I am so behind in blogging, replying to comments and reading my blog favorites.

It seems these last few weeks in India, I am finally feeling under the weather -

which has actually become quite nice - no rain and cooler temperatures.  I had

a terrible cough and cold, requiring a visit to the doctor and antibiotics that 

lingered well over a week, then a brief bout of Mumbai "motion", and I still don't

feel up to par.  With my homeward flight coming up, I want to be well - because

nearly 24 hours airborne certainly won't help if I'm ill.  I have to be at my best to

see my sweet granddaughter.  At least, I have five days in San Francisco, and

am seeing five different doctors, before I head up for the December visit with

Harper Ann and her parents.

I cannot thank the Toscanos enough for making me part of the family here in

Mumbai and for their warm and gracious hospitality.  After that awful beginning

at the slum hotel, the J. K. Regency, I will be forever grateful for Normal Toscano

for coming to my rescue.  Maybe he wasn't on a galloping white steed but on 

a putt putting rickshaw but he was a knight in shining armor, nonetheless.

This is a photo I took during my first visit to Mumbai, nearly two years ago.  I

am using it for:

Saturday's Photo Hunting: Something Rusty

and

Camera Critters #294

Add your photo and join in the fun.

Cats on Tuesday & Pets Forever - Eddy, Curious Cat - September 24, 20`3

I have never really been a cat person, preferring pooches myself.  Partly, it's 
because I am allergic to cats.  Their presence makes me end up with a
stuffy nose and, if they climb in my lap and I hold them, I get little itchy bumps
on my arms.  When I had allergy testing done, cats were high on my allergy
scale but bunnies were even worse.  

When I came here to Mumbai and, desperately, needed a place to live, friends
offered their master bedroom with its view of the Arabian Sea.  I didn't hesitate
a minute, so glad to finally have a home.  "The only thing is," my friend told me,
we have four cats."  I told him that wouldn't be a problem. 

Junior, one of the cats is almost invisible, as he is relegated to life in a back 
bedroom.  He was the original cat in the family and he didn't take kindly to two
of the other three as they moved in his space.  He, literally, became an attack
cat!

The others, Tom, Jerry and Eddy have the run of the house ( except for my
room ).  They seem to be quite fond of me and, somehow or other, my cat
allergy seems to have abated quite a bit.  I guess I am becoming desensitized.
I can even pet them as long as I wash my hands right after - and don't touch 
my face.  My stuffy nose remains, with or without cats.

Of all three cats, I find Eddy the most amusing.  He is definitely inquisitive
and that old quote, "curiosity killed the cat" makes me worry about Eddy.
He is aways poking into boxes, bags and, if I type at the dining room table, he
is there checking everything out.  

Here Eddy is visitng with Junior.  It looks like he's telling him a secret.  The 

coloring of the two cats is similar.  It's nice that they get along so Junior can

have a visitor once in awhile.

This is Jerry.  I always get a kick out of them sleeping and lying on their backs!

Eddy loves to poke around in the hard pkastic wrap in which my bottles of 

water are packaged.  It's not the clingy type so he's safe to do that.  He'll 

wander in the opening at either end and amuse himself for quite some time.

After he plays, he finds a comfy spot for a cat nap.  His positions are hysterical.

If I am at my computer on the dining room table, he simply MUST investigate.

"Now, what exactly is this thing?"  He investigates thoroughly.

Next, he goes after my USB camera connection.

When I start to pull it away, he makes a grab for it!

"Wait a minute...there are some other things here that look interesting..."

'There must be something wrong with Carmen's eyes.  She keeps calling

this thing a mouse and it definitely is NOT a mouse."

"It doesn't smell like a mouse or taste like a mouse - but Carmen must love

it more than she does me....she is always holding it!!"

I am participating in Gattina's

Cats on Tuesday

and

Deepak's

Pets Forever

Join us!!!!

Camera Critters #213 - Taffy, the High Jump Medalist - May 5, 2012

"Ohhhh, I'm so happy.  My mom and dad brought me and my brother, Bucky,
to the dog park!  It's such a great day and there are a dozen dogs out here to
chase and pester.  I get tired of Bucky, sometimes...and he's bigger than me.
Wait a minute.  What is this fluffy tail I see....it's not a cat but it's got fur
and it irritates me almost as much as a cat does.  I'm going closer to investigate.
Wait, you ball of fur, no fair climbing that tree!"

Taffy stood near the fence, eyes pinned on the object peering down at him
from the branches.  Alex shot this picture and, in the next second, couldn't
believe his eyes, when Taffy, from that position, vaulted over the fence, no
running start or anything!  The squirrel, safe above, probably had a good laugh.
Taffy must be working out every day....look at those muscles - no fat on her.

I am participating in Camera Critters #213

Add your critter shot to join in the fun.

also

Pets Forever

Join Bozo there with a shot of your pet.

Camera Critters #176 - More of the Granddogs - August 20, 2011

I was in West Sacramento from August 9th to the 17th, taking care of Taffy

and Bucky while Laura and Alex enjoyed a vacation in Hawaii.  It was a

peaceful, relaxing time for me - in spite of the hot temperatures - and I really

enjoyed being with the dogs.  They stayed with me all the time, except for

brief forays into the back yard.  Taffy, especially, would lie on the bed in

the "office" while I worked on my computer and both slept with me at

night.  It was nice to have that California king bed!

I went to pick up my new CPAP machine while I was there.  I hadn't used

one since my basal cell cancer surgery on my nose so the dogs had never

seen me sleep with the apparatus.  This new one is even smaller than the

last and has a nasal cannula but they must have wondered what had

happened to Grandma with tubing attached to her nose at night.  They,

however, just ignored it and snuggled up close.

Bucky



Both Taffy and Bucky are shelter dogs.  Taffy joined the family first, about a year and

four months ago.  She is a pit bull and the vet said she was about a year old when they

got her  She had clearly been abused - maybe because the person who owned her

couldn't make her mean.  She has the sweetest, most gentle personality.

Bucky, came from the same shelter, and is a pit bull mix.  He was added to the

household two months after Taffy and was about two-years-old when he came.  The

kids wanted Taffy to have a companion, one who was a little more rambunctious -

and he definitely is.  He's a big klutz but he, too, is very sweet.



Bucky really is strong and he loves to play with these rings.  With my arthritic

shoulders, I can hardly last very long at this.  I'd be sitting, watching t.v. or

working at the comuter and, all of a sudden he'd appear, rings in his mouth,

looking pathetic, with an expression like, "Hey, Grandma, aren't you ever

going to play with us?"

Sometime, Taffy would give a half-hearted response and tug for a minute or
two but she really isn't into doggie toys at all - other than to keep them from
Bucky.

"I'm just gonna put my foot on them and let Bucky try to get them from me!"

"Don't I look good in black and white?  Like in silent film days?"



"How can I get my beauty sleep when Grandma has that flash going?"

"I'll scrunch up my eyes and maybe she'll get the idea that I'm not enjoying this!"

"She is NOT getting the idea!"

"Okay, okay, there's no rest for the weary with a blogging Grandma!"

"It's better if you stay out of the way on the floor!"

"You're giving me bloodshot eyes, you know!"

"Don't try talking about me - I can hear every word with these ears!"

"Maybe if I turn this way, she won't take any more pictures!"

"How about this position, Grandma?"

"I'm worn out...I can even sleep like this!"

Nighttime!  Poor Taffy has terrible allergies and eczema from the grass.  I had

to give her Benadrl twice a day.  I always got a kick out of  her sleeping on her

back with her paws up.  She always had to lie right next to me and, after
awhile, she'd curl up in a ball right next to me.  Bucky, on the other end. would
sprawl on the other side of the bed.

I am participating in Pets Forever and Camera Critters #176 -

check out the sites and join in the fun!



Friday Flash 55 - Playing With The Pooches - August 12, 2011

CA State Capitol

Wikipedia

I'm glad the Terminator's gone,

To me, he seemed a freak,

Though admired far and near,

For his muscular physique.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 38th governor of California

Wikipedia

He did little for the Golden State,

And left office cloaked in shame,

For some politician movie stars,

Every woman seems fair game!

Republican husband, Democrat wife,

Seems, to me, a source of certain strife!

Carmen Henesy

I am participating in Mr Know It All's Friday Flash 55 -

check out the site and join in the fun!

I am a hundred miles north of my Daly City home, house sitting with my two

granddogs while my son, Alex, and his wife, Laura are spending eight days on

a two island vacation in Hawaii - four days on Oaha and four days on Kauai. 

It's Laura's first time in Hawaii though I've taken my boys there twice.

They are having a wonderful time and I am really enjoying the adoration of

these two doggies.  I can't believe how loving they are.  There is no question

in my mind that pets can lower one's blood pressure.  I have felt so relaxed

since I got here.  Taffy and Bucky are constantly with me, following me

from room to room and, of course, they hop onto that California king bed

at night to keep me company.  I'll really miss them when the kids get home!



Camera Critters #173 - The Granddogs - July 30, 2011

A couple of weeks ago, when my friend, Meaux, was visiting from New
Orleans, we went up to West Sacramento to see my son, Alex, and his
lovely wife, Laura and my two wonderful granddogs, Bucky and Taffy.
I just love those dogs.  Both are shelter dogs that they've had for almost
two years now. 

Taffy was the first granddog.  She was so shy, Alex and Laura decided
she should have a more rambunctious partner to keep her company. 
Bucky came on the scene a couple of months later.  He is definitely not
shy and he is a bundle of energy.  While Taffy is happy just to lie close
and snuggle, Bucky will snuggle only so long, then he'll go in search of
his rings for a game of tug of war.

Taffy

Laura and Bucky

Alex and Taffy

Bucky

I know I really carry on about these two dogs.  They live a hundred miles

away so I don't get to see them too often.  I am always afraid they won't

remember me between visits but they always do and are happy to see me

whenever I am there.  When Alex and Laura go to Hawaii in August for 8

days, I'll go up and stay with Taffy and Bucky while they're away.  I am

really looking forward to being a grandma for all that time!  Can you

imagine what I'll be alike when a baby comes along!

I am taking part in Camera Critters #173

and

Pets Forever

Check out both sites and add your posts to join in the fun.

Camera Critters #145 & Pet Pride, Great Danes in England, January 15, 2011

I've mentioned my English friends, Steve and Jenny Clark before - wonderful
cruise companions I met fourteen years ago on a southeast Asian cruise.  They were
tablemates and we bonded immediately and, though many miles have separated us,
we've managed to remain close over the years.  They are such a fun couple, with
warm hearts, and a beautiful home which they have opened to me on several occasions. 
Though they are white wine drinkers ( I like white, too ), they always have one of my
favorite reds, South African pinotage, available when I come to visit.  Jenny is also an
RN ( originally from South Africa ) and Steve retired as a British Airlines pilot.  They
have always had rescue Great Danes and I previously posted pictures of some of the
other Danes.they had.  Sadly, these big dogs don't have a long life span.





I am taking part in Camera Critters and Pet Pride.

Check out both sites and participate!