my puppy loves

doesn't it ever bother you that the first things the newly-washed puppies do after you put them back in their newly-cleaned house is pee and poo, and then roll in their pee and poo?

it sure does bother me. and i wonder why i'm still keeping them. and i imagine what's gonna happen when they multiply and multiply.

but then they start rolling over one another and squabbling. and so i fall in love with them all over again. they squeak in the way that only 40-day old puppies can squeak and i promise myself that i'll keep their house clean most of the time (there really is just no way i could keep it clean all of the time).

an unwashed Paprika

Kino fell off this high chair, so he's behaving for this shot

sorry Rocky, i forgot to turn off the flash

i miss you, pepper and tomi. i hope they're taking care of you all right. :D

all five of them were born January 12, 2010. they're named for kitchen condiments. Tomi is short for Turmeric (why he wasn't named Tortor is another story entirely). Rocky is for Rock Salt. And Kino is short for Kinugay which is a kind of brown sugar. Pepper and Paprika are, well, Pepper and Paprika. i wanted a Cayenne and a Cinammon and a Ginger. but i only got five puppies and only two are girls. so there.

Si Janet

Komplikado ang among nahimong panaghigala ni Janet. Aduna siya'y dili-kaayo-tago nga pagkagusto sa akong suod nga higala, nga niadtong panahona, nangulitawo kanako.

Luyo niini, among gipaningkamutan ni Janet nga magpabilin nga managhigala - bisan pa sa padayon nga pagpangulitawo ni lalake kanako ug sa padayon nilang sekreto nga panagtagbo.

Nanglabay ang mga panahon, ug kaming tulo nagkabulag-bulag. Apan dili sa makausa lamang nga higayon, akong mahuna-hunaan kung unsa ang mahitabo sa higayon nga magkita kami pag-usab. Maski sa akong pagkaligo, kanunay nakong makita sa akong hunahuna ang mga mahimong mahitabo. Sa sulod sa akong kasingkasing, gilauman ug gikahadlokan ko ang maong panagkita.

Nausab ang tanan usa ka buntag, sadihang ako nag-andam sa sulod sa gamayng banyo/CR alang sa akong naandan nga tunga-sa-oras nga pagkaligo.

Brian (sa sala): Gladys! naay nangita sa imoha! Pagdali!

Ako (sa banyo): Ha? Tarung dira.

Brian: Lagi, pagdali ba.

Ako: Kinsa daw?

Brian: (dyutay nga kahilom) Janet daw!

Ako: Pagtarung Brian ba!

Brian: Tarung lagi. Importante daw.

Ako: (nataranta) Mogawas ko?

Brian: Ay, alangan. Pagdali.

Ako: (nagdali-dali ug ilis)

Pag-abri sa pultahan sa banyo, nisugat si Brian.

Brian: Pagdali, kay kalibangon ko.

the end

****ako lamang kining gisugilon tungod kay kagabii, niinom ko sa soymilk nga gihimo ni Brian, ug karong buntaga, adunay nahitabong dakung gubat sa akong tiyan. Human sa pamahaw, samtang si Brian naa sa sulod sa banyo/CR, nagdaug ra gyud ang gubat. Ang nadaug mao si "Janet," ug wala koy laing nahimong singgit sa kadaugan kondili "Brayaaaaaaan! si Janet!!!!"

Comes The Dawn

After awhile you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul. And you learn that love doesn't mean security, And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts And presents aren't promises. And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open. With the grace of maturity, not the grief of a child. And you learn to build all your roads on Today because tommorow's ground is too uncertain for plans, And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. After awhile you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much. So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. And you learn that you really can endure... That you really are strong And that you really do have worth. And you learn and learn and learn .... With every goodbye you learn. -Veronica A. Shoftstall