Of late humanity seems to be spinning chaotically out of civil and moral control.

So, perhaps I should catch a breath or two and diverge—however briefly—to speak of my Carlos in the wake of our Ranger's recent gut-wrenching demise.

 

 

The day before embarking on our long-planned trip to Portugal, we were to take the dogs for boarding. Instead, we had to have Ranger euthanized. He'd been failing for many months, and that Saturday morning he simply could not get up. We had to carry him up the basement family room stairs and into the car. It was horrible.

 

Some backstory. I got Carlos in August 2011 at the Las Vegas city animal shelter. He was then a young Terrier mix who'd been given up. Appears to have perhaps been abused. When you'd reach out to pet him he would cring like he was anticipating being hit. I had two larger rescue dogs at the time, Lucie, a Chow/Huskie mix, and Jaco, a black lab mix. Both strays that had wandered into our lives.

 

The three dogs got on just fine. They had to have sensed that they were safe and loved with us. Cheryl and I have been stray magnets for a half century.

 

My mother was in her 3rd year of nursing home care. She loved our dogs, but Lucie and Jaco were too rowdy for nursing home visits. 

 

Carlos, on the other hand, was perfectly behaved when we visited. All the patients in Ma's wing loved little Carlos. 

 

Sadly, my Ma died several months later. 

 

Carlos is now pushing 16. Lucie and Jaco are gone, as now recently likewise is Ranger.

 

Lucie

Jaco and Carlos

Ranger and Carlos

And, then there's our 15 yr old cat, Miss Lizzie. She who rules.

 

Lizzie came to me in May 2010 from an abandoned litter of six found in a dumpster off downtaon Las Vegas.

 

Carlos is now permitted the run of the house, and he loves to ride in the car. He now gets a lot more attention.