Today, after our morning routine, which includes coffee, praying, catching up on world events, and taking care of the dogs, John said to me, “Do you think we could take the dogs on that hike in La Quinta?” Let me tell you about this hike. It covers a strip of desert between the La Quinta […]
Read MoreSeven weeks ago, I had thumb-joint replacement surgery. I knew it would include a three-month rehab period at the start. What I didn’t know was that Teddy and Sadie would be all in as caretakers. When I arrived home from the surgery, the pups greeted me exuberantly but seemed to know that a lot of […]
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 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 MoreOn Saturday I made a coffee cake. An “honest to God” coffee cake that filled the house with the fragrance of cinnamon and sweet spices. But baking was just as tedious as I remembered. For me, it has always been a means to an end: you bake so you can eat whatever wonderfully fattening thing […]
Read MoreWhen you think of puppies, what is the first picture that pops into your mind? Innocent, sweet, new, lovable—adjectives like that, right? Now, when you think of the word toddler, what comes to mind? I picture a brown-haired little boy in striped Oshkosh B’gosh overalls that gives extravagant hugs, has incredible energy, is busy exploring […]
Read MoreI have had the oddest feeling that time is standing still. The past is hazy, the present is somewhat overwhelming, and the future offers hope. But to get there, we have to negotiate an abyss filled with puppy pads, dog treats, bleary trips out into the starry night, immunizations, puppy food choices, and the all-important […]
Read MoreI would like to say there is a freshening wind blowing from the sea, but the truth is that a hot, dry Santa Ana wind is bending the trees and parching my skin. The temperature is in the 90s. The air conditioner has kicked in, and I’m perched at the dining room table, thinking about […]
Read MoreI decided to post our exciting news on Mother’s Day because I am about to become a mother again. I know what you are saying: “At her age?” (either with a healthy dose of skepticism or rolling your eyes and laughing hysterically). Let me tell you the backstory. In March of 2019, our precious Archie, […]
Read MoreBrooke, my human cousin, was spending the night, and she asked me if I would like to hear a bedtime story. When Joey was younger, he insisted on a bedtime story. While I rested at the foot of the bed, Dad or Mom (or sometimes Hattie) would read a boring story to him, and soon […]
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Kathleen Chamberlin 