Pepper Pepperoni Puppington: Best. Dog. EVER!

Pepper's been my gal pal since February 2003 when she was adopted from the Tacoma Pierce County Humane Society.  We bonded almost right away and she was my constant companion from then until December 1, 2016.  She was about 2 at the time of adoption, so she lived to a ripe old age.  She was well traveled:  Long Beach WA, Neilton WA, Cannon Beach OR and all across the country in 2011 from Washington to Massachusetts.  She even went to Maine with us that fall.

Gotcha Day, February 19, 2003, Bonney Lake, WA

Halloween 2003, Maris Farms Corn Maza in Buckley, WA

She hated costumes, headgear and posting for corny photos.

She snuggled with me every night on my bed.

She went to my office quite a few times.  My bosses Steve & Robyn, and my friend Debby, loved her too.

Windy late afternoon on Long Beach, Washington

Cannon Beach, Oregon 2005

She loved snow

Downtown Tacoma, September 2006

Christmas morning with her new toys.

Princess P

After we moved east in 2011 at my mom's house

Romping at Scusset Beach.  This is the way I want to remember her.  In the past year she went downhill so much and could hardly walk anymore.  But she did live 14 months longer than the ER vet gave her in September 2015 so that's something.

Such a sweet face, soulful eyes and velvety ears.   

In the past couple of years, you could see that her spark was going.

But sometimes the old happy pup would come through.

She was trying to steal the empty pizza box.  This is one of the last pics I took of her.

I miss her so much.  I have her back though, in a nice cedar box and the place also sent a paw print in clay.  And I have her collar and tags.  Bye little Beanie.  I will always love you.

Le Sigh

I think we can all agree that 2016 beat the hell out of us.  I'm exhausted 24/7.  I wake up tired, I'm always tired, I don't want to do anything or go anywhere.  Getting motivated takes an inordinate amount of energy that I just don't have.  

The house is decorated though.  That took a couple of days.

I love to do Christmas art, can you tell?

I had to send my beloved Pepper over the Rainbow Bridge on December 1st which was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.  I am so grateful Russell was there for me those first few days.  I was a mess.  I miss her so much and I still start crying real easily....like now.  Marsha gave me this ornament last year.  Best doggie ever.  

Anywho...I'm really sorry I haven't made the blog rounds the past couple of weeks.  I just haven't had the energy or attention span.  Seriously feel like I've gone the full 15 rounds with 2016.  Trying to snap out of this funk and salvage the last couple weeks of the year!

Kawaii

"Kawaii" is the quality of cuteness in Japanese culture.  I have heard it used these days to describe super cute things, for which I am a total sucker. 

I was soooo pleased to be able to get this adorable narwhal ice cream cone whale, by Dragons and Dreams Designs.  He's so cute I could die.  

This is my little Kawaii Korner, next to my chair.  Norbert Narwhal, my wee dragon from All Things Arty, my Rescue Yeti, Ookpik the owl and a hatching baby dragon.  SQUEEEEE!

And of course we have to include sweet little Pepperbean in the super cute category.

I shut off the flash for this but it was dark in the room so it is a little blurry, but it's the best way to see her expressive eyes.

And my adorable baby guy Sagan.

So kawaii!!!!!!

The Forgotten Roll of Film

Long before digital photography and editing took over, I used to shoot black & white film quite a bit. I always liked to have one camera loaded with it when I was on vacations in case I saw some interesting masonry or ironwork that'd look good in B&W.  Unfortunately as I began to shoot more and more in digital, my film endeavors fell by the wayside.  I had a roll in one of my cameras for a couple of years and I forgot what was even on it.  In the spring of 2012, I decided to shoot what was left on the roll, although I neglected to notice that it was black & white film.  I truly thought it was a roll of colour.  So almost all the pictures I shot were of flowers.  Imagine my surprise when I popped the cartridge out and discovered it was black & white!

So I took the roll to CVS and sent it away.  A few days later they called me to say that the roll was rejected because their processor couldn't do that particular kind of film.  The roll languished in my purse for a few more years, until early in 2015 when my friend Alicia, a film student in Spokane, said that she could process it for me at the school.

She was busy with classes of course, first, so she was finally able to get the negatives and pics sent to me in mid December.  It was pretty cool to see what was on it!  Most of the pics are flowers so I didn't bother taking pics of the pics.  But here are some of the others.

Pepper, spring 2012

Sagan, spring 2012.  This was a few months after I flew him east.

Trounce Alley in Victoria, BC, October 2010

Beach logs at Kalaloch, Washington, March 2010

Kalaloch, March 2010

The Pergola in Seattle, July 2010

Seattle, 2010

And my sweetheart, Spring 2012.  I love, love, love this picture (and this man!).

A huge thank you, again, to Alicia Dunavan for processing these for me after all these years!!!