Murphy is dying. Can’t stop it, might be able to slow it down a bit, as long as she’s comfortable. Not sure. All I’m really sure about is that she’s dying. And that many people, including well-meaning friends, are idiots. I’m sure most idiots don’t mean to be, well, idiots. But here’s a painful situation […]
multi-species families
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 2
So dogs with splenic tumors can abruptly die, or abruptly go into just about dying. Meaning in Murphy’s case, the tumor could rupture and she’ll bleed out. The words ‘bleed out’ and ‘my beloved dog’ just don’t make sense together. They really should never make sense together. Apparently that doesn’t matter. Besides that, what the […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 1
The lure of immortality dances through our lives, weaving delicate patterns that tease us with the possibility. To live forever. And then, of course, we don’t. Honestly, I never expected to live forever. You’re born, crap happens, fun happens, you die. Nope, I never expected to live forever, and I didn’t, either: last February I […]
Love and Choice at the Crossroads
Every January people think about New Year’s resolutions. I never did get that, maybe because I think of life as a choice, and I’m glad I get them. Or I used to be. My work as an intuitive, as one being on the planet, is about choice. How can we grow as a society by […]
Walking the Birthday Walk with Dogs
When you live the human-animal bond, you celebrate birthdays with your multi-species family. Even when the birthday in question is yours and you’re getting older (it happens yearly). Okay, we were celebrating my birthday this time. But it’s in the dead of winter, after Christmas, before spring. In Seattle. Pretty much the weather sucks. Does […]
Solstice Sleeping: Dogs Softly Breathing of Home
I awaken in the night and hear it. Silence. I wait for more. It comes. I smile. I hear the dogs breathing softly in the night. Now, in the longest, darkest time of the year, I awaken in the still, silent night and hear only my dogs’ relaxed breathing. I smile. It’s comforting. Peaceful. My […]
Animal Communication: On Being Frankly at Home with Animals
Living with anyone, especially yourself, can be irritating. You have grand illusions about being saintly, or at least perfect, but reality doesn’t seem to work like that. So you need a sense of humor, especially if you’re living with me. I’m lucky that my two Cavaliers, Murphy and Alki, and Grace the Cat know how […]
Thanksgiving: What We Should Really Be Grateful For
I was thinking, what should I be grateful for this Thanksgiving? Then I saw this silly article, again, and I knew. I’m grateful for common sense and for refusing fear. This article, written by Joan Raymond and updated 1-25-11 at Pet Health on msnbc.com, suggests sleeping with our animals can give us diseases. Okay, it’s […]
(Not) Meowing for Mizuna: Exploring Greens with Dogs (and a Cat)
Cooking is a skill I apparently lost with menopause—and only miss when I’m hungry. I used to be a great cook. When I say this to friends they always pause, clearly deciding between laughing at what they presumed to be a joke or at what I’d cook, which wouldn’t be. It doesn’t stop me from […]
The Alchemy of Grief: 50 Years Later
In Memoriam: Randall Ray Fritz, July 26, 1947 – November 1, 1961. Years ago, I couldn’t imagine that today would ever occur. Today, it’s been 50 years. What to make of them? In October 1961 my grandparents came out from Montana to visit. My oldest brother, Randy, was sick, in and out of the […]