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I love my bone.
I think I will use the calm provided by the squirrels' mysterious summer absence to work on another of my interests: history. My research will focus on the six benches scattered along the bluffs, each of them dedicated to the memory of a different person or persons.
Who what when where why -- that's the classic reporter's brief, and it will be mine too. I've already answered the 'where' -- it's the bluff. But the rest remains to be discovered.
The bluff is not completely devoid of squirrels, it turns out. I did see two of them this morning. They were not excessively fast on their paws. I surmise that they might be elderly members of the clan who were unable to make the trek to wherever the rest of the squirrels go for the summer. I hope I am wrong in this interpretation, as it is most distressing to imagine that squirrel culture is one in which the elders are abandoned by selfish younger squirrels who just want to go have fun in new climes.
After being temporarily felled by another seizure a couple of days ago, I'm back in business. But when I went out to the bluffs to investigate the squirrel situation, the landscape had subtly changed.
The Benjamin Franklin quote is,"Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days." Presumably, if you apply the dog years algorithm to this saying, it would go, "Guests, like fish, begin to smell after about ten hours." However, in the case of my recent houseguest, Mr. Buddy Mai of Santa Barbara, California, I felt he began to smell almost immediately.
OK, I admit it -- I felt threatened by his presence. He's cute, Thomas and Maggie made a fuss over him, he got to go out for a ride in the car with everyone else while I had to stay home alone, and, perhaps worst of all, he had more interesting food than me.
I watched him eating his food and after one of those black pellet things fell on the ground unnoticed by him I pounced and got it myself.
Then I acted innocent.
We had a portrait session before Maggie and Buddy left but I decided to boycott it by jumping off the sofa just in time.
When I was invited to be part of a photo shoot I was quite excited. Then it turned out that my role was less than minimal.
Crystal went a little too short this time. She scraped the bridge of my nose. And I fancy I see a stripe along my left side.
Haircut and bath soon
Good thing -- I smell like vomit
Soft constitution.
In the course of my squirrel labors I am sometimes asked to take considerable risks. Even when the assignment is difficult, I do not shirk my duty.
It's a dangerous job, but the work must go on.
Oftentimes people talk to me in baby voices, as if I was immature or unsophisticated.
Maggie's different. When she plays with my mallard with me, I don't feel she's patronizing me.
We're just two adults enjoying a game of mallard.
In Cambria, we stayed in a hostelry that welcomes my kind. That is, they let me stay there, albeit with all sorts of limitations: can't stay in room alone, can't go into pool or hot tub, can't be on bed ever, have to pay $25 extra just because you're a dog. There's still a lot of prejudice in this world.
But on the bright side, Moonstone Beach was lovely -- both relaxing and stimulating, what with all the squirrel and chipmunk holes under the boardwalk, and the seals sunning themselves out on the rocks.
We spent a lot of time in the car this week, because that's what you do on a road trip.
My brothers and I have a tight connection.
I am on vacation in northern California. When you're in a high-stress position like mine it's really important to remember to take time to unwind.
