Last Saturday, we packed up the whole crew and went to the beach so Brody could take a surfing lesson. I admit it was a bit of an ambitious plan considering I hadn't even taken him to the beach yet, but the opportunity presented itself and I found it irresistible. C'mon, we're talking about a dog named Brody- if ever there was a name fit for a surfer, that is it. The surf lesson was organized by the local Golden Retriever Meetup group, which is really active and puts on amazing events on a ... Read more »
Blog
Picture of the Week
Living in San Diego has its advantages. (That is the Hotel del Coronado in the background.) ... Read more »
Fifty Dollars plus Time Served
I spent yesterday morning sitting in a grey carpeted holding pen, breathing stale air and trying not to make eye contact with the sea of humanity surrounding me. The wireless was down, so I was stuck playing Bejeweled on my iphone to pass the time. Despite the best video California's court system could muster up, I couldn't be convinced this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Nor was I buying the assertion that serving on a jury was going to be a bonding experience with my fellow citizens, ... Read more »
Tokens of affection
Today, I saw a very cute little dog who was in for suture removal after an orthopedic procedure. I saw the pet a couple of months ago, diagnosed the problem, and referred him to my boss for the repair. The dog was doing great, and the owners were thrilled. They were chatting with the tech, to whom they have become quite attached over the past month, when the owner reached into her purse and pulled out 2 very beautiful handmade cards. "This is for you," she said, presenting one to my ... Read more »
Clean + Green Giveaway!
When I was in college, majoring in biology up at a small liberal arts university in LA, I spent many hours at the coast studying the noxious effects of human debauchery on the environment. I'd sit at Dockweiler State Beach and admire the 747s taking off from LAX just over my head, inhaling the lovely smell of jet fuel and admiring the rare view of an empty Los Angeles Beach resting in the shadow of the Hyperion Sewage Treatment Plant. I'd go home, sob a little about the depravity of man into ... Read more »
Service Dogs and the ADA conundrum
When I was in vet school, I attended a guest lecture by a trainer for Guide Dogs for the Blind. As a part of the lecture, we watched a video on the training process these dogs must pass. It was unbelievable, what they had to learn and master in order to graduate. "We take this very seriously," said the trainer as we saw a dog being trained to sit quietly in an airliner simulator. "If these dogs don't behave well in any circumstance we can think of, not only do they put their people at risk, ... Read more »
Young Lambs
The spring is coming by a many signs; The trays are up, the hedges broken down, ... Read more »
The Adventures of Doc Slicey: Chapter One
I kicked open the door and saw the dame sitting by my office desk right away. Kiki. This meant trouble. "What are you doing here, kitten?" I growled, putting down my java and sliding my hand to make sure I was still packing heat. The cold steel of my shiv pressed against my palm. "Some hoodlum acting up again?" "We got trouble over in the cell, Doc," she said. "Jerky Maloy got popped in the schnozzle but he ain't cooperating." Doc- that's me. Doc Slicey. I pack a shot of joe in my left ... Read more »
Remind me never to leave for a week again
Two more chances to win a copy of Scent of the Missing! The odds are better each day! Comment for a chance to win! I had no idea my mere presence was enough to maintain the semblance of law and order, but apparently that is the case in this household. I leave for a week, and all hell breaks loose. One: My daughter decided to give herself a haircut. Not a trim, mind you, but a full on what-was-once-halfway-down-her-back-is-now-chin-length sort of deal. She did this with kid scissors. ... Read more »
How to make an awesome movie
I finally got to see How to Train Your Dragon last week. I wasn't expecting a whole lot, truth be told- it was something to do with my kids on spring break- but I was really blown away at how much fun it was. I liked it even better than Avatar. Yeah, I went there. Aside from the fact that I got to see the IMAX version, and I don't know how much that added to my enjoyment, I think Dreamworks finally took a hint from Pixar and focused on telling a really fantastic story. Took those guys long ... Read more »
