Polar was almost an immediate foster fail, which means we decided he would become part of our family in part because it might be hard to have him adopted and in part because he fit in well.
It was through a circuitous route that this senior never-ending-story-looking dog ended up in our home probably in part because of our volunteering and activism for the Humane Society of the North Bay. We know that he needed to be homed on a crisis basis and that seniors generally are much less adoptable, especially if they have special needs or medical problems, acute or long-term.
Polar’s personality is such a winner. He truly does the hug and affectionate eyes closed to almost every dog and person he meets, which makes him so endearing. He is making himself at home, despite some medical issues he had. Our vet found a foxtail embedded in his gums and he had an open gash in his backside which required stitches. This is why he got sheared in the rear looking sort of like a lion with a mane for a while. We put him on some medicine to clear up things so that he would become a lot healthier. He’s about ten years old and very healthy otherwise. In the video below he is playing (post-op) with a small guest dog, but fortunately Polar gets along with everyone.
We’re happy to show a picture of Dinky, who we had fostered for several months, after her operation. She is a twelve-year-old tiny red chihuahua and she had a huge tumor in her mouth which didn’t even allow her to close her mouth all the way. There are lots of pictures from previous months in which you can see it, although you might think it’s her sticking out her tongue.
Dinky went through a lot from what we understood. We were told that her guardian was murdered by her own son in Benicia and afterward the other son was unable to take care of her.
Dinky loved to worship the sun at our house and got along with all the dogs, never intimidated by the largest of dogs next to her. I think she was respected universally and never had to growl. You’ll even see her playing with a few of the dogs as if she was a puppy. We knew she was pretty healthy because she had a wonderful appetite, so we were glad to fatten her up for surgery. We’re so glad that we were able to foster Dinky until she found a permanent home with another animal she gets along with very well.
I volunteered with the Humane Society of the North Bay on July 4 at the Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green. There were some amazing kites and it was good to bring a lot of exposure to the shelter.
Sagi & Ido, our friends from Seattle (originally Tel Aviv) who we met (of all places) in Iceland, were in town for my birthday weekend, so it worked out well that they could join us for a road trip. We had a terrific day going around the North Bay, where Shando and I were so glad to buy a home and move to a few years ago. So much of what we love in the Bay Area is in this area they call the Wine Country, even though we don’t drink!
Our first stop was at my favorite winery, Viansa, which has lots of delectable food and fantastic views. This is something that I had done with my mom and it reminds me so much of Italy. Their winery is up on a little hill and usually it’s overcast when I go there. However, today the air was crystal clear and the weather was just perfect.
Later we went to Bodega Bay where it was colder and windier than usual. It isn’t always overcast, but the views were still stunning, and our guests enjoyed it. This was the first time I ever walked down to the beach there. Shando shot the first of this footage from up on the cliff.
We went back for Shando’s annual Nelson Family Reunion for the first time since Covid. We also spent time in Cleveland and Columbus.
In Bucyrus we visited Shando’s mom’s grave. Sadly his Aunt Pat had passed since our last visit.
In Columbus, it was Gay Pride Weekend and we got to see some quaint neighborhoods like German Village. The woman who offered to take our picture made us kiss for the camera after confirming we were a couple.
We hung out with one of Shando’s high school friends, Minda, and her family (we forgot to take pictures) and we also hung out with Shando’s cousin Doreen and her daughters, granddaughter, and son-in-law (pictured below). There were lots of interesting things (fairy village in the yard) in the German Village and mall (French Bulldog mannequins) we met them at.
Another night, after driving through a treacherous rainstorm, the air cleared and we had a big dinner with a lot of his college friends and their kids in Cleveland.
As the current President of the GCCA, I had the honor of introducing guests at our bi-annual community meeting. Shando and I had to leave for a red-eye to Ohio that evening, but I was glad that I could squeeze the meeting in.
Our focus for this meeting was the importance of evacuation, especially in the case of a wildfire, which is unfortunately common in this area. We are very fortunate that GCCA was instrumental in getting Fire Station 26 re-opened here in Vallejo. They were in attendance and helped to bring awareness to the AlertSolano.com website.
