Welcome To LA

Great fun yesterday. Big news. Excellent POV from the rooftop of my apartment building as the Space Shuttle Endeavor was flown over LA. The CA Science Center is it's new home and after a very nifty flight from Edwards Air Force Base over Sacramento, the Bay Area and Central Valley the Shuttle was flown above Los Angeles for a final curtain. Much excitement and just damn cool!!!

I Want to Wear Sweaters

It's Fall. I want to wear sweaters. It will be 89 degrees today. Boo, hiss, LA.  Let everyone else envy the continual rays of sunshine.  Brutal Summer heat in recent weeks, 90's and above.  Tired of the sweat and sleepless nights. Somewhere trees are turning hues of orange and gold. There is a crispness in the air.  Soups are being made. Here, the fire alert is high.  Brush covered hills and mountains are tinder boxes ready to explode.  Sigh.

Sparrow Hawks

Yesterday while downstairs with the hound (whose nose can ferret out anything) she started for a dead headless pigeon which lay on the sidewalk.  My thought was how did that happen? Headless?  Well, today I found out. Another trip outside the apartment with the hound and out of the corner of my eye I see something fly away quickly to the roof top across the street. I look up to see a sparrow hawk. As I make my way past the small wall near our apartment steps I see another dead headless pigeon. This hawk is one ruthless muther!!!  So today we've had Sparrow Hawks AND an LAPD helicopter complete with microphone instructing culprit to stay put, don't move. All while hovering and circling.
Ah Hollywood.  Then again I'm on a high as my Giants came to town and swept the Boys in Blue at Dodger Stadium. Means we now have a two and a half game lead in the West.  Smiles all around.

Ah Gee

Really??!!!  Today was a photography day. Dropped Miss Mona off for a much needed bath and instead of driving downtown, parked the car and boarded a crowded Metro train at the Universal City station. Commuter hour. No where to sit. I'm fine with that. Out of the corner of my eye an afro american teen complete with shades, earphones, ball cap on sideways and pants hanging down his ass stands stands and motions for me to sit in the seat he was just in.
You know, the one designated for seniors and the disabled. Sigh. So it really has come to this. I look old. I could just spit!!!

61st

The day began as all others. Picking up dog shit. Having coffee. Reading emails and the LA Times. Birthday ice cream from William. Lazy, hazy day.  Long chat and lots of laughs with Christa. Jude thought I was only 60, bless her soul.  Made me laugh.  BC sent remembrances from Northern Ireland. Quiet and uneventful. Simply put, another year passed.

Joy

NO CANCER.  Vet isn't sure what it is but knows it's not cancer. The jolt of elation that pulsed when I heard those words.  Oh my, joy and relief.  Instantly felt lighter.  The heavy, burdensome cloak of doom that had engulfed me disappeared immediately. Ramona felt the excitement as I spoke with the vet because she awoke from her nap and wandered over to be near me. I swear I could see relief in her soulful eyes as her tail wagged incessantly.  Happy Days!!!!!

Waiting

It's 3:36pm PST. Today is when the vet is scheduled to call to share results of Ramona's biopsy.  For humans, the past week has been miserable. I've been a black hole. Bill worried. Friends calling, emailing and texting, wondering. Ms. Mona by the nature of being a canine is oblivious. Her leg is still tender and she doesn't put too much weight on it. However, that doesn't stop her from wanting to run down two flights of stairs but we don't. The elevator is our friend.  I watch carefully as she jumps into and out of the 4 Runner, teaching hear to first jump onto the floor board and then climb into the back seat. Once in the car, she assumes the position of leaning against the back of the seat with her head out the window, watching the world pass.  She's learned to eat a spoonful of peanut butter and still manage to spite out the pain pills.  She's one smart dog.  And so we wait.  Tick Tock.

Ramona Pearl

My girl has been limping a little more after our daily hikes. Also noticed an occasional stumble.  The other day she squatted to pee and toppled to one side. Not funny. I immediately called the vet. Went in a got x-rays.  There was a mass on her left femur.  Couldn't tell what it was exactly. Infection or tumor. Did the bone biopsy yesterday. NOT an infection. Have to wait for a week before we know what we are dealing with. Biopsies are sent to UC Davis. Nerves are all askew. Worst scenario is bone cancer which means leg amputation  We can put men on the moon, make titanium legs for human amputees and yet haven't figured out how to do the same for dogs.  The news we want and pray for is a benign mass.  Light candles, say prayers, send good vibes for my sweet face girl.

Loss of a Friend

The email I knew would arrive did so this morning. My dear friend, Billy Ray Smith, passed away last night.  Given the time difference from LA to Oklahoma I can only ponder if his departure caused me to awake from a dead sleep around 1:30am PST.  One never knows does one? BR's contribution to my life was huge. Some of the most memorable moments.  A kind, generous soul. Long life. Just realized he missed his 81st birthday by 5 days.  No more pain Mr. Smith.

"A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out."
George Bernard Shaw

Mood Swings

Each day I have things to say and don't.  Time moves forward, I putz and nothing gets written. I'm at a loss.  Today is no different. While on the trail before dawn many thoughts rattled in my head, things I wanted to say. All gone now. Sigh.