On Tuesday, May 18th, 2021, at 14:30, Jasper the Chocolate Labrador - my heart, my love, my joy - was released into the Happy Hunting Grounds. Over several months, Jasper's ability to walk rapidly decreased. He went from walking 4 miles easily in January to really slowing down on a 2-mile walk in mid-February to me having to pull him from doing long walks in early March. Inside the house, he … [Read more...]
Jasper vs. the Cactus
Ed and I were just returning from an hour-long hike around the campground at Tucson Mountain Park when we encountered a narrow wash thick with cacti and mesquite trees. I would have gladly retraced our steps to take a less prickly route back - but 'never-late-for-lunch-Ed' persisted on taking the shortcut. I was watching my footing carefully as we descended down the rocky bank and when I … [Read more...]
I Swam 5 Great Lakes
I don't much care for water or wet things. I try to stay out of the rain and refuse to walk on wet grass. So, it was a shock to me when we were staying at East Harbor State Park on Lake Erie and my mother took me to the beach and pulled me into the lake. It wasn't enough that my feet got wet, but she pulled until I could no longer touch bottom. Eureka! I was swimming. I swam back to my dad, … [Read more...]