Goodbye and Hello

Doolin

December 8, 2006 - May 14, 2021

 

From the Editor - For those of you who haven't heard through other ways, our blog's founder and chief reporter passed away peacefully at Brady Veterinary Hospital on May 14 with his Mom and Dad by his side.  He was 101 in dog years.  He will be missed!

After an extensive search for a new reporter (lasting nearly a week), we welcome Jake to our staff.  With the new reporter, we've decided to change the blog's name to Jake's Journey.

Jake

 

Jake was born in Pasco on March 27, 2021 and took his first big Journey across the mountains on Sunday, May 30.   He's already a good traveler.  

 

He's an apricot standard poodle and will grow up to look a lot like his birth Mom, Amber.

Amber, Jake's Mom

Right now, Jake's learning the ropes (and the leash), but expect to hear more from him in the near future.

The First 100 (dog) years

Sunday, March 21, 2021 - Last summer when we were talking to Granddaddy on his 95th birthday, we were talking about the fact that in "dog years" I was almost the same age that he was.  That got me thinking about turning 100.  Check my math, but I think it's today.

100 human years x 365 days = 36,500 plus 25 leap days = 36,525 days. 

I was born December 8, 2006, so today I'm 5,217 human days old.  That times 7 equals 36,519.   I think that's close enough!

I've been going through some old photos and reminiscing.  I thought I'd share.

My first day at my forever home.

Hanging out under Mom's desk

Riding in the van at Mom's feet

I'm getting bigger.

Mom and Dad tell me that I'm named after a village in Ireland.  I doubted the story until they brought this photo back from one of their visits there.

First time at the beach - Cannon Beach, Oregon

  

Eventually I got big enough that I moved to the back seat in the van, but I liked to be able to see where we were going, so I often sat like this.

I like to travel.  I've spent at least one night in all the blue states and I've traveled through all the states that are green on this map.  I've also been to four Canadian Provinces.

Beer Tasting with Mom and Dad (my bowl of water is under the table).

Poodles are Lap Dogs

A great Day at the beach

A fall day on the Blue Ridge Parkway

I found a real bone!

Selfie with Mom

McKinney Falls State Park near Austin, TX

Hanging out with cousins Darby and Chuy at their ranch in Texas

A real antler that I found on cousin Nancy's ranch in Texas

My buddy Jerry telling me a story.

Mom and I on a ferry in Washington State.

Me riding behind the driver in the RV.  I get a good view out the windshield from here.

Sunset over the St Lawrence Seaway

The first time I saw the Atlantic Ocean at Forillon National Park in Quebec, Canada.

A real bone that I found in our campsite on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada

Playing with my cousin Scout in his back yard in Texas.  He's not mean.  He was just playing.

See - Scout and I are good friends.

Mom and I at a rest stop along I-80 in Utah

Dad and I on a rock in Utah

My last visit with my buddy Charlie before he went to doggy heaven. 😢

Visiting Granddaddy and all my Aunts, Uncle, and cousins in Texas.

Camping with my friends Elsie and Bob.

Worn out after playing with Scout

A great day on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Another fun day at Pacific Beach State Park in Washington

Back in the day, I was pretty good at catch!

Monument Valley

Rock Mountain National Park

Snake River Canyon - Idaho on the left, Oregon on the right

Still looking good - me, two weeks ago, right after my Spa Day.

Pretty well sums up my life now.  In case you can't read it, my pillow says "It's All about Me"

Hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane.  Thanks to everyone who has called, texted, and generally asked about me.  The doc says I have a bad case of old age.  The swagger in my step has turned to more of a stagger and if I lay down too long, I sometimes need help getting back up.  But with some good pain killers, I'm still have some great days, so looking forward to a few more good "dog years".

Tucson - Part 2

Wow!  Our month in Tucson went by fast!  We left Tucson yesterday (Tuesday the 16th) and are east of Phoenix at Lost Dutchman State Park.  

In our last two weeks in Tucson Mom and Dad did several hikes and we had some hanging out time in the RV.  I won't tell you about all the hikes, but the big one was to the summit of Wasson Peak.  It's the highest peak in the Tucson mountains and is located within the west part of Saguaro National Park.  The peak is 4,688' above sea level, that's nearly 1900' higher than the trail head.  The total hike was 8.1 miles.  That's the longest and highest hike that Mom and Dad have done.  They brought back some nice photos.

Starting to get a little elevation and seeing lots of Saguaro.

A little higher and the view is improving.

All the TV and Radio antenna  for Tucson are on the next high peak.  Soon Mom and Dad will be higher than they are.

Views in all directions.  The distant peaks are about 50 miles away.

It was quite a climb.  The trail was a series of switchbacks.  It's marked in the photo with yellow arrows.

Almost there!  That's Wasson Peak just up the trail.  In the background you can see the Catalina Mountains that are about 20 miles away and the city of Tucson spread out across the valley below.

* * * * * *

Last time I told you that Mom and Dad took a hike to Bobcat Ridge.  A few days later, Dad thought he saw someone's dog run across the trail, not far ahead.  As they got closer, he saw another animal and then realized that it wasn't a dog, it was a kitty.  Actually two really big kitties!  They didn't get cameras out in time to get a photo before the pair ran off, but they were Bobcats that looked like this.

Another time they were out and they saw a herd of Javelina (pronounced Have A Lena).  There were about 10 of them just walking through a neighborhood.  I didn't see them, but when we go out into the desert at night to do my business, I sometimes hear them snorting.  They sound like pigs.  I've heard pigs when I've been in Illinois where Mom grew up.  They like to eat the prickly pear cactus and I've seen where they've taken bites out. 

 * * * * * *

What's next?  Well, the plan was to stay at Lost Dutchman State Park for 6 nights, then 5 nights in Sedona and 5 nights at the Grand Canyon before making a leisurely trip north toward home.   At least that was the plan until last Friday.  Some of you know that I've had a little problem with one of my rear legs.  I haven't been able to bend my knee very well for a few months and sometimes my paw folds under when I walk, so I actually step down on the top of my foot.  Well, last Friday, I fell and messed up my ankle, on my good leg 😖 Now I can't put weight on my "good" leg and it's all swollen.  Basically, my back-end is pretty much out of commission.  Mom and Dad took me to a Vet, but weren't too happy with the visit.  Mom and Dad have been putting ice packs on my swollen ankle.  That makes it feel better, but hasn't really fixed the swelling. 

They checked the weather forecast and road conditions and they've decided that the best thing is for us to head home and go to our regular vet.  We are going to forfeit the last 4 nights here at Lost Dutchman and they've canceled our reservation at the Grand Canyon.  Mom was glad that we didn't make reservations for Sedona.  Now, we expect to be near Las Vegas on Thursday night, Tonopah, NV on Friday night, Winnemucca, NV on Saturday night, Bend, Oregon on Sunday night and home on Monday.

I feel bad that we have to cut our trip short, but I'll be glad to be home where I can be on grass.  When you have a bum foot and another one that slides out from under you, it kind of stinks to have to do your business on gravel.  Real green grass will be SO nice!  Dad will be glad that he won't have to carry me up and down the RV stairs.  It will be good to be home.

I'll check back with you when we there.

Love,

Doolin