Circle of Life

We have added photos from Spring, including some of the last of Arrow, who left us on March 15. Hannah had just invented a game they would play: she would drag around both his toy possums by their tails, looking for Arrow. Arrow, normally quite wary of Hannah, would rise beyond his fear, tiptoe over to her and gently tug one away. Then Hannah would steal a pat and laugh and laugh! He was a great dog, and I'm sorry she won't remember him beyond these photos. We loved him very much.

Stephanie and I have been spending a great deal more time with Max these past few weeks, walking him far more than before. He's still lonely during the days, and perhaps bored. In the evenings he makes a show of being tolerant of Hannah, who brings him books to read, sits between his front legs, and calls him, "MAAAAH!" (like the first syllable of "mashed potatoes", only louder). A few well-timed treats have made a great improvement in his patience with her. Frankly, I think a little chaos is warranted. Last weekend we took him down to the walking mall and spent the evening walking around, meeting folks, sharing ice cream, and exploring the water fountain outside the theater and the pet store. He's doing much better.

Also this past weekend, some friends took us whale watching down at Dana Point, and she had a blast being on a boat, watching the gulls, and climbing up and down the forecastle steps over and over and over and over and over again while we all pitched up and down. As we left the harbor, a marine biologist spoke with the passengers about what we might see and a general overview of mysticeti vs. odontoceti cetaceans. Unfortunately, Hannah was scanning the passing sailboats and yachts, announcing boldly with double outstretched pointing fists, "boad! ... BOAD!" and then, seeing another, "boad! boad!", and so on -- which we thought was just hysterical. It was a wonderful trip. We trailed a coy, 30-foot grey whale for some time, watching it blow and flirt with the surface. On the way back in we were engulfed in a pod of what seemed dozens of bottlenose dolphins who swam beside, underneath, and around us, dancing in the ship's wake. It was simply amazing.

Mostly, though, I'd like to see a little girl dragging around two stuffed possums trying to gain the attention of a gentle dog four times her size.

Goodbye, Arrow. Good dog.