Activism, HSNB, Pets

Firestation Calendar Photo Shoot

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For the 2026 Humane Society of the North Bay calendar, we took our three foster dogs (one of which is going to Muttville later this month) for a photo shoot with firemen here in Vallejo. Today’s photo shoot was with Fire Station 24. Before some of you (you know who you are) get all hot and bothered, the firemen kept their shirts on. Anyway, it was a great experience and I’m glad these foster dogs will help other homeless cats and dogs by the funds raised with the forthcoming calendar. Thank you to Lisa, Mei and others from HSNB who arranged this. For good measure, Mei had the wherewithal to suggest Shea and I pose with the dogs by the kissing booth.

On the way to the fire station we gave our friend Teena a lift to the hairdresser. She wanted to take pictures of the models as we left.

Earlier that morning Shea called them and Snoopy for a photo, and what he got he couldn’t have planned better if he had tried:

Pets

Early February 2025 Dogs

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Five dogs on the hill! The three fosters are adventurous in the backyard, which is nice to see, while we enjoy a break from the rain. The two running the most are Snoopy and Calvin, although Hobbes joins the running toward the end.

Shea took this candid picture of me in our messy bedroom last night. The tongue on Snoopy makes the whole picture for me, but the entire cast of characters is here. All five dogs are with us as we wind down for bed and have some “family time.” Fortunately Bonnie and Snoopy generally choose to sleep at the end of the bed so we can sleep comfortably, but these three foster chihuahuas are super needy. They mostly like to burrow under the blankets but flank me much of the night, which is very sweet. Sometimes they venture over to Shea’s side, but he sleeps so soundly I’m afraid he’d roll onto one of them. So far so good. No injuries to date!

Atmospheric storms suck for backyard time opportunities.

At one point I couldn’t find Bugsy while I was working, only to find out that he found this special spot in my rental house’s office that Snoopy usually enjoys. He climbed the dog steps to get there and made himself right at home.

We had one day recently when the sun broke through.

Activism, Tobacco

Recognition from LGBTQ Minus Tobacco

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As we were celebrating the win of the Vallejo Tobacco Retail license passing here in Vallejo with lots of strength, I was honored with a certificate for the many hours our coalition worked together to get this passed, not to mention the Smokefree Multi-Unit Housing that we passed several years ago.

Fire, Home & Garden

Paint Projects

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I continue my painting projects inspired by many DYI and upthrifting Youtube videos I’ve been binging. I love thrift store purchases and some of the haul I’ve gotten from Facebook Marketplace, but I’m also glad I didn’t discard every fire-damaged item. Many items I’m spray painting are damaged from that terrible day. There are many things when I look back at the fire damage pictures that I regret not pulling out of the debris pile on my driveway and from the soot-covered insides of the house, but I was living in a fog at that period.

Activism, Foster Dogs, HSNB, Pets

Bugsy Foster

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Hearing that this senior named Bug (I’m calling him Bugsy) with less than perfect behavior was rejected by a rescue/transfer organization specializing in seniors, I decided to foster him from the Humane Society of the North Bay (HSNB dot org). He needed some time in a home environment and I’m expecting Calvin and Hobbes will be adopted soon. Bugsy also has dental problems, arthritis, and a cute uneven underbite. Not only does he resemble an old version of Hobbes, but he also has a spot on his nose and a snout that resembles my late 18.5-year-old Pomchi Timber who died in 2023.

Birthdays, Friends, Pets

Special Poker Night

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This time it was a belated 80th birthday celebration for my wonderful friend and neighbor Larry. Larry and Carol have been so wonderful to me since the fire. It feels like home when I’m in their house, which is the same layout as mine.

Activism, Tobacco

Oakland Ordinance to Save Lives on Bar Patios

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Shea joined me in a celebration of local success in saving lives from tobacco in Oakland. Advocates with our coalition led by LGBTQ Minus Tobacco were instrumental in a new ordinance for smoke-free bar patios there. Hopefully, San Francisco will soon follow so that more lives can be saved from Big Tobacco. Now patrons and staff at bars can safely traverse the open spaces without being subjected to toxic smoke as is the case in restaurants already.

I love the mosaic art in this community center on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland where we gathered.

Most people know that I’m a second-generation Californian and most of my rearing when we were not in NYC, Spain, and Italy was in the East Bay, so the same county as Oakland. Oakland has long been a leading large city in the effort to reduce death by tobacco, even though this is the area we were living in when my father died from his tobacco addiction. He only lived to be 50 years old, as did his mom who also died of tobacco-related illness.

Hello from Vallejo, California!