Category: Pets

Adjustments

Our dog Ellie sleeps in the middle of the kitchen floor

Age has rendered Ellie mostly deaf so she can no longer hear me when I walk up to her. While she’s always slept on the kitchen tile or the hardwood floors, especially when it’s warm, she now often sleeps where I’ll have to step over her so she can more easily keep track of where I am in the house. The cats have adjusted by hopping over her when she inadvertently blocks them in a room.

At the dog park this morning the two other old black labs in the neighborhood were both there, one of their owners asked me if there was ever a time Ellie wasn’t smiling. I thought of all the solemn looks the pup has given me over the years when she’s been bored as I’ve photographed her, but I knew what she meant. That smile is contagious, I’ve seen it spread onto the faces of so many people who have met her. And countless times, to my own.

Five Years Gone

Our cat Scout sleeps on a pillow

It was five years ago that we had to say goodbye to my beloved Scout. I’d say I hate this day more than any other but today was actually a pretty good day. Picture is from 2001, a few months after we adopted her.

Prophecy

Our cat Boo yawns while sitting on the wooden grate as a narrow beam of light falls upon him

“When the shadows rise and the path lies hidden, do not despair! For then shall the light pierce the darkness and fall upon its champion, master of dark and light, for he is dark and light, and he shall guide you.”

So concludes today’s reading from “The Book of Boo”.

The Door Walker

Our black-and-white cat Scout sits on top of the door

Scout wasn’t the only one of our cats who liked to sit up high but she was the only one who you’d sometimes find sitting on top of open doors. This is from 2006 when she was five and I’m thankful for the pictures as she eventually stopped doing it, either from lack of desire or ability, and I might have forgotten about it altogether by now. The old cameras had a lot of limitations compared to those of today and I made the mistake of not upgrading them often enough – but to be fair to my past self I’m not much better at it today. I’m so thankful I have the pictures at all, it’s a joy to look back not just to remember the good times but also be reminded of how lucky I’ve been.

Happy 14th Birthday Pup!

Our black lab Ellie looks on on the day we adopted her in 2009

A picture from 9 years ago on the day we brought home this most wonderful pup. We don’t know her real birthday so we celebrate it on the anniversary of her adoption, even though she might have turned 14 months ago. You can see bits of white paint on her neck and face and ears, her previous owners were moving and must have been painting. The white fur below her mouth and just above it is natural, these days it covers most of that adoring and adorable face.