All in a Day's Work....

OK. Thank heavens I'm out of that kennel. Ready to play again. Gotta have some fun. Where is everybody, anyhow?

Aha! Maia!! I'll jump on her! She loves to play with me! Wheeeeeeee!!!!

Drat. Where's she going? Doesn't she like playing with me?

What the??!!!!

Okay. Where's Sacha? She's always up for fun!

Why are you looking at me like that?

Goody! See, I told you. Sacha always loves to get her neck bitten....

And here comes Peaches! Not quite as fun, but...

All right. Need a bit of a rest. Not too much though. I get bored easily.

Okay. Who's next?

Is Sacha ready for more?

Naw. BOR-ing.

I guess I'll just chew on my cast for a while. I hate that thing.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Don't look at me. I'm just sitting here trying to keep out of trouble.

Yum. That cast tastes good. Chew chew chew.

Who is this maniac you've brought into our lives, anyhow, and why are you taking all those pictures of her?

Okay. Ready to play again. Gotta have fun. Where'd everybody go, anyhow?

Thanksgiving Comida

La Comida de Thanksgiving began with a lovely mimosa, as well as a pear, candied walnut and roquefort salad...


...plus an amazing cheese plate...


...with an array of amuse-bouche-sized seafood ceviches...


...an assortment of traditional desserts...


...and not-so-traditional desserts. In addition to the usual traditional Thanksgiving dishes, many with a southwest touch.


Felicia and India treasured their time in Tucson, and couldn't wait to pick me up at the kennel this morning where I got groomed and look so much better, according to everyone. More on the rest of the gang tomorrow....

Desert Beauty

Felicia took a walk in the Saguaro National Park mountains opposite the hotel. She took some photos of the plants she found along the way.

Starr Pass Marriott in Tucson

We all drove from Sierra Verde to the northwest side of Tucson, to Marriott's Starr Pass Resort and Spa. Felicia used her Marriott points for two free nights at the lovely resort.


Felicia and India checked in and wasted no time hitting the pool and hot tub. Then India had a massage, while Felicia relaxed on the terrace with a tangueray and tonic and wonderful guacamole. The flowers in the desert were delightful and a sight for sore eyes for someone living in the dark and cloudy north.


The next day was a bit rainy and lovely. Felicia took pictures of the dramatic clouds over the mountains. The sun peaked through, creating a beautiful sun and shadows.


She wondered what we were all doing in the kennel in Michigan! On the internet, ordering Fendi, no doubt!


It was lovely to sit in the hotel room with the slider open, listening to the fountain and viewing the tall Saguaro cacti climbing the mountainside behind the hotel. Felicia found the desert lovely and peaceful, and couldn't wait to bring me along next time, to the Phoenician in Phoenix, for example, where they allow dogs!

Gunfight at the OK Corral

Who's this guy? Looks like he needs to go to the Mercedes Cafe in Patagonia!


India and Felicia went to Tombstone, Arizona, half an hour from Sierra Vista, and a lovely historic town filled with stores selling dreamcatchers, turquoise jewelry, and sundries.


Felicia was fascinated by the Allen English home, since English was born in Saginaw, Michigan (great song also by Lefty Frizzel), in 1860. At age 20, a law graduate, he moved to Tombstone, worked as a miner, then joined a law firm and served three terms as Cochise County District Attorney.


It must have been quite a shock, coming from all that snow in his native Michigan, to this dry, cacti-laden countryside! What would he have thought, looking at this cactus, growing 150 years later, on his fence!

Loew's Ventana Resort

India and Felicia decided to take a break from the Harley bikers and mullets of Bisbee. They switched from the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, to a Fairfield Inn in Sierra Vista, and were thrilled to have a shower large enough to move around in, and free WiFi, for the same price!


The next day, they drove to Tucson, and visited the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort (top photo), where they had a lunch that included guacamole as well as a margarita for Felicia.


The grounds were lovely, and India lensed many lovely photos of the amazing Saguaro Cacti that dotted the resort...


...as well as flowers that she and her mother had not seen blooming in months!


Then they lay by the pool in the warm sun for the afternoon. It was truly a treat, as weather back in Michigan was cold, gray and snowy.

Patagonia, Arizona

Today's post comes from Patagonia, Arizona, a small and rather unprepossessing border town in southern Arizona, best known as the winter home of writer Jim Harrison (Legends of the Fall, et al.).


Felicia and India stopped at a small, family-run Mexican restaurant called Mercedes Cafe, where the lovely server offered to take a picture of the two jet-lagged travelers who had just stepped off the plane in Tucson an hour before, on their way to charming mining town, Bisbee. (Uncle Takashi photo-shopped me in!)


India then took a photo of the decoupaged door, as well the the lovely, tiny, locally-grown limes (top photo), so flavorful squeezed over the terrific guacamole! More tomorrow on their almost South of the Border adventures!

Brooke is Back!

On the occasion of my second mom being in town, I wanted to include a picture of the lovely Brooke in today's post! We're all very excited to have her back, complete with a most stunning engagement ring on her left hand and Graffilia on her right. Congratulations, Brooke! All of us can't wait to meet Christopher!


Brooke was happy to meet Dolce and Dolce was happy to meet Brooke, but even though she calls Peaches "The Rat" and named Sacha "Crack Baby," I know in my heart, that Brooke prefers me over all of them. I am by far the best behaved and the lowest maintenance, and many people, including Takashi, think I am the cutest. And I am putting in a picture of the pool to remind all of us in the Midwest what life used to be like this past summer before the skies turned gray and the wind froze us all!

A Star is Born

Here's Dolce showing everyone her new teal Star cast in the new Fall Winter Fendi Pomodrino bag. She has Uncle Takashi, her "Lucky Star," to thank for the makeup touchup!! Ha ha...I want him to style me sometime too! Takashi's friend Monday Michiru (see yesterday's post), has a new puppy named Sky (see below)...I want to meet him sometime!

Monday came on Friday!

Today Dolce got all excited because a package arrived from the Fendi store. I was amused, because she really thought there was something in the box for her, but it was a Spy bag for Felicia's friend who's in town! But Takashi did send along a special gift...two CDs by the talented singer, Monday Michiru. Takashi did the cover photographs, makeup and styling and we all agree that the CDs look super! Thank you, Takashi! Good job on the cover art! If you'd like to listen to Monday's song, Sands Of Time, just click on the link!