Four Twenty-Five Eleven

It was nice to come back to San Diego to spend time with the team on the project that I spent almost two years on.

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Four Twenty-Four Eleven

It was a very nice day with family, and it was Zora’s first Easter.

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Four Twenty-Three Eleven

It was a peaceful day for the most part until Zora decided to break her crate and then act up all evening (I think the ‘cone of silence’ was too much for her).

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Four Twenty-Two Eleven

I cleaned out about half of my closet with items that are too large for me—the rest tomorrow.

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April 43/43 Something or Someone who makes you laugh

These two always make me laugh!

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April 2011 Photo 5

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April 2011 Photo 4

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April 2011 Photo 3

How did an ice cream truck come to be in a field?

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April 2011 Photo 2

California cows are happy cows.

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Four Sixteen Eleven

Zora’s first day of dog school—she did well but growled at the instructors.

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Four Fifteen Eleven

I must have been on vacation this week – I only worked half time, 40 hours.

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13/43

Our new dog is one of the 43. She is such a princess.

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She is starting to settle in

Zora has been home for about 48 hours and she is starting to settle in. She is rather timid, but curious. She is making progress, a little at a time. She has been on two walks and loves to explore her new home and neighborhood. She is super smart and learns quickly. She pretty much has sit. I have a few more things to teach her this week before we go to class on Saturday. Tomorrow she goes to the vet for her well dog check (and to discuss when we will spay her) She also had a banana today. I’ve never had a dog that likes bananas, but she does. She’ll need to share with Phoenix.

It is fun to watch her discover her new world and master it. Did I mention she is really smart?

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Four Eleven Eleven

First day of vacation and I spent 12 hours working-what is wrong with this picture?

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Four Ten Eleven

Zora was such a good traveler as we came home from Paso Robles.

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Four Nine Eleven

We met our new dog, Zora, for the first time today.

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Four Eight Eleven

The line has been crossed, I am leaving my job.

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Four Six Eleven

Doing my civic duty tonight.

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Four Five Eleven

Will this tortuous project never end?

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It is time to retire this goal.

Kona has been gone for over four months now. I still miss him terribly. I no longer have to manage his seizures, since he is no longer “dodging angels” as he described his seizures. He was a great wonderful dog. He was my boy. Today I am beginning to clean out his things, in preparation for Zora who will be home with us next week. I will make a special treasure box to hold his dearest collars, toys, brush. His ashes are in a cedar box. We are not yet ready to scatter them up on the ridge where he loved to hike. That will take time. I am going to have a special rememberance made for him (and for our previous dog Sonnet) http://www.artfromashes.com/.

It was not fair that such a sweet boy should have to suffer from such a terrible disorder. He, and we, were fortunate that we had the resources to take care of him. No doubt with another family he may have been euthanized because the cost and effort of managing his disease was too overwhelming. He was supposed to be with us. He had a great life and he always showed how happy he was. We will give our new dog a great life too. But she doesn’t replace Kona, no one could. He was his own special dog, just as Zora will be her own special dog.

I know Kona will come back to visit, to mentor Zora, to let us know he is still around. It is sad in many ways to have to let go of him all over again in order to make room for Zora. But it is as it should be. Kona does not want us to be unhappy. He wants us to have a healthy dog and a happy life. He knows that we know that he is still around us.

Good bye my friend. You are free of the limitations of your sick body but your spirit soars with the love and your sweet energy. We are only separated by the thin veil between the worlds that separate us. But we are not separate, you are not alone and we will always be together in spirit. You will come back to us in the physical form one day, when you are ready. And you will guide us to you. Rest well my boy, for there is still a lot of playing and running and jumping and hugging to be done. You live deeply entrenched in my heart, just like that first day you come home and realized that you were, indeed, home.

See more progress on: Do a better job of managing Kona's seizures

Four Two Eleven

Trying to do the simpliest airline booking and the website won’t accept it – now stuck on hold why they try to get it figured out.

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Four One Eleven

The week was just way too long!

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