golden state retriever

Three months with Molly

2008-07-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's been three months now that I've had Molly. Three months since Dad passed away and left me his best buddy. Molly was a devoted caregiver during Dad's illness, sleeping beside his bed, jumping up into bed with him, and helping him eat his meals when his appetite was gone. They were a good team, and a reflection of each other with their sweet, accepting, friendly natures.

When Dad started hospice care he asked me, "What will happen to Molly?" I asked him who he would like her to live with, and he said, "Maybe you?" And that was that. I didn't like to talk with him about when Molly would be with me, because that meant he would be gone.

My mom had asked me to take Molly if something happened to them, too. It seemed more sensible for Molly to go and live with my sister on her 100 acres in Vermont, within driving distance, and live out her life chasing sheep and running through the woods. I lived clear across the country in a small apartment in hot Los Angeles; an apartment where dogs weren't allowed.

Sometimes I wonder at my parents motivation in giving Molly to me. I think that Mom and Dad made a good match, and gave me a wonderful gift. Molly is simply good company, and no trouble at all. She's quiet, peaceful, sweet, and she inspires me by the way she greets the world with a smile and the way she has accepted the big changes in her life.

Even though my parents are gone now I still feel their presence in my life, and their love. And I'm still caring for them by being with their beloved friend and showing her a good time in my L.A.

Runyon Canyon Park, West Hollywood

2008-07-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Molly and I and our friend Julie headed over to Runyon Canyon on Saturday for a hike. I heard at the dog park that it's a good place to go walking after work and very dog-friendly so I wanted to check it out. We entered at the Vista Street gate, off Franklin, and walked through a shady canyon with a steady climb to a look out that has a great view of Hollywood, Griffith Observatory and the city beyond. From there the trail became very steep and slippery and hot, even in the late afternoon and with a nice breeze. Molly got tired and overheated quickly so we decided to call it a day and head back to the car. There is a water fountain at the bottom of the trail that came in handy because we quickly tore through our water supply in the heat. All the dogs and people we came across were friendly, and I know a lot of people swear by this hike, but it didn't hold up to our favorite walks: the Silver Lake Reservoir path, and Bronson Canyon and the Fern Dell in Griffith Park.

http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=122

Long Beach Dog Zone

2008-06-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

Molly really enjoys the dog beach in Long Beach. It's called The Dog Zone and offers three acres of off-leash park area for dogs to run and play in the water. It's open from 6 am to 8 pm every day and is located in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach.

Also, nearby the beach is a diner with outdoor seating that's great for dogs, and next door to that there is a new dog laundry for washing the salt water off your pet, so you can make a day of it.

http://www.longbeach.gov/park/facilities/dog_park.asp