MoreLast night I went to my first in-person, without-masks meeting. It was lovely gathering together, enjoying our combined energy and face-to-face camaraderie. Then one person asked me how our dogs were. Rather than reel off a list of some of our current challenges, I said, “They have been very naughty,” and laughed. A lot of […]
Read MoreThere is a lot of “turning corners” when you have puppies in your life. We have turned so many that we have been around the block several times. In a few days, the pups will be one year old, and looking back on our mutual path—a path that has at times seemed both rocky and […]
Read MoreLast evening, my son Chris said to me, “You were just like me when I was vaccinated. I was all in. No hesitancy. Wanted to get out there right away. You know, some people are hesitant, but I wasn’t. Not at all.” He is right; I was not hesitant. I was so eager to see […]
Read MoreAs we neared the two-week mark after our second vaccine, I wondered, Now what? So it was with great interest that John and I listened to Dr. Walensky from the CDC outline just what being fully vaccinated means. An expanded, albeit cautious, social life would be possible. And that meant a change in our lifestyle. […]
Read More“We were eating outside at Islands, and I received a message that a twelve-week-old German short-haired pointer was available.” This announcement by our neighbor was greeted by a stunned silence as our eyes widened and our eyebrows traveled north. We were both thinking about our very own German short-haired pointer rescue named Frazier who had […]
Read MoreToday was a big day for our family of four—two humans, two canines. Sadie and Teddy went for their pre-op physicals and bloodwork. Next Wednesday, they will be neutered and spayed. And not a minute too soon, since there were signs that Sadie was going into heat again. On the opposite end of this surgical rite […]
Read MoreOne lovely thing about our annual January sojourn in the desert is the sense of being unplugged from all responsibilities, worries, and the sense that something must be accomplished. At the end of the day here, rather than looking for done tasks, I just think about the lovely and unusual experiences of the day. But […]
Read More
Kathleen Chamberlin 