This afternoon I attended the memorial for my friend Michael Stanley. I didn’t know him for that many years and we weren’t super close, but I am so glad to have met him numerous times and having him as a dog-loving neighbor. He was a chaplain in the Coast Guard and I saw that he was in the Coast Guard (so dapper in his uniform pictures!) for years in common with my dad, who was also stationed here in the Bay Area, so their paths very likely crossed.

I know Molly and Coco, whom I’ve had the pleasure of dogsitting several times, are missing Michael. I’m sure Miguel is giving them extra hugs.

Oh and FUCK CANCER!

Incredibly, Shea’s aunt had a memorial service the same day, so by the time Shea was arriving from that memorial, Michael’s was ending.

One of the few items that survived my fire in January was my dad’s Coast Guard tie clip so I was very glad to be able to find that and wear it in this veteran’s honor. Is that even legal? I know my dad was a stickler about such things. He wouldn’t even allow us to write with the pens he “accidentally” brought home that said “Property of U.S. Government.” I later realized that’s because he was hypersensitive after he found out that his Navy SEAL brother had been known for stealing military equipment and selling it after he did two tours in Vietnam.