We’ve seen a bunch of firsts for my Duck Dog this past week:  1. his first, legit, off-leash, multi-mile run with me (Eureka!);  2. his first successful, full-extension, airborne Frisbee snag (see video), and 3. his first writing class audited! That’s right — I took Kemba to Trinity with me Wednes…

I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. For 38 years, running has been my primary sport.  For 13 years, dogs — first Ricky the Beagle, now Kemba the Duck Toller — have been my passion.  From the git-go, my goal was to combine the two: to go running with my dog. By now, you’ve all heard the story of…

It happened the first time maybe a year ago, on our second visit to Lake Mohegan.  I’d parked in the lot near the Cascades.  My game plan was to walk around the lake to the main beach/recreation area, then continue the loop back to my car.  Kemba and I had taken this route the only other time we’d…

I know, it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me.  Don’t think I haven’t been wanting to write.  Ah, well, but that’s Beagle Man for you — love the one you’re with.  If he’s not hogging the bylines for himself, then it’s Kemba — you know, He Who Can Do No Wrong.  Speaking of forgotten dogs, I w…

It’s been a great Friday so far.  And yes, I do know my days of the week.  Duh.  I can also tell time, though this may be news to Beagle Man’s friend Rick.  Has anyone ever taken note of the fact that I wake Beagle Man every morning at 8 o’clock, give or take a couple of minutes?  And that I gaze a…

Let’s just get one thing out of the way right off the bat:  Does this (photo below) look like just some T-shirt?  Yeah, that’s right, I’m talking about Kemba’s wiseguy remark in his post just before I left for Austria (One Tough Week Ahead) — that Beagle Man “better bring me  back something pret-t…

I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little bit worried.  Beagle Man leaves tonight for his annual Alps ski trip with Matt and Greg and their friends.  I saw him packing his bags.  That means Mom’s in charge of me.  Which is fine. . . in certain ways.  I mean, I’ll get fed.  And she’ll throw me some r…

Yup, you remember correctly:  Vermont — the place where Kemba cut his paw wide open in mid-November, forcing him to the D.L. for an entire month.  But Vermont is also, for a cold-weather dog who hails from Nova Scotia, a little slice of doggy heaven.  And as they say, you gotta get right back on…

I’ve been hearing all the buzz about this so-called “nephew” of mine since early November, but I was starting to wonder if he was really real.  First I’m not allowed to see him because he has pneumonia.  Then, he’s all better, but he’s still “contagious.”  And when he’s finally not contagious, I’m…

You haven’t heard from me much lately.  I’ve been too depressed.  It’s been a tough three-and-a-half weeks since my little boy cut his paw wide open at Gale Meadows Pond in VT.  He’s had to keep it tightly bandaged, wear that ridiculous cone, do next to nothing, and report to the doc every couple…