I apologize for the maudlin post, but I looked at the date, August 19th, and I think it will be a while before it can be just another day in summer.  It was a year ago, to the day, that we said goodbye to our sweet, darling pup, Indy. As sad a day as it was, it was one of the most special days we could have hoped for -- we made it a Day of All the Favorite Things. We took her to her favorite places, she ate whatever she wanted, she saw as many of her favorite people as possible, and when it was time to say goodbye, she never left our arms, quietly passing away in our home, in her own bed.

No matter how you celebrate the season, I wish you all kind holiday greetings.  I always make our holiday cards every year, they're often a reflection of how the year went, and of course, this was the Year of Indy. Our beloved pup is no longer with us, but remains forever in spirit, and her memory is a reminder to love and cherish every day we have. So take that blessing from our fuzzy pup as we say farewell to one year and hello to a new one! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Jaunty Fine Print: Illustration by Denise Sakaki

Negative Space:  A term in the art world referring to the space around a subject, and not the subject itself, which forms an interesting or meaningful shape.  

These images were taken on August 20, 2014, while cleaning our house after we said farewell to our dog Indy the evening before. 



It's startling how the absence of something has as much impact as when that something was present. Going through the house and removing all traces of our dog Indy was a sad but necessary task. These everyday items took on a completely new meaning without Indy. We kept her toys in a basket, in the bedroom, so that they would be out of the way. You hardly noticed them before, but they looked so empty and out of place without her around.  

You'll pardon the shortness of this post, and the short break I'll be taking from blogging (just a couple of weeks, fear not), but we said farewell to our darling Indy, aka, Indiana Jones, aka, "We named the DOG Indiana." She bravely battled chronic lymphocytic leukemia for almost a year. She was first diagnosed last October, and through many ups and downs, she fought bravely, always with a wagging tail and an eagerness for ear scratches, belly rubs and to be loved, loved, loved. She was truly the best of us.

We've of course over-documented this Year of Indy through social media, and you're welcome to revisit her good days on Instagram. And I even had her "Tweeting" - I wasn't sure if I would keep the account once she passed on, but it became a weirdly wonderful way to share moments from her perspective, so I welcome you to visit Indy's Twitter. 

Please take this time to hold a loved one close. Express how much they mean to you. Take the time to be with them. The greatest lesson we learned from this whole experience is that time is the only precious commodity in the world. It can't be saved or stockpiled, it's constantly being spent, so spend it wisely on meaningful moments and loved ones.
 
 Jaunty Fine Print: Photo by Denise Sakaki

The Birdy is BACK! Or more to the point, the Birdy didn't really fly the coop, she stayed on terra firma and had a quiet few days off to tend to the homefront. I did not, in fact, make it to Hell-on-Earth-Nevada for the aforementioned trip, but I kept with the vacation days off and spent the much-needed break savoring some quality time with the Mister and our dear pup, Indy, who was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia last October.

Thanksgiving musings from the Magpie comes to one simple thing: be grateful for the present. You've probably already seen Tweets or Facebook posts regarding our dear, beloved dog, Indy, who is thankfully still with us, but has leukemia. It's been an emotional time, but the most significant thing to come out of it is a renewed sense of desire to live presently, with joy, with enthusiasm, and to not hold back on love. 

There's nothing more this Bird J'adores is the lovable house-pup, Miss Indy. A wild and crazy mutt who came into our lives almost six years ago, she's been the center of our Jaunty world. People who have pets in their lives often say that animals provide a wonderful insight into better living. They are uncomplicated fuzzy beings, who only yearn for love, affection, and a bit of dry kibble twice a day. Throw in regular walks and belly rubs, and you've got a perfect life.

Not that Indy can write (or maybe she does -- she's got a Twitter account, after all), but having her as my constant daily companion as I whittle away the hours, fraught with daily worries, stress and general human noise, I am reminded how silly and inconsequential that noise is. If Indy were to put pen to paper and share her fuzzy nuggets of wisdom, I think these would be her basic tenets towards sublime happiness:

Sleep more. Worry less. There's nothing a sunny spot and a long nap can't cure.

Forgive. If they can put aside the fact that you *may* have rooted through the trash looking for that delicious wrapper covered in bacon grease, you can put aside the times when loved ones are in a crummy mood.

Love with full abandon and seek joy at every opportunity.

Time is meaingless. Treat every goodbye like it may be the last time you see them, and face every welcome like you haven't seen them in ages.

Be present, even in the quiet moments spent with loved ones. They're the times you'll cherish the most.


Jaunty Fine Print:  photos of Indy by Denise Sakaki

BOO! Did the Magpie scare you? No..? Well, let me pull out my junior high photos with mall bangs and head-to-toe acid wash and then let me ask the question again. Oh for heaven's sake. There's no need to cower in the corner in a fetal position.

Sparing the good, decent public from an acid-washed fate, this Bird wanted to share some photos taken during the Halloween/Autumnal decoration of the Jaunty Household. A strand of silk leaf garland here, a scattering of styrofoam headstones for ghoulish flair, and a few yards of black lace for good measure -- voila, a Halloween wonderland! And a final flourish of a maribou bat headband to torment the fuzzy head of the household, Miss Indy. Happy Halloween, you style vamps!