Louie On The Mend

Sick Louie
Originally uploaded by /k.

Louie dog has had a rough few weeks. Two weeks ago, he fell ill late on a Friday night. Although he had been fine all day, around 11 pm, he got up off the couch, tried to walk out the dog door, puked his guts out and then fell into shock. I rushed him to the emergency veterinary clinic, but they couldn't really figure out what was wrong with him. After stabilizing him around 2 AM, we decided to operate and he had a emergency laprodectomy (I didn't spell this right) around 8 AM Saturday. Basically, they opened Louie up to check out his lower vital organs. They didn't find the perforated large intestine like they thought, but his kidneys were enlarged and inflamed. After two days of touch or go, Louie popped right out of his funk (probably due to the anti-biotic he was on) and was more or less fine.

Today, Louie finally got to trade in his cape and have his surgical staples removed. In another week or two, he should be back out chasing his tennis ball. The only lasting effects will be a large ugly scar down his abdomen, which should be covered once his tummy fur grows back.

Still don't have any idea what caused the kidney problems. His tests all came back negative (cancer, poison, infection, etc.), so they think he might have eaten something.

The picture above is Louie dog today after his staple removal.

Simple

I love when things are made simple. Especially when simple == delicious indian food.

Why can't all things be this way (and no I don't just mean indian food). Captured in San Francisco near O'Farrell last week.

Louie Year 3

Louie Sky
Originally uploaded by /k.

Happy 3rd (or 4th or 5th) Birthday, Louie dog.

Barnraising

Barnraising
Originally uploaded by /k.

So just when I thought that my exurbia paradise was rapidly become suburbia hell, my neighbors down in the gulch stepped up their city denial a notch. This the latest example: they've built a full-on barn in their back pasture. Never mind that it is pre-fab and completely steel, it is still a barn.

Keep fighting the man, crazy neighbor.

Drydock

Submarine
Originally uploaded by /k.

So while Kelly may see some interesting stuff on his drives through Orangevale, he can't hold a candle to my commute into the Bay Area. As evidence, I present this photo of someone taking his personal submarine out for a cruise.

Of course, it helps that I drive through Berkeley on my commute.

You're Doing A Heck Of A Job . . .

Brownie
Originally uploaded by /k.

So Whitey, the horse in the field on my back fence line, has left along with the Noah's Ark of Llamas next door. However, they have been replaced with Brownie, a new horse. Of course, my dogs Louie has taken an instance dislike to Brownie and has decided the best time to take this up with him is 4:30 AM in the morning. In Brownie's favor, he appears to be giving Louie it all back through fairly loud whinnies.

High bridge

High bridge
Originally uploaded by /k.

Killing some time yesterday in Auburn, CA, I decided to take Brian to the Foresthill Bridge. As you can tell from the picture, the bridge is the highest in California and was created to bridge the Auburn Confluence Lake. The only problem there being is that the Auburn Confluence was never created, out of fear of seismic problems with the dam and incredible cost overruns. This is a good thing, since the confluence area has some incredible hiking and biking trails. In any event, the bridge sits here, high over the Auburn valley. Some views from the bridge here and here.

Lost Coast

Lost Coast
Originally uploaded by /k.

In my whirlwind tour of the Humboldt nightlife, I've hit upon the Lost Coast Brewery as my dinner spot. I've had their beer before and their food isn't half bad. However, due to the Humboldt State Uni influence, I appear to be the only man here without a full beard and pipe.

Arcata Bucks

Arcata Bucks
Originally uploaded by /k.

Arcata has a starbucks that rivals Brian's Cup O Joe. Apparently Humboldt has their priority squarely in line.

North

Arcata
Originally uploaded by /k.

I took off North this afternoon to race my bike in the Whiskeytown Shasta forest (there's a big Cal State contest there). Since I've never really been north of Chico, it's been a really nice trip. Most of the way (say until you get to Redding or Shasta) is pretty much like the rest of the central valley. However, once you start west to the coast from Redding, you are in old growth forest for about 100 miles. This picture was taken about 15 miles from the Pacific (near the race site) looking south towards Eureka, CA.

While it looks warm and sunny in the picture, I am staying in Eureka tonight and it seems much more like my home in Pacifica. Low 50s and foggy. Quite a change from the 100+ degree temperatures in Sacto.