yes, I am one of those crazy dog people...

 yesterday was a year since that horrible night when Blossom passed away unexpectedly.  i still miss her. I'm sure for some it would seem silly to have such sadness over a dog after this long.  i miss all the dogs that have shared my life and moved on though.  in a few days it will be 2 years since Rio passed.  i can't say i usually recall the date of each pets passing.  this pair probably had a special place in my heart though.  they also had a fondness for each other that i suspect was the reason they passed so close together.  above is Ivy Rose and Miss Breezy Chatterbug. 

 many pictures of Skelly getting morphed into the Thanksgiving scene.  though it was pretty tough finding Thanksgiving stuff as Christmas has sadly taken over the holiday.  he's wearing my clothes and i did the rest with paper.

 i think it turned out quite spiffy. 

 my dogs are a huge part of my every day life.  in many ways they inspire me to get out of bed each day, they inspire me to get out on those trails....which i plan to do as soon as I'm done writing. 

 they greet me when i awaken and when i come home from work, they watch over me, the protect and defend.  dogs are completely non-judgmental.  when you have their loyalty, you have their total loyalty.  they could care less if you gain a few pounds or forget to put on make up...or even if you decide to be lazy and chill all day watching a series of Downton Abby or some such thing.

 we did walk yesterday.  thank you SH for joining and thanks MT for the invite later, though i was already settled on the couch at that point. it was my only human contact for the day...a day when i felt a bit sad remembering my dear puppy who left me so abruptly last year.

 when i have had episodes of melancholy, it is the dogs who are there with a wag and a lick, urging me forward.  helping me feel loved and valued....as only a dog can.

 here are there Santa shots.  they have filled the hole left by Blossom as much as two adorable puppies can.  so happy i have them to share the next adventures with.  i hope Blossom is happy to see them taking on her role in the household.  last night i commended them for their security skills as i know Blossom would be impressed.

 life does move on.  we have ups and downs, beginnings and endings, losses and gains...we move through them on our journey. we each have our own losses to bear, one is not greater than the other, just different and personal.  I hope we can all recognize those around us who need bearing up from time to time and reach out our arms to offer support.

 it's not always enough to just click like on facebook.  we all need each other to take that extra step to make us feel needed, included.  some fall to the wayside though.  mostly forgotten.  i find when that happens for me, i only need look down at my feet and there is proof that i am valued....if only by a dog some days, it is still important and appreciated. 

 i have no idea how i would have managed life so far without the parade of dogs, cats, fish, turtles and whatever else have come through my home.  i suspect there would have been times of profound loneliness.  i fear my brief episodes of melancholy would have stretched out and the pit may have deepened and widened. 

 took some ashes and created this little frozen wood tower.  always so beautiful out there.  nice being able to take Blossom and the other dogs of my past along on the walks with us and from time to time find a spot and leave some ashes behind....there are a lot of ashes left so i suspect my dogs from the past will be hiking along for quite some time...

 there is the orb again...:-)  Blossom will always be with us, whether i see an orb in a photo or a tennis ball on the trail.  her memories are forever in my heart...as are the memories of Rio Catalina, Huey and Butch. 

 back to work tonight.  I'm still coughing but that can last weeks.  not much to be done about that. 

 made the dinosaur into a turkey...haha.

 cold again out there today i think.  checked a few times last night but didn't see any northern lights.

 binge watched some Downton Abby.  there was a season or two that i had never seen so I'm catching up.  i think they are done? 

 also recently watched Alias Grace.  that was good as well.  some reading as well..always.  i really should just get rid of cable.  it's just bad news anyway.  iitoo is obsessed it seems with other, more authoritarian, forms of government.  he was exceeding flattered by all the pomp and circumstance of his travels, meanwhile, they gave a contract for the security detail over our Rus embassies to a Put/KG era group...idiots.  they already had bugged the hell out of the embassy during the Reagon era while "helping" with the building.  they should be trusted. 

 not sure why the most pious talking are generally the most perverted as well. always so funny that the religious right protects and harbors these sorts because they say what they want to hear. again..God would not work through abhorrent men like this.

 i better walk these pups

thankful for: A.  my wonderful years with Blossom and Rio  B.  all the dogs in my life C.  having options