Was talking last Friday to one of my Hartford writing students — a hardcore dog lover who also happens to be a big-time fan of this blog.  She knows pretty much all there is to know about the LA/XC series, my annual cross-country road trips from Westport to Los Angeles to bring Ricky (originally)…

Kemba and Ruckus spent the long Memorial Day weekend together at the beach in Montauk.  The Tuesday after, our daughter-in-law Kelly told us, Ruckus refused to go to Biscuits & Bath, the doggy daycare center which was, heretofore, his favorite place on the planet.  For the rest of the week, Gr…

Should Beagle Man be asking Steve the Breeder for his money back?  I know, I know, this sounds pretty petty, especially coming from me, the dog Kemba replaced.  But seriously — isn’t he supposed to be a Duck Tolling Retriever?  Yeah, sure, the retrieving part, he’s awesome at that:  If B-Man throw…

Last Sunday morning, 8AM, Robby stumbled into our bedroom.  “Here’s Kemba,” he announced, then quickly ducked back into his own room before I could react.  It would have been nice if he’d let Kemba out to pee and given him his breakfast, instead of waking me, but that, I know he thinks, is above h…

Happy Birthday to the sweet boy who put the beagle in Beagle Man! We miss you, Ricky.

I spent last weekend with two pretty athletic dogs. You’ve heard me bragging about Kemba (named, of course, for UConn/Charlotte Hornets hoops star Kemba Walker) ad nauseum since he was just a tiny furball, so enough about him.  Except to say that yesterday at the dog park I flung a tennis ball may…

Are you kidding me?  Another Kemba in the dog park??  Whaaat???  Of course I knew there was a person named Kemba.  Kemba Walker, the basketball player from UConn.  You know, my namesake?  I get that.  But another dog named Kemba?  Who hangs out in Winslow Park, where I hang out?  That’s just too w…

A shit-eating grin spread across Greg’s face, he looked over conspiratorially in my direction, and, in that instant, I knew — knew! — I was about to hear another story about Ruckus.  One in which Ruckus would be the hero.  Like most parents, I have special bonds with all my sons, but in a six-mont…

Kemba and his cousin Bruce, by consensus, get along as well as any two dogs can.  Or, to be more specific, as well as a mellow, sweet, food-loving six-year-old black Lab and a hyper-energetic, exercise-freak, doesn’t-know-when-to-quit, one-and-a-half-year-old Duck Toller can.  They’ve spent weeken…

Lye Brook Falls.  Lye Brook Falls.  All winter, whenever we’ve done hikes in the woods, I keep hearing about the time back in the fall of 2013 — I wasn’t even born yet! —that Beagle Man and Langdon and Mike made it up to Lye Brook Falls.  No disrespect, but if those oldies could get there, I could…