End of the Week

It was a very good week. And it started here. Summer's okay by me.

A Message

The tattoo on a man standing next to me at the Pride Parade made me catch my breath. Exactly this. About writing yes, but about everything really.

He Left His Heart

"So, Bob. What was your favorite part of the trip?"

"The trip."

Subtle

We returned home this morning. I believe this is someone's not-so-subtle way of letting me know that he would appreciate me not leaving again for awhile.

No problem.

Thank You, San Francisco City

What a terrific trip this has been. A lovely hotel. Dinner at a favorite restaurant in China Town with friends. An affogato at a tiny Italian place. Breakfast pancakes at a wonderful place that hasn't changed much since it first opened in 1938. Walking along Market Street to take in the Pride Parade. An afternoon at the Exploratorium. A dinner on Fisherman's Wharf. Sleeping in and coffee in bed. Cable car rides. Lunch in a little spot in an alley. Coit Tower. Lombard Street. A stop at Crissy Field for the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge. A visit to a friend at her space-age looking corporate office. A Giants vs Rockies game at AT&T Field.
This was just all kinds of good.
Thanks, Bob for a great idea and thanks, Mr. Rosenberg for making it happen.

Smacksy Sunday Links

The view from our hotel room.

In college, I had a friend named Aumi who was from Tel Aviv. His mother had recently moved from Israel to California and was very excited to be traveling North for the first time to the place she referred to as "San Francisco City." Since then, when I think of my favorite city in California, I am compelled to refer to it by its full name, "San Francisco City." We are here in San Francisco City for a few days and I am delighted.

Just flowing.

Stop doing these things.

Before the internet. 

Back when garden gnomes were real people.

Unbelievable balloon animals.

And a prairie dog eating cheese.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: The Zucchini That Took Over the World

Sometimes, you're pretty sure your giant zucchini plant hasn't produced anything yet.Then you find a green torpedo as big as your forearm hiding in the back.

This photo is not employing forced perspective or trick dollhouse-sized background bowls. The squash really is just that big.

This is What They Do

This is it. Cookies in bed. They are professionals at it. It's a good life.

Retro Bob: I am an Astronaut

I clicked over to Youtube to watch a financial planner vlog (as I like to do) and got sucker-punched with this almost ten-year-old video I made of Tiny Bob. It made for a bright spot in an already shiny day. 

The Solstice of Jeffrey Michael Rosenberg

The first day of summer is a time to celebrate. The longest day on the calendar makes way for the warmth and promise of beautiful days ahead and there's also a weird thing at Stonehenge but the number one reason to be happy, on June 21st is the birthday of Mr. Rosenberg.

The sun will reach its highest point in the sky today and we will enjoy snacks and gifts and cake and a rather large helium balloon and send out a psychic high five to god and the universe for creating Jeffrey Michael Rosenberg, best man I know.

Smells

Hi. I would like to smell you with my nose. Here's my nose.

Super Handsome

This fine gentleman is enjoying some supervised non-cone time. 

Levi and I dropped Teddy off to get his summer haircut at the groomer. As an experiment, this afternoon, I left Levi all alone in the house when I went to pick up Bob from baseball camp. He has never flown solo in the house before. When we walked in the door, we found him sleeping. 

His good boy level is off the charts.

Smacksy Sunday Links

Mr. Rosenberg and nine-month-old Bob looking out the window of a train somewhere in Germany. 2007.

Parents: This is your work.

Airplane etiquette.

City trees are not getting enough sleep.

Getting married at the New York City Clerk's Office.

And a dog and an owl.

Happy Father's Day Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Cone Life

Eleven more days 'til the cone/donut goes away. He makes it look good.

3:00pm

This morning Mr. Rosenberg took the guys on a walk. Down the street, they ran into our friend Lisa who was walking her lab, Blue. Blue sniffed Levi and then Teddy got in between the two of them, apparently to "protect" Levi. Then Teddy tried to really display some dominance by attempting to "mount" Blue. I have never seen Teddy do this in all my years of being Teddy's friend. He tried mounting a throw pillow once but that was short-lived and just embarrassing for everyone involved. Never seen him try it with another animal. He's taking his job as brother extremely seriously.

Regarding the photo above: We're trying the next size up of inflatable ring/cone. Levi's learning to balance his head on it like a flotation device/pillow. So far so good. Teddy has been staring at the bottom of the front door for going on twelve minutes. Sometimes these guys are just weird. And I love them.

Bedtime

Levi has been an excellent patient. Per the vet, he's not allowed to jump up on the bed or couch so he can avoid busting his stitches. Since he's used to sleeping in bed next to me and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep him down. I slept on the giant dog bed we made on the floor of our bedroom. I took a cone to the face a few times during the night but for the most part it worked out just fine.

He'll be feeling better in no time.
And a bonus for Mr. Rosenberg and Teddy - they will get the whole bed to themselves for awhile.

The Patient is Doing Great

Levi came home this morning. The guys were thrilled to see each other - or Teddy was thrilled and Levi was as thrilled as possible considering the amount of medication he is on. We moved the mattress from Bob's trundle bed to the floor of our room for maximum pup relaxation. Levi is supposed to stay in a small area and convalesce for two weeks. Teddy will not let him out of his sight.

All is well.

He'll Be Home Soon

On Sunday night, Mr. Rosenberg was petting Levi and noticed a lump near his tail. Monday morning, we went to the vet. She pushed around on it and then felt it from the inside (ew) and determined that Levi had a hernia. She had the surgical specialist there at the vet hospital check it out also and she agreed. Levi would need surgery.

This morning Levi and I went back to the vet for a surgical consult with the specialist. She explained everything to me and was very thorough in such a way that I feel like I too am now a specialist in canine perineal hernias. She also discovered that he has an ear infection. We scheduled his surgery for this afternoon and I left him there.

I was not especially worried about the surgery but I was anxious waiting for the call to let me know it was over. Teddy, on the other hand/paw, was very upset. Of course he didn't have all of the information I had and didn't know what had happened to his pal. Teddy wouldn't eat his snacks. He let out big sighs and moped around the living room. He whined intermittently. He missed his friend.

Late in the afternoon, I got the call. The surgery was a success. Levi was fine and resting. Fine and resting hopped up on meds, wearing a cone, and sporting a shaved bottom hole. Bob and I went to the vet hospital this evening to visit Levi. We took him for a drunken-dog walk around the edge of the parking lot. When we went back inside,  he sat next to us while I had my left hand inside the cone, petting his sweet head. He'll stay over night at the hospital tonight so they can keep an eye on him. We bought him a new dog bed on the way home.

When we got back to the house, Teddy walked to the door to say hi to us. When I sat down he came to my side and started intently sniffing my left hand - my Levi petting hand. He sniffed around for an extra long time and then he licked my palm.

Levi will be home tomorrow.

This Summer Already Rules

"Dad? Can you help me with some soft toss in the backyard? I want to be ready for baseball camp tomorrow."

"Sure."

"I've got camp from 8:00 - 3:00, then practice from 5:00 - 7:00. That's nine hours of baseball. It's going to be the best day of my life."

Smacksy Sunday Links

Taming the swarm.

About flânerie.

Roadside memorials.

The 51 best romantic comedies of all time. This list made me want to watch each of them again.

A giant mirror.

And kitty/bunnies.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Assistants

Mr. Rosenberg must be moving up the ladder.

Now he has two administrative assistants. 

Awarded

"Bob, I can't believe it's the last day of fourth grade. Didn't this year go by so fast?"

"You say that about every year, Mom."

"Only because it's true. Congratulations on your award."

"Thanks."

"So, why do you think you got "Most Awesome Attitude?"

"Because I'm pretty chill in the classroom and also on the playground."

Fetch! Nevermind.

This is Levi. Twenty-two seconds after meeting him, I knew he was one of the loves of my life.

And this is a tennis ball, fourty-three seconds seconds after meeting Levi.

Mr. Costello, 2017

Sunday night, Mr. Rosenberg and I went to see Elvis Costello at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Listening to Elvis Costello sing is on my list of things that make life really, really good and I've been fortunate to see him live a number of times.

Now that we're older, (Elvis and I) he plays at theaters that have assigned seating instead of the standing/dancing shows of the past. I'm at a point in my life where I appreciate assigned seating.

This year he is touring in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the release of one of his best albums, Imperial Bedroom. This record came out the year I graduated high school and it has followed me around ever since.

It was a wonderful concert and a beautiful night in an outdoor theater. I encourage you to do the things that make you happiest, as often as possible.

Excuse Me?

We're sorry, did you say something?

From the Smacksy Archive: Bob's First MLB Game

Photo by Phil Reagan

Bob and I have been keeping up with our plan for me to read aloud one old blog post each night at bedtime. We've been going in chronological order from the beginning.

Tonight we read the story of when we took Bob to his first professional baseball game. Bob was three. You can read it here: Go Baseball Bats!

When I finished reading it, he asked me to read it again.

Smacksy Sunday Links

Making a marriage magically tidy.

Things I am too old for.

Lobsterman.

Handmade shoes. Fascinating.

Broken things with googly eyes in Bulgaria.

And a cat playing the piano.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Downtime

When you had a baseball game last night and another one this morning, what do you do in the two hours until your next game? You go out to the back of the field and play some more baseball. Obviously.

A Costume

"Bob! We've got to go! We can't be late for your performance!"

"Mom! Where's my white shirt?"

"What white shirt? You don't have a white shirt."

"The one for the dance-thing! I totally told you about it!"

"You totally did not."

"Okay, well I need a white shirt. Or I can wear a plaid one."

"You do not own either of those things."

"But, Mom! I have to look western!"

"I don't know what to tell you Bob, but we've got to leave."

"Wait! This shirt is perfect!"

"Your gray, Tulowitzki Colorado Rockies shirt? How is that perfect?"

"Mom, Tulo is appropriate for any occasion."

A Story About Levi

In one of his previous placements from the dog rescue, Levi lived for a short time in an assisted living. He did not end up being the right fit there ultimately, but the residents loved him. In the evenings, the folks who wanted a visit from Levi would leave their doors open so he could wander in. Levi kept to the first floor, never venturing up the stairs.

One morning, Levi was not in his bed in the lobby. They searched for him in the dining room and the music room and all of the first floor resident apartments. They worried that perhaps he had somehow gotten out. Even though he never climbed the stairs, they eventually went looking for him on the second floor. Still, no sign of him.

The employees spread out through the building. He was finally found on the third floor. He was curled up sleeping at the foot of the bed of a woman who they soon discovered, had died overnight. She didn't pass alone. Levi had been at her side.

I wish you all could meet him.  He's such a good boy.