We went to see a cattle dog that needed temporary foster care (and hopefully adoption someday), to assess how well she might fit into the house and our routine here. She is said to be an accomplished escape artist, and was generally pretty hyper, so we are going to pass on this opportunity. She was very sweet and eager to interact with us, but I was relieved that the regular foster Mom had an alternate plan already in place for her.

We heard about her through a cattle dog rescue operation based down near Denver. It amazes me to see the dedication of folks in groups like this, who will fly dogs in from a thousand miles away to save them from euthanasia at crowded shelters. They also spend many hours a week driving dogs around, and coordinating temporary care and vet visits while beating the bushes for 'forever homes'.

I'm inclined to think we should try to stick with fostering for a while longer, but I sure do miss having our own dog share affection, walks, treats, and our home with. One of the wild cards in this matter is the possibility that we may still try to head down and try out life in Merida this winter. If we do that and it works out, we would likely come back and sell this place next spring. I find the logistics daunting, but life there sure sounds interesting, and I grow increasingly dismayed at the prospects for a decent life in the U.S.A, given the pervasive incompetence and corruption that seems to permeate all institutions these days, public and private. Mexico has more than its share of these problems, but at least it has no pretense of being anything else, and it has fewer material contraints.

We have enjoyed our time in Fort Collins, and may even find a way to continue here during the half of the year when the climate is so agreeable. But we may be approaching the sunset of our stay here. In any event, I look forward to enjoying the rest of the summer and coming fall here...

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Rode the bicycle to Old Town last night to enjoy the nice evening and hear some of the performance by the Air Force jazz band in the square. Stopped on the way there to pet some dogs at the dog park on the way. There are always some really neat animals there to see and play with, although at times tears come to my eyes as I recall the joy of my own dear girl looking happily into my eyes and staying close by, as many of these do with their humans.

I was talking to my friend Arlene after I returned home, and she commented again on what great place Fort Collins is, with so much to do. I have to agree, but it still doesn't feel like home to me. I feel like a visitor who has stayed too long, and while I do appreciate much of what the place has to offer, there's a lot I could do without, that makes me feel unwelcome and out of place.

I was looking a guy's Facebook profile last night, and he expressed a sentiment I've seen before from people who have no tolerance for criticism of anything related to life here on the 'wrong' side of the continental divide..."If you Dont like it here in Colorado, Get the Fuck out then". Apparently intolerance and limited grammatical competency are somehow related, but I get the idea, and can't say I disagree.

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We went to see the first morning showing of Toy Story 3 this morning after riding our bikes to the gym in the area where the theatre is. This theatre offered it in 3-D, which I recommend if available where you see it.

What an absolute delight - clever, hilarious, moving (yes, I cried at the end) and generally just brilliant. A truly great movie, ranked not only against other animation, but all films.



As has happened before, as I sat there watching (all) the credits scroll by, I felt a strong pang of remorse that I didn't involve myself at some point with creative endevours like this. I would so like to have been part of a big creative team like the crew at Pixar. I sometimes wonder if I couldn't have tried harder to find a spot for myself there (in Emeryville) while I still lived in the Bay Area.

I've done a lot of wonderful things with my several careers, but I wish something like this had been one of them. I'm not sure if it's too late to try for this going forward or not...

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It's been six months since I lost my dear Mommadog. Last night, as I rode my bike to the gym in the fading light, I passed a number of people walking their dogs. While I see this sort of thing all the time, and usually just smile at the pleasant sight, last night it really triggered powerful nostalgia for when I used to take my own sweet girl out for the walks she enjoyed so tremendously. It was a wonderful thing to be able to please her so much with such a simple offering. Her joy and appreciation for all she experienced was contagious.



Life seems a lot emptier now. I've had and done a lot of wondeful things in my life to date, and sharing all those years with this little being was one of the richest experiences. Going foward, there is little I want to have or do, except find peace of mind. That seems like quite a challenge at times like this.

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