The Early Days

Pops birthday yesterday made me think of my birthday, 'xcept I don't even know when it was. All I remember is not being very happy. I was lonely and always hungry, and I guess I must have just wandered off till I got lost. I wound up in some place where people gave me a place to sleep and some food, which felt really good at first but I was locked up with a bunch of other poor suckers and we couldn't go out to play or anything. Then, one day, some really nice people came and took me away in a car. It was my first time in a car and it was awesome. I was taken to see some guy in a white coat where I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was a little sore and missing some parts. Kinda weird, but the people were extra nice to me so I got over it. Then, one day, I was taken with a bunch of other dogs to meet a bunch of people, and that was when I met Pops, Moms and Trina. I was only one year old!

Trina and I started to play right away - right there in the parking lot! Everyone said, "Oh, look! They get along!" Then Pops took me for a walk around the parking lot and talked a lot with the nice people. I was put back in my crate, where I proceeded to chew up my leash - the second one I chewed up that day! Then someone else - a teenage girl - took me out for a walk but I didn't like her much. I had already started to like Pops 'cause he was real strong and he protected me from those other dogs who were trying to bully me. The girl didn't know what she was doing. When Pops took me out of the crate a second time, I sat down and parked my butt right next to his leg and leaned against him. He reached down and petted my head, and shortly after that I was riding in his car with him, Moms and Trina, on my way to my new forever home!

Well, that was over two years ago. The day was March 18. I consider that date to be my birthday.

A Special Ordinary Day

Today's Pops' birthday. Started out pretty normal, just like any other day. That's the way Pops likes it. "Quiet appreciation " is what he calls it. We went to the Presidio where I got to sniff, run and play hide 'n' seek with him. He hides behind a tree and whistles for me and I pretend I can't see him. Then I run towards the tree and pretend to be surprised when he jumps out at me. Then I run around like crazy through the bushes and between the trees and dash past him and run circles around him... Pops - he's so easy to please.

After the Presidio, we stopped to buy dog food and said "Hi" to John at the pet food store. Then we made a last minute detour to Clement Street 'cause Pops got a hankerin' for char shiu baos. He went in to Wing Lee and bought one char shiu bao and one choy yuk bao and we ate them in the car on the way home. I have to agree - simple pleasures are the best.

Then Uncle Pete Almazol came over. He and Pops have the same birthday which, by the way, is the same date they landed on the moon! How cool is that for a couple of Cancer-moonchilds?

Well the rest of the day is turning out kinda dreary, with the fog an'all. Tonight Moms and Pops are going out to some fancy dinner - without us! Boo! Think I'll just go to sleep. Anyway, I've posted some pictures of me and Pops together at different times - all good times!

Pops did more work in the garden today. What a mess, but I love it, 'cause I get to eat bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoots are what I like! I love bamboo shoots! B-b-b-bamboo.... Sh-sh-sh-o-o-o-ts! Grrrr-r-r-r!

In Kaleo's garden

Fuchsias returning in July
remember Kaleo
Was it here that they last saw him
so many summers ago
or was it somewhere
on their long winter journey?

Pops and I went to the Presidio again today. After we came home he went to work in the garden. Boy, he did a lot of work today, pruning some trees - actually bushes that had turned into trees - and all the bamboos in the back. I haven't seen him work this hard in the garden in a long time. Don't know what got into him. He's been out of sorts lately, with his injured lip, and all. Must be feeling better. Anyway, he wanted me to post this poem and picture of the fuchsias next to Kaleo's memorial. They're blooming beautifully. Pops got all teary-eyed. Sometimes I can really feel Kaleo's spirit around here. Guess he always hung out with Pops when he worked in the garden.

Till next time...

Sniffer's heaven

Yesterday we went to the Presidio where I got to play with other dogs... but the best part was... aw, man... the smells...! There was SO much to sniff at. I thought I died and went to heaven. Everything's blooming and little critters scampering all over the place, and even though I was bad-ass like a wolf, there were some things I just couldn't catch - they fly and climb trees! What kinda "fair game" is that? Pops is always stopping to take pictures, which is fine with me, 'cause when he's not paying attention to me I get to run off! And I found a ball! I carried it all the way home and last night I slept with it next to my bed.

Here, There, Almost Everywhere

Pops took me to Land's End this morning. Yesterday we rode through Golden Gate Park and ran into some of Pops' friends. Not much to report - just that it was nice to go out with him again and we sat on the ledge and looked at the ocean and just chilled. He and Moms had been gone all day yesterday, leaving me and Trina Jieh-jieh at home all by ourselves. Uncle Frank came and fed us but it's not the same. They went to see Uncle Matt and Auntie Michelle and Kevin down in Montery for July 4 and didn't take us! Uncle Matt left his cool car with Pops and he got to drive it all over the place, but he didn't take me with him for that either! Oh well...

Pops did take me to a lot of other places, though. Some people said to him, "You take that dog everywhere, huh?" "Yeah, I thought. I like that... I like that a lot." We went to J-town to remember Pops' friend Al Robles, who must have been a great guy, 'cause everyome got up and said nice things about him. They sang and danced and read poetry - even Pops read one, and I got to go up there with him. I remember Uncle Al. Pops used to take me down to J-town Arts Writers Workshop with him, when he and Uncle Pete and Uncle Al would sit around and talk stories, and drink wine, and Uncle Al would always have bread in his back pack that he would take out and share with everyone, including me! Uncle Al always looked at me and said, "Man, that dog is deep. Look at his eyes!"

Pops knew that already. That's why he likes us Huskies. My brother Kaleo, who came before me, had the deepest eyes - "like an ancient spirit," Pops says. Poor Pops had a really hard time getting over Kaleo. He LOVED that dog, and even had a hard time loving me the same until only recently. I do understand, but sometimes it was a bit hard - annoying - I'd say. Like, he'd be thinking of him while looking at me. Made me hold back too. But, as they say, time heals everything, and we're pretty tight now. It helps that I'm not such a rambunctious teenager any more... heh heh... I'm more mature now.

Headlands - good for the soul