Yesterday Calvin and Hobbes were a hit at the Benicia Library. There was a regularly-scheduled Cuddle Club event, which is a pet therapy program of HSNB that my friend Carlene Coury founded. However this time the press was there!
The news story mentions them in the first words of the main article on the front page of today’s Vallejo Times Herald! Despite “holding court” there, they were not photographed, so I’m including a picture of them, together with the article and the two pictures of some of the other dogs that were there. Several people were interested in adopting Calvin and Hobbes together, so we’ll see. They were incredibly well-behaved with lots of people and children. Everyone was surprised that they had never done anything like this before.
I was so busy answering questions that I didn’t even pull out my own camera. In hindsight, I should have deputized Shea to be the cameraman. I so appreciate that he was gracious enough to join me.
Six dogs including the four fosters in the rental backyard are enjoying each other’s company and getting lots of exercise.
With senior foster Bugsy (who did so well adapting to our household) leaving on Tuesday, we agreed to foster Miso. Miso looks like a miniature German Shepherd, pointed ears and all. He’s a young chihuahua mix, like Calvin and Hobbes, who needed some TLC. He wasn’t doing too well in the shelter environment. Of course the goal is to get every cat and dog at the shelter into permanent homes. I’m glad while waiting for my house to be renovated Shea and I can provide some sanctuary to a few dogs. Miso had a heck of a fun time meeting and playing with the pack. I’m glad he and Bugsy got to meet for a few days overlap. They will all sleep well tonight.
Hopefully the three remaining younger chihuahua mixes will be adopted out soon. Five of these six dogs are rescues from HSNB, including Bonnie, who I adopted last year. Snoopy was also a stray, but he’s my special survivor from the fire 13 months ago.
For the 2026 Humane Society of the North Bay calendar, we took our three foster dogs (one of which is going to Muttville later this month) for a photo shoot with firemen here in Vallejo. Today’s photo shoot was with Fire Station 24. Before some of you (you know who you are) get all hot and bothered, the firemen kept their shirts on. Anyway, it was a great experience and I’m glad these foster dogs will help other homeless cats and dogs by the funds raised with the forthcoming calendar. Thank you to Lisa, Mei and others from HSNB who arranged this. For good measure, Mei had the wherewithal to suggest Shea and I pose with the dogs by the kissing booth.
On the way to the fire station we gave our friend Teena a lift to the hairdresser. She wanted to take pictures of the models as we left.
Earlier that morning Shea called them and Snoopy for a photo, and what he got he couldn’t have planned better if he had tried:
As we were celebrating the win of the Vallejo Tobacco Retail license passing here in Vallejo with lots of strength, I was honored with a certificate for the many hours our coalition worked together to get this passed, not to mention the Smokefree Multi-Unit Housing that we passed several years ago.
Hearing that this senior named Bug (I’m calling him Bugsy) with less than perfect behavior was rejected by a rescue/transfer organization specializing in seniors, I decided to foster him from the Humane Society of the North Bay (HSNB dot org). He needed some time in a home environment and I’m expecting Calvin and Hobbes will be adopted soon. Bugsy also has dental problems, arthritis, and a cute uneven underbite. Not only does he resemble an old version of Hobbes, but he also has a spot on his nose and a snout that resembles my late 18.5-year-old Pomchi Timber who died in 2023.
Shea joined me in a celebration of local success in saving lives from tobacco in Oakland. Advocates with our coalition led by LGBTQ Minus Tobacco were instrumental in a new ordinance for smoke-free bar patios there. Hopefully, San Francisco will soon follow so that more lives can be saved from Big Tobacco. Now patrons and staff at bars can safely traverse the open spaces without being subjected to toxic smoke as is the case in restaurants already.
I love the mosaic art in this community center on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland where we gathered.
Most people know that I’m a second-generation Californian and most of my rearing when we were not in NYC, Spain, and Italy was in the East Bay, so the same county as Oakland. Oakland has long been a leading large city in the effort to reduce death by tobacco, even though this is the area we were living in when my father died from his tobacco addiction. He only lived to be 50 years old, as did his mom who also died of tobacco-related illness.
Spending some extended time in the sun today was good to get my mind off the shit show in DC. I was able to use my day off to work on plants and outdoor decor. I know the dogs appreciated the sun and warm outdoor furniture with me.
There’s a lot going on in this video. I was in the garden with the dogs today as we had 65-degree (F) weather in January! I’m proud of this globe I painted, which is on a solar spinner. It survived the fire and was previously located at “ground zero” where the fire reportedly began. Still no explanation except “electrical anomaly.”
Front yard blossoms:
By the way, that is NOT poop that Hobbes is chewing on. It’s pineapple or bark.
I worked on my plants, thinking about what I’ll do with them and the outdoor decor from this rental when I move back home in a few months. I think about the move back all my waking hours at this juncture.
I put together a very utilitarian table out of repurposed, broken parts, which I’m very proud of. I love practical furniture.
The dogs bring me such joy, as does the sun.
Enjoying the warm weather with the dogs and Shea and appreciating what a great man this holiday is in honor of. I’m not watching the travesty in DC and do not want anything to do with people who are normalizing it. I pity this country and rejoice that I can pursue my EU citizenship, even though I’ll stay and still do what I can, more on the local level in the foreseeable future, to make life better even for those innumerable fools who vote against their best interests.
I will actively seek to disconnect from fascists and I will also make it quite clear that they are no longer in my life, especially the ones I’m not related to and have no reason to stay connected to. There are enough toxic people in the world already that I have to deal with, and the political ramifications of their existence and corruption.
Bonnie and Calvin evening wrestle. This is why most people can’t believe Bonnie is completely blind. For those who don’t know, her eyes were surgically removed to reduce pain after she went completely blind in August.
The adoptable Honey Bear had a kissing booth! This princess is going to make some household very happy. Thanks to foster mom and fellow board member Mei for bringing her!
Below are other pictures from a festive night at Vtown Provisions that hopefully raised a lot of money for our non-profit Humane Society of the North Bay!
Pictures taken by our official photographer, America!
Thank you to the Vallejo Waterfront Weekend (a yearly weekend event every October) for their big check to Humane Society of the North Bay. Some of us board members went there to receive it. It took place at Suite Treatments here in Vallejo.
Nelson, the Jack Russell, is Jackie’s dog. She runs the event and owns the venue we were in. Honey Bear, the brown dog, is available for adoption. He came with his foster mom Mei.
We attended my friend Andrea Sorce’s Victory & Swearing In Celebration at the Vallejo Museum with a great crowd looking forward to the many new leaders of this area, including a new county supervisor, new state senator, and several new city councilmembers.
