Prayer to Saint Anthony

when I was a kid at Our Lady of Lourdes I remember there were times when someone lost something and we would gather and say the Prayer to St. Anthony

St. Anthony...
St. Anthony...

Please come around... Something is lost and cannot be found

or something to that effect

I can recall being a wide eyed kid trying to ask the teacher how this worked
as a small child it seemed to me that maybe this Saint Anthony guy could pick up what you lost and put it where you were looking?

we all know that there is more light under the street light... 

well... 

looking for my wallet
let me say a quick prayer

oh man... Didg is gonna be pretty angry when he learns that he did not have a blogger page...

 But Didg has 2 Instagram accounts
Didg the Dog
and Didgeridoo123 

 

portrait of Roscoe and Brutus by Kate Samworth

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Diamond Derby March 10th!

The Diamond Derby in Crystal City is looking for VOLUNTEERS!

What is the Diamond Derby?
part cyclocross race... part road crit... part messenger race
held in a parking garage in Crystal City

http://www.diamond-derby.com/

This is a unique event that is going to be nothing short than fun and exciting!
Be part of the action... help to make it happen!

If you are interested in helping out please contact race director Sheba Farrin
ShebaFarrin AT Gmail Dot Com

if you are interested in helping out specifically with the KIDS RACE than contact me Joel Gwadz
gwadzilla8 At Yahoo dot Com

come out...
come and race
come and spectate
come and race, spectate, and VOLUNTEER!

diamond-derby.com

Melvin Hazen

one day after school this week we went and hiked The Melvin Hazen Trail

nice little loop

short loop

but does a nice little up and down along Rock Creek and a tributary of Rock Creek

Didg did the full loop off leash

staying close all the time

not coming when called

well... comes close when called

but not coming close enough to leashed

so... it is about a slow gentle corralling him

treats help

it is all about training and time

later that week we did another hike in Rock Creek

Pulpit Rock to the fence at Carter Baron Amphitheater and back

good all around

good for the dog

good for the boys

good for me

we had fun skipping stones in the creek

it had been years since we skipped stones in the creek

the new dog... Didg at 9 weeks

not standing still for the camera

it has been a long time since I posted here.

it has been a while since I posted on this page

much has changed

I should have kept a log of the decline of my black dog Brutus

but no... I did not

it is all a blur

the gradual loss of youth

the eventual loss of his body and his mind

Brutus was a young dog for a long time

a little neurotic at times

a good dog just the same

last spring it became time

it is a tough decision to make

I think we may have waited too long

RIP Brutus

it is cute to think that Roscoe and Brutus are reunited in heaven

but I am not sure why I would believe in heaven for dogs when I do not believe in heaven for people

http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=brutus

http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=roscoe

it has been a year since the passing of my dog roscoe

roscoe and brutus

it has been one year since the passing of roscoe

it has been one year since the passing of roscoe

I still miss him

I should put more entries on this page

brutus is a good dog

this sunday past my mom watched the boys and lisa and I took brutus for a hike
brutus is a good dog

brutus is a good dog whose life has changed since the death of our dog roscoe
roscoe was his brother
not his litter mate
but his brother
same father different mother
born five days appart

they spend eight years living in tandem
these dogs did everything in stereo
this summer past roscoe died
it is as if brutus has had a part of him removed

the way brutus precieves the world
the way brutus experiences the world has changed
a sunset is beautiful
but a sunset is more beautiful when shared with someone
brutus used to love chasing squirrels
chasing squirrels just is not the same for brutus

roscoe was a serious bed hog

each night lisa would call roscoe from my side and bring him to bed
now roscoe is gone

brutus has taken on the roll of lisa's bedtime routine
but unlike roscoe the bed hog
brutus gets out of bed when I come to bed
then in the morning when lisa gets up and I steal that last hour of semi sleep
brutus often gets into bed by my side or at my feet

brutus is a good dog
brutus is part of the family

tonight at bed time my five year old son dean spoke of how and why he missed Roscoe...

I let him talk
I did reinforce that we loved brutus and roscoe equally
then dean told me the reasons why he missed roscoe
dean misses roscoe for the same reasons I miss roscoe
dean misses roscoe for the same reason brutus misses roscoe

brutus is a good dog
I miss roscoe
I miss brutus having roscoe
maybe it is time to get brutus another dog

as much as I love brutus

as much as I love brutus
brutus is no roscoe

roscoe gave me space
brutus is neurotic and needy
roscoe made eye contact and read the situation
brutus is always under foot

I love brutus

I really miss roscoe

brutus needs a friend

as a father I have two sons... as I know the value of friendship, companionship, and brotherhood
when I lisa and I were shopping for a dog some 8 years ago
we shopped for two dogs
as I felt that the dog needed a companion
someone or something that spoke their language
someone that they could spend their days with
someone that they could grow old with

roscoe died before his time
brutus is now without his brother, his friend, his companion
I can not fill that void
I can not chase squirrels
I am not as threatening to the mailman
and
I am definitely not as fast when I run through the woods

so...
we begin our search for a second dog
a dog for the family
a dog for the dog