Parked

Parked, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Ah the indignity of it all. Atwater Market has instituted dog-parking. Where once they were welcome to stroll with their owners through the outdoor section of the market, now they are supposed to sit and watch the world go by them. One benefit is the number of passers-by who stop to pet or give a scratch.

"But where is my owner... and why has s/he left me here?"

Nora

Nora, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

My spouse and I have been dog-sitting for Nora. Nora was found wandering the streets of Montreal. When her owners couldn't be found, she was adopted through a slightly circuitous route by my sister-in-law in Toronto. She is very cute, very enthusiastic and very happy to be in such a good home.

I admire dog owners more. I don't love pulling on my clothes at 7:00 am to walk her. But there is no fenced in yard, so a walk it is. And then there is the late evening walk. When I would love to be finding a cosy spot, it's time to go out again. But Nora's delight and appreciation make it worthwhile.

Looking forward to being home with my cat :-)

Tigra

Tigra, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photo: January 15, 2012

Tigra belongs to cousins of ours. She started life as a street dog in the Dominican Republic and developed all the wiles she needed to survive. For several years she has lived here in a comfortable home. Life sure changes, but some of her habits persist. She is a great scavenger, waiting patiently to snap up anything that drops from people's plates. Indoors she is a lamb, happily submitting to attention from one and all, even baring her belly to anyone willing to provide the welcome scratches and caresses. I'm told that outdoors she is a wolf, with her street-learned instincts coming to the fore. She will defend her territory and her people. Fortunately, I have only seen the lamb side. Her intelligent eyes, make it hard to resist her.

July 17/10: Dog Days of Summer

July 17/10: Dog Days of Summer, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The heat continues, punctuated by some heavy showers. Today, again we have a severe thunderstorm watch in the weather forecast. The hot sun is obscured by clouds now and rumbles can be heard. If you want to know about the expression "the dog days of summer" click here.

This morning we had brunch at a restaurant and tried to stay cool indoors with no air conditioning. The coffee did not help cool me down. This dog was on the outdoor terrace (photo through the window), happily munching on ice from a bowl.

I am not a fan of the heat, especially with the high humidity. Maybe munching on ice is the answer - or at least on ice cream.

In the space of writing this - the rains started, pelting on the roof. It will soon pass, hopefully leaving cooler temperatures behind it.