ONE THIRTY A.M.: 63 DEGREES, DEWPOINT 62%, BAROMETER 29.74 AND FALLING--WIND 8MPH

Goooooooood morning!!!!
I cannot sleep so why should you? If I had your phone numbers, I would call you all. (I wouldn't:most of you have jobs and families and I would give you heart attacks at this hour and some of you have guns and know where I live.)

I took a nap earlier, sprawled on John's bed because my legs were starting to do their thing and sometimes...once in a great while, if I sleep on my prodigious belly for 20-40 minutes, it stops without taking the mediciation. And it did. But four hours of sleep is about my max most of the time, and I went to bed at 10:30 and now it is 1:30 and here I am. Add the naptime on, and I am up.

All alone with a freezer full of Halloween candy.

I have used this before but it is one of my favorite puppy photos. I have clue who it is but John believes it is Nigel, by the small white tip on his tail. Those puppies sure were cute, and a lot of work, and a lot of fun. And so photogenic.

This is me with Prince, the neighbor dog with whom I grew up. Did I have friends? Yes, of course--Prince. Who needed any other friends?
Did he let me get away with terrible things? Yes, of course, he was smart and knew I was a treasured  pet. Did he once, many years later, send a drunk off in short order when Prince and I were out walking? Ohhh, indeed he did. Do we wonder why I like dogs? No, I think not.

This is Mitchell, and probably the single most published photo I have ever taken. It has been in newspapers, contests, blogs, Christmas cards, etc etc. It is maybe the single best photo I have taken in my life. Ch. First Class Ensign M. Bonsai, TD. A true gentleman dog and perhaps the finest Basset I have ever owned. (There is always one.)

This is my friend McBeth and her dog Watson. McBeth is now DR McBeth DVM, but then she was still in school Watson, a Kees mix of some kind or perhaps all Kees, wandered onto the neighbor's yard and was shot in the elbow. It was a terrible wound, really awful. The U of Illinois fixed it up and Watson led a long and happy life with a slight limp and some arthritis later on. He was a fortunate dog.

McBeth is a wonderful Veterinarian, too.

(Watson is now ATB )

 

This is a semi-ghastly painting I did of two Percherons at the Percheron Congress in 2010 I think. The photo is much better, I assure you, but I tried. The horse on the right needs more chest showing, I believe.

You realize of course that I am simply killing time until I can figure out whether I can go back to sleep or not. Thank you for allowing me to do this...

This is my favorite mug in the whole world, and my friend Heidi gave it to me. I am going to have it buried with me.

Good night.