Hit and run on our parked car a few years ago. Portland police were useless, despite having witnesses and leads. This is just one example. They did nothing about smashed windows, stolen catalytic converters, vandalism, open air drug markets, and explosions/possible gunshots. Stopped calling them.

Going through old files and keepsakes. 😊 Are Christmas coupon books from little kids good for 18 years? My daughter is 23 now and has her own apartment. I don’t see an expiration date on this. 😂

It’s my birthday. 🎂 Sprocket brought me his stinky fish toy as a gift. 🐟🐕‍🦺 I will try to be properly appreciative. 😂

We decided to go back… 🌊💕🫍

In my garden now.🪴 💐

We got back less than two weeks ago and I miss it already. 🌊🫍

Folks may wonder why my service dog is so often unvested - the answer is that in places where pet dogs are allowed, we prefer to go incognito. Less pressure, fewer questions, fewer interruptions to our day. Weirdly, when vested with “DO NOT PET,” we are approached more often with petting requests. 🫥

Early July garden… 💐

He caught a fish right after I took this picture. 😊

Portland police are incapable of enforcing laws even when there are huge flashes of light and giant booms alerting them exactly where the problem is. Throwing more funding at a police force that says, “we have noted the illegal explosives going off every night and will do nothing,” does not appeal.

LOL!! 😂 I love that his chocolate chip cookie dough softness means no shedding, hate that it means the general public takes the “do not pet” vest as a challenge rather than a rule. Too cute for my desired level of inconspicuousness, anyway! He is the best boy. Here’s another one at home (unvested).

Here is Sprocket during a practice day at PDX airport with some of his lab/golden training program classmates in the background. He is definitely the class clown, but his skills are amazing. Retrieval of meds, phone, water, etc. and dropped items from the floor, opening doors, finding human help. ❤️🐕‍🦺

Our son grew up to be a wonderful young man (and a bit of a romantic!), who found a wonderful young woman, and she said yes and we are so happy for them and to be gaining another daughter. (Pics posted with permission of said wonderful grown kids…) 💕🎉

But I WILL alt-text the screenshot for people who actually do have a disability. 😅

Sprocket and I got a lovely morning walk in before the heat returns this afternoon in Portland… 🐕‍🦺💕🌸 Gorgeous, but already in the mid-80s before noon (which is about my limit for temperatures when it comes to outdoor activities - higher temps don’t agree with me). 🥵

Sprocket was also very good about leaving the smelly washed up sea life alone and did a lot of joyous frolicking. Good boy. 😊💕

We decided to have a beach day on the Oregon coast today. The weather was gorgeous, the guys were lovely company as always, and our walk was quite glorious. Sprocket was a very happy dog and got thoroughly wet and sandy. 😅💕🌊🐕‍🦺

I’ll be playing my mountain dulcimers (aka hog fiddles 😂🐷🎻) all weekend for a festival! I’m always so amazed by the work of my friend, Janita Baker, of Blue Lion Instruments - she did all of the custom inlay work on these (including my favorite water lilies and a triquetra as a nod to our triad). 💕🎵

The guys (human and canine) went with me to see The Mandalorian and Grogu at the Bagdad Theater. It was fun! 🚀 Sprocket was extremely good, especially given that most of the movie was growling, engines, gunfire, and other thunder-like sounds. (He is a well-trained service dog, but still!) ❤️🐕‍🦺

The bestest boy enjoying the garden. 💐🐕‍🦺

This azalea is called ‘Garden Rainbow,’ and it’s currently blooming in my front yard. Yellow blooms fade to orange and then pink. Love it. 🌼🌸🌈

Here is Sprocket with a sunbeam on his nose in the waiting room. He was positioned under my legs and was alerting/nudging me due to my heart rate (he’s better than my Apple Watch).❤️ The health care office staff loved him, and nobody tried to distract or pet him which I was also super grateful for.

They could totally pull it off… 😘

If David and Mark and I ever get to have a wedding… I have some thoughts. 😂😍

Just watched Wuthering Heights. The only one of us to have read the book went to bed early. 😂 The other two hate-watched until the end. WTH, they are all horrible. 🫪 I have been known to watch period pieces for the clothes alone, but… good grief. 🫥

In the garden today. 💐

I love my kids. I love that they’re close by, that they enjoy coming over, and that they love each other too. We grilled burgers and hung out around our fire pit last night making s’mores (missed Gen, who had to stay home to care for a sick kitty). It was a sweet Mother’s Day, and I’m a lucky mom. 💕

Made another cake today! Yellow with marionberry filling and vanilla frosting. 🎂 This one is for my future daughter-in-law’s birthday. 💕 (We have six birthdays in our family in a span of eight weeks!) 😅

Happy Mothers’ Day to everyone who has loved a mother, missed a mother, wished for a mother, been a mother, wished to be a mother, or acted as a mother, regardless of bio ties. Special love to everyone for whom this is a hard day, whether aching for a child or a parent. Here is my mama who passed. 💐

Our Baba Yaga little library sends greetings to yours!