Chekhov Adoption 2019

After waiting for years until I felt like everyone in our little family was ready, and then following dogs on Petfinder like I was on an extra painful dating app for over a month, we finally found and adopted "Colton" from Dolly's Legacy Animal Rescue in Lincoln, Nebraska on Sunday. We promptly renamed him after one of Kevin's favorite authors Chekhov.

His original glamour shot in December, but he came home much bigger

Chekhov is 4 months old, about a month older than his profile said, and he's 18 pounds. We're not sure of his breed, because he's a mix and his profile said smooth fox terrier, but we're starting to think he's a black lab mix, maybe with a chihuahua or some other small dog. (Or maybe more than two breeds.) He was originally rescued in Oklahoma with lots of health issues, Parvo, a hernia, and an ear infection. We took him to our new vet on Tuesday, and he's very healthy.  He had a few outrageous accidents the first few days, but I suspect more from nervousness about a new house, because he's been almost perfect with potty training since then.

Arrival at our house

Ready to play

Tug-a-war with James

James thinks Cheks is hilarious

 

Baby faces

Posing with their new bestie

Duck hunt

First walk with us!- we have a nearby trail and he doesn't tug on his leash

Miranda pretending to read Cheks a bedtime story

 

Getting to know each other

 

A toy he basically begged/requested from Dolly's volunteers

Snuggle time

Nomar the Cat Passed Away 2014

Nomar might have been the "Most Interesting Cat." Kevin rescued Nomar as a kitten in 2002 in Iowa City, the literary capital of America. Kevin speculated that Nomar's birthday was close to St. Patrick's Day, so that's the day we celebrated it. As an "Irish" cat he had appropriately-colored red hair and green eyes.

Nomar was from Iowa and enjoyed the "High Life" 2002

Kevin intended for him to be an indoor cat, but those of you who know Nomar know that he had an indomitable will. Pretty soon he was outside, doing what he loved best, killing things. He moved where Kevin moved, living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, then Charlottesville, Virginia, where he had the opportunity to kill a range of species. I met Kevin and Nomar in Charlottesville. When I first met them, Nomar regularly followed Kevin and Brady on walks to the Downtown Mall. One time when I cat-sat Nomar, I found a talon stuck in his fur. I wondered if Nomar or the hawk/eagle/beaver had won the fight. Probably Nomar.

When I summered in New York, Nomar came too and stayed for awhile in Jon's Brooklyn back yard. There he grew pretentious. Eventually I moved in with Kevin and Nomar in Charlottesville, and Nomar, possibly resentful about me inadvertently pushing Brady out, tried to eat my eye one day. A picture I snapped of Nomar eating my Lean Cuisine earned him internet fame on The Consumerist website.

Kevin and Nomar in Cville 2007

Nomar was the ultimate nap accessory, 2008

We moved back to Brooklyn, and Nomar let us know that he didn't like it. He had to get out via a fire escape and we had no grass to speak of, so he acted out to let us now he wanted to go back to the great outdoors. Grandma Kathy welcomed him with open arms and extra servings of dinner. This arrangement also allowed us to spend vacations and holidays with him.

 

Nomar, on the prowl for all living things on Cape Cod. (With Grandma Kathy)

Best friends, 2011

It was only a short time before neighbors declared that Nomar had rid the region of coyotes. Bunnies and puppies now only had Nomar to fear. One neighbor was a weather man for Boston news, and featured Nomar in a Christmas special. Nomar was a local Massachusetts celebrity, and well on his way to acquiring Masshole status.

He watched the children on the Cape grow up. When he first moved there Ellen was a baby, and James wasn't born yet. But he was soon a favorite pet with all them, and only occasionally scratched them to teach them resilience.

James starting to notice Nomar, 2011

James kissing Nomar through the screen, 2012

Family picture with Nomar 2013

Going for a walk with James and Grandma Kathy, 2013

Nomar beat the odds. Indoor cats typically live 12-20 years, but outdoor cats average 1-5 years. Nomar lived a very full 12 years, half with Kevin in Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, and New York, and half with Kathy, on the Cape. He was feisty until the day before he was gone. The official cause was lung cancer, and I like to imagine it was because he secretly smoked a cigarette after all his kills.

Nomar's last picture, enjoying a sunning and an ear scratch from Beatrice, May 2014

Visiting Allison, Dan, and Coco 2010

We planned a trip to visit my friends Allison, Dan, and their puppy Coco a while ago before we knew about my dad's cancer. It turns out my parents don't want us visiting them every single weekend, and my dad's treatments haven't started yet, so we decided to keep our date in Boston.

We had a lovely low-key weekend. Allison made us fruit crepes for breakfast. Then we strolled through Boston Common-- Coco's first time there! We ate all our meals in Brookline. We had the best tacos ever at Dorado's for lunch, and a nice quiet dinner at American Craft, followed by my favorite- ice cream. Kevin and I also took a little drive around while our hosts were resting up. During the drive we went to the Allston neighborhood and to The Sevens, a bar on Beacon Hill where many of Kevin's friends behaved badly before I met him. I know, all my trips lately are all about friends and food and almost nothing else, but I promise that we did tons of walking around and enjoying the sunshine and wonderful cool weather.

In Boston Common with Coco's family

Me and Kevin in Boston Common, four years since we met!

Boston Common

Fourth of July 2010!

We had a fabulous time on the Cape this weekend with Kevin's mother "Ma," and got home a little early to do some more home shopping for the new place and work.

On Saturday, we had a delicious lobster and calamari lunch at Chatham Bars Inn, then walked around the beach and checked out the Chatham lighthouse. Then we went shopping around-- The Christmas Tree Shops are a requirement every time we go to the Cape, though it's always tough to decide which one. Kevin had a Cape Cod League game high on his to do list, so I bravely sat through a game between Orleans and Brewster (this might provoke another TMWCA). Ellen had a fabulous Spanish-theme party for her third birthday complete with paella and sangria. Then various local renegades set off fireworks around Follins Pond. It was quite the show.

The Tavern at Chatham Bars Inn

The birthday girl is three!

Fireworks on Follins Pond

Sunday, the three of us set off early for the beach but many of the beaches, even the residents-only beaches were really backed up by 10 a.m. We finally ended up sunning and swimming at West Dennis Beach. Actually a pretty roomy beach and the sand wasn't as rough as usual and the seaweed was somewhat under control. I swam around with tiny schools of fish and jellyfish. Finally, finally, the thing that I had been waiting for-- Moose Tracks Icecream at Lil' Caboose. We rounded out the weekend BBQing with Ma, Fran, and George. Perfect.

West Dennis Beach on the 4th

West Dennis Beach

Nom nom nom nom.

BBQing burgers and ribs- yum

Fran, George, and Kathy

Saying goodbye to Nomar

Parents Visit 2010

My parents came over for brunch and hanging out this weekend. My mother fell in love with the complimentary donut holes at our favorite brunch place, Abilene. I always take them for granted, but it's true that they are a little piece of magic. Sadly it rained all day so we had to cancel any neighborhood walks, but we had a nice time bonding at home.

With my cute parents

In other news, we're doggy-sitting while our friends Jon and Becky frolic in Paris. Here is a picture that captures our adopted dog's soul:

Jordan snuggles Garfield

Nomar is a Little Famous 2010

One of my pictures of Nomar made it onto a heavily-trafficked blog. The photo is ridiculous. The article, Taste Tests Show Frozen Diet Meals Now Shockingly Edible, at The Consumerist Blog, features Nomar licking the remnants of my Lean Cuisine when we were living in Charlottesville. Whenever you are not looking, Nomar will attempt to steal your fish, lick your cheese, or -gross- lick raw chicken. Interestingly, Nomar does not care for sushi.

Here is the screenshot of the blog:

And here's a close-up of the photo:


This is his second run-in with fame, as last year he appeared on meteorologist Tim Kelley's New England Cable News segment on "Work Party" Pictures.

Puppy News 2010!

No, we haven't broken down and gotten a puppy yet, though I was so tempted this week when I saw a puppy sale sign in New York... however I will have to live vicariously through friends for now. My buddy Allison and her boyfriend Dan (who happens to also be Kevin's old Iowa basketball friend) adopted a 13-week old field spaniel puppy.

And in other puppy news, Janice and Darren's dog Fudgie made into the Dawg Blog: http://blog.dawgdad.com/. I know, today's entry is sort of cute-overload-ish.

The new family- Dan, Allison, and Coco

Fudgie is a model, if you know what I mean...