Rose's Cantina

In China, pugs are referred to as "sleeve dogs" because the Emperors would carry them in their massive sleeves. I can't imagine it. The average pug is the heft of a bowling ball, at least in my house. Did you know that the pug is the only dog which is bred purely to give companionship and pleasure to its owner? I read that somewhere. It stuck with me. Which brings me to Ming, my beautiful gyrating, snoring, shaking pug, who gave me love and companionship in spades. She passed yesterday after suffering a disturbing breathing episode prior to dental surgery. The doctor said she wouldn't have survived the 90 minutes of anesthetic and so, sadly, I gave the order to have her put down. I was grateful not to be there, at the vet, as I had been two months early when we learned our retriever Hannah had cancer. I simply couldn't bear seeing my second dog in two months take the perp walk along the Green Mile towards oblivion. Ming was al...

We  took away Hannah's bowl and her favorite pillow, and today we're going to undertake a good and proper vacuum. But we can't exorcise her spirit from the house. She was into every activity, standing beside me as I minced ham for the egg white omelette; up on the bed hovering over me, waiting for her first constitutional of the day; greeting guests with a teddy bear in her mouth, nearly knocking drinks off coffee tables; and chilling beside the barbecue while Scott made his famous ribs. There is still evidence of her in the yard, waiting to be cleaned with the first thaw. There are tufts of hair in the corner. Toys on the floor. It will be weeks before the house will be officially de-Hannatized. Her pictures are all over the walls. Up beside Scott's chair, there is a photograph of Hannah as a one-year-old solid white, her black nose not yet turned brown. On the music shelf is an electronic slideshow jammed with her images, playing with the pugs in the yard, goof...