The Oscar Grant shooting

I feel compelled to write something about this tragedy. Fruitvale Bart Station is my stop. I shop at Farmer Joe's where Grant worked behind the meat counter. Every day this week, as I got off the train, I couldn't help but try and imagine what happened last week and where it happened. Is it down … Continue reading The Oscar Grant shooting →

A faux review of dog beds

Reviews were conducted in December 2008 using two test subjects, Oliver and Frances; and two beds, one purchased, one DIY. Each dog was compensated with a treat following the tests. A round, soft, portable, and washable classic dog bed. A perfect bed for a 15-pound dog. Laundry basket filled with dirty clothes and sheets. Not … Continue reading A faux review of dog beds →

Doxie Tales: Squirrel hunting

Well, make that squirrel hunting from a second-story bedroom window. Great view, but no physical contact. Makes for a no-fuss, no-mess squirrel hunt. Here's Oliver complete with feral sounding growls and whines:

Doxie Tails: Oliver, Meet Mort

I probably started asking for a dog when I was seven or eight and when I was ten, for Christmas, I got to pick out a dog at Doctor's Pet Center in Stonestown. Yes, he was probably from a puppy mill, but we didn't know from puppy mills in the '70s, so no negative comments … Continue reading Doxie Tails: Oliver, Meet Mort →

What to name the new pup?

Is he an Oliver or a Kirby? We can't decide. He's 14-months old. We adopted him from H.O.P.E. rescue in Turlock, CA. He's red, long, sports a white strip down his chest, walks with a slight limp when he's tired (he was hit by a car in July), is under 15 pounds, and gets along … Continue reading What to name the new pup? →

Obama, Happy-Go-Lucky, and a rainy day

It was a perfect day to see a movie. We sloshed our way over to Albany to see Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky." A wonderful little film and classic Leigh: a well-written character study, great actors, and no-nonsense directing. Of course, now we want to move to England again. The marquee paid tribute to the film and … Continue reading Obama, Happy-Go-Lucky, and a rainy day →

The Wassup gang is back in time for the election

When the Budweiser Wassup commercials ran eight years ago, the "wassup" catchphrase quickly became tired and overused, much like those nuggets from Saturday Night Live: "Yeah, that's the ticket;" "Talk amongst yourselves;" "Well isn't that special?", etc. Tired no more, the Wassup gang is back in time for the election, and they're brilliant. Wassup!!!!!!

Frances comes alive

It's been about two months since we lost Mickey and it's been hard for us. We still cannot talk about him all that much, but now we can mention his name without choking down tears. And when I say it's been hard for us, I include Frances, our 7-year-old lab mix. Initially, she appeared almost … Continue reading Frances comes alive →

The last supper and the last gelato

Saturday, September 20 Up early to take the train to Milan, the final leg of our trip. Everything fit in our bags, we washed the dishes and emptied the trash, and took the bus to the train station. As we were waiting on the train platform, a woman walked by with her little wire-haired dog. … Continue reading The last supper and the last gelato →

Love letter to Skype

One of the dilemmas I pondered before going to Italy – get mobile coverage for my iPhone or rely on free wifi and pay for Skype credit? I use Skype to talk with a coworker in the Netherlands, so it’s already on my laptop. I decided to go with the latter. I used the iPhone … Continue reading Love letter to Skype →