A Full Day

I am laying back in Jim's Captain's chair in the loft at his house. Kathy and Jim should be in South Park by now, celebrating Jim's 66th birthday tomorrow. I have had a full day - I loved, fed, and took care my my kits this morning; then came over and spent 45 minutes with Ooch at Connie's; then I walked Remy and Rosie, with a quick stop by to see Suki and Boo. Then I went to the bank, cleaned out my 'fridge, and went grocery shopping. Stopped and loved the kits some more. Lovey was not happy when she saw the alarm clock go into my backpack. Then Riley, the Shar Pei from two doors down, appeared on the patio and the kits and I went out to see him. He is such a big, slow, loving dog - neither Lovey nor Banichi are afraid of him, and he follows them around the yard, as if he's on a leash the kits are holding - it's kinda cute! After Riley went back into his apartment, I gathered up the kits, gave them a treat and some catnip, and then headed over here to Suki and Boo's. They have been fed and had a short evening walk; and I've spent some more time with Ooch next door. The composting and trash cans are at the end of the driveway for tomorrow's pick up. Right now, I just want to curl up and go to sleep.

My cousin Sarah is as bad as me when it comes to critters needing a home. On her way home from work yesterday at the vet's, she spotted a vehicle pull over to the side of the road, and then speed off. She stopped and looked, and took home 2 half-grown kittens; one orange and one gray tabby. DiNozzo is happy to have younger playmates; Sam is disgusted with more young'uns around.

At the Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highlands Festival, they had a Parade of the Dogs of Great Britain - there were 47 representatives of the 80 different breeds. There were Corgis galore, Scottish terriers, Yorkshire terriers, West Highland terriers, numerous Border Collies, several Irish Wolfhounds, and a handful of Irish Setters, just to name a few. Of course, I am definitely prejudiced, but I thought that every single one of the dogs I care for deserved to be out there - Remy and Rosie, Walt and Sophie, Sophie and Spitfire, Pepper and Lucy.... And I think that every dog I just named would have enjoyed the spotlight and attention that all of the dogs at the Festival received. About 20 folks dressed their dogs in kilts for the Parade of the Clans - but I could never do that - it seems (to me, anyway) to be demeaning to the canine. ... Also at the Festival was a to-scale railroad model of one of the British trains that run from Charing Cross Station in London up to one of the towns north of Edinburgh. That was an amazing sight! Looking at the miniature countryside on both sides of the track was just ... amazing. I was in awe of the builders' meticulous reconstructions of businesses, homes, towns, and countryside. And the Model RR Association is going to have a get-together and much larger display in October in Estes Park. - My favorite sight from this year's Festival was of an Estes Park policeman, wearing his patrol dress shirt and jacket with a kilt, tam, knee socks and ghillies, riding by on a Segway 2-wheeler.