Sun in the Mist

"Sometimes, it's the fog that lets you see things more clearly," Pops says. I guess he means stuff like sun rays or halos around his head. Must be kinda like how I can smell things that he can't see.

Well, things have been changing a lot around here lately. Moms and Pops have been taking me and Trina Jieh-jieh out together a lot, 'cause Moms broke her arm when she tripped and fell running with Trina one morning. I gotta admit, it's been bad luck for Moms but fun for us. But now that Mom's getting better, we've been going out separately again. Pops and I kinda missed our mornings together, like, he's been taking me out with the bike again. Oh yeah, speakin' of bikes - you know what? He's gonna take me on the Buddhist Bicycle Pilgrimage with him. He got a hold of this trailer that he hooks up to the bike. At first I didn't like it but on my second try it turned out really cool! Yeah, what a kick, huh? A Husky being pulled by a man. I'm tellin' ya, life keeps getting better!

Today we went up to the Headlands. We were gonna go do our usual hike but when we got to the top of Hawk's Hill there was a cop standing by a truck with flashing lights. He said we couldn't go down the road to the other side.

"What's going on down there?"Pops asked.

"A car went off the edge,"said the cop.

"Ooh," Pops said, sounding almost like he thought it was cool. I knew he wanted to go look, but he didn't want to get the cop pissed off so we went for a walk up to the top of Hawk's Hill instead, pretending like that's what we planned to do anyway.

The fog was dripping off the trees and the foghorns were all going crazy, like they were all trying to see who could moan louder. All the wet smells were making me crazy too. I ran around all over the place while Pops took pictures.

When we got to the top, Pops said, "Check that out, Nikki! That's a fogbow!"

"Huh?"

"You know rainbows, right? Well that's a fogbow!"

Then he took a gadzillion pictures of the fog, and I'm like, OK, I'm gonna look around. I'll be right back.

Then on our way back to the car, we took a different path and Pops saw the sun beaming through the fog and the trees and that's when he said that wise thing to me and I pretended not to hear and just ran ahead to the car.

On the way home, we stopped at Wing Lee's and Pops got a dai gai bao and a choi yuk bao. M-m-mmm-m! Now I'm beginning see things very clearly!

P.S., Pops says to thank Uncle Wen for the Sun in the Mist tune and title.

Old Human Stuff

Did you know that Buena Vista and Golden Gate Parks were the first urban parks in California? Built over a hundred years ago. Geez, I didn't know the squirrels around here are that old! Pretty fast for old geezers! Pops been reading all those signs that tell the story of the places we go to. He sure likes that old stuff! Kinda gloomy, if you ask me... like them old tombstones in the gutter. Check out his pictures. Seems to me humans spend a lot of time making art. Lots of time. I guess they need it. Fine with me. Whatever makes them happy. One of these days, I'll catch a squirrel, then I'll be happy!

Strange Dogs in Golden Gate Park

Whoa! Golden Gate Park again today - three times in a row! For Pops, a guy who hates routine and repetition, this is kinda strange. He says, "I've lived in the City for 30 years, and I still don't know all of Golden Gate Park! It's fun to explore!" Truth is, he's been kinda limited as to where he can take me 'cause of that pain in his butt. One thing about pain and sickness - it forces you to change your ways! We've been goming to Golden Gate and Buena Vista Parks a lot lately 'cause he couldn't drive, and these are in walking distance. 'Xept today we drove to the Polo Field. Must be feeling better! How quickly he reverts to old ways!

On the way, he says, "The further out you go in the Park, the quirkier the people you come across."

"O-K..." I thought, "we're out here, what does that make us... I mean, you?"

Then he says, "But I never would have gone to all these places if it weren't for you, Nikki."

Well, what can I say... I love you too, man.

When we got to the Polo Field, he lets me off leash, and we play this game where he runs up and down the stairs between the bleachers and I, like, try to "follow the leader" on a different flight of stairs. I get so excited sometimes I just dash over to him and bark and paw him and he laughs and gives me a treat and... aw, I'm getting breathless just thinkin' about it.

Then we walked around some more and we saw these huge dogs with people sitting on top of them, and they were all kept inside these fenced fields and some of them make this weird, "wheh-heh-heh-hen" noise and I saw them eat all this dry grass. Yuck! Now green grass tastes good, I like green grass. Anyway, it's all very strange.

People's Park

Today is the second time in a row that we went to Golden Gate Park. Pops calls it "People's Park" 'cause everyone is out here - joggers, dog-walkers, dogs, cyclists, crazy people, old people, young people, homeless people, Chinese, Italians, Russians, Latinos, African Americans, rich folk, poor folk, commuters driving through - so into their own thoughts they don't even notice the birds and the trees. Coupla times they almost ran me and Pops over. Grrr-r-r...!

Today we went into the park through 6th Avenue, past the white guys practicing kung fu and the Chinese ladies dancercizing to Elvis' "Jail House Rock" on the boom box, and the poor homeless guy in between, trying to catch some zzz's next to his cart. Pops says, "You gotta have an open mind to like San Francisco... or... you gotta live in San Francisco to get an open mind." Yeah, he talks funny like that a lot.

Then we walked past the de Young, and the Music Concourse and as we went behind the band shell, we heard this funny "Brraap" sound coming from behind some trees. It was a group of elderly Chinese doing a Taichi Fan Dance! And the noise was from when they all opened their fans at once. They were all dressed so drab but the fans were a bright red. It was so cool! We watched them till they finished their set.

Yesterday we went to Stowe Lake and after we crossed the old stone bridge onto the inside island, Pops let me off leash. Then I got to go after what I really came for - squirrels! 'Course I never catch the little buggers, but it never stops me from tryin'. "Keep Hope Alive," Pops always says. Then he laughs at his own joke. I don't see what's so funny about it. I don't give him a hard time for lookin' at women. And he never catches any either! Ha ha ha ha - I just thought of that!

Writer's block

Writers' block - isn't that the street where all the writers live? Ha ha - as you can see I'm very blocked. Truth is, nothing much new has happened in the last week or so. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying things haven't been fun, but how much can you say about another day in the Headlands, at Land's End, the Presidio, Buena Vista Park, etc., etc.? It's all good, all the time! Pops' the one with all the drama. For me, it's a dog's life - eat, sleep, play, repeat. But even Pops' drama is not much to write about. He hates talking about his ailments. "That's a sure sign of old age," he says, "when all you do is talk about your aches and pains." Well, the poor guy has been in pain. Sciatica, or something like that. Good thing for him he has me to go walking with, 'cause walking really makes him feel good. He's been sleeping on the floor next to me at night. I like that!

Hey, did I tell you what a big hit I was at the Nihonmachi Street Fair? People stopped at our booth just to look at me. No one paid any attention to Pops and his friends and whatever it was they were selling... "art" or something... The little kids were a bit of a pain but I can tolerate. All the pretty women who came to fuss over me and pet me - now I can get used to that! Pops likes that too, but he kept saying, "What a waste of a chick-magnet." I think he was P.O.'ed 'cause he's married... and too old anyway... so I gotta enjoy it for him, see? After all, I'm his best friend!

Okay, well, I'm getting sleepy... sun's coming out... sorta. Maybe when I wake up, everything will be sunny.

Kaleo

Since I've mentioned Kaleo several times lately, I thought I'd post a photo of him - let y'all know what he looked like. See? Tough act to follow, eh? But I guess this is the point I want to make. Up till now, I felt like I've been living in his shadow. And Pops is always thinking about him, even though - bless is heart - he knows he should see me for who I am and love me for me. But he can't help himself... and then he feels guilty about it.

Well, recently... somehow... we both came to the same realization - that when I was feeling like I'm living in Kaleo's shadow and when Pops thought he was clinging to the past, we were actually just feeling the presence of Kaleo. I mean, he really is here among us. Every time Pops thinks about him it's because Kaleo's spirit bumped into him or somethin'. I know I feel him around all the time. And I know Trina does too. Pops said the day he completed and installed Kaleo's memorial in the garden, Trina went right up to it, sniffed it and laid down in front of it all morning. She and Kaleo were real tight. They were the same age, so she played with him a lot more than she does with me. But she teaches me a lot of cool stuff. I love Trina Jieh-jieh.

Yeah, funny how things come around eventually. I'm glad my patience with Pops paid off. He's a good man and always comes around to the right thing... well, almost always. Sometimes it takes a few years. And now that he and I have both acknowledged and embraced Kaleo as a spirit living among us, we open our hearts to each other more easily. Sure, he still makes comparisons between me and Kaleo every now and then, but it's not a bad thing. It's more like growing the love. Sharing the memories. After all, don't we always see ourselves as reflections in each other's faces? How else are we gonna see ourselves?

Anyway, check out the photos. Whenever Pops and I go out, people we meet always look at me and say, "What a gorgeous dog! Look at those eyes!" Guess Kaleo used to get the same thing. Either way, Pops gets a big swell in his heart when that happens.

PrincessTrina and I

Let the pictures speak for themselves! Oh yeah... and Pops, too, but we don't need to speak too much about him! He did clean his face up though, and looks less like ET with a beard. Ha ha... don't tell him I said that! Well, Moms thought it was funny too. She never did like his silly goatee.