Sophie is looking pretty old and tired these days.

But there is still one fella who seems to make her feel like a spring chicken,
which is convenient being that Chicken is one of her nicknames.

Pablo!

She loves to play with him.

And this is a gratuitous wrinkly chin shot.

Note: Her leg was shaved for geriatric blood tests and the surgery she didn't, in the end, need. But that's a whole other story.

Balto the Interloper

Sophie's world has tread upon by the likes of a six year old named Balto.

He was here for a few days last week and might be back again next weekend.

Sophie is not pleased and neither is that orange chicken, who shortly after this photo was taken underwent experimental liposuction at the paws of Balto. He is now considerably thinner.

There were some moments during which Sophie seemed to be completely at ease with Balto's presence.

There really is nothing better than a walk in the park.

This one is my new screensaver.

Happy beasts in the sun.

On this particular day, however, things got a little surreal and occassionally disturbing.

Giant people!

Headless Dragons!

Cats on leashes!
Actually, that one seemed sort of reasonable to Sophie, since she's always wondered why they got to run free and she didn't.

But back at the ranch, Balto was still a menace.


Absconding with the pink flamingo Stanley gave Sophie.

Stealing all the attention with this snuggly, huggy act of his.

COME ON PEOPLE!

This is not the face of a cute dog.

This is the face of an interloper. A treader on Sophie's territorier.

And he should be scared.

Pink flamingo, on the other hand, is fine. He did not consent to surgery.

Since Balto's departure, Sophie has been loving him up and praising his plumpness.

Sophie wants to be clear that this is how she feels about Balto, the interloper, visible in the background.

More after her walk.

Balto has arrived at Chez Sophie

and will be staying for three or four days.

Sophie is not quite as thrilled as she is when Pablo comes over.

But she will relent and be happy after a while.

He has the cutest little freckles on his nose and gives hugs.

Both of which are important when you have the flu,
and so I retire to the couch for snuggles with the house guest.

Feeling a little bit Beverly Hillbilly?

It's been far too long since we've given a shout out to the World Famous Gopher Museum in Torrington, Alberta.

Quite possibly, the weirdest place on earth.

Click on the pics to BIGGIFY and read the speech bubbles.

Click here for more dioramas.

Sleepy Girl

Sophie's Spring Vacation - Part 3

New York
A Photo Essay
Starring Sophie, Asta, Petey and Stanley
as dogs

and featuring the Standard Hotel where we stayed, which overlooks the West Village Dog Run. But only briefly. Like only in this photo.
That it to say, it will only feature briefly in this photo. To the best of my knowledge, it still overlooks the dog run.

Note: To anyone who may actually be paying attention, you will notice that Sophie's Spring Vacation Part 2, Connecticut Part 1 suggests that there is a Connecticut Part 2 , which has not yet been disseminated to the masses. That's because those pics are on the other computer.