I wondered why I was feeling gloomy as the 4th of July approached. Then I remembered: It was Frankie’s designated birthday. And a new dog, no matter how great, can’t erase the pain of loss.
My Dog Supports My Kickstarter — Won’t You?
I announced recently that I was embarking on an exciting new project: Writing a memoir of my days as a travel writer, to be financed by a Kickstarter campaign. The campaign is live and naturally Madeleine has a prominent role in the promotional video. Writer Adoption Videos That Won’t Make You Want to Kill Yourself Many of you…
Help Madeleine Find Her Voice: Vote!
Experts say that every dog needs a job. I am happy to announce that I am giving one to Madeleine. I am about to embark on a Kickstarter campaign for a book that has (almost) nothing to do with dogs, a memoir of my days as a travel editor and writer. I am nevertheless going to…
2014: My Year in (Small) Dogs
In some respects, my post title should really be My Five Months in (Small) Dogs. I adopted Madeleine at the end of July, and that’s when the terrier-mix parade began–and never stopped. I’ve had more dogs in my home in those five months than I’ve had…ever. Madeleine is not especially dog oriented, but she seems to draw canine…
Don’t Go: In Praise of the Occasional Wallow
Madeleine is a clever girl, and also a stubborn one. The other day when I was trying to leave to go to the gym, bag in hand, she parked her little butt firmly in the backyard, refusing to come in–even when I called her with a visible piece of food in hand, even when I opened…
Catching Happiness
This past week, I was feeling a little sorry for myself. I wanted to buy myself something nice for my birthday but decided I was too broke even to get the new tennis shoes I need. I was wallowing. I do that. I’m a wallower. I try not to wallow in public too much, so as not to get…
Meet Madeleine
So last week this happened: I adopted a dog. She’s about four years old and weighs 12.2 pounds. She came with the name Madeleine and I like the gravitas of that, though she is very small and very lively so I don’t think anyone will blame me if I start calling her Maddie. I didn’t exactly…
Dispatches from a Professional Dog Person
Can we talk? I’m having a bit of an identity crisis. A Woman of Many Hats (including a sombrero) Depending on whom you ask and when, I am a… Literata (= female member of the literati; woman with Ph.D. in poetry) Travel editor Guidebook author Travel writer Food and spirits writer Pet writer and blogger…
Pet Adoption Videos That Don’t Make Me Want to Kill Myself (But Do Make Me a Little Sad)
First things first. I love the Shelter Pet Project, a joint effort of the Ad Council, Maddie’s Fund, and the Humane Society of the United States to end the euthanasia of healthy animals. I wrote a three-part series about it a couple of years ago. In Part 1, I covered the first phase of the…
Frankie’s Fund: Death With Dignity Through Old Dog Haven
When I said good-bye to Frankie, I had many regrets, all related to the fact that dogs are not immortal or immune from mind-destroying diseases. One thing I never regretted, however, was the way that Frankie left this world. Spoiled and ministered to even more than usual, my sweet boy never doubted for a minute…