I am what I am

My name is Henry Keller, and I am an opportunist.

If you are foolish enough to leave something on the counter within my reach, you will find it is gone when you return.

If you naïvely store something you know I like towards the front of the refrigerator, don’t be surprised when it’s not there next time you look.

Oh, so cat food’s expensive? I don’t care. Not good for me? Please - save it!

My name is Henry Keller, and I am an opportunist.

Some would say I’m spoiled, ill-mannered - even incorrigible.

While this may be true, the bottom line is I’m smart and mischievous - I’m a Dalmatian!


Being a charismatic trickster is in my DNA!

And, please, don’t hate me because I’m beautiful...but that’s another story.

So, the next time you don’t know what happened to your sandwich - better make a new one.

My name is Henry Keller, and I am an opportunist.

***

This short memoir by a Dalmatian owner might also be of interest you. I got a chuckle out of it. Ha ha ha ha ha!




Photo at top courtesy of Reg Kittrelle. Others by Henry's mom.

Blessings

It’s 2012 and winter seems to have forgotten about us here on the central coast. I’m not saying I mind. The days are short with pretty blue skies, and glorious sunsets to behold. What a perfect time to rejoice in the paradise that is Santa Cruz and look to the future with hope.

Up here in the mountains, the squirrels have been chasing each other in the trees and making mysterious small talk. A feral cat decided to take refuge in our shed around Thanksgiving – I’m trying to make friends with him, or her.

Our little store has been quiet since the big Holiday Fair in early December, but a February show in on the horizon. Details are on the events page of our website and we’ll be talking about it non-stop soon enough.

In the meantime, sending whoever is reading this right now all the best the new year can possibly bring and a reminder to make each day count.

Enjoy five minutes of a recent sunset as a way to get started with that.


Chow!

Sweet 16

She may not get excited about long walks or car rides the way she once did, but she still dances for her food.

Rafa brought Thunder home when she was about three months old. It was Valentines Day 1995. He had been talking about this Chihuahua puppy that he'd met at a friend's house and I wasn't sure about a small dog - we had four cats and a larger dog at the time - I just thought another larger dog would go better with the family.

Finally Rafa won out and he brought the puppy home. He was over the moon for this little black and white baby with specked feet and nose, and a white tipped tail. We didn't know if she was a boy or girl then and somehow checking seemed to clarify things. We named "him" Thunder.

A day or two later we headed off to the vet for puppy shots and Diane at Dr. Raemaker's office looked at us kind of funny and said, "This is a girl and this is a border collie!" I'm sure she was also thinking, "rookies!"

That was 16 years ago and what a life we've all had together. Thunder's an official daddy's girl. Being a daddy's girl myself, I can testify to what a special feeling it is to have that classification. Love, heaped on in big doses, makes for a long happy life.

Thank you to Liz Lange for taking this precious picture of our girl Thunder after this past weekend's outing to the Wash n Wag.