Wanna hear a cool UFO story? No? Well, too bad... It was the summer of 2014 BC (Before Charlie); Mom and I had taken the car on a camping trip out west so she could experience some of the places that I had on previous motorcycle trips. Northern New Mexico has many federally-protected Dark Sky areas, places far out in the desert where both light and atmospheric pollution is limited. Clayton Lake State Park was…

"Dogs have a way of finding those that need them, and filling an emptiness we didn't even know that we had..." When we found Charlie, both she and I were in a bad place; not just geographically, but mentally and physically as well. But who would have known back then that the decision to invite this emaciated creature into our home would have the effect she has had over the last eight years? But then…

Well, Charlie, we did it; we finally guilted Dad into getting a sidecar! And just who is this "we" you speak of? You do know that he bought the rig for me, right? That may be true, Your Aging Highness, but have you ever considered that the notion of chauffering BOTH of us had never occurred to him until I came along? And don't even act like you don't like it. I will admit that…

A few years ago, the Casa had an unwelcome vistor for a few days; a huge barn owl, easily 2' tall. She set up shop in a tree not twenty yards from our back porch. You could sometimes just make out her dim shape against the night sky; sometimes you couldn't see her at all, but you just knew that she was there. I could only imagine what an owl of that size could do…

A little hope, even hopeless hope, never hurt anybody.-John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent Most followers of this page know the Message of the Crate; how Charlie was found starving in hers and was released, only to return to it when she was shown no better option. Well, at the time I found her, I was in confinement as well, but instead of plastic and steel, mine was constructed of a 401k, four weeks…

As many of Charlie's long term followers know, every Friday is Charlie Bravo Day. The whole idea was that as many historical figures are celebrated once a year, it was only fair that a diva such as Charlie would get recognition throughout the year. As I was in the corporate rat race at the time and often unable to do her bidding during the work week, she chose every Friday as that day. And it…

Easter Sunday at the Casa; Charlie is still in bed, recovering from her Texas trip. Duff and Titus are already vying for what attention there is to be had, and Marco is in his happy place: burrowed under the covers and between my legs. And the answer is "yes"; that is exactly as weird as it sounds. One of my favorite stories happened a few years back, when Charlie and I were on one of…