Miss the Sun - Easton at the dog park

For those of you wondering about Easton's interest in the tennis ball he was trying to spirit into his mouth a couple of posts ago, here is how he REALLY feels. The sunniest day I have seen since leaving Arizona a month ago. Shoreline dog park, April 23rd. Notice he has a couple of angel kisses on his tongue...or....maybe he kissed them first. After the video is a rare picture of Andi who was "electric shock" surprised when I brought this big, lovable lug home 10 days ago. As you can see, she highly approves.

Metronome courtesy of Easton's tail.....

With me always

A surprise in the mail from our dear friends Sugar and  Mom Rosalyn.
The perfect place for Lady to always ride along. There was nothing she loved more.
This picture will have a place of honor on the Lady Lifeforce site.
Thank you so much.
KT

Wordless Wednesday - tennis ball gazing

Easton April, 2011

Venus and Mars are alright tonight - Easton

I must tell you all....the planets aligned in the strangest of ways on Tuesday, April 12th. Multitasking like crazy at work, I switched from protected, internal corporate network mode on my laptop, over to the Internet to search for a part number. Calling up iGoogle for a search, my eye caught a headline in "Google Reader" on Seattle Dog Spot that said an 8 year old Golden Retriever needed a new home and he was located in Lake Stevens, WA (15 minutes from the office, 35 minutes from home). SDS picked it up from a Facebook post by Old Dog Haven, who I contacted for the details and was put in touch with the owner. This handsome boy is called Easton; he had belonged to an elderly couple who got him as a puppy. Grandpa died recently and Grandma's health is failing rapidly. Their daughter took Easton in, but with their schedule, family members living at home and other dogs to care for, thought it was best to find a good home for him (lucky me).

The next day I dashed over on my lunch break to meet Easton. He was even more handsome, playful and loving than the daughter described. He had just returned from the groomer and was shaved on many parts of his body. At this temporary home, he roamed free on a few acres surrounded by an invisible fence, so he spent all of his spare time swimming in a good sized pond! I guess he had quite a few mats that could only be shaved off. He seemed to be in very good health, is long and lean for a Golden and weighs in at about 85 pounds.

His family liked me, I loved Easton, so I adopted him on the spot (didn’t want to take him back to the office, so I returned after work). As I left Lake Stevens after my lunch visit, knowing I was going to return 3 hours later to officially adopt him, I called Andi (who is my wonderful wife) at work, asked her if she loved me, asked what time she was getting home that night and proclaimed that I had a surprise for her. I returned to Easton’s temporary home after work on Wednesday and brought him home.... As you have already guessed, Easton was a complete surprise to Andi! Boy was she surprised. She hasn't stopped smiling since. Yes, Easton is that wonderful.

As I sit here typing, looking up at Lady's portrait; I can only think how much she would of approved....she LOVED the big Golden boys…. especially the good natured, goofy, playful ones. Oh Mrs. Magoo, I wish that I could have found him sooner. My friend Keith once said: “There's unlimited love for Lady's memory and unlimited love for a dog that needs a home.  Love is infinite!” I answered that “you are right, but it must happened organically”.

Well, it did. It was sooner than I expected, but it did happen organically and ….. It is FurEver. Welcome to our life Easton.

Enjoy the pictures….

A Golden Receiver

I can appreciate this sentiment...

Found this image by accident, but I'm not sure who to give the credit to. HKINCH cannot be found via Google!

Private detective needed....

....or maybe not!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

We could all use a laugh about now.....

Thanks to the List of the day

Run free Tanner

Our dear Golden Pines buddy Tanner left for the Rainbow Bridge today. A new star in the sky, loved by his family, missed by all.

Tanner

Our friends at Golden Pine

Bell Rock + The Hummingbird story

The trail leading to Bell Rock

People that know me well would be surprised that I am fascinated by the claims that such a thing as a Vortex can be identified and it's energy leveraged to enhance all sorts of spiritual navel gazing, meditation and conversations with the voices in one's head. Vortexes have been staked out in the red rock beauty of Sedona, Arizona. No surprise, the awe inspiring scenery opens the door for all sorts of speculation concerning energy concentration, crystal power centers and rumors of tee shirts dyed with red dirt from a local jeep's knobby tires. Allegedly some Vortexes are male, some female and some described as balanced. Several times in the last 4 years, I've hiked to the top of the popular "airport mesa vortex" right in the town of Sedona. Fantastic views, plus its always busy with tourists clamoring all over the rock formation and goofy locals reading palms and offering guided tours of the afterlife, courtesy of the energy concentration. I've never felt anything but annoyed!


Last Monday I was visiting friends in nearby Cornville. Yes, I was still feeling a little blue and knew there was some piece of business that wasn't finished. Then I remembered Bell Rock. A fickled Vortex according to the locals, but that's OK, I needed to vent. It was a very stormy morning and thank god, it kept the tourists away. I had Bell Rock all to myself, sitting about half way up on the west side, watching the storm clouds roll by. It was the perfect time to scream, praise, curse and have a damn good cry; proclaiming my undying love and final goodbyes to My Girl Lady. No questions were answered that morning (though many were asked), but on the hike back I felt completely cleansed and refreshed, ready to start another chapter of my life. I thought a lot about my Hummingbird encounter that had occurred just 3 days earlier (I really needed to make sense of it).....


Friday morning, March 4, 2011 - 3 days after Lady went to the bridge.

The weather has finally turned here in Phoenix. Mid morning I had the MDX parked, windows and back open, loading a few things for that day. I completed my task, got in the driver’s seat and reached for the key to start the ignition and head out on an errand. It was very quiet that day and then I heard it: a dull tight buzz coming from behind me. “Hmmm, my car doesn’t make that sound”. Then I heard it again. I turned my head to the right to peer into the back and there she was. A Eugenes Fulgens, yes a Magnificent Hummingbird (their actual name) perched on top of the passenger side rear seat. I learned it was a female when I looked up the species on the Internet. The seat back was now up in the “up” human position, but has spent the last three years in the Lady position (down). Miss Hummingbird didn’t panic or fly away; she just sat there looking around the inside of the MDX. I slowly got out, walked to the back, her little head following my path. I opened the rear hatch, then after about 5 seconds (which seem like an eternity) she flew out, never in a panic, no banging or touching anything inside the car. My Dad saw her perched for a second as I opened the hatch and of course, saw her fly out.

Wow, I just couldn’t make up a story like this. I’m not that clever.

On the hike down from Bell Rock, I allowed myself to believe the obvious - a messenger arrived to confirm that Lady has made it to the Rainbow Bridge and is running free with Mully, The Luke, Max, Cowboy, Devo, Cosmo, Sunny and so many more (it’s a very long list). Bless them all. We’ll see you soon.

I’m not sure why I am privileged to receive this communiqué, I've never had one before. The difference is (I guess) - I wasn't looking for it! Maybe its as simple as that.

Bell Rock's imposing neighbor "Courthouse Butte"

Remembering Lady - slideshow

My friend Brian's video school project

Rangers apprentice montage from John Hinson on Vimeo.

Just when you were beginning to give up on today's youngest generation, they go and do this! Some very cool stuff they are doing in the 6th grade as a school assignment. Brian is the director and his brother Kyle appears as the deer. Well done guys.

Run free my girl....

Yesterday afternoon Lady crossed over to the bridge. She began to shut down, her organs attacked by the evil cancer. The last and kindest mercy was necessary sooner that I had planned, but there was no doubt what I had to do for my dear, sweet girl. She passed in my arms, free of her pain, knowing how much she was loved. I will miss her and remember her for the rest of my life.
I can't thank you all enough for your kind words. So many questions and doubts flood your mind as you contemplate the gut-wrenching options. I found strength and light in every one of your sincere messages. As far as blog-land goes, I will always be known as KT and Lady; a lifelong reminder of my first, entirely digital Golden who inspired so many of these pages. Here is one of the many beautiful quotes and thoughts that were sent my way. 

"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle; easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we would still live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan."  -- Irving Townsend 

A Young Dog Once Again

You're giving me a special gift, So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished days,

Your courage makes me proud.
But really, love is knowing when your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts Will only be in vain.
So looking deep into your eyes, Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic that will Once more make me whole.
The strength that you possess, Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done, For it's the only way.
That strength is why I've followed you,

And chose you as my friend,
And why I've loved you all these years...My partner till the end.
Please, understand just what this gift you're giving, means to me,
It gives me back the strength I've lost, And all my dignity.
You take a stand on my behalf, for that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right, for I believe it, too.
So one last time, I breathe your scent,

and through your hand I feel,
The courage that's within you, to grant me this appeal.
Cut the leash that holds me here dear friend, and let me run,
Once more a strong and steady dog, my pain and struggle done.
And don't despair my passing, for I won't be far away,
Forever here, within your heart, and memory I'll stay.
I'll be there watching over you, your ever-faithful friend,
And in your memories I'll run….a young dog once again.a

Golden Lady of Shoreline

After a session with the Veterinary Internal Medicine specialist and an ultrasound, the news is not good, her condition is grave. She has 3 tumors on her liver and at least one on her spleen. She physically deteriorates every day. It's actually quite shocking. It breaks my heart to watch her refuse food, throw up her water plus stomach bile and waste away. After the almost 3 months of watching Devo waste away from cancer, I made a promise to myself and all of my furture dogs: I'll never let you suffer, because of my own breaking heart. As hard as it is to let Lady go, I just can't allow her to continue suffering from this sudden internal trauma. Thursday afternoon will be the last and kindest mercy for my girl. 

We’ll be spending quality time with Lady the next couple of days. Feeding her cooked chicken, ice cubes and anything else she wants. There will be plenty of cuddling, petting and cooing over her. She sticks very close to me; her eyes following my every move. Many tears have been shed with many more to come. She sure made an impression on everyone she ever met. Like my brother said “she brought so much happiness to our family in such a short time”. I won’t be posting anything for awhile. I’m sure you’ll all understand. I’ll put together a photo slide show and eventually a video tribute to Lady, and post it sometime in the future.

Lady, day one of our life together
May 27th, 2008

Today she is comfortable and protected in the arms of her loving family. This is my first adopted senior Golden. I always knew that her time with us was abbreviated, but no matter how much I expected it, it's a blow to the gut of epic proportion.

Lady not feeling well....

Lady is 11 or 12 years old

It’s been a couple of weeks now that Lady has just not been herself. We've been together almost 3 years. You really get to know the energy and personality of your adopted senior dog after just a few months. One thing that Lady has always had is spunk! You can see it in her eyes, the way she carries herself and how she affectionately greets every human she comes in contact with. Recently when I was sick with the flu, she seemed to be unusually reserved. It was obvious that Lady was not use to me spending days in bed and shuffling around with no energy, so I didn't give it much thought. Shortly after I began to recover, she started to turn away from her food. THIS was very unusual, but I thought at first that she had tired quickly of her new food (extremely high quality, but had a slight fishy smell). We quickly went back to her favorite venison and sweet potato, but her inattention continued.

Trip to the vet: X-rays and blood test, nothing jumps out to indicate infection. Valley fever test was negative. However, the x-ray indicated that Lady has an enlarged liver. Explains why she has lost interest in eating. Monday we will go to an internal medicine vet who will examine Lady with an ultrasound system. Hope to know more then.

Here is the best on-line reference that I have found on this subject:

Canine liver disease

If you know of a better one and/or a naturopathic resource that you trust, please send it on.

Now that I think about it, the last few weeks her belly has been a little “tighter” than normal when I give her the belly rubs she loves so much. Lady still eats a little, several times a day. She is happy and as enthusiastic as she can be about going for walks. She loves me feeding her chicken and applesauce by hand (hey, who wouldn't). Her energy level is way down, but she still displays her happy tail.

I’ll post again after Monday’s appointment.

New Zealand rocks (when it shouldn't)

Prayers and crossed paws for our Kiwi friends in New Zealand. What an awful thing to happen. We Pacific Northwest dwellers know all too well that quakes can strike any time with a furry beyond human comprehension. Our hearts are heavy from your losses.

An unusual collaboration - generations collide with wonderful results

Logan grows up!

It's been about 10 months since we last saw Logan. He is a VERY handsome boy with TONS of energy. Not sure I've ever seen such an energetic Golden Retriever. Here are pictures of the Lady/Logan reunion. Capturing still pictures of Logan was quite a challenge. Most of the time he was a blur. Once Lady gets the lay of the land at Logan's house, she proceeds to steal his toys and chew his bones. Pretty funny really.

Dude, you wear me out ... zzzzzzzzzzzz

Traveling with Mrs. Magoo - SEA to PHX

Sorry for the long absence, but we've been very busy driving through the wild west and getting settled here in Phoenix. Lady is darn glad to be out of the car and in familiar surroundings. The first day out of Seattle was a little treacherous, as we just missed a pretty good storm. I90-Snoqualmie Pass and the Blue Mountains of Oregon were freshly blessed with plenty of snow. Our route took us to Caldwell, ID for the first night. We didn't  get any pictures the first day out. We were just too worn out.

We stayed at dog friendly hotels during our trip; LaQuinta in Caldwell and The historic Hotel Nevada in Ely. Lady does her Magoo dance in every hotel room before she settles in. It's almost indescribable, but I will do my best. Many dogs circle a spot to lay down, but Lady brings a unique performance art to this ritual. Starts with pawing the floor then arching her back with her nose extended towards the floor, pawing and turning in a clockwise direction all the while bouncing up and down (but never leaving the floor). This continues for several revolutions until:
A. She plops down with a groan, staying in that spot for an hour or 30 seconds, we never know.
B. She sees someone watching her, then she stops (this is why I have no video)!
C. For some reason that spot isn't acceptable, so she wanders over for loves or off to her water bowl.
That's why one of her many nicknames is Mrs. Magoo. Andi calls it her VooDoo dance, which is pretty descriptive in itself.

Caldwell to Ely....Day two dawned clear and very cold. We traveled to Twin Falls then south on US93 through some of the most desolate country in the U.S. It's been 8 years since the first time I've travel this highway. The road itself has been (surprisingly) repaved. It was great! We pick up our photo tale at the Idaho-Nevada border:

Sunrise

My paws are freezing!!

The first quick stop was on a farm road in southern Idaho to stretch our legs. There is not much between Twin Falls and Vegas. Wells, NV is a  small crossroads town on US93 and I80. This was our second stop. Boy, this place has seen better days (pictures below).

Old downtown Wells, NV - only the building to the right is occupied.

I'll bet this was one very cool sign in it's day.

This handsome brick building is completely abandoned.

On to Ely. It is the only town of any substance in the Great Basin of northeast Nevada. Mining founded the town and is still part of their economy. Nevada built a maximum security prison there and that has given a renewed life to this town. It is a very fun and interesting town. Influence today more by Salt Lake City than Las Vegas! SLC TV stations and many Utah plates.

Ely, NV wiki facts

Oh boy, a hike

Just a few of the gravel piles

View from the foothills, west across the valley

Needing a stop between Wells and Ely, I passed a dirt road that ran up to the foothills where there were large piles of gravel scattered like a giant child had been playing with his pail and shovel. A U turn on US93 in Nevada was easy, because as far as the eye could see....no vehicles!! The pictures above are from that stop. It was chilly, but the sun was welcome and bright. Lady had a great time exploring.

Built in 1929, it was the tallest building in Nevada

Rooms were nice, a little noisy compared with
modern standards, but no big deal

Very cool mural - click to enlarge

The wonderful, quirky, friendly Hotel Nevada in Ely. We had a blast. Lady is allowed everywhere in the hotel and casino except the eating areas. She hung out with me while I sat at the bar playing video poker, having a beer and chatting with the locals. She single handedly sucked every ounce of affection out of every human she encountered, then went back for more. This time of year the bar and casino are very local oriented. A more friendly group I have never encountered. There is a plaque in the lobby that says (my version, can't take pictures in a casino): "Dogs are welcome here because we've never had a dog get drunk and trash a room or insult the help". The public areas are a little smokey, but other than that, HIGHLY recommended.

As the sun came up and the moon set on the beginning of the third day, Lady was still recovering from her big night in the casino! Never thought I would ever write those words. Mr. Fuzzy Bone is always a comforting pillow. Ely to Phoenix......

Rest stop, junction of US93 and NV318
There was some critter squawking in the bushes 

In Vegas we stopped for a stretch and to get something to eat. Had a lousy, expensive breakfast at Marie Calendars, gassed up and headed for Phoenix. Stayed on US93, the bridge over the Colorado river is done. Divided highway now from Boulder City all the way to Kingman. Wow, what a difference.

Lake Mead just before Hoover Dam and the new bridge.

Our next stretch stop was in a tiny town in Arizona call Wikieup. Finally the sun was warm enough to know you were in the southwest. The little roadside business was certainly colorful, but like so many gaudy things these days, disappointing. They sold bumper stickers proudly proclaiming that Wikieup has more assholes per capita than anywhere else in the world. Really, I'm not making this up. I declined to purchase one.

Uhhh, well, OK

Geez Dad, are we almost there?

One final stop in one of the nicest formal rest areas you have ever seen. It is located just south of Wickenburg, AZ along the Hassayampa River. It is a perfect Sonoran Desert setting, welcoming all to the beauty of this special place.

Three days, 1500 miles - thank god for XM radio. More pictures soon of Lady in the desert.
Cheers.....